New Vancouver Cafes and Lunch Spots to Try This Fall

Some of Vancouver’s most useful new openings are the ones you can fit into an ordinary Tuesday. A coffee on the way to work, a lunch you look forward to, or a quick stop between errands can change how a neighbourhood feels.

For this edition of The Social Pulse, we are looking at three new Vancouver cafes and lunch spots that opened in late August and September. Each offers a different reason to step outside your usual routine.

Honest to Pete brings a local roaster to Hamilton Street

The small coffee shack beside the CBC has a new operator. Honest to Pete Coffee Roasters soft opened at 740 Hamilton Street on August 31, bringing its Mount Pleasant roasting business into the downtown core. Alongside espresso, the location introduced breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Read the opening report.

Our pick: make this a coffee-and-walk stop rather than another purchase on a rushed commute. If you are exploring downtown as a place to live, pay attention to the route you take and whether you would enjoy repeating it on a wet weekday morning.

Small businesses are also worth noticing when you revisit a familiar block. A returning coffee window can give you a reason to use a corner you previously walked past.

Mandy’s adds a fresh lunch option in Kitsilano

Montreal-born Mandy’s Gourmet Salads opened its first Vancouver storefront at 2202 West 4th Avenue on September 23. The Kitsilano location uses an express takeout format and introduced a location-specific Salmon by the Sea salad. Explore the Kitsilano opening.

Our pick: pair a takeaway lunch with time to browse West 4th. Keep the afternoon loose enough to stop at a shop that catches your attention, and choose an indoor alternative if the weather turns.

For anyone comparing Kitsilano with downtown living, this is a useful reminder to test everyday habits. Where would you buy lunch? How far would you walk for groceries? Would you still enjoy the area when you have errands rather than a free Saturday?

Zab Bite Thai Express arrives at Bentall Centre

Zab Bite Thai Express soft opened in the Burrard Food Court at 505 Burrard Street on September 9. Its compact menu includes pad see ew and rice dishes, bringing a fast-casual version of the Fraser Street restaurant’s cooking downtown. The original restaurant’s MICHELIN recognition should not be confused with a separate award for this counter. Read about the Bentall location.

Our pick: try it on a workday when you can assess whether it fits your actual lunch break. Check current service hours before making a special trip.

Where should you start

Choose Honest to Pete for a downtown coffee stop, Mandy’s for a Kitsilano takeaway lunch, or Zab Bite Thai Express for a quick meal in the financial district. There is no need to turn three separate neighbourhood discoveries into one busy itinerary.

At Editorial Living Group, we pay attention to the places that make daily life easier and more enjoyable. Exploring Vancouver neighbourhoods for your next home? Connect with us to compare the communities that suit your routine.