10 best brunches in Vancouver with non-traditional brunch foods

Vancouver has no shortage of great places serving up brunch on the weekend, but where do you head if you want more than the usual brunch suspects?

Here are 10 spots in Vancouver offering unconventional brunches to try when you’re sick of Eggs Benedict or French Toast.

Chicha Restaurant

Located on East Broadway, near Main Street, Chicha Restaurant sets itself apart from other brunch eateries in the city by offering a wonderful array of Peruvian-inspired dishes. Served on Saturday and Sunday, this causal eatery’s brunch menu (brought to life by chefs Shelome Bouvette and Allison Flook) is an absolute treat. It features a long list of unique plates flaunting South American flavours and staple Peruvian ingredients (corn and potato for example), as well as familiar eats, such as eggs dishes, hashes, and waffles (all with Peruvian twists).

Address: 136 East Broadway, Vancouver
Phone: 604-620-3963
Twitter: @ChichaVancouver

Bao Down Gastropub + Raw Bar

Not only does Bao Down bring to the table a wide range of innovative brunch plates, it also offers an inviting and laid back space to kick back and enjoy a late-morning meal with friends. With funky tunes playing in the background, sublime cocktails, terrific breakfast-inspired bao buns, and a neon-coloured street art wall mural, Bao Down offers a setting and brunch menu not found elsewhere in the city.

Address: 115 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver
Phone: 604-620-5226
Twitter: @baodowngastro

Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio

Taking its cue from the fine-dining restaurant’s West Coast sustainable cuisine, Ancora’s brunch menu offers a unique and eclectic mix of plates. Many of the dishes are Peruvian and Japanese riffs on American brunch classics. Options include Ancora’s signature Steelhead Trout Benny (served with corn bread, poached eggs, organic pea shoots, and a smoked Hollandaise), Braised Short Ribs and Eggs (comprised of scrambled eggs, tortilla de patatas, chimichurri, grilled tomato, and a beet leaf pesto), and the Forbidden Rice Seafood Paella. Definitely more of a lunch time item than a breakfast one, this dish is composed of a perfectly cooked fried egg, shrimp, squid, Peruvian corn, and a rich, terracotta-coloured smoked paprika butter sauce.

Address: 1600 Howe Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-681-1164
Twitter: @ancoradining

The Parlour

Who said you can’t have pizza for brunch? The folks at The Parlour on Hamilton Street certainly believe that chowing down on pizza in the morning is a great way to begin the day, so much so they have created a delicious range of individual-sized brunch pizzas to be savoured on the weekend.

Address: 1011 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-568-3322
Twitter: @parlouryaletown

Sai Woo

Already popular for their sophisticated meld of Asian and European dinnertime dishes, it was only logical that Sai Woo would add Sunday brunch to its offerings. Boasting distinct Asian-inspired flavours, Sai Woo’s concise brunch menu features a Daily Congee, a non-traditional Eggs Benedict (composed of homemade scallion biscuits, Chinese sausage, wilted greens, and a light yet creamy Hollandaise sauce), Cashew Pancakes, the eatery’s wildly popular Fried Rice bowl, and more.

Address: 158 East Pender Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-568-1117
Twitter: @doyousaiwoo

Ask for Luigi

Located in an old wood frame building on the corner of Alexander and Gore Street, Ask for Luigi offers a fabulously Italian-focused weekend brunch menu with an array of tantalizing dishes. Indeed, the menu features plenty of standout plates including: zucchini frittata with roasted tomato and goat cheese; waffles with apple, hazelnuts, and tiramisu crema; a Monte Cristo sandwich with prosciutto and soft boiled eggs; and the Pappardelle alla Bolognese (yes, pasta for breakfast!).

Address: 305 Alexander Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-428-2544
Twitter: @askforluigi

Farmer’s Apprentice

Featuring an ever-changing menu (the produce at hand is dependent on the farmer’s delivery), patrons can never be too sure what brunch items will appear at Farmer’s Apprentice, however, top-notch meals are most certainly guaranteed. Preparing a brunch spread like no other, Farmer’s Apprentice offers a range of intriguing and delicious sounding options, from buttermilk biscuits served with concord grape jelly, to a miso-based dish topped with complementary chunks of lightly grilled octopus, cabbage, potato, and a boiled egg.

Address: 1535 West 6th Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-620-2070
Twitter: @gunawan_dave

The Union

Perhaps better known for their dinner and cocktail menu, The Union also offers up an appetizing brunch menu on the weekend, with lots of unique and inventive dishes. With its cultural influences from South East Asia, The Union offers brunch goers fantastic pre and post midday meals, which include a breakfast double smoked bacon Banh Mi, curry spice hash, short rib pho, and a modified French toast, comprised of the popular Filipino bread Pandesal, five-spice brandy toffee sauce, caramelized Asian pears, whipped cream, and toasted coconut.

Address: 219 Union Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-568-3230
Twitter: @TheUnionVan

La Mezcaleria

A photo posted by La Mezcaleria (@lamezcaleriayvr) on Jun 5, 2016 at 10:38am PDT

Some of the best Mexican food in Vancouver can be found at La Mezcaleria. The menu is adventurous, refined, and features dishes inspired by traditional Mexican recipes. Brunch is no exception to this. Brunch goers can enjoy Chilaquiles (house tortilla chips smothered in salsa verde with refried black beans and a sunny side up egg), Huevos Divorciados (aka Divorced Eggs–a dish composed of two sunny side up free-range eggs divorced by refried beans), Huevos Con Chorizo (scrambled free-range eggs with ground chorizo), and a range of enticing libations, including a Mezcal Mimosa, which is dangerously easy to drink.

Address: 1622 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Phone: 604-559-8226
Twitter: @LaMezcaleriaYVR

Mission

In line with the restaurant’s tasting menu concept, brunch at Mission involves a set menu and encourages patrons to sit down, unwind, and be fed by the restaurant’s talented chefs. Not only do the plates offered stray away from conventional brunch items (think raisin and cranberry toast, a hearty slab of pork terrine, and a wilted kale salad), but the serving style is totally unique. Indeed, the meal is served harvest-style to the group, a serving manner not seen elsewhere in the city.

Address: 2042 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver
Phone: 604-739-2042
Twitter: @missionkits