Gone are the days when French toast simply involved dipping sliced bread in egg, followed by a quick grilling. Now the comforting breakfast dish comes piled high, stuffed with banana, sprinkled with candied walnuts, and topped with all manner of sauces.
Dusted with icing sugar, doused in maple syrup, or served with a side of deliciously salty bacon, here’s our list of where to find the best French toast in Vancouver.
Tableau Bar Bistro
Photo courtesy of Tableau Bar Bistro
Tableau Bar Bistro’s Spiced Buttermilk French Toast is worth a visit to the Coal Harbour restaurant alone. Topped with a mixed fruit compote and warm Crème Anglaise, Tableau’s French toast is deliciously warm, delightfully fluffy and available on the weekends at brunch for $16.
Address: 1181 Melville Street
Phone: 604-639-8692
Website: www.tableaubarbistro.com
The Oakwood Canadian Bistro
Banana bread French toast (Jess Fleming / Vancity Buzz)
The Oakwood Canadian Bistro takes French toast to a whole other and extremely satisfying level. Made with homemade banana bread, instead of the usual thick cut bread or brioche slices, The Oakwood’s French toast ($15) is outrageously good. It’s served hot and topped off with a salted caramel drizzle, raspberry coulis and candied walnuts.
Address: 2741 West 4th Avenue
Phone: 604-558-1965
Website: www.theoakwood.ca
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Fable Kitchen
French toast with mascarpone, berries & candied walnuts (Jess Fleming / Vancity Buzz)
This popular Kitsilano spot offers an array of farm-to-table brunch eats come the weekend. However, it is the kitchen’s French toast that has sweet toothed diners licking their lips in anticipation for the meal they’re about to receive. Topped with a dollop of mascarpone cream, candied walnuts and seasonal preserves, Fable’s mammoth chunck of French toast is guaranteed to satisfied.
Address: 1944 West 4th Avenue
Phone: 604-732-1322
Website: www.fablekitchen.ca
Catch 122
This Gastown favourite does not disappoint in the presentation nor the delivery of French toast. Beautifully presented, Catch 122’s French toast plate ($12) consists of a small tower of house-made brioche slices, maple blueberries, toasted oats, whipped cream and mint.
Address: 122 West Hastings Street
Phone: 604-731-3474
Website: www.catch122.ca
Forage
Photo courtesy of Forage (Welbert Choi)
For some fancy schmancy French toast, head to Robson Street’s Forage. Here, $14 sees your grilled brioches slices, finished with a rhubarb purée, candied bacon, and macerated strawberries.
Address: 1300 Robson Street
Phone: 604-661-1400
Website: www.foragevancouver.com
The Elbow Room Café
This casual Davie Street haunt is known for its comforting and eclectic breakfast and brunch menu. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the restaurant serves up a mean plate of French toast. Those looking for a more traditional take should tuck into the Pain Dore Canadian (thick cut French bread dipped and grilled), while those on the hunt for a little more extravagance should dig into the Banana Walnut French Toast ($10.75). Made with pound cake, this dish is rich and filling, especially when you add on a side of bacon, ham and or sausage.
Address: 560 Davie Street
Phone: 604-685-3628
Website: www.theelbowroomcafe.com
Chill Winston
Crème Brûleé French Toast (Jess Fleming / Vancity Buzz)
Yes, Chill Winton’s French Toast is sweet, but enjoyably so. The thick slabs of bread are wonderfully dense and absorb all the sugary goodness from the syrup and fruit-based preserves. If the ratio of sweet to salty is a little too unbalanced for your liking, do what the menu suggests and add-on some protein. A side of salty sizzling bacon is recommended.
Address: 3 Alexander Street
Phone: 604-288-9575
Website: www.chillwinston.com
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Deacon’s Corner
Photo courtesy of Deacon’s Corner
Both Deacon’s Corner locations serve a deliciously simple French toast. Comprised of three pieces of thickly cut and lightly grilled brioche slices, Deacon’s French toast comes with a light dusting of icing sugar and the choice of ham, bacon or a sausage patty. For a little extra kick diners can opt for a splash of maple syrup or a spoonful of berry compote.
Address: 101 Main Street
Phone: 604-684-1555
Address: 3189 West Broadway
Phone: 778-379-3727
Website: www.deaconscorner.ca
Twisted Fork
This super popular Granville Street brunch spot plates an incredibly decedent banana stuffed French toast seven days a week. Served with a shot of maple syrup Twisted Fork’s French toast is delivered to the table with a dusting of cinnamon icing sugar and a dollop of vanilla cream. This meal is not for light eaters.
Address: 1147 Granville Street
Phone: 604-568-0749
Website: www.twistedforkbistro.ca