Team behind award-winning bar Prophecy to open restaurant in historic West Vancouver building

West Vancouver’s next restaurant is preparing to open its doors in the historic and newly restored building, and it’s being brought to life by an all-star team.

Called Navvy House, the project is brought to us by At Home Hospitality, the team behind Vancouver’s Banter Room and the award-winning Prophecy and will be opening inside the Navvy Jack House at 1768 Argyle Ave.

The menu here was designed by Executive Chef and Operating Partner Mike Rose, who was born and raised in West Vancouver, serving bites that follow the seasons and the shoreline, drawing inspiration from Pacific and Atlantic coastal traditions and the land in between with a menu described as “unfussy, bold, and built on natural flavours.”

“I want to create a food program with rotating seasonal dishes that keeps people coming back for more,” said Rose. “The menu is going to bring familiar favourites, fresh seafood, and great cuts of meat cooked with real care and intention.”

As for the space itself, it will pair original heritage details with modern design and views over the Burrard Inlet, built for long lunches and evenings that run past sunset.

General Manager Miguel Campomar, who you may recognize from Banter Room, will be leading the front of house. Here, he’ll be bringing his same dedication to standout hospitality to Navvy House.

“There’s something special about coming back to Ambleside, the neighbourhood that raised me, to help build this next chapter,” said Campomar. “Banter Room will always be my home, but getting to bring Navvy House to this community is a full circle moment I couldn’t be more excited about.”

This isn’t the first time the At Home Hospitality team have worked on a historic site, with Prophecy operating in a space that dates back to 1927.

“Having the chance to take historic spaces and bring new life to them is something that is truly special,” added Justin Mensah-Coker, Operating Partner. “We had the chance to do something similar by creating Prophecy in the historic Rosewood Georgia Hotel, and we are excited about the opportunity to bring a new chapter to the historically rich Navvy Jack House.

The building’s history spans over a century and holds the title of the oldest remaining home on the North Shore. It was built in 1873 by John “Navvy Jack” Thomas, who ran Burrard Inlet’s first ferry and supplied the gravel that still bears his name in the Vancouver building trade. The house was later home to John Lawson, who is known as the “father of West Vancouver” and ran the community’s first post office and general store.

This project came about as the District of West Vancouver and the Navvy Jack Society were looking for a partner to restore and revitalize the home. The Carrera Management Corporation was the one to step forward and generously donate their time, resources, and funding to bring the vision to life. Then, earlier this year, the District granted the house permanent heritage designation following the restoration. Navvy House is the next chapter for this historic building.

“The history of this house is inspiring. It’s a space that has always been a place where the community gathers,” said Teddy Wilkie, Operating Partner. “We want to honour the history of community, connection and craftsmanship in this location and write our own chapter. We hope to intertwine the pillars of this house into our story.”

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Opening details and reservations are expected to be shared within the coming months. Be sure to check back here for more updates.

Navvy House

Address: 1768 Argyle Ave., Vancouver

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