We’re taking a tasty tour of Vancouver’s many brunches to create The Ultimate Vancouver Brunch Guide. This week we’re sampling some hearty vegetarian brunch fare at Graze.
Situated on Vancouver’s constantly evolving Fraser Street, Graze Restaurant serves a daily dinner service, in addition to a weekend brunch. It’s completely vegetarian, therefore patrons can expect to find an array of wholesome, plant-based meals and beverages both night and day.
Similar to the restaurant’s dinner time eats, Graze’s brunch menu incorporates as many locally and organically produced ingredients as possible. The restaurant even grows their own herbs and vegetables, and collects rainwater for their garden.
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The brunch menu features a range of sweet and savoury offerings. Those who prefer their brunch on the sweeter side have the option of three fluffy pancakes served with the choice of poached or fresh seasonal fruit ($11), carrot cake French toast dipped and grilled in the restaurant’s homemade flax-polenta batter ($14), and a homemade granola blend comprised of toasted oats, fig, chia, and cacao ($10).
Alternatively, savory eaters can choose between a dish of seasonally-focused veggie hash ($13), breakfast tacos (organic corn tortillas, seasoned scrambled tofu, tomato, bell pepper, black beans, corn, and house made spicy salsa roja – $14), and waffles ($15) topped with pan-fried crispy seitan (meat substitute) strips.
The kitchen also dishes up a re-imagined Smoked Tofu Benny ($15), sans egg. Stacked atop a caraway biscuit and finished with an avocado cashew crème, this dish is comprised of house applewood smoked tofu, smoky mushroom and eggplant strips, braised greens, and fresh tomato.
Alongside the main brunch plates, Graze offers a stack of sides, including crispy rosemary roast potatoes, vibrant salad greens, braised greens, smoky eggplant strips, and more.
The cocktail list features some rather alluring classic late-morning libations, like the Vegan Caesar (East Van Vodka, house infused and seasoned tomato cocktail, smoked salt rim, and house pickled beans), and sparkling Mimosas, made from wine or deliciously spicy house-made ginger beer.
Non-alcoholic beverages include organic coconut water, organic OJ, Graze’s own take on Kombucha, and a daily smoothie. Thick, packed with fruit, Graze’s smoothies comes in flavour combos like raspberry, apple and date.
The space itself is lovely, with ample seating for both small and large parties, and is a pass on what might be considered homey, rustic and chic, think soft lighting, hanging fixtures, wooden accents, metallic tin walls, and floral murals. There’s certainly comfort in Graze’s surrounds, as well as the familiar tunes playing in the background.
Graze Restaurant certainly adds to the array of vegetarian and vegan options in the city and is good spot for vegetarians and flexitarians in and around the Fraser Street area searching for a plant-based brunch feed.
Graze
Address: 3980 Fraser Street
Phone: 604-620-8822
Hours: Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Website: www.grazerestaurant.ca
UPDATE 12/02/15: Graze has closed down