Written for Daily Hive by Gloria Xu. 

If you haven’t heard already, there’s a new restaurant serving Canadian-inspired dishes in London, UK, and we got to try it out.

The owners of West 4th Kitchen, Livia Boumeester and Louisa Stevenson-Hamilton, fell in love with Vancouver and its hospitality scene during their time living in Kitsilano.

Inspired by the vibrance of Kitsilano’s West 4th Avenue, the pair wanted the London wine bar to remind Canadians of those cozy nights after a long day of skiing, or a relaxing evening after sunset watching on the beach.

The choice of natural decor, large windows, and seafoam-coloured accents captured just that. It might even remind you of the 49th Parallel Café on West 4th.

Their daytime menu offers pretty much everything you can expect to find at your favourite brunch spot in Vancouver, and at night, the restaurant transforms into an intimate wine bar with an extended list of wines imported from Canada and around the world.

And if all that didn’t remind you of Vancouver enough, they also have a giant clock on the wall that is always set to Vancouver time.

The place we sat can be converted into an outdoor patio in the summer, and the downstairs area will be used to host wine tastings and events with many of their Canadian suppliers.

We went with the Benjamin Bridge Sparkling Wine from Nova Scotia and paired it with a Cheese & Meat Platter with cured meats and their daily selection of British farmhouse cheeses.

West 4th’s food is best enjoyed family-style, from Mac & Cheese to a selection of dishes that can be easily shared.

We tried the Brussels sprouts, charred with maple-glazed bacon and topped with cranberries and wholegrain mustard.

The Crispy Citrus Calamari was every calamari lover’s dream (minimal breading), and the Maple Glazed Chicken Bites were coated in a delicious honey BBQ sauce – courtesy of Chef Joseph’s secret homemade recipe.

Of course, we also had to try the signature poutine, which tasted just like we remembered, even though the gravy is surprisingly vegetarian (made with mushrooms)!

If you’re a Canadian in London missing a piece of home, or anyone in London curious for a taste of Canada – look for a Canadian Goose sign along New Kings Road, and you’ll know you’ve found the right spot.

West 4th Kitchen

Address: 175 New Kings Road, London

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