Northern Cafe & Grill: Serious Hole-In-The-Wall Diner Eats

I’ve been known to frequent hole-in-the-wall joints. In fact, some of my favourite places to visit are down-to-earth eateries where the owners love what they do and are unpretentious about it. Well, I’m happy to say that I’ve found a new place that meets these standards. I suppose “found” really isn’t the right word as Northern Cafe has been around since 1949. But I can hardly be blamed for not visiting until now… tucked away on the second floor of a building supply store – you seriously are not going to come across this place unless you were intentionally trying to find this place (or if you happen to work in the trades).

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Old Farmhouse Kitchen (Avalon Dairy): Hit and Miss

If you’ve ever found yourself in the dairy aisle of your local grocery store, you’ve probably heard of Avalon Dairy. This local dairy producer has been around the Vancouver area for a very, very long time. A number of years ago, they moved their location over to North Fraser Way in Burnaby and have a small eatery at this location called Old Farmhouse Kitchen.

Koa Pancake House: Chocolate Chip Pancakes

After our morning sunrise outing, we headed over to grab some breakfast in the Kaneohe area. Specifically, we were looking for Koa Pancake House. This particular location was a bit difficult to find because it’s in the middle of a semi-industrial area and the signage says “Kaneohe Pancake House” instead of “Koa Pancake House”.

Fable Diner: Modern Diner in Mt. Pleasant

Fable Diner is a modern take on the diner concept brought to you by the same people who brought you Fable Kitchen on West 4th. Walking into this location at the corner of Main and Broadway, there’s no denying that the appearance harkens back to the diner vibe, complete with booths with old-school countertops.

The Heritage Grill: New West Eats

Located at the corner of Columbia and Church in New Westminster, The Heritage Grill is a bar that serves up typical casual eats as well as breakfast until 3pm. I dropped by for lunch during the weekday and didn’t find it very busy.

The Slocan: East Van Breakfast

If you’ve read by blog long enough, you probably know that I’m always looking for a good breakfast. The problem is that I’m running out of breakfast joints that actually open up early (especially on the weekends). Brunch is fine… but who wants to wait until 10-11am? Having to run errands on an early Saturday morning, I dropped by The Slocan, a diner located in my old East Vancouver haunts.

Fraser Park Restaurant: Hearty German Breakfast and Lunch

Whenever I’m in the mood for a good, hearty breakfast, my mind wanders to Fraser Park Restaurant. This diner located in the middle of a semi-industrial area has been serving up tasty eats for years and you’re pretty much guaranteed to go away stuffed.

Young’s Cafe: Breakfast in New Westminster

Does anyone ever wonder how the small Chinese-Canadian cafes started up? I mean, a place that serves both hamburgers and sweet and sour pork? Many moons ago, during the early settlement of Canada, Chinese immigrants introduced Chinese-style dishes that were refined for the tastes of their western contemporaries. In many small towns across Canada, the Chinese cafe was the first and only restaurant available as the unique recipes were a novelty for many. However, to attract more customers, these Chinese restaurants would also add western dishes to appeal to their customers.

Jules Cafe – Traditional Breakfast

It’s been about 4 years since we first visited Jules Cafe in South Burnaby. Since that time, the prices have gone up a bit. I recall being able to order the Traditional Breakfast for under $5. I suppose with our Canadian dollar the way it is right now, it’s difficult for places to keep up with the price of food.

The Cannery Cafe – Nice Breakfast Spot in Steveston

The Cannery Cafe in Steveston is probably best known for serving as the location of Granny’s Diner in the TV show Once Upon A Time. When I arrived here for breakfast one morning, I was actually surprised that the interior doesn’t resemble the set on OUAT.

Hilltop Diner – Blast From the Past

As someone who lives and works around Vancouver/Burnaby, I don’t usually find myself out in the sticks very often. Okay, Fort Langley isn’t exactly the sticks… but I did get the whole small town rural vibe going on as I got closer to my destination.

Big 6 Restaurant – Greasy Spoon

Now, don’t get me wrong… I’ve got nothing against a greasy spoon dive… as long as the food’s good. For example, the 5 Point Cafe in Seattle is a perfect example of a greasy spoon dive where the food’s great and you’re still slightly afraid to go to the bathroom.