Our Faves

Memphis Blues Barbeque House

1465 West Broadway, Vancouver, V6H 1H6

Rated this place:

posted Jul 21 2008

Note: My usual order is the $7 brisket sandwich and a $2 birch beer.

Cornbread: It's superior to all the cornbread I've had during business trips in the Deep South. These guys have done their research and are even sharing their recipe inside their Memphis Blues cookbook! More info on Tiny Bites: http://tiny.cc/2vfKZ

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• cornbread

Dutch Wooden Shoe Cafe

3292 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 2W4

Rated this place:

posted Aug 5 2008

Note: Enormous portions of breakfast ranging from $4 - $8 and coffee or juice for approximately $2 more.

Breakfast joint: You can drown in the sea of pannekoeks that this establishment provides. From the familiar to the exotic, you can find something that will appeal to your tastes. My recent addiction is their Nasi Goreng pannekoek, served with salad and topped with a fried egg. More info: http://tiny.cc/izXN1

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• breakfast joint

Japa Dog

899 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2K6

Rated this place:

posted Aug 5 2008

Note: At $6 for a Terimayo, sure, it's a pricey hot dog...but their standard beef dog is $3.50 and the quality is hard to beat.

Hot dog with a twist: They spin your typical American hot dog into funky Asian creations, like the best-selling Terimayo (teriyaki, seaweed, fried onions, and Japanese mayo on an all-beef dog). Your tried-and-trues are also available. Why not try a place that Anthony Bourdain patronizes?

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• hot dog with a twist

AGRO Café

1207 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B6K3

Rated this place:

posted Aug 14 2008

Note: Quality coffees brewed on a waste-not, want-not Clover for $3 or under (my cup is often $1.75). Yummy paninis w/ salad at $8; if you ask for a half and/or ditch the salad option, it's much less.

Coffee: They've got a Clover, which makes as fresh a cup of coffee as I've ever tasted, and with minimal waste. Ever the green establishment, their takeout cups are compostable, and they donate their used grinds and cups to the UBC farm for their compost. More info on Tiny Bites: http://tiny.cc/oERdL

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• coffee

Trees Organic Coffee

450 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC, V6C 1V4

Rated this place:

posted Aug 14 2008

Note: Sandwiches around the $7 price point and coffee for $1 - $4. Don't forget the cheesecake splurge.

Tuna salad sandwich: I went there the other day to have lunch plus a slice of their renowned cheesecake. It was love at first bite for my tuna salad baguette, toasted and pressed on their panini grill. I inhaled the entire thing and wound up having little belly room left for dessert! More info on Tiny Bites: http://tiny.cc/Rji93

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• tuna salad sandwich

Ebi Ten

388 Robson Street, Vancouver

Rated this place:

posted Aug 16 2008

Note: Half a dozen takoyaki for $5 and a selection of lunchtime rolls (made earlier that morning) at around $3 or less. Combos that include pop, rice bowls, and the like are available for $10 or under, inclusive of taxes.

Takoyaki: Ebi Ten may classify itself as Japanese fast food, but it sure is a lot more nutritional than McDonald’s. It was here that I first tried takoyaki (fried octopus balls). Terribly addicting and cheap by the dozen. Though it does become a little less appetizing when you witness your coworkers gorge on 24 and 36 of them, respectively. More info on Tiny Bites: http://tinyurl.com/6nu44j

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• takoyaki

Savary Island Pie Company

1533 Marine Drive, West Vancouver

Rated this place:

posted Aug 16 2008

Note: I can never finish a soup, a slice of pie, and a drink at Savary Island...but if you can, it's still only around $10.

Pie: You can often find us spending a lazy summer afternoon strolling along Ambleside beach after a decadent chicken pot pie or tortiere lunch at Savary Island. My favourite for dessert is blueberry...but I often don't have room left in my tummy! More on Tiny Bites: http://tinyurl.com/62np3r

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• pie

Grounds for Appeal

845 Cambie Street, Vancouver

Rated this place:

posted Aug 16 2008

Note: Curry combos max out at $7.95 for your choice of two, bundled with rice and naan. It's less if you know you only want 1 curry.

Quick curry: Yaletown locals and law students may be the only ones that know of this gem of a cafeteria inside the Law Society building. It serves some of the yummiest Indian curries in the area. The butter chicken used to be offered only once a week, but due to popular demand, it is now available every day. Try this for $6.85 or select from their other curry specials. More info on Tiny Bites: http://tinyurl.com/6nu44j

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• quick curry

Vera's Burger Shack

1181 Denman Street, Vancouver, BC

Rated this place:

posted Aug 17 2008

Note: A burger and pop at Vera's is sure to be enough calories for 2 people, let alone one, and you can get the bundle for under $10.

Burger: Where else can you induce a coronary in such a tasty manner? Vera's burgers are massive and customizable with a heapful of fixins'...you can even top it off with a fried egg!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Burger

Mr. Pickwick's Fish & Chips

8620 Granville Street, Vancouver, V6P 5A1

Rated this place:

posted Aug 17 2008

Note: Between 2 people, we paid $20 for a sampler combo of 3 types of fish, a couple of extra sides, 2 drinks, and a deep-fried mars bar to share. Terrific value.

Deep-fried mars bar, Fish and chips: Presentation is simple but gorgeous; taste is lighter than air. Not bad for a little food kiosk where everything is dunked in oil. More on Tiny Bites: http://tinyurl.com/6fk7kz

A bounty of seafood is available at Mr. Pickwick's, including clams, squid, and oysters. Batter is crispy and impossibly light for something that's been deep-fried. Thumbs up for joining Green Table and for switching to compostable take-away containers! More on Tiny Bites: http://tinyurl.com/6fk7kz

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• deep-fried mars bar

À La Mode

1689 Johnston Street, Vancouver

Rated this place:

posted Aug 19 2008

Note: You can grab a drink and pot pie grazing just at the $10 mark while you take in the buzz of Granville Island Public Market. This is my favourite place for lunch when I'm going grocery shopping in the area.

Pot pie: From chicken pot pie to french onion soup, this kiosk inside the Granville Island Public Market delivers a rainbow of baked savouries. They're not too shabby with the tarts and meringues, either. More info on Tiny Bites: http://tinyurl.com/686zgx

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• pot pie

Pho Van

3370 Fraser Street, Vancouver, BC, V6J 5L1

Rated this place:

posted Aug 21 2008

Note: Soups are around $6.50 for a large and $5.50 for a small. Tea is either free or a couple bucks more.

Pho: Their rich broth needs no help from the usual table-side sauces. My fave, the rare beef and tendon pho, does not skimp on the tendon like many pho houses are wont to do. More photos: http://tinyurl.com/6j5hep

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Pho

Yopo Cafe

1122 Homer Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 2X6

Rated this place:

posted Aug 21 2008

Weeknight dinner deal: For $10, you can enjoy a dinner combo at this family-run Chinese gem in Yaletown. Partake of soup, spring rolls, your choice of entree, and ice cream. If you can't dine in, tack on just 50 cents for the take-out option. More details on Tiny Bites: http://tinyurl.com/5fjypl

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• weeknight dinner deal

PHAT Deli

1055 Mainland Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B5P9

Rated this place:

posted Aug 24 2008

Note: Sandwiches, whether Skinny or Phat, range from $7 - $10. Bagel bennies are around $8.99. Coffee is $1 - 3 while my favourite cranberry lemonade may make you cross the $10 ceiling - $3.50, but worth it.

Bagel: There’s a multitude of freshly baked bagels and half a dozen flavours of cream cheese—blended, I suspect, in-house—so I have yet to exhaust the combos possible. But I’m making a valiant effort. More on Tiny Bites: http://tinyurl.com/3wesej

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• bagel

Hon's Wun-Tun House

1339 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 1C6

Rated this place:

posted Aug 28 2008

Note: Our average bill at Hon's for 2 people with drinks comes to $15 before taxes and tip. Sometimes, it's $15 *after* taxes and tip.

Chinese fast food: Service is quick, potstickers come with a zingy dipping sauce, and I cannot stop myself from ordering the exact same dish every time we visit. The bill? $15 for 2; sometimes it's under $10. More on Tiny Bites: http://tinyurl.com/5dzzpv

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• chinese fast food

Kolachy Co

888 Beatty Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 1C2

Rated this place:

posted Aug 22 2008

Note: $4 soup, $7 kolachy combos, kick-ass 49th Parallel coffee for a few bucks. Great morning pit stop.

Tomato and basil soup: One of my favourite soups has got to be tomato, basil, and dill. I constantly crave Kolachy Co's rendition of it! Thankfully, it’s on high rotation. I prefer breakfasts loaded with protein (ie: meat), but for some reason, this vegetarian soup is fully satiating. More on Tiny Bites: http://tinyurl.com/6h3929

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• tomato and basil soup

La Bretagne Creperie

795 Jervis Street, Vancouver, BC

Rated this place:

posted Jul 4 2008

Note: Savoury crepes (galettes) are a little more expensive - closer to the $9 mark, with some selections in the $12 price point. Dessert options start from $3 and go up to $12. My average order is $9 for a simple galette and an apple cider.

Creperie: The place I go to satisfy my frequent cravings for crepes and galettes. Leagues better than the franchises that are spattered across downtown Vancouver. Enjoy your meal while sipping on apple cider and listening to Isabelle sing French ditties while she cooks.

Caffe Artigiano

763 Hornby Street , Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1S2

Rated this place:

posted May 1 2009

Superior roasts and prize baristas: Vancouver is spoiled when it comes to artisanal coffee. Our city's reputation as a coffee destination is thanks in no small part to the efforts of Caffé Artigiano and its exclusive roaster, 49th Parallel. Have your gourmet caffeine fix artifully prepared by baristas that have won accolades around the world.

Sandwich Garden Korean Cafe

529 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1V3

Rated this place:

posted Nov 7 2008

Korean food: I was never impressed with Korean cuisine until I came across this place. Their $8 hotpot and soup specials are perfect for chilly days. Not a single DIY barbeque grill in sight.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Korean Food

Sushi Bento Express

1258 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 1C1

Rated this place:

posted May 12 2009

Family-run but striving for sustainability: Ever since I visited Sushi Bento as part of a flash mob to encourage sustainable sushi, I've been impressed by this restaurant's attempt to implement quite costly changes to ingredients and kitchen processes in order to morph into an eco-friendly business. This is tough to do being a small outfit (usually, only the restaurant bigwigs can swallow the expense). Kudos to them for the changes and for still producing great sushi product at the lower end of the price range.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Sushi

Uva Wine Bar

900 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC

Rated this place:

posted May 12 2009

Wine, lunch and espresso in Yaletown: Never mind that Uva is literally next door to where I live. That's just a bonus. It's my go-to place for a morning cappucino and my office-away-from-my-office when I need to organize a business lunch. Free wifi care of Moda Hotel. Say hi to Michele at the espresso bar - he'll take good care of you. Not in the area before 2pm? Hang out after 5pm when Uva does its thing as one of the hippest wine bars in town.

Babylon Cafe

708 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC

Rated this place:

posted May 14 2009

Favourite shawerma stop: I've been frequenting the Babylon Cafe location in my neighbourhood at an average of once per week for the past four weeks. To date, the only thing I've tried is the chicken shawerma (their spelling) with grilled vegetables. Deeeelish. $7 for a giant wrap. Totally worth the line and squeezing into their closet of a space. And last time I was in, I was caught taking photos...and rather than getting annoyed, the owners invited me behind the counter for a picture of me with the stands of roast chicken and falafel. I think they assumed I was a tourist =)