BC Business
Food trucks aren't the only Vancouver eateries on the move. A baker's dozen of restaurant groups from A to Z are giving Toronto, and other places, a taste of what they bring to the table
JJ Bean is planning to expand its Toronto presence.
Food trucks aren’t the only Vancouver eateries on the move. A baker’s dozen of restaurant groups from A to Z are giving Toronto, and other places, a taste of what they bring to the table
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Build-your-own custom-made salads and pizzas for one price
LOCATIONS: 3
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: Cambie and 8th, 2017
IN TORONTO: Church and Carlton, 2018
PLUS: No current plans for other locations
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Modern German cuisine with West Coast influences
LOCATIONS: 1
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: W. Cordova and Carrall, 2015
IN TORONTO: Richmond St. W., spring 2020
PLUS: China’s Ocean Flower Island, 2020
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Upscale casual West Coast
LOCATIONS: 29
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: Pemberton Ave., North Vancouver, 1988
IN TORONTO: Adelaide St. W., 2015; Sherway Gardens Mall, 2018
PLUS: Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Pubs with neighbourhood character
LOCATIONS: 17, including 13 pubs and 3 cocktail clubs
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: The Bimini, W. 4th Ave., 1999
IN TORONTO: 6, starting with Belfast Love, King St. W., 2016
PLUS: Operates 7 barbershops and a products lab with Barber & Co.
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Japanese gastro-pubs
LOCATIONS: 6
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: Guu Original Thurlow, 1993, as Raku
IN TORONTO: Queen St. W., 2016
PLUS: 1 more Vancouver location in the works
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Stylish Japanese pub/bistro cuisine using local, seasonal, Ocean Wise ingredients
LOCATIONS: 2
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: Robson St., 2003 (now closed)
IN TORONTO: College St., 2012
PLUS: Considering locations from Langley to Costa Rica
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Community cafés featuring coffee roasted daily in small batches
LOCATIONS: 23
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: Powell and Victoria, 1996
IN TORONTO: 4, starting with Bartley Dr., North York, 2016
PLUS: Plans for 40 cafés in Toronto
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Pizza and share plates meet cocktails and craft beer
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: Hamilton and Nelson, 2012
IN TORONTO: King St. W., early 2019
PLUS: No plans presently
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Retro Polynesian decor, food and cocktails
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: Main and E. 28th, 2013
IN TORONTO: Queen St. W., 2015
PLUS: Working on a Vancouver location with haunted mansion theme; would like to open in the U.S.
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Fresh, locally focused dishes served cafeteria-style
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: W. 4th and Cypress, 2013
IN TORONTO: Yonge and Richmond, 2018
PLUS: 3 or 4 new Vancouver and Toronto locations by the end of 2019
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Plantbased pizza, small plates and ice cream
LOCATIONS: 4
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: Main and Keefer, 2016
IN TORONTO: College St., 2018
PLUS: Portland, 2017; Victoria, by end of 2019; plus plans for 8 more throughout North America
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Pub grub at one low price
LOCATIONS: 18
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: El Furniture Warehouse, Granville and Nelson, 2001
IN TORONTO: 4, starting with Bloor St. W., 2014
PLUS: London, Ont.; Montreal; Ottawa; Quebec City; Trois-Rivières
FLAVOUR PROFILE: Japanese restaurants with individual specialties, from yakitori izakaya to sushi
LOCATIONS: 8
VANCOUVER ORIGINAL: Zakkushi on Denman, 2004
IN TORONTO: 3, starting with Zakkushi on Carlton, 2012
PLUS: Queen St. W., Toronto, in the works
PUB CRAWL Vancouver’s Red Truck Beer Co. now has a brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado. It could be the first B.C. brewery to cross the border since Victoria’s Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub opened the Noggins brewpub in downtown Seattle in 1989, followed by a second in the University District a year later. Spinnakers closed both in 1991 to focus on its home market.