The inside of Cafe Deux Soleils is big, breezy, and full of energy.

Cafe Deux Soleils on Commercial Drive is a neighborhood hot spot. Morning, noon, and night, this place is packed with a wild assortment of people – all looking for a dark, chill, friendly place to get some good quick grub. The atmosphere is laid back, the food is vegetarian, and the place is loud!

Families with kids, students studying, groups meeting, and lots of first dates keep this place packed and the energy high. There is ample seating here, with big booths, a huge communal table, window benches and lots of additional small sets of tables. Even on the busiest of days, tables turn quickly and you’ll be able to nab a prime spot in no time.

The vibe is dark and creative at Cafe Deux Soleils. The whole place has a very laid back feel and they open the big windows at the front on nice days to keep the breeze blowing through. It’s a bit messy, but that’s all a part of the vibe.

Overall the food at Cafe Deux Soleils is great. They have food inspired from around the world and portion sizes to please every hunger level. They do breakfast and brunch particularly well and serve it up until 3pm 7 days a week. All menu options are vegetarian. They are also fully licensed!

Best Menu Item: The thick, hearty, vegetarian chili with warm, butter drenched toast! Even the tiny “cup” sized portion hits the spot! Burgers are great, and anything from the breakfast menu is greasy and good.

Note: The bathrooms are not good. They kind of feel like the bathrooms of a college dive bar. Avoid if possible.

Hours: Open at 8am every day. They close around midnight. Events start at 9pm (cover is $5).

More Information: http://www.cafedeuxsoleils.com/

Urbanspoon Says:

Solly’s Bagelry on West 7th (and all locations for that matter) is a must-visit food stop in Vancouver. The bagels, the breakfasts, and the takeaway items – all are top notch.

Solly’s is a Jewish family Bakery and Deli; with their signature item being their boiled and baked bagels. All flavors of their dense, chewy bagels incredible. I always let them choose a mixed bag for me. As with all bagels, they are best if eaten as soon as possible (hard to resist anyway).

Aside from bagels, Solly’s also carries a wide assortment of Jewish pastries. Their cinnamon buns are the stuff that dreams are made of: heavy, rich, caramelly. I dare you to eat an entire one to yourself!

They also have tasty rugoleh, knish, huge sandwiches and soups, including their famous chicken matzo ball variety. The breakfast menu is also worth noting, and the sinful Eggel does not dissapoint.

There is ample seating room, with lots of tables, chairs and nooks and crannies to hole up in. In fact, this is one of my all time favourite places in Vancouver to study or get work done. Once they politely serve you your food they leave you alone in peace to work or chow down.

Tips: On Wednesday they host a stellar bagel deal – $7.50 for a dozen of any kind of bagel!

Or, if you are in the mood for something a little different, try their hot dog bagel. They wrap a tasty hot dog in chewy bagel dough and bake and boil. Strange, but good!

Address:
368 West 7th Ave
(Yukon & 7th-1 block East of Cambie)

Phone: (604) 675-9750

Website & Hours: http://www.sollysbagelry.com/

Urbanspoon Says:

I have a newly re-formed love affair with Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe in Kitsilano. For years Sophie’s was that staple place I’d take guests from out of town. We’d brave the long weekend waits and fill our bellies with fresh diner coffee and huge plates of bacon and eggs. From the eccentric decor to the sassy servers, this was always a place of conversation.

Lately I’m seeing a whole side of Sophies that I’ve never seen before. I’ve started having early morning work meetings here, before the tourists can cross the bridge and anyone with a hangover has even thought about getting out of bed. This is the magical Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe that I really shouldn’t be telling anyone about.

Sophies opens surprisingly bright and early (8am, 7 days a week). Aside from the coffee shops, this stretch of West 4th remains fairly sleepy until 9 or 10. And on weekday mornings you can usually get a full booth without a wait; something that’s next to impossible later in the day and on weekends.

Before it starts getting busy for lunch, a weekday morning is the perfect time for holing up, having a quick nosh, and getting some serious caffeine and carb fueled work done.

New Menu Favorite: The Ashura Wheat dish. The serving was so hearty it will fill and fuel you all day long. The dish is served cold, along with yogurt and fruit - and is a healthful and energizing breaky. You can't put hot sauce on it, but it still tops my breakfast list.

Another post we loved from the Kitsilano Coffee blog. Arbutus Coffee on the corner of 6th and Arbutus in Kits is also one of our neighborhood favorites. If you haven’t had their giant berry muffins and a maple latte, you really haven’t lived. Go now!

Arbutus Coffee is my new favorite coffee place in Kits. It’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle of West 4th and Broadway, and feels just like what a neighborhood coffee shop should. Located on the tree lined corner of 6th and Arbutus, this cafe is a definite local gem.They serve a wide variety of food and drink, both breakfast staples (cinnamon buns, scones) and lunch items (their paninis are spectacular). Their homemade banana bread is definitely work writing home about: gooey, sweet, and addictive. I’d come back for this alone. They also have some decadent desert treats: brownies, cake, pies … all tasty! The coffee itself is perfect, nothing too memorable or robust, but it’s always hot and it always hits the spot.

Dark and rustic, Arbutus Coffee is the kind of coffee shop that feels like it’s been there forever. In fact, it probably has. There is a thin layer of dust and coffee dust that covers everything, and I’m half certain that they leave it there on purpose. It feels like a part of the decor. The floors are wood. The tables and chairs mismatched. There are photos and paintings and chalkboards covering the walls. And the whole place always smells delightful. This place has ambience in spades.

The coffee shop is fairly small, meaning seating can be hard to find – especially on busier mornings. During fairer weather, there are a few tables and chairs located outside. Power outlets inside can be difficult to track down, so it’s best to come with your laptop pre powered. Wifi is complimentary.

The Gypsy Rose cafe is located right in the heart of busy West 4th. On weekend mornings this place is hopping with more couples, jogging strollers, and savvy locals than you can shake a stick at. This is the good stuff folks – giant, hearty crepes stuffed to the brim with whatever you can dream up.

There is nothing particularly special about the way this place looks or feels. There are only a few tables inside and out, though a fair amount of their business is takeout so you’ll usually be able to grab a spot. It’s not the place that invites you to linger, but you are here for the food after all.

Top Pick: Order the crepes, of course! They offer an assortment of other breakfast items that are decent, but the crepes are where the magic happens. I’m particularly fond of a good banana and nutella number, and I’m slowly working my way through the menu. Anyone else have any suggestions?

Address:
2017 West 4th
Vancouver, BC V6J1M9
Tel: (604) 738-3844

Crepe Menu: http://vancouvereatsout.com/gypsy-rose-cafe-menu/

Urbanspoon says:

The Aphrodite Organic Café and Pie Shop on West West 4th is one of Kitsilano’s finest brunch spots. If you haven’t made the trek out in that neighborhood yet, now you’ve got a mighty fine reason to visit. Their pies are outstanding, their breakfast menu exceptional (albeit a bit tough on the wallet) and as Kitsilano Coffee suggests below, they have some of the greatest breakfast pairing java on this side of Burrard. Read on:

Aphrodite Organic Café and Pie Shop is one part country café, one part pie shop, all parts amazing. Despite the fact that prices are quite high, and the service is notoriously slow, this remains one of our favorite places for noshing in the city. We chalk it up to some freaking rad ambiance.

This is the kind of place you just want to stay at all day.

The food at Aphrodite’s doesn’t disappoint and they serve up a great range of organic meals. Breakfast/brunch is clearly their raison d’être, but they also have dinner, lunch and takeout options. If you haven’t tasted one of their pies, you really haven’t lived. Our pick is the Strawberry Rhubarb pie – or the bafflingly incredible Chocolate Beet Cake (I’m getting heart palpitations just thinking about it!).

Alright, enough yammering about their food, let’s talk coffee. The coffee at Aphrodite’s is thick, the stuff is rich, and it’s definitely better and stronger than your average diner coffee cup of joe.

Refills can be hard to come by (service is very slow, on a good day) so it’s worth upgrading to the good stuff (be patient, even the drinks take a while to arrive). Their americanos are robust, and the blend they are using really pairs nicely with a big hearty breakfast – or a piece of pie!

Note: They don’t carry fake-o sweeteners like Splenda as they are an organic cafe, but they have honey or agave if you really have a sweet tooth.

Website: http://www.organiccafe.ca/

Urbanspoon Says:

Siegel’s Bagels on Cornwall in Kits offers one of Vancouver’s only options for the Montreal style bagel enthusiast. They have a big wood fire burning oven, and serve up the routine poppy / sesame seed selection, along with an assortment of other wild and wonderful treats (rugella, Montreal smoked meat, lox, homemade cream cheese etc). They serve breakfast all day, and have a great selection of full meals. Nothing is cheap, in fact the place is downright pricey, and the service leaves a little something to be desired – but c’mon, you’re there for the bagels!

On Tuesday the bagels are cheap – $6.50 a dozen. Other days they are just over $9 for 12. They also usually have a few bags of day old bagels in the far corner. For just 5 bucks these are ready to pop in your freezer. While they aren’t quite as chewy as when they come fresh from the oven, they are cheap, quick, and still darn good!

Siegels, while no longer open 24 hours, is still open late each night, and opens early in the morning. Be forewarned, weekdays during prime commuting time can be BUSY. Be prepared to wait in line for your schmear.

UPDATE: Siegel’s in Kit’s is now open 24 hours again! Kitsilano’s late night carb cravings have found a cure.

Try: the rosemary rock salt bagels.

Address:

1883 Cornwall Ave.
Tel: 604 737 8151
Fax: 604 737 2180

(They are also available on Granville Island at 1698 Johnston St.)

http://www.siegelsbagels.com/

Las Margaritas on West 4th is an awesome place for a night of fun food and drinks – but it’s never exactly cheap. Add up a few pitchers of sangria, a round of tequila shots, and a platter or two of chimichangas, and you’ve racked up a hefty bill.

Living in the neighbourhood, we seem to visit almost once a week, and have become seasoned in the art of ordering cheaply at Las Margaritas.

The Taco Platter is one of Vancouver’s best kept cheap dining secrets. This is no longer on the menu, but ask for it by name. For under $20 you receive a large platter of fixin’s to make enough tacos (soft or hard) to feed two to absolute fullness, or to share with four with a few other appetizers on the table. You can have beef, chicken (or both) along with refried beans, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, cheese, rice, and lettuce. Likely there will be enough to take a little home! The experience of making your own tacos is fun, a bit messy, and perfect for the picky eater.

Las Margaritas knows how to do side dishes! For under $2 you can make your own basic vegetarian burritos. Order a side of either black or refried beans and a stack of 3 or 4 fresh tortillas and you are good to go! Add a little hot sauce or free salsa from the table and you ate for less than a meal at a homeless shelter. Classy! Pretty much anything they have on the menu is available as a side dish. Ask nicely. The price is right.

Keep in mind that they often charge you extra for refills of the chips and salsa, this ain’t no Lonestar. So avoid chowing down on three or four bowls of this before your meal.

Margaritas at Las Margaritas are great, but they aren’t cheap. Why not try a virgin drink? They are made with natural fruit nectars, and taste just as good as their boozy counterparts – for a third of the price.

They also have a few great desserts. While their churros are incredible, few people can down a plate of fried dough after a big meal. If you order their hot chocolate it comes with two sweet fatty churros on the side, and it’s half the price of the dough-only dessert.

Address:

1999 West 4th Avenue (4th and Maple)
Vancouver, BC
604-734-7117

http://www.lasmargaritas.com/

Recently we signed up for the grocery delivery service Spud.ca. At first we felt a little bit lazy ordering organic groceries online and having them delivered to our door- but we got over that pretty fast and haven’t looked back since.

Spud.ca is a convenient way of getting fresh, local and organic produce (and other groceries) to you weekly. You sign up online, select from their endless selection of products – from home baked chocolate croissants to purple potatoes – and within a week the groceries are delivered to an address of your choosing. I’m at work all day, so I request that they deliver it there. The items are kept cool in a big tupperware tub with ice (or dry ice if need be) and can stay cool for up to 8 hours without refrigeration.

Produce is always fresh, clean and is handled far less than your average grocery store produce. Plus you can feel good knowing that most of their items are organic and as locally grown / produced as possible. Once you place your order they tell you the average distance the food has travelled to get to your door. Nifty! And if that wasn’t enough, they donate leftover food to disadvantaged families.

To make things even more easy, they have a standing order option. Each week we have $35 of fresh produce chosen for us by Spud. We can go online and change / tweak their selection, but they do the bulk of the choosing if you select this option. It’s a great way to try new things. You can also have certain items automatically added to your cart each week. We go through a lot of Que Pasa corn chips and salsa, and have that automatically put in our cart each week. It saves a lot of time, and ensures that you don’t forget the essentials. I’m not sure Jake could survive a week without nachos.

Aside from convenience their selection is pretty good. While we still need the occasional trip to Safeway, we now buy all of our fresh produce, milk, eggs and bread through Spud. Specialty items like pumpkin pie spice or wasabi peas currently aren’t available, but as the company grows I’m sure their selection will as well.

As for prices, Spud is only slightly higher than the grocery store, and delivery is free. For convience, peace of mind, and knowing that I’m supporting an awesome local company, the few extra dollars a month I spend is well worth it.

https://www.spud.ca/

IHOP is like Denny’s melancholy older brother. Both serve up the same greasy breakfast fare, but IHOP feels just a little bit more depressing somehow. I suppose it’s due to the lack of claw toy machines in the lobby.

Located at 5137 Kingsway, just East of Metrotown, IHOP #0311 in Burnaby is much like any of the other IHOP franchises I’ve visited. It’s the kind of place that I find myself when I can’t think of anywhere more exciting to dine. There is absolutely nothing remarkable about the Kingsway IHOP.

Saddled off a big commercial strip on Kingsway, this IHOP is clean, drab, and has ample parking. The wait staff are pleasant, and save time by dropping off a big thermos of coffee on your table rather than coming back to refill it. You have to hand it to IHOP – they know breakfast. The food comes fast, and the syrup is already on your table (yes, all four varieties of it). When you are ready to pay, just pay at the front counter- don’t bother waiting around for your server to coddle you. On weekends, every ounce of efficiency helps, as this place gets packed.

Menu selections at IHOP are far from exciting. While the kids menu does feature a pancake with a large happy face on it – other items simply leave nothing to the imagination, and dinner and lunch specials such as the “Breast of Chicken” or “Tantalizing T–Bone” are best avoided.

Pancake plates don’t come cheap – most cost upwards of $10 with tax and tip, and portions aren’t exceptional. What your meal lacks in pancake quantity, it certainly makes up for in whipped topping. My plate sported a fine hat of whipped white stuff larger than a baseball. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it.

There’s always some sort of good deal going on at IHOP. Usually if you come early enough there’s a $2 special. You’ll also be able to rub elbows with a lively assortment of aged local characters that hit up the ‘HOP early.

Address:
IHOP (International House of Pancakes)
5137 Kingsway (Royal Oak & Kingsway),
Burnaby BC
(604) 451-5557

www.ihop.com