Metro Vancouver Restaurant News thread

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I always forgot that place was there. I wonder if the phenomenon outlined below is playing out here as well

I am sure WFH didn't help Chewies, but anecdotally the other restaurants in the immediate vicinity always seem much busier. Cactus (Coal Harbour), Joey, Nightingale, and Cactus(Burrard) have plenty of customers on weekdays.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

IDK, but it's simultaneously a bad location and a good one. Bad because it's off the main streets of Burrard and Hastings so it doesn't get the foot traffic that Joey or Cactus do (and it doesn't even address Cordova St that well). But good because it is in a neighbourhood with a lot of hotel guests and wealthy residents, has the potential for a pretty killer patio (shaded almost all day though), has ample parking, and is steps from the Seawall, Convention Centre, and Skytrain.

That Guiness Tower restaurant space was a lot more popular in the 1990s before the Coal Harbour towers were built, when it had an amazing view.

*****************

Ryuu on Seymour north of Robson has closed and a Guu is opening in ots place.
Pic by me today.

[theKB]

Originally Posted by officedweller

That Guiness Tower restaurant space was a lot more popular in the 1990s before the Coal Harbour towers were built, when it had an amazing view.

*****************

Ryuu on Seymour north of Robson has closed and a Guu is opening in ots place.
Pic by me today.

Will Guu close their location across the street (which is too small)? Or is this in addition. I could assume they probably could support both with slightly different concepts.

Was this building not slated for demotion at some point? IIRC it was right after Starbucks closed the store on the corner.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

I am sure WFH didn't help Chewies, but anecdotally the other restaurants in the immediate vicinity always seem much busier. Cactus (Coal Harbour), Joey, Nightingale, and Cactus(Burrard) have plenty of customers on weekdays.

I’d be interested to see Joeys and Cactus Clubs sales figures compared to pre-pandemic. Losing the Friday office worker crowd is huge. Monday, not so much.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by theKB

Will Guu close their location across the street (which is too small)? Or is this in addition. I could assume they probably could support both with slightly different concepts.

Was this building not slated for demotion at some point? IIRC it was right after Starbucks closed the store on the corner.

I think you're thinking of the wrong location? 605 Robson (the building it's in) isn't proposed for redevelopment, it's only from 1989. The store on the corner with Robson is a Rogers store, and has been for years. There's a Blenz to the north, and then the Ryuu, soon to be Guu restaurant.

[theKB]

Originally Posted by Changing City

I think you're thinking of the wrong location? 605 Robson (the building it's in) isn't proposed for redevelopment, it's only from 1989. The store on the corner with Robson is a Rogers store, and has been for years. There's a Blenz to the north, and then the Ryuu, soon to be Guu restaurant.

It’s funny I remember reading about the potential demolition on here - hit up the google machine and found a post from 2014 saying RR wasn’t renewing their lease due to potential demolition. https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6507669&postcount=7201

Guess it never came to fruition! LOL

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by theKB

It’s funny I remember reading about the potential demolition on here - hit up the google machine and found a post from 2014 saying RR wasn’t renewing their lease due to potential demolition. https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6507669&postcount=7201

Guess it never came to fruition! LOL

I'm not aware of anything submitted to redevelop on that block. The bottomless fries are still available.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by theKB

It’s funny I remember reading about the potential demolition on here - hit up the google machine and found a post from 2014 saying RR wasn’t renewing their lease due to potential demolition. https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6507669&postcount=7201

Guess it never came to fruition! LOL

I think it was the addition of a month notice demolition clause but no actual plans to redevelop the site. It's probably still owned by Deecorp.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by theKB

It’s funny I remember reading about the potential demolition on here - hit up the google machine and found a post from 2014 saying RR wasn’t renewing their lease due to potential demolition. https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6507669&postcount=7201

Guess it never came to fruition! LOL

The Red Robin is at Robson and Thurlow.

The new Guu is 5 blocks east on SEYMOUR, off Robson.

[theKB]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The Red Robin is at Robson and Thurlow.

The new Guu is 5 blocks east on SEYMOUR, off Robson.

Sorry - I was thinking of RYU clothing brand that was on Thurlow - sorry for all the confusion.

[officedweller]

Ah, that explains it.

[PeterAKer]

Red Robin needs to stay in Downtown. I love their burgers.

[SpongeG]

Brazilian Restaurant Concept Fogo De Chão Secures 1st Canadian Location As It Announces Expansion [Interview]

Fogo de Chão, the internationally-renowned restaurant from Brazil, is making its Canadian debut in 2024 with the opening of a new location in downtown Vancouver at The Post, a two-tower office development.

It is scheduled to open in February 2024.

And a Toronto location will follow right after that.

...

The Post is QuadReal Property Group’s revitalization of the historic Canada Post building, at 658 Homer Street in downtown Vancouver.

“We are beyond thrilled that Fogo de Chão has chosen The Post for their first Canada location,” said Chrystal Burns, Executive Vice President, Retail, QuadReal Property Group. “Fogo de Chão’s next-level dining experience is a welcome addition to the project, pairing perfectly and deliciously with the best-in-class, experience-based retail tenants we have already solidified for the project including The Joseph Richard Group, Loblaws City Market, Deville Coffee and Evolve Strength.”

“We are thrilled to open our first Canada restaurant in downtown Vancouver at iconic building, The Post, in partnership with Michael and his accomplished team at Debut Development Group,” said Barry McGowan, Chief Executive Officer of Fogo de Chão. “We look forward to expanding our presence in the Vancouver area and bringing the culinary art of churrasco to more guests throughout Canada in the near future.”

...

https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...ion-as-it-announces-expansion-interview/

[jollyburger]

People talking about the lack of vibrancy near Metrotown/Brentwood.

Spaces to engage community help cement Tsawwassen development

Creating the amenities that shape a community so that future residents know what’s in it for them is a smart approach to development.

This was the reason Romer’s Burger Bar was one of the first retailers Wesgroup Properties LP invited to locate in the River District when the southeast Vancouver project launched back in 2011. Built next to River District’s experience centre, Romer’s made the site a destination while giving people a taste – literally – of what the project would be as it became a reality.

With the rise in experiential retail as social interactions resume post-pandemic, the strategy is also proving fundamental to Century Group’s plans for the Southlands development in Tsawwassen.

With 85 homes completed and occupied to date, the project has years until it completes the 950 units Delta has approved for the site, former farmland whose future use was long contested by locals.

But the initial retail tenants in the community are doing their best to reflect what the property was and what it could be by engaging all the senses.

“Our broad-based vision for a company is to be a leader in connecting people with a food-based sense of place,” said Sean Hodgins, president of the Century Group, which has been working on the project for two decades. “Something we’re very excited about is when we say connecting people to farming and food, a big aspect of that is our food and beverage offering.”

One of the first tenants was Prado Café, a Vancouver-based coffee shop that has spread from its original location on Commercial Drive to include seven locations including one at Southlands.

“We’re really trying to focus on food-based retail. We believe that’s the defining feature,” Hodgins says. “We definitely worked on and are working on curating the kind of retail we needed as we opened Southlands two and a half years ago.”

A second is now taking shape in the form of Four Winds Brewing, a Delta craft brewer that hopes to open a small-batch brewery and restaurant at the development in 2024, in a building Century Group has christened “The Granary.”

“People that are purchasing real estate down there are purchasing into the dynamics of the community,” said Adam Mills, co-founder and sales director with Four Winds, whose home brewery is in the Tilbury industrial area. “It ties nicely into that and it will really complement the community that way.”

While the details are being worked out, the vision is for the restaurant and brewery to be a community hub that makes use of items grown on the 50 acres of Southlands farmland Century Group leases from Delta. This includes fruit, vegetables, hops and, eventually, barley.

Mills says Four Winds look forward to “intertwining ourselves deeply into the farming component,” providing “a learning experience for customers” that showcases the relationship between beer and local farms.

It’s the kind of experience not available elsewhere in Tsawwassen, let alone on the scale Four Winds is proposing.

“Most people that are living down there are excited to have a central community hub and that’s what we plan to be,” Mills said. “Mostly people are just looking for a spot that can feel unique and experiential. … You don’t have to go outside of the community, or even Vancouver, to get that kind of experience.”

The plans resonate with Hodgins, who looks forward to building a portfolio of food-oriented tenants at the development as build-out continues over the next several years. A number are already in the works.

“Very often the most memorable experiences of people coming together is around food and beverage, so we’ve really identified that,” he says. “It will give Southlands a greater sense of place.”

https://www.westerninvestor.com/british-...lp-cement-tsawwassen-development-6714436

[Feathered Friend]

Popular Vancouver ramen restaurant closing after 13 years
"We will miss serving you that hot bowl of ramen!"
Maria Diment - Mar 17, 2023 3:56 PM

Benkei Ramen on West Broadway at Cambie has been serving up locally-loved ramen dishes for just over a decade.

However, after 13 years in business, the ramen spot announced on Thursday, March 16, that it will be permanently closing this month.

"The owner of Benkei Ramen has decided to retire," the restaurant shares, thanking everyone who has supported and enjoyed their ramen. "We will miss serving you that hot bowl of ramen!"

The restaurant was a popular eatery among locals for traditional ramen and modern takes on the dish, including vegan options.

Vancouver locals only have a few days to eat their last bowl of Benkei ramen before the restaurant closes on March 20.

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/food-and-drink/vancouver-ramen-restaurant-closure-benkei-6719553

There's a line up that goes to the Henry's photography store today.

[phesto]

https://biv.com/article/2023/03/whos-suing-whom-march-20-2023

Looks like Glowbal Group has stopped paying rent at Trattoria Park Royal...probably not a good sign.

[SpongeG]

New mochi doughnut store coming soon to Coquitlam

Vancouver pop up mochi doughnut bakery will open a brick-and-mortar store in Coquitlam this summer.
Diane Strandberg

Mochido, which makes mochi donuts, brioche donuts, cream puffs and basque cheesecake out of a commissary kitchen in Vancouver, has leased a space in the City Centre neighbourhood at 100-1188 Pinetree Way.

The brand says it will open this summer, but it hasn't yet set a date.

https://www.tricitynews.com/local-news/new-mochi-doughnut-store-coming-soon-to-coquitlam-6765399

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by whatnext

VancouverIsAwesome reports that Moderne Burger has shut down. A shame they relocated to that bleak stretch of West Broadway from their original kits home (torn down for the instantly forgettable Monument condo).

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/food-...ancouver-burger-joint-shuts-down-6583542

Rumor has it the owner wasn't enjoying Tim Hortons next door and the location was a stopgap to stay open after being forced out of the previous location. It wasn't a great location but it meant you could still get his Vanilla coke's and fresh fries while looking for another place.
I also can't see the owner throwing in the towel, yet. My guess is he's cutting his losses and looking for another more appropriate location without also having to juggle an open kitchen.

[Feathered Friend]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Rumor has it the owner wasn't enjoying Tim Hortons next door and the location was a stopgap to stay open after being forced out of the previous location. It wasn't a great location but it meant you could still get his Vanilla coke's and fresh fries while looking for another place.
I also can't see the owner throwing in the towel, yet. My guess is he's cutting his losses and looking for another more appropriate location without also having to juggle an open kitchen.

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

You have to look into who the owners of the property that's being sold are. Moderne's owners are involved. I don't have time to search for the link now, and they certainly aren't publicizing it.

By "forced out," you mean when they chose to sell right?

[MIPS]

Wasn't aware of that. Guilty as charged.