Some friends just moved into North Burnaby and asked what the good restaurants are. This is an area of expertise in which I take some pride. It seemed like a good idea to post my list here.<\/p>\n
I have opined many times: the food in the suburbs is better than downtown. There is excellent food in both places, but when downtown, a lot of the money you’re paying is going to high rents. In the burbs, the rents are lower, so the money you pay goes to the food, which is where I want it. On the other hand, I also think there are a lot more bad restaurants the farther out you go. If you know the good ones, life is good.<\/p>\n
Meta-site: Sherman’s Food Adventures<\/a>. Sherman blogs daily about a restaurant somewhere in Greater Vancouver. He lives in North Burnaby, so the places around here are pretty well covered.<\/p>\n And my list, in approximately-decreasing order of how exciting I think they are…<\/p>\n Pear Tree<\/a>: Probably the best example of money going into the food, not the rent. Very nice food made by a very skilled chef, who has carved out a niche in North Burnaby somehow.<\/p>\n Cotto Enoteca<\/a>: Super good pizza and pasta. <\/p>\n Burgers etc<\/a>: If not the best burger in the city, it’s close. Good BBQ too. There’s an off-menu pattyless veggie burger that’s awesome.<\/p>\n El Comal<\/a>: Good Mexican on the Production station side of Burnaby Mountain. Only open for lunch Mon-Sat.<\/p>\n Chez Meme<\/a>: French bistro food. Also only lunch Mon-Sat. <\/p>\n Chad Thai<\/a>: Solidly good Thai, getting a lot of blog attention.<\/p>\n Glenburnn Soda Fountain<\/a>: A cool old-fashioned soda shop (recreation). Excellent dessert after dinner at one of the other places.<\/p>\n Caffé Divano<\/a>: Excellent coffee shop, where serious coffee geeks make your drinks.<\/p>\n Caffé Artigiano<\/a>: Good coffee shop, but if we’re honest, their quality has slipped in the last few years.<\/p>\n Chez Christophe<\/a>: A stupidly-good bakery. Why put such a place out of the way int he suburbs? Who knows.<\/p>\n Saigon Bistro<\/a>: It struck me as carefully-make Vietnamese food, but I’m no expert.<\/p>\n Domineco’s<\/a>: Not as well made as the food at Cotto, but good utility Italian. The place to send people that wanted to go to Anton’s. Also cheap for big groups: order 1\/2 as many dishes and serve family style.<\/p>\n X-Site<\/a>: Cheap decent eats, full of students.<\/p>\n Cockney Kings<\/a> fish and chips: A one-trick-pony, but good at it.<\/p>\n Lotus cafe<\/a>: A quirky little sandwich place that’s only open for lunch. I always describe them as “Nothing outstanding, but if your mom made you a sandwich for lunch, it would have been the best sandwich you could have hoped for.”<\/p>\n