After searching for a perfect new place to try out this past Sunday, my BFF and I were extremely happy to find the perfect brunch location… Until we got there to find out it was closed for a private event. As we walked away from Fable – with very sad puppy eyes, and drooling over the dishes we could see from the outside – we slowly made our way down to 4th Ave. and we literally had no idea where to go.
Since the few places we had walked by just wouldn’t cut it for us and time was ticking, we decided to head down Cypress Street towards the beach – when we remembered an old favorite, a family-run Italian restaurant. Although we had been to Epicurean Caffé Bistro a couple of times, its relaxed atmosphere, authenticity and family-run charm made another trip there worth it – this place is truly a hidden gem!
When people think of brunch in Kits or on West 4th Ave., they automatically consider places like Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe, Abigail’s Party or Cafe Zen, probably because they are the most popular places with long lines of people waiting outside. Epicurean Caffé Bistro, on the other hand, is something special and a little different. The place is still quite popular among the near by houses, making it always somewhat busy but not too full. As you enter, you can see a wide selection of their in-house baked good, from Tiramisu to muffins, Italian crostata (an Italian baked tart and pie), croissants, and biscotti. On the other side of the small bistro, they also showcase their home made pastas, sauces, and sandwiches (they’re also opened for lunch and dinner, and even serve Italian style thin crust pizzas!)
What I probably love most about this cozy bistro is hearing the cooks and servants talk to each other in Italian, the owner’s family sitting at the nearby table and savoring simple, Italian, home cooked food at its best. This time around, I chose to go for the “Focaccia Benedict” – eggs benny on a delicious warm focaccia bread that definitely hit the spot. My friend chose the “Earthy Breakfast” – poached eggs on a simmering Amatriciana sauce that was bursting with flavor. Along with our breakfast, we also received two warm Americano mistos, that really did remind me of a good cup of Italian coffee.
Now, I wish I could tell you that we are ‘normal people’ who go to one place for brunch and then head home… But we’re not. Our brunch adventure didn’t exactly end right after Epicurean Caffé Bistro last Sunday. Nope. From the Italian based kitchen we headed to a Parisian-inspired coffee shop based in Vancouver: Beaucoup Bakery & Café.
This place is pretty much Paris tucked away in a tiny coffee shop on Fir St. If you want to dream of Paris’ picture perfect coffee shop culture and try some of their delicious French croissants without leaving Vancouver, this place is an absolute must. As I entered the café, I could hardly believe my eyes – it looked exactly like the kinds of cafes I would walk into while traveling in Paris; it was small, busy, and it even smelled like them! I was jumping with joy while my heart felt like singing to French Edith Piaf songs; I couldn’t believe I still hadn’t been here before – for an amateur of anything French-related, this was unbelievable.
Although literally everything looked the kind of perfect that you would only find in a French food magazine straight from Paris, we settled for their almond croissant and pain-au-chocolat. Flaky, warm, chocolaty, and nutty, but not too sweet – just perfect. We finally had gotten our sweet craving satisfied, with probably the best French-inspired patisseries around from Jackie Kaiellis’ Beaucoup Bakery & Café.
This was quite the Sunday brunch.
Be sure to check out Epicurean Caffé Bistro and visit this site for more on the French-inspired Beaucoup Bakery & Cafe in Vancouver!
Missed my last brunch blog? Check out my review of Gastown’s Catch 122!