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Real People. Real Reviews.®
Category: Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
556 Beatty StTue-Fri 8 am - 5 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 4 pm
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Food and Drinks (40%): 5
Value (30%): 4
Service (20%): 5
Ambience (10%): 4
(% indicates my weighting for final score)
Appetizers:
Waffles - just excellent, save room to have one more at the end - we did not. Both the white chocolate pistachio and fig/orange marmalade toppings were great. Would love to try the rest - 5
Entrees:
Paella - very flavorful, seasonal veggies and sausage were great - 5
Moroccon meatballs - also very tasty, but maybe would choose one of the other dishes if i had to do it over again - 4
Drinks
Latte and mocha latte - excellent
Value - $50 for 2 ... Given the high quality, was worth it.
Ambience and service - tables a little close together, but overall lots of natural light and very friendly server - great, lively atmosphere.
When in Vancouver and you want to find a brunch spot... go to Cafe Medina! The staff is very attentive. The food is all very good and well presented...and it seemed that most of the dishes had a mediterranean twist, which is a welcome addition to brunch.
Fricasse: what a delicious combination in one skillet.. eggs were perfectly cooked sunny-side up on a bed of arugula, skillet potatoes and braised beef...mmm
Paella: a delicious take on the spanish dish... spiced orzo cooked in broth, with chorizo and veggies
Saumon Fume: a nice twist on the typical smoked salmon and eggs. very light and very tasty
I had the La Sante which is a deconstructed plate of good stuff...quality prosciutto, roasted tomatoes, avocado, and a soft boiled egg. All very tasty.
Get the waffles! We chose the raspberry caramel and milk chocolate lavender toppings. Mixed opinions of the lavender choco, but the raspberry caramel was a winner.
Great place for brunch and lunch!
Best brunch in the city. Hands down.
As someone who avoids wheat and gluten, I greatly appreciate when a breakfast menu doesn't revolve around bread and wheat. I had numerous options that were delicious and wheat-free if I ignored the grilled foccaccia/ciabatta on the side.
I had the cassoulet, which blew my mind. My breakfast partners had the paella (good but not amazing) and the tagine (excellent). Their americanos were stellar, but after reading these reviews I'm going to have to get the lavender latte next time I go back. And believe me, there will be a next time!
Medina is upscale breakfast at a reasonable price. How DELICIOUS!
My friends had Fricasse and Cassoulet. Both of them thoroughly enjoyed their meals.
I had paella (check uploaded picture). The paella tasted delicious; the orzo was well cooked and the chorizo had great flavor. The ingredients complemented each other well with the orzo being the highlight. By the end, nothing was left on my plate. The portions were generous and you'll definitely feel full by the end.
We also ordered a side of bacon per the recommendation of a friend who said Medina had the world's "tastiest bacon." Medina's bacon slices are a little bit on the thick side and I prefer my bacon thinly slices (i like crunchy bacon). Nevertheless, the bacon was bursting with flavor. Not too salty, more savory.
The atmosphere was great! The space at Medina is a little bit deceiving because the front area, which is narrow and long, makes you think Medina has a small dining space. But then you're taken to the back area where the space really expands! The back area has a modern log cabin feel to it (I got that mostly from their antler decor), but it was chic. Combine this log cabin feel with big windows that let lots of light in and you've got a space that's telling you, "Good morning! Time to wake up and eat some deliciousness." And yes we did!
Medina is a fun breakfast place. I could get use to waking up and walking to this place daily! Yummmmmmmz.
Cafe Medina is yummmmy!
Their breakfast/brunch menu is so good. I always love starting my meal with a Lavender Latte... first place I've ever tried one and it was delicious. I usually get a selection of different things. I love the little belgium waffles and their unique toppings paired with a few sides. Usually for me I also order a free range egg with roasted potatoes. It's the perfect combo of a little sweet and salty. The food is great and the service is wondering. AlthoughI would DEFINITELY recommend you to go early because they get busy really quickly.
But if you don't mind a little wait, the food is definitely worth it.
We were here at 9:10am on a Saturday morning and it was very busy. They only had 1 table next to the entrance and another next to the bathrooms. I know they have a back dinning area and I asked whether we can be seated there. The front girl replied rudely saying we either take what they have at the front or we have to write down our name on the board to be called to the back. I've been to this place before and the service at the front was much better last time.
Nonetheless our waitress was nice and the food was good. We got the lavender latte, paella, fricasse and finished with waffles with raspberry caramel sauce at the end. My Fiance really enjoyed his paella and we will return in the future. I hope the front's attitude would be better next time!
Thank you Yelp for sending me here on my road trip from So Cal to BC, it was DELICIOUS! Come here for breakfast.
My boyfriend got the Fricassé and I had La Santé. MMMMmm. I wouldn't normally spend this much on brunch but it was completely worth it. Wonderful service and pretty artwork are a plus.
Dont tell any BUT you can book the whole restaurant for dinner partys with Chambar and they will serve you... Its a cool space for small groups, with your own private bar.
But what about a brunch review; 1) amazing unique menu with many options that brings you back for more & more 2) good size servings 3) nice price point as well 4) old vancouver town funky room 5) big big big line-ups on weekends 4) go on stat holidays early no line-ups 6) pop in any time for a coffee and waffle no line-up...
Listed in: My morning coffee crawl
Yum yum yummy!
It was my first time here today for brunch, I usually work weekends and don't have the luxury of going for brunches very often. Thank goodness for long weekends.
After a late night of partying last night, we ventured down to Cafe Medina around 2 pm and thank goodness there was no wait. They didn't however seat us until the whole party had arrived. I've heard the wait times at this restaurant are usually crazy and understandably so.
I don't usually eat much early on in the day so the three of us girls ordered the fricassee to share. Succulent pieces of braised shortrib, arugula, carmelized onion topped with two free range eggs and served with toasted foccacia. Oh my...so delicious.
The server was soo nice and helpful and didn't stare us down as some would when very little is ordered. Of course, we had to save our tummies for some lucious, crunchy, amazing waffles. I chose the dark chocolate and my friend got the mixed berry compote, we combined the two and was in waffle heaven.
My raspberry latte was fantastic, although it could'vebeen steamed a little longer. My friend's London Fog was a little too sweet and the servers immediately brewed a side of earl grey for her to mix in.
Fantastic service and fantastic food. I am already looking forward to my next visit here!
I had time for just 1 last breakfast before leaving Vancouver (tear) and Crystal H suggested one of her favorites: Cafe Medina.
The restaurant is rather small, but I was still surprised to see a bit of a wait on a Friday morning. Apparently this is a very popular spot!
I had been warned that the Vancouver airport can take awhile to get thru (& yes, the rumors are true) so we were in a bit of a rush. We immediately placed an order for lavender lattes, hard boiled eggs, waffles (their specialty) and a bowl of fruit. The food didn't come out as fast as we would have liked, but that's prob more of our fault for being in a hurry.
The lavender latte was perfectly sweet, just how I like my coffee. I loved how the egg came in a little egg holder- we don't see much of that back in Chicago! The fruit was fresh and made me feel better about all the fattening stuff (um, poutine!) I had been eating in Vancouver. However, the waffle was the highlight of the meal. They have lots of different sauces to choose from, but I opted for the chocolate raspberry. So delish that I ended up dipping my fruit in it as well. So much for the fruit being healthy, but had to indulge during my last Vancouver meal.
Listed in: Yelping in Vancouver!
I've been reading the reviews for Cafe Medina for weeks, as soon as I heard that they offer waffles with dipping sauces and short ribs for breakfast. Top that with a lavender mocha and I was sold immediately.
I finally made it here yesterday for Canada Day and was glad that I showed up early before the restaurant opened. There were already people in line, and many more came after me. We were all quickly seated, which was fabulous due to the weather.
I tried the milk chocolate lavender mocha and was very pleased that they had soy milk to offer. It came out with lots of froth and a pretty leaf pattern created. The lavender is nice and subtle but I can understand fellow dinners wishing more of a presence of it. My dining partner's regular mocha came with a heart pattern in the froth and so we ooo'd and ahhh'd for a bit.
We decided that we wanted to try the famous waffles but still wanted a 'proper' breakfast. We decided to share a waffle with the caramel raspberry sauce and it was perfect. They gave us two smaller waffles so it was easy to share and there was tons of sauce. We probably didn't get through half of it and I was scooping it on at the end. The outside of the waffle was very crispy and the inside was super hot and melted in my mouth. Delightful!
For a main course, we got the Les Boulettes and the Fricassee. Heaven. Absolute heaven.
The meatballs in the Les Boulettes are made from beef and lamb and were perfectly seasoned. They held their shape and were topped with super thin slices of lemon. Yummm. The tomato sauce went wonderfully with everything and the cherry tomatoes, olives, and cilantro made perfect garnishes. My eggs were cooked to a perfect medium and the grilled foccaccia assisted in sopping up any sauce. The cucumber salad and hummus provided a lighter taste to the dish and overall, it was so good that I would settle for meatballs for every breakfast.
The Fricassee definitely also lived up to all of the reviews. The short ribs were in a delicious sauce and were super tender. The cheese had a nice kick to it and the arugula provided a nice peppery taste.
From the dishes, to the decor, to the wonderful servers, breakfast at Cafe Medina is a definitely must. One note: ensure all of your party is with you as you won't be seated until they are. But to kill time, there's a cute kitchen shop across the street and seats are available outside for you to wait. Coffee and waffles can also be ordered to go if you need breakfast on the run.
No one can ever replace a few of my favorite brunch haunts in NYC, but Cafe Medina, thank you for transporting me back home, if but for a moment! I enjoy the changing wall art, being able to stare out the window on a Sunday morning, and enjoying one of your flavored lattes (subtle in flavor, but enough to linger without overpowering my senses).
Order anything on the menu because it's simply delicious. Leave enough room for a waffle or two...and have fun drenching them into one (or two or more than a few!) of their accompanying sauces.
Lavendar lattes and raspberry caramel, you have my heart!
Listed in: Best Brunches in Vancouver
It was pretty busy on a Saturday morning around 11am. We were offered a seat at the bar with no wait. That was nice.
I ordered a waffle with mixed berry compote. The waffle was okay. I think they make them in advance because I saw a stack of waffles near the front window. My waffle was a bit cold, but tasty nonetheless.
My main dish was the Libanais - Soft boiled egg, cucumber tomato salad, baba ganoush, tabouleh, served with fried pita bread. TINY portions. I never had a soft boiled egg and I had to peel it myself which was weird and MESSY. Three tiny ramakins with cucumber tomato salad, baba ganoush and tabouleh. The tabouleh was mostly parsley and too herby. Very awkward to eat.
I didn't really get a good vibe from the place. Some of the guys behind the counter seemed snooty. A customer next to me asked for salt and the guy behind the counter gave him attitude and replied "No one has ever asked me for salt before!" Attitude adjustment on Aisle 1 please!
Overprice, small portions, just okay service and a somewhat snotty atmosphere. Thanks, but no thanks.
My friend, somehow I almost forgot about you. Please forgive me. This is one of the best brunches that I've ever had.
Everything here was perfect: being seated, the menu, the service, the coffee, the food, the interior - I was with four people and we all loved it. It took us so much time to decide what to order because the menu was so good. Lots of classic items with a modern twist. And it was not even that expensive.
Their matchboxes are pretty tight - grab a couple.
Delicious.
Stepped in for breakfast on a Monday around 12pm. Cafe Medina is a small, but very hip/trendy place with still a quaint, charming feel to it.
We ordered:
-2 FRICASSE: $16/each
-LE CHASSEUR: $16
-1 WAFFLE WITH RASPBERRY CARAMEL SAUCE: $3 per waffle, $.95 for raspberry caramel sauce
-2 WAFFLES WITH MIXED BERRY AND MAPLE SAUCES: $3 per waffle, $.95 mixed berry sauce, $1.43 maple syrup
-ORANGE JUICE: $3.33
-HOT TEA: $2.67
-MOCHA LATTE: $3.43
Verdict:
The breakfast plates at Cafe Medina come out fresh and hot on an old-fashioned iron skillet. You can see that their ingredients are of the best quality and that they take the time to make sure presentation is spot on, too.
The Fricasse contained two fried eggs, braised short ribs, roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, arugula and applewood cheddar, accompanied by grilled foccacia bread. It was very rich in flavor mainly due to the braised short ribs, but worked well with the other flavors and was balanced out by the arugula. Yum!
The Chasseur contained two fried eggs, bison sausage, wild boar bacon braised potatoes, watercress, roast tomato, and green peppercorn, accompanied by grilled foccacia bread. I had a taste of the sausage which was tasty.
Service was good. The place is very busy. A bit pricey but worth it. I would definitely come back. I love their waffles and dishes!
I had neither coffee nor waffles here, though I would have (without blinking) had the fricassé not come strongly recommended by both my lunching companions. (One of them went so far as to reassure me, "It's the best thing I've ever put in my mouth").
Fortunately, I heeded her advice, and now I'm here to pay that glowing recommendation forward. The aforementioned fricassé, an inspired combination of "2 fried eggs, braised short ribs, roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, arugula, [and] applewood cheddar" served in a sizzling skillet, was more than the sum of its parts to say the least.
In what proved to be an embarrassment of culinary riches, I also had an ultra-rich lavender latte to go with it. Though I suppose great food requires great drinks as well.
Needless to say, I will definitely be going back to try the house specialty of (Belgian) waffles and coffee. It will have to be during off-peak hours, though: tables don't come easy at this slightly-out-of-the-way gem (which shares a kitchen with Chambar on Beatty Street).
4.5/5 average over 110 Yelp reviews, can you go wrong? Nope. We started by sharing a waffle and I think raspberry caramel sauce. Waffle could have been fresher, but the sauce was scrumptious.
I went for the Fricasse which features none other than the best short ribs I've ever had, yet alone best ribs I've had for breakfast! Don't know how they marinated it, but it was super tender with loads of flavours. Coupled with two perfectly done sunny-side up eggs, arugula and smoke cheddar (among other goodies), it was bite after bite greatness.
Stop settling for Denny's. Step it up a notch and check out Cafe Medina.
Listed in: Unique Places
It all started with a waffle. A very small waffle. This breakfast staple, that has been pushed aside by others such as pancakes, omelets, and even granola, is allowed to shine brightly at Medina. As common as ordering water, people at this cozy yet modern cafe, order their waffles before even opening the menu. Some even have a chance to taste one before setting foot in the cafe! That is, of course, if there is a wait and the waffler happens to open the window that you have been starting through since you got there.
There are several several toppings to choose from. I tasted the fig and orange marmalade (amazing!), raspberry caramel (most unique), and the mixed berry compote (classic). All very good, if you choose to dunk your waffle. The waffle itself is very fluffy on the inside with a slight crunch on the outside. It melts in your mouth as soon as you take the first bite.
We also ordered some lunch item. I got the roast beef sandwich with horseradish pistou, cornichons, and frisse among other flavorful ingredients. The roast beef was cooked rare which allowed its flavor to really come through. The baguette was fresh and slightly toasted to make it an excellent vessel for the roast beef and other complements. The hummus, tabouleh, pita, and cucumber salad were also very good.
The service was friendly, the atmosphere is appealing and happy, and the prices just right. A wait is very likely, but do make the effort to hang out, eat a complimentary waffle, and brace yourself for the meal that awaits on the other side of the door.
Listed in: Awesome Breakfast Around the…
My favourite breakfast place.
Add me to the list of Medina cult members. The brunch here is all it's cracked up to be.
It was Sunday morning so we thought we'd try to get there as soon as we could.. 915am... and when we arrived, Medina was already packed with a waiting list. Fortunately our wait was short and we were ushered to a table in the secret back room, which I thought was more pleasant than the regular restaurant space - cooler, more roomy, less claustrophobic.
My girlfriend decided to try the lavender latte after reading other reviews. It didn't taste much like lavender but was delicious nonetheless. I had the caramel latte which was obviously far above the swill served at Starbucks. I was in a merguez sausage and stewed tomato mood, so I tried the tagine which was unbelievably good and remarkably filling. My girlfriend's cassoulet made me jealous - it included three types of pork including an incomparable double smoked bacon.
Service was prompt, pleasant, and surprisingly attentive considering it was Fathers' Day and they seemed quite busy.
What more can be said about Medina? It's consistently one of the best brunches in Vancouver and well deserving of 5 stars. However it's still second to Twisted Fork in my brunch hierarchy because of their bottomless french-press coffee.
Listed in: Brunch anyone?
Let me start by saying the food was excellent, some of the best in Van. I will be going back to have the meatball dish that was so amazing my mouth is watering as I write this a few weeks later.
The service was incredibly slow, I do not advise going at lunch time during the week unless you have a couple of hours.
I went with a couple of work collegues and we asked at 12:05 (we work across the street) how long for a table and were told 10-15 minutes tops. The hostess assured us we could be out by just after 1pm. A few other groups (of 2) were seated well before us despite coming in after us.
I guess groups of 3 aren't as easy to seat?
We were seated at 12:40pm
Food didnt even arrive until 1:10pm (I asked for the bill straight away as I had to leave), it didn't appear until 1:40pm.
I will be going back, but never again during a weekday for a work lunch. Thank god my boss was understanding.
Perfection...
We came here for brunch and was only disappointed by the wait time. But! They made up for it by giving you sample bites of waffle. Smart management!
We finally sat down and ordered coffee. The coffee is great, I'm no coffee cupper but I have a great pallete for coffee. I tasted citrusy notes in my coffee and you could tell they used a high quality drip, maybe a press, and select coffee beans. My guess south america.
The waffle was small but the toppings were awesome. We had maple syrup, pistachio white chocolate, and cherry paste. We both ordered the chassuer. It has 2 organic eggs, sausage, and wild boar bacon. It was basically awesome. The sauce and fat from the wild boar bacon created a great combo for dipping your bread.
It was a bit expensive but we ended up splitting the plate and getting 2 waffles. You just can't beat this attention to detail and exciting culinary delight of a place.
This rounds out my reviews of breakfast/brunch places I went to during my trip to Vancouver. 5 days. 4 places. All spectacular. The Boy and Yelp have yet to disappoint me. Unfortunately we got here too late for the breakfast but all my fault. It's hard to get up early on vacation.
The ambiance was retro but classy. Very hipster. The waitress and waiter were very friendly and accommodating. We got seated towards the back. We didn't have to wait long to get our order in. Everything came in good time. It was a no-rush attitude in here and I dug it. It was a place I could just chill, relax, chat up the waiters & waitresses and not feel rushed to leave. Nice vibe.
As for food, they have 3 dishes that they serve all day and luckily for The Boy, Fricasse was one of 'em. I'm a vegetarian so the menu was a bit more limiting than some of the other places I've been to. I did have a good handful of choices, though. I haven't had grilled haloumi cheese in such a long time so I chose Les Boulettes despite the olive & rosemary sourdough. I hate olives.
Let me start with reviewing the food and then finish my review off with our drinks. The Boy has been here several times and loves the Fricasse. I'll take his word & the word of other yelpers on that. It certainly looked delicious.
As for my food, it was quite good and quite filling. There were 4 large pieces of sourdough with different toppings on each. The haloumi cheese was as good as I remember. I like to eat the best part last so it's the taste I remember the most. I took a bite of this and immediately saved it for the end. For those who don't know, haloumi is like a saltier mozzarella that tastes much better when it's warm. The marinated shredded carrot salad was sweet and refreshing. I am not a huge fan of tabbouleh and often leave it untouched when I eat at falafel places. But this was one of the better ones I've had and I ate the entire thing. The hummus came topped with a cucumber tomato mixture, if memory serves correctly. It was a perfect light lunch on a relaxing weekday afternoon.
Now, lets get to the star of my experience...the lattes. I like lattes. I love coffee. I like all different types for different reasons. Sometimes I'm in it for the taste. Sometimes I'm in it for the kick in the a$$ it gives me. I don't like it too sweet but I do put a little raw sugar and milk into my drinks. I'm not a huge fan of strange things in my coffee or espresso but everyone was raving about these drinks ... including the boy ... so I just had to try one. I fought my better judgement and went for what I thought would be the strongest and the most interesting. I don't really like fruit + coffee mixed together so I dismissed the raspberry and opted for the lavender soy latte. He got a white chocolate pistachio mocha.
I took one sip of that lavender latte and I instinctively let out this loud moan of pleasure. Not to be dramatic but I'm positive time stopped for just a moment. I'm sure I startled some people around me...or maybe they're used it by now? If I were to taste this on its own, I would not be able to tell it was lavender. I wish everything lavender tasted like this. It was all I could do to sip and savor and not chug it like I really wanted to. It was just so damn good. I don't want to go on and on about it because I think plenty of people already have and it's really making me upset that I'm so far away from it. I'll just end my rave there.
We came back the next day after brunch (my last day in vancouver) JUST for this lavender latte. I went on an epic journey for an HSBC bank because I needed cash (turns out Google Maps needs to update their information) and even though we walked for probably an hour, my heart was set on getting this lavendar latte so we continued our trek there. We made it with 15 minutes to spare. The waitress remembered us and welcomed us back. My eyes were wild with longing. All I could think was lavendar latte lavendar latte lavendar latte. I was half panicked when she said something about them closing in 15 minutes. I didn't hear what she said the first time and barely understood the second time. I felt like a babbling idiot and just wanted to reach out my hand and shout out "LAVENDAR SOY LATTE GIMME!!" Luckily they were still serving drinks & waffles. As soon as I heard that everything in the world was okay for a moment. We got those lattes and it was worth every step. I'll always remember you. Please don't change. Until next time Café Medina...
Listed in: Vancouver Trip July 2010
I love Cafe Medina...pretty much everything about it!
Until recently, Vancouver really lacked a cafe culture - I am not talking coffee shop - but real cafes. Unique, independent places where you could come just for a coffee or have a meal or a drink and the atmosphere is one where you could find yourself sitting with a book for a good long while.
Medina has hit the mark with this: the menu is fresh and different and the food is fantastic. I was just there yesterday for breakfast and had the daily omelet which was a gorgeous blend of potatoes, white cheddar, water cress, black olives and cherry tomatoes. Perfectly cooked, a great portion size and tons of flavour. There aren't a ton of vegetarian items on the menu but they are happy to accommodate (my omelet would have come with Merguez sausage had I asked for it without) and the food still tastes wonderful.
Their waffles are out of this world...and I don't typically get too fussed over pastry. I recommend the lavender milk chocolate topping...which they will also put in a mocha for you if you are so inclined.
The wine and beer are reasonably priced and well edited and the staff relaxed and friendly. Go now...but know that you are not the only one on your way and be prepared for a crowd!
well well well.. finally made it here. I thought the line up was going to be long but they have a HUGE hidden area in the back that made our weekend wait about 10 minutes.
I had the lavender latte which was delicately yummy. Complimented by a waffle with raspberry caramel sauce and shared the yoghurt with my friend. Perfectly sized. I snacked on my friends leftovers and enjoyed the presentation and how all the hot dishes come in cast iron baked pans.
Price point was a little high but they seem to be able able to get away with it. Also the service was great, and our hot male French/Belguim waitor really could do no wrong.
I don't know if it is 'real' Belgium waffles, since I've never tried them when I was there..but found it to be nothing special...I make my own at home and I swear, I cannot tell the difference.
But I think the prices for eggs and bacon are just over priced, and loud, loud place, and always a line up...
Unless the waffles are shipped from a grandmother in Belgium who's been making waffles for over 50 years, it isn't worth it.
Do not believe the hype. The breakfast program here may be popular, but that doesn't make it good. Go to Acme Cafe or Twisted Fork instead.
Waffles are a cute little treat, but on the whole, the service was way too slow and the breakfast items left a lot to be desired. We ordered an omelette which came in a cast iron skillet frittata style and the majority of it was stuck to the pan. Poor accompaniments or side dishes.
O-M-G, let me just say this place totally lived up to the hype. Everything was delicious. I think I cried tears of joy throughout the meal.
The BF ordered a waffle with fig orange marmalade and I ordered a waffle with milk chocolate lavender sauce. The waffles were buttery, crispy on the edges and chewy, kind of like a King's Hawaiian roll. If you've ever been to Northstar in Lake Tahoe, the waffle is very similar to the one served at Euro Snack. The sauces were decadent. I wanted to lick the bowls!
While waiting for our main course, I indulged in a Lavender Latte. It was creamy and light but still had that caffeine kick I was craving. I need to find a cafe in SoCal that can make this. Love.
We also shared the Fricassé - 2 fried eggs, braised short ribs, roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, arugula and applewood cheddar served in a cast iron skillet with grilled foccacia on the side. AMAZING! The eggs were perfectly fried...the short ribs SO tender...every bite was seriously bliss. If you ever find yourself in Vancouver, PLEASE stop by for a bite. You'll be glad you did!
Wow, totally let down by Yelp. Doesn't happen often.
First of all it took about 15 minutes for anyone to take our order. Then the waitress committed the #1 sin of table waiting in my books. She didn't write down our order (americano, fricasse and a saumon fume). Not really complicated. The quickest way to a shitty tip is to not write down my order and then screw it up and make me wait even longer for my food. The fricasse was really salty. I mean REALLY salty. My fume was fine (once it finally showed up) but I was so irritated I didn't enjoy it. I also didn't enjoy being ignored by the waitresses while trying to order and getting ignored again while trying to pay.
Argh, a very frustrating, and irritating experience.
I had to check this place out due to the accolades it got on this site - it definitely didn't disappoint but based on the previous reviews I guess I was expecting fireworks in my mouth! Great lazy Sunday late brunch spot but I think I may have had better.
We ordered 2 Americanos, a Tagine and Les Boulettes. All the dishes sound unique and exotic so it was hard to choose! I love poached eggs so I had to go with the Tagine. The chorizo sausage was spicy, oily goodness. The Foccaccia bread was so soft and perfect for dipping into the eggs and sauce. I would've liked if the server would've asked for how I wanted my eggs poached as they came very runny. The tomato based sauce didn't totally impress me, it reminded me a bit of plain old Ragu sauce. My boyfriend's Boulettes came with much yummier sauce and a delicious side of hummus with cucumber salad which was more exciting than my side of yogurt. Although the meatballs were a little on the hard side the symphony of the sauce, side, meat and eggs was pretty dang good. The Americanos were also very delicious. Felt the pain of the HST when the bill for 2 plus tip came to $45 bucks.. not a budget brunch!
The service was super attentive, timely and friendly. The location is cozy and has awesome art inside - we sat in the back room which you're led through what feels like a secret hallway to get to.
Didn't have room for dessert, I think I might go back to try the lauded lattes and waffles, but probably not the other brunch items.
A nifty (if not perfect) Vancouver respite. We found Cafe Medina through Yelp simply because we were feeling a bit frisky....our craving was to start our 1 day visit in VAN with a wonderful waffle (as Belgian as we could find). Yelp did not disappoint us. Our call-in-advance yielded us exactly (if not moreso) what we sought.
FORTUNATELY, a la 1 pm local time, we arrived and were afforded a front room table-for-two. Parking, beforehand, was relatively easy (a pay parking lot, across the street) and a 50 yard dash to the front door of Cafe Medina.
The DB level was inviting as we entered. Our hostess offered a table (the only 1 available at the time) opposite the bar and bar-top-diners. Perfect. We were given menus and water as we were seated and told (in dulcet tones) the specials of the day and reminded of the various specialties of the house. Nice, Nice.
We, of course, opted for several waffles and toppings. Most importantly (sans toppings) the waffles were as delicate as a blue-sky-cloud. Delish!
I asked for the soup of the day - served piping hot (no joke, no lye.) I coupled the waffle/soup selections with the cucumber salad. At/about 2 pm I was satiated.
There are beer and wine pairings as well as a simple full-bar and tea selections. Cafe Medina is complete - yet simple - yet anything but stuffy. Seated nearby were 'ladies taking their mid-day lunch/meeting breaks', couples catching up on long overdue re-acquaintances, not-so-obvious tourists (as ourselves) hoping to be further amazed at the vibrance of Vancouver, BC.
Not a pricey spot, at all. Your bellies will be comforted at a modest and appreciative price point.
Cafe Medina is a 'nifty' gem. Reservations are not taken. Go on a lark. You will hopefully be as appreciative as we.
We found Cafe Median on Yelp and it definitely stood up to the reviews....beautiful, delicious and well priced...what more can you ask for? We both had an amazing flavoured latte (raspberry caramel and lavender vanilla) then shared a waffle with pistachio white chocolate dipping sauce then a skillet to share...Mexican styles! guacamole and all!!
definitely a place to check out if you are looking for great brunchiness
Like a few other people, I enjoyed this restaurant, but was perhaps expecting more because of all the hype it gets. I came here for brunch and I can't remember the name of the dish that I had, but it was the beans in spicy tomato sauce which wasn't spicy (seriously, why are so many foods in north america advertised as spicy when they really aren't?), a bit too acidic and rather bland. A poached egg, which was just that, and a piece of merguez sausage which was quite good, but not good enough to make me want to give this place another star. Still, people seem to like it a lot so I think I'll give it another try.
Medina has been on my list of breakfast restaurants to try when we visit Vancouver and it did not disappoint. I would suggest arriving early to line up on a Sunday morning for the brunch (they open @ 9am).
We were lucky to secure a table in the main area and enjoyed strong coffee and quick service. Our meal included the waffles (a requisite if you eat here) and a couple of the breakfast selections. I enjoyed the grilled focaccia and my order of Les Boulettes was delicious. Le Chasseur is a bit on the heavy/oily side but makes a great choice if you're in need of a eggs, bacon, and potato skillet option.
Medina tends towards the expensive side but it's a great treat to indulge in once in awhile.
me and my gal pals came here on a saturday morning to grab some breakfast/lunch before we started our day in vancouver
thanks to yelp.. THIS PLACE WILL NOT DISAPPOINT.. everything was perfect.. there was a bit of a wait but seriously it was worth the great food...
we shared a Fricasse :2 fried eggs, braised short ribs, roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, arugula and smoked applewood cheddar with grilled foccacia AND Les Boulettes: 2 poached eggs, spicy moroccan meatballs, cilantro, hummus cucumber tomato salad with grilled foccacia. we also ordered a waffle with fig orange marmalade.
Fricasse is absolute heaven. when it first came out i was wondering "where's my meat" but it was all there.. the meat, the cheese, the goodnes... and les boulettes was spicy and jam packed with lots of flavors... i will come back again and i will work myself thruout the menu.. this place is a stop you dont wanna miss
What a great place to go for coffee, breakfast or just to escape the city for a few minutes. Great food and an excellent, European cafe-style atmosphere.
Tables are really, really close together so don't make plans to break up here ( or maybe do) but other than that, which you get used to, it is undoubtedly fanastic.
Just got back from a weekend in Vancouver, BC and breakfast at Cafe Medina was the highlight of the trip. They were filming a tv show pilot on the same block (set in San Francisco), so the wait outside wasn't too arduous. We were a party of four and the wait was about 30 minutes at peak time.
Once we got inside, the decor was nice and very warm. I ordered the Fricasse and my wife ordered the Cassoulet. When it came out, I was jealous of hers because it looked like there was a lot more meat on hers but I was wrong...
Underneath the eggs was a delicious blend of short ribs, applewood cheddar, potatoes and arugula. I couldn't believe how well it all came together. The meat was very tender and the cheese was almost the best. I had their Moroccan Mimosa and its not worth the extra couple bucks.
Finally, after having watched the waffles being made in the window while we waited, we had to get them. The fig marmalade side was really good, I tasted the pistachio and lavender chocolate from my friend but the marmalade was the best of three.
I really thought the place was knock out good, and is a must eat place in Vancouver.
Dear Cafe Medina,
Thank you for providing us with a wonderful breakfast on our last day in Vancouver.
Your waffles with maple syrup were delicious. The Gratin and the Bison were both magnificent. The atmosphere and the service you provided were wonderful.
Thank you for being so easy to find. We took a few steps from the Skytrain station and there you were! The only regret we have is not finding you earlier. You can be sure we will be coming back to see you the next time we are in Vancouver. We are big fans of yours. Seeing the people waiting outside, I know we are not the only ones!
Until we meet again,
Philip & Selvya
Oh my! That waffle...it's soooo good. And the lavendar latte, I am in love (thanks to the fellow yelper who wrote a poem about it -- I am in total agreement). And the Fricasse with the braised short rib and cheese and eggs, and potatoes...I am salivating just thinking about it. Now I am sad b/c I am no where close to Cafe Medina.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Fairview Slopes
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Fairview Slopes
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