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Little Nest
Category: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
1716 Charles StreetVancouver, BC V5L 2T5
Neighbourhoods: Grandview-Woodlands, The Drive
(604) 251-9994
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
37 reviews for Little Nest
Review Highlights
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"The French toast rivals the one at Burgoo which I adore." In 11 reviews -
"I love the vintage high chairs." In 5 reviews -
"i had some scrambled eggs, a baguette, prosciutto, and..." In 7 reviews
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37 reviews in English
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Review from Cyrus G.
5/10/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Hands down, my favourite brunch in the city.
Amazing french toast. Great coffee. Baked muffins/cookies/etc.
Little Nest Breakfast is awesome too. -
Review from Barbie I.
Vancouver, BC
3/19/2012
A gf and I go here often, neither of us have kids. We come for post breakfast and they always make it perfect. They have a yummy whole grain toast and also a gluten free toast to suit both our needs. Their soy lattes are smooth and creamy, and there is a gluten free chocolate cake that sits in the display window that taunts me...
Such a nice clean inexpensive breakfast, you barely notice the screaming kids. In their defense, there are some pretty darn cute kids at this place.
Love it. -
Review from Yasi A.
Vancouver, BC
5/9/2012
Breakfast Great
Cakes and muffins Great
Lunch not that great
and kids area needs some retouching -
Review from Erin S.
5/16/2012
Good breakfast and nice atmosphere. Seems to be popular with the stroller set. The bread is wonderful and the coffee is good.
-
Review from Sarah O.
10/7/2011
Little nest is an awesome place for young starter families living near the Drive. It has a wonderfully warm community atmosphere and serves fresh, delicious, creative meals. If you're not with a baby, I suggest mentally preparing yourself to be surrounded by toddlers and their energetic voices overpowering your conversations with your company. It does get quite loud in there!
Excellent place for a bright brunch and refreshing dining option for young families. -
Review from Ly H.
10/31/2011
Little Nest is a cute place just off Commercial Drive, with a lively hipster-slash-family-and-child-friendly vibe. The brioche french toast was near-perfect, with toasted pistachios providing a nice crunchy touch. The latte was some of the best anywhere. The decor is retro, fun, and earthly at the same time. I love the vintage high chairs.
Bring a book. Bring your kid(s). Bring your appetite. Enjoy a latte and a meal. Stay a while.
Even though my partner and I are kid-free, we still enjoyed being there very much and will definitely be back. -
Review from Jessica P.
Vancouver, BC
Big big fan!
Went today on a Sunday quite late in the afternoon (2pm) and it was fairly empty so scored great seats outside. It's rare to get patio seating in Vancouver where the street's actual QUIET for once!
My companion and I split the french toast brioche with whipped mascarpone, berries and peaches and the Little Nest special of scrambled eggs, ratatouille, baguette and polenta. Both were AMAZING. Fresh ingredients and presentation was very appealing. I regretted splitting and wished I could've had the french toast all to myself!
Their baked goods by the counter also looked amazing. The whole place just had a very friendly relaxed vibe. They're very geared towards being 'kid friendly' so I can't comment on how noisy it'd be right at the peak hours of brunch. Although based on my experience today, I would come back again and again. -
Review from Siri W.
6/26/2011
Oh yum was this place ever tasty. Went here with the bf (no kiddies along with us sadly). We arrived a little before nine and walked around the block waiting for the place to open up. When we returned, we weren't the only ones waiting at the door! About three or four families with kids were patiently lined up outside with an assortment of baby bjorns, baby strollers, baby accessories galore. We wondered if having a baby was a pre-req for getting in the door. Luckily this turned out not to be the case!
Inside, the decor is very 70's - the place is wide and welcoming, with old wallpaper prints and vintage high chairs everywhere. It's self-service in that you order at the front and the waitress brings it to you (your place is marked with - what else? A baby building block :)
The boyfriend and I both went for the French Toast, which I am told changes every weekend. This weekend it was with a tropical twist, and it sounded too good to pass up.
I also got a latte which was very yummy (and beautiful!) and by the time I'd finished that, the food arrived...and the food - oh the food.
The French Toast on brioche was INCREDIBLE! Soft, fluffy bread, with a passion fruit whip (!!!) topped with fresh pineapples, pistachios and mangoes...and the syrup - omg. Had a bit of a passionfruit zing to it as well. We were both stuffing our faces while trying to communicate through nods and mouth-full-speak how incredible our meal was to one another.
The only sad part is...the portion is perfectly reasonable. It's not huge. And that day, I wanted it to be HUGE! Also thought maybe a nice side of something savoury may have off-set the intense (yet oh so delicious) sweetness a bit - maybe a side of back bacon? I don't know...just food for thought!
So, baby or no baby, try this place out! It's adorable, the food is to die for, and its fun to watch the little kids play while you're sipping your delicious latte and eating some ooey gooey goodness. -
Review from Cat D.
Richmond, BC
7/18/2011
AWFUL SERVICE.
I saw the photos and reviews of this place and decided to hold my my bridal shower here. Food looked great, the place looked great, and it seemed like a cozy/casual place to have a get together. Big mistake.
I adore children, but this place was like a daycare/zoo. The 'play area'
took up nearly half the restaurant. It was more like a daycare with a
coffee counter. It was so messy, crowded and loud.
The food took at least 20 minutes per order and they kept scewing up
and giving people the wrong stuff. Everytime any of us ordered
something, the counter employees acted totally stressed and miserable to have us there. Everything we got (eventually) after the ridiculous wait times, was served to us cold - even the coffee. The workers were completely rude and stressed out. I found it appalling since they knew we were coming in the first place.
We were a party of 10 that had discussed this event with Little Nest a
couple of weeks before hand. They said in their email that they were 'quieter this time of year' and there wouldn't be much waiting.
Tthe place was insanely busy and loud, we could barely hear each other talk, and lineups were about 4-10 people long all throughout.
The food was OK. Nothing spectacular. Your friends and family can
easily make this fare. It really seemed more like a place for single
parents to bring their hyper kids and check each other out.
The only reason I had fun was because I had my amazing friends/family with me. But EVERYBODY was aghast that this place
told us they could accommodate us, didn't mention how insane it gets in there, and still didn't do anything to make it comfortable.
They knew we were having a bridal shower and TOLD US WE
COULDN"T TAKE PICTURES. (After my brother-in-law brought about
$6,000 worth of photo equipment to capture this special day). It's a bridal shower. OF COURSE there's gonna be a camera.
I had to wait 25 minutes for toast and eggs. And it was cold when I got it. Nobody could eat because of the noisy atmosphere and children crawling over everything. You would think they would've thought about dedicating ONE employee to just keep an eye on our party throughout. We all had brunch, coffee and even ordered an entire cake for the event, and we weren't' treated very well throughout the whole experience.
I guess this might be a great place for parents to check out other hot
parents (MILFS and DILFS), ooh-and-ahh over the adorable kids, and order their peanut-free/free range brunches, but I can't believe the Little Nest management didn't foresee that it would be impossible to comfortably have a bridal shower here.
Ridiculous. -
Review from K C.
Vancouver, BC
7/19/2011
THIS PLACE IS MEANT FOR THE KIDDIES.
Some people had issues and negative reviews because it seemed they were unaware of this. it clearly states that on the website:
"Little Nest opened in June 2007 and has been a neighbourhood favourite ever since. Located just off Commercial Drive
at 1716 Charles St., Little Nest is a haven for foodies and families alike. Owner and pastry chef, Mary Macintyre set out to
create an environment that felt like home, surrounded by friends. With a strong sense of community, she wanted a space
that welcomed children, encouraged adults to connect and for all to feel nurtured and well fed. Little nest is a place
where kids can be kids and the grownups still feel grown up"
I have been here several times, the most recent this past Sunday morning. And the reason why i wanted to come here was because my daughter can go play and i can have a good meal and keep an eye on her, and still socialize with my friend. I have not found another place like this yet.
Little nest really is a kid friendly place. Food is great. I actually like the order at the front service. They still seat you and bring you the food. It works for this place, as it keeps foot traffic down, because it's hard to get around with all the kiddies milling about. (It would be a saftey hazard really.)
(Alot of restaurants say they are kid friendly but aren't really. Because the music is always too loud and/or offensive, with suggestive photos and decor, staff that dislpay way too much TNA. I question if it passes PG13 standards. My kid does not want fries with a side of breasts and A**. I will attend these places in the future with adults only)
Anyways, back to Little Nest.
If you do not enjoy noise, crying, boogers, spit, etc that is associated with children, and hearing family realted conversations and ooh-ing and aah-ing over how cute little Susie and Thomas are, do not come here to eat in. You WILL encounter many kids climbing around- and on you! (even when they are not your own).
If you just love the food, do what i saw alot of people do- order to go!
I will be a repeat Little Nest customer. too bad it was not closer to my home. -
Review from Peter H.
Vancouver, BC
1/14/2011
If marrying food was legal in Canada, I would propose to a Little Nest breakfast. Judge me all you want, but our love would be a real love and last a life time.
I could ramble on about the food here, but it would end with me drooling on my keyboard, and do we want that to happen? The food is simply brilliant, I honestly feel their kitchen produces one of the best made brunches in Vancouver.
They are certainly child friendly, though I do not have or go with any. What I'm saying is, don't feel pressured to kidnap children just to eat here. People are "sensitive" and tend to view that as a "bad" thing to do. Not judging you, just saying don't do it.
Anyway, great food and baked goods, the "Little Nest Breakfast" is wonderful, as is the rotating French Toast and.... Well everything they make is amazing! -
Review from Larry L.
8/8/2011
I came here with a few other fellow Yelpers a couple of times and unfortunately I have to say that I only had coffee. I know sad. sad sad.
but the coffee was very good!
Very family oriented place. Great place to bring your kids. meet up with others and so on.
I am past that phase, but did bring my daughter here for a quick coffee takeout. And though she isn't little anymore, it brought back memories when I used to take her out for eats. -
Review from Hilda L.
3/28/2011 2 photos
Not sure if there's anything more I can add to all the glowing reviews. Yes, I also loved the homey interior, the retro décor, the open kitchen, and the menu on the chalkboard. Yes, this place is extremely kids friendly -lots of spaces between tables for strollers, a big play area in the back, and several items on the menu have "kids' size" at a cheaper price. (Everybody had a fashionable toddler in tow that we felt a little left out and wanted to kidnap one!) And yes, the food is salivating, scrumptious, satisfying! The Little Nest breakfast is simple but crunchy polenta + pesto puree + goat cheese = heaven. The French toast rivals the one at Burgoo which I adore.
Food: 4*
Ambiance: 4.5* (breakfast & a show - the kids are so adorable to watch; free entertainment!)
Service: 3* (no table service. Order up front but they will bring the food to your table)
Value: 4* (because the french toast is massive!) -
Review from T J.
6/2/2011
Adorable.
Fresh, delicious ingredients. Yum.
Home-like and warm environment. -
Review from Dana B.
Vancouver, BC
4/3/2011
Love this place! Everything I have had, from their coffee to eggs of the day to sandwiches to desserts, has been excellent and obviously made with care and love. The polenta that comes with the eggs is so smooth and creamy and eggs also come with a homemade half baguette sliced in half, yum! I believe the owner was formerly a pastry chef.
I should mention it is kid-friendly for sure, but not exclusively so. I don't have any kids, and I usually go here with a friend, also childless, who lives nearby. It can get a bit loud sometimes if it's really busy, but keep in mind kids playing is a happy sound!
Decor is cute---rustic chic---and they have a bike rack out front, bonus! I don't go here too often, as although I love it, it isn't exactly cheap, but I do think it is well worth it for the quality of the food. -
Review from David L.
North Vancouver, BC
1/9/2011
Eat here now.
Got there as they opened and were wowed. Great play area for kids, but that was topped by the excellent food. Little one had the kids french toast, we had the daily egg (perfectly scrambled eggs with black-eyed bean ragout on cornbread) and the "adult" french bread with marscapone and pineapple.
Even if you don't have children, I recommend it just for the food. -
Review from Ken C.
Burnaby, BC
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Met up with two friends for brunch here on Thursday and it was pretty busy.
None of us had ever been and we were simply told it was "kid friendly." They weren't kidding. Seems like it's where the stay-at-home moms and dads gather with their kids as part of their daily routine.
You order and pay up front, they give you a letter (in the form of a big, kid's building block) and they bring the food to your table once it's ready.
Our orders (which weren't anything extravagant for 3 people, I had the borsch, and my 2 friends both had a breakfast sandwich or something), unfortunately took a very long time (close to 40-50 minutes). Perhaps they were having an off day?
The food *was* pretty good, but it's not something I would specifically go back for. -
Review from Yvonne H.
Vancouver, BC
1/17/2011
Brunch is serious business in my world and Little Nest certainly gets down to business when it comes to brunch making. I literally squeal in delight whenever my food arrives to my table, whether it be their drool-inducing brioche french toast or their perfectly scrambled eggs with a side of the most delicious polenta that has ever crossed my lips. With food made so deliciously and brilliantly, you, my friends, will squeal too.
Ok ya, so the place is littered with children. Lots of them. But you don't have to feel forced to breed minions to feel you belong here. Honestly, you'd be so into the food and the coziness of the place that all the little cherubic faces smeared with quality fig jam really only add to the charm and the atmosphere.
This is hands down my most favourite neighbourhood brunch establishment ever! A bold statement but it's true. Eat here and you will die happy. -
Review from C R.
Vancouver, BC
9/11/2011
We (my husband, 2 kids and I) went here for the first time this morning with another family (parents + 1 kid). We were the first ones in there and I feel that is the best circumstances you could ask for. I found the retro / vintage seats and high chairs adorable and decor extremely calming (especially for a place that holds so many screaming kids). We watched as the line grew (after 10am), as the play area became crowded, and as sharing issues became a distraction.
The food tasted very fresh (particularly the eggs) and my husband was happy with the french toast, which I read changes weekly. Definitely a great breakfast place to go to with the family but not worth a 30 minute wait, with kids, in my opinion. I forgot to mention the muffins at the counter were especially notable. -
Review from Vincci L.
All the elements here make a pretty perfect brunch place. The large windows, the wide open space, the communal table, a chalkboard menu (with changing items daily), and the retro wallpaper and furniture completes it. Did I mention that it was super kid/ stroller friendly?
Their menu is simple, and their ingredients are local and organic. Order and pay up front, and help yourself to water.
We shared the Little Nest Breakfast, with scrambled eggs, baked polenta, caramelized pearl onion, roasted portabellini mushrooms and herb goat's cheese with pesto, and a toasted baguette. The polenta with the pesto and goat cheese was quite delcious. Eggs were creamy, but they ran out of the apricot almond baguette.
The brioche french toast was the highlight. Soft, sweet bread, with smooth cinnamon mascarpone cream, bananas and walnuts. Soo good. With every bite, all the different textures and flavours simply worked perfectly. Ethical bean coffee is served here, and I got a large latte (which was very large!) and it was great too.
Watching such cute kids roam around the restaurant was simply too good of entertainment as we enjoyed our brunch. -
Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
7/25/2010
Vancouverites love their brunches, and Little Nest definitely caters to that fact. Located just off the Drive, it's a small place with a homey atmosphere that you will find filled with young families and possibly soccer fans (I went during the World Cup).
The menu changes constantly so you can surprise yourself each time. I had scrambled eggs, which I normally do not enjoy but which, this time, were served to me hot and fluffy (not the opposite traits which sometimes characterize scrambled eggs in a restaurant). The eggs were accompanied by a fresh green salad with an amazing garlic herb vinaigrette dressing, and a pesto puree on the side. My favourite part: they offer gluten free toast! I am recently returned to Vancouver so likely this is much more common in Vancouver brunch spots than elsewhere, but for someone used to haggling with the server about substituting toast for something other than potatoes/hashbrowns (of which I am not a great fan), this was a definite plus. They also offer fresh squeezed juices. Fortified with brunch, you now have the energy to head out on to the Drive and check out everything it has to offer!Listed in: Best Brunch
-
Review from Megan G.
Vancouver, BC
7/23/2010
Though I am not a parent, I love going to Little Nest with my friends for coffee or breakfast to catch up. If the conversation needs to go PG or PG-13, afterward you can take a lovely walk to the park nearby.
The food is incredibly fresh and delicious. The daily breakfast specials are always creative and tasty, as is the Little Nest breakfast which has started me on a polenta obsession. The mushrooms are always cooked perfectly, and the touch of goat cheese makes the dish. Perfect portions, and flavourful, fresh cooking. I also adore their muffins and had a cherry, chocolate and pistachio one right out of the oven this morning. Yummmm.
The interior is awesome as well, and the retro seating is right up my alley. Love the high ceilings. It's a wonderful little space, and if you're not keen on TONS of kids, just go early. -
Review from Reena M.
1/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place is brilliant! High quality food and tasty concepts! It's so delicious! I had the French toast made with brioche and had cinnamon, hazelnuts, whipped cream and maple syrup... mmmm! And a lot of their ingredients are organic, free range etc. Fits right in with the vibe of the Drive.
Definitely kid friendly, but the kids aren't annoying to those who come without kids either because they have their own play area and what not. And if they do annoy you, remember, you're in a kid-friendly zone so get over it.
Just remember to order at the counter, because we didn't know that when we went there. They'll give you a block letter instead of a number, to find you and give you your order.
Prices: I paid $14.75 for French toast and a regular mocha (made with organic cocoa camino cocoa). And they only do debit or cash. -
Review from Alejandro E.
Vancouver, BC
Haven't had a more sublime breakfast... in years.
Pride myself in venturing to new places, and I'm glad I visited Little Nest on Commercial Drive.
Try their vegetarian breakfast with Eggs, Spinach, Mushrooms & Polenta.
*Note: the place primary focus is to parents with KIDS. So be prepared to enjoy the little smily faces :) -
Review from Sonja F.
Vancouver, BC
4/13/2011
Tried to go here a few weeks go with my boyfriend after getting a WOM recommendation from a friend.
It's pretty close to our place, so we figured - why not?
After standing outside (like the sign asked) for about 5 minutes and being ignored, we went inside. No greeting upon entrance, even though there was someone at the till looking straight at us. No greeting or "please wait outside, we'll be right with you" from other passing staff, either.
After about 3 minutes of standing inside, we did get one snarky remark from the kitchen - "Can't you read?".
Actually, I can. I also have common courtesy, unlike you, Little Nest worker. Please. There are 25+ other places on the Drive I can eat at. I'm terribly sorry for trying to eat at yours.
Trust me, I won't make the mistake again. -
Review from Jordan H.
8/6/2009
Amazing breakfast. Top-quality ingredients, brilliant execution. Get the Meaty Eggs or the Veggie Eggs (they're both different from week to week). Their bread is incredible too (maybe made on site?), although I only like the white, the multigrain and brown are too tough. The sandwiches are also really good.
Don't let the portion size fool you when the plate is set down. It's perfect. Eat every crumb (won't be hard) and you'll realize that it's exactly the amount of food you should be eating.
Also remember this place will be crawling with (happy) children. -
Review from Laura D.
Vancouver, BC
8/29/2010
This place is such a gem! Super cute decor, simple yet amazingly elegant menu, and the baked goods are out of this world. I had a chocolate orange pistachio bread pudding muffin (i know!) to go along with my poached eggs with yummy fresh multigrain toast soldiers and it was to die for. The second time I went, I had the best brioche french toast of my life, seriously! It came with elderberry syrup and whipped vanilla mascarpone topping, as well as maple syrup.
I don't drink coffee, but my boyfriend remarked that it was one of the best cups he'd had in Vancouver.
You order at the cash and then they give you a cute letter block to put on the table. They deliver the food to you and clear your dishes after...I think it's the perfect mix of making sure the patron is comfortable but also leaving them alone to eat in peace. The owner walked by at one point to ask how everything was, which was a really nice friendly touch, but again, not pushy or invasive at all.
Another thing I like about this place is that there's almost always a cute dog or two sitting outside with the owners! -
Review from Felicity D.
Vancouver, BC
8/23/2011
If you do not like small children, stay away from Little Nest. Yes, it is messy, loud, and unruly, but please, allow us parents a refuge where we don't have to feel embarrassed if our kid has a tantrum. We need a place where we can have a coffee or a snack while our little "angel" plays with the toys in the play area. We need someplace we can openly breastfeed without worrying about offending anyone. OK, I agree that some of the parents that come here don't watch their kids closely enough and the play area gets a little pushy at times, but most of the kids here are relatively well behaved and they never get any louder than alot of places play their music. We deserve a kid friendly (hell, kid-centric) place that serves better food than White Spot... if the noise and mess bother you, go elsewhere, Little Nest is always busy and will get along fine without you.
The food here is great, the staff are friendly and attentive, and the coffee is delicious. Keep up the good work. Those of us that love you, we love you alot. -
Review from Shelly M.
10/13/2010 6 Check-ins Here
Right so I dont have a kid, and have the feeling I should have one when I come into this place. Buuttttt that soo doesnt stop me from chowing down and eating here!
The food is brilliant and so gooood. Hands down worth the noise level. You might want to have second thoughts on the weekends..However :) -
Review from Garrick F.
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
the food was quite good. i had some scrambled eggs, a baguette, prosciutto, and polenta. i was pretty satisfied with my meal.
on another note, there are seriously SO many kids here, so it is a little distracting, but the good thing about being a kid-friendly restaurant is... you guessed it... the MILFs!!
haha, kidding. -
Review from sara m.
Vancouver, BC
1/27/2010
I love eggs and soldiers...Those little strips of buttered toast that you can dip into a soft boiled egg. Yummy!
Lovely pastries.....Really lovely....
Great teas & coffees....
As mentioned before, perfect portions...
A really neat salad in the summer--watermelon with mint or was it basil....and feta cheese...Whatever it was--it was good...
Lots of little surprise twists on a potentially average meal.... -
Review from Ingrid D.
Vancouver, BC
I have to say: I just Looooove this place !
The more we go there, the more I like it !... Which is quite incredible, as usually, after going to a restaurant I'm always wondering why I don't feel like I want to go back... Even if I really liked the restaurant.
But Little Nest is just different.
- First of all, they are always changing their eggs menus, so there's always something new to try.
- Second, their polenta is just amazing... fluffy and elegant... if you haven't tried it yet, it's simply a crime !
- Third they are always trying to have organic/local ingredients, and make almost everything from scratch, which makes for really fresh amazing food.
- Fourth, I can just unleash my little monkeys when we arrive, and they go and enjoy themselves with the other little monkeys in the play area
- Fifth, they actually clean their children sits every single time ! Yes, that's right: you can actually use their child seats without having to bath them in chlorine (and being French, I'm usually not against building my little monkey's immune system, but there is always a limit !!) ;-)
- Sixth, their bred is just amazing
- Seventh, the staff is super friendly
- Eighth... I can go on and on and on and on.
So yes, I will go back over and over again.
And yes, I strongly recommend it to anyone, with or without kids !! -
Review from Vanessa G.
5/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I walked in here not sure what to expect and was shocked by how many toddlers there where. More babies then adults! What you think might be insanity seemed to be well mannered and limited screaming in a hip diner setting. We sat at the large picnic table, and glanced over the limited breakfast menu. I was hoping for some vegan option, but alas there were none. I went for the Little Nest breakfast of scrambled free range eggs, polenta, pesto, roasted garlic, and served with a cranberry baguette. At $15 (with tip), this better be freaking good, and thank god it was. I asked for ketchup and they had to find it, this is sure sign you don't need ketchup with your meal. The meal was delicious and i was scraping the ketchup off my meal. I savored every last bite, and was stuffed. Looks like everyone there was pretty satisfied, including the kiddies.
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Review from Tyrone Y.
Vancouver, BC
3/26/2011
baked polenta - the secret ingredient to my devirginized brunch experience.
stepping into little nest is like walking into mcdonald's to drop off the kids so you can have some breakfast... 30 years ago. retro style chairs, high chairs, chalkboard menu, even your order number is a big wooden block.
looking from the picture, i thought this place wouldn't fill me up since i got there at 2pm. ordered the little nest breakfast which worked out to 13 bucks & change.
beautiful scrambled eggs, herb goat cheese laying on top of a baked polenta with a spinach paste surrounding, finalized with a buttered white baguette. a quick thought of catsup ran past my mind but them eggs deserved none after a breakthrough bite. the meal was perfect. coffee would have sealed the deal.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmarvelous -
Review from Carrie B.
Vancouver, BC
5/24/2010
I know this is petty, and I'm glad this place is in the neighbourhood, but when a hot chocolate costs $3.50 I cannot believe it does not come with whipped cream. Worst of all, when it arrived and my face fell the server simply said, "Oh no, we never had whipped cream." Never had whipped cream? At a kid-friendly cafe? And no offer to refund my money/replace it with something that wasn't completely disappointing? If that wasn't enough, when I bought $8 worth of drinks, the woman at the till said, "And just the drinks?" Being on a budget, that's actually a big splurge for me, and I don't appreciate being made to feel I'm not spending enough. Also, since I'm on a rant, if this place is so kid-friendly why is it only open until 4 pm? Kind of excludes the school-aged, doesn't it?
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Review from Andrew G.
Nanaimo, BC
12/2/2008
We went here recently with a bunch of friends who have young children, on their recommendation, and had a great brunch. It's a very casual place, and aimed at the sort of hipster parents who live in the Commercial Drive area. We're not too hip. But it was great. it has retro highchairs, and old toys, and a great big central table which we promptly filled.
The food was just what we wanted at the time - lots of good kid choices and reasonable sized portions - we ordered french toast and baguettes for our 3 year old and 5 year old. There was really great fig compote with the baguettes. I had a nice frittata with salad and my wife had an omelette. The coffee was good. The muffins were very good also.
If you're not a kid person, though, I'd be wary - I don't even notice the noise and chaos any more, but a friend who lives in the area and has one older child told me she wouldn't be able to eat there, at least not when it's busy.
For parents, though, it's great to find a kid friendly, funky cafe, especially one that's not Disneyfied and plastic... -
Review from teranika t.
Vancouver, BC
3/12/2009
I was introduced to this restaurant when a friend gave me a gift certificate as a shower gift when I was pregnant. A year later and we are regulars. Little Nest is the brain child of a former pastry chef from Lumiere, who wanted to open a restaurant that was kid-and-parent friendly and still offered a top-quality menu. It has a quirky decor of retro furnishings, in particular a battalion of sturdy old high chairs for some of its most honored guests - children. This is not a place to visit for quiet introspection. In the center of the restaurant is a place we call the Baby Mosh Pit - where little ones can go and rumble all over each other in efforts to get at the cool toys. Commercial Drive hipster parents hang out on the sidelines enjoying brunch, cheese plates, desserts, and fabulous coffee. There's a special children's menu as well. I used this restaurant as an escape in the first months of parenthood - we took our daughter here to celebrate her first birthday because it is her favorite place. I marked down only slightly because of some difficulties we've had in getting the right order and having our daughter's lunch cleared away before we were finished - but they've been pretty nice about everything. It wouldn't stop me from going back. This place has a recipe for success.
