Brunch at Medina

Medina is one of Vancouver’s many little surprises.

Tucked away in the quiet, unassuming Library District, it’s one of the city’s liveliest and most vibrant brunch spots.

In fact, it’s so popular, that you can’t make reservations. Turning up and hoping for the best last week, we left the quiet street and suddenly entered a bubble of colour and commotion. Fluffy waffles baked in stacks. The rich smell of coffee filled the air. Busy waitresses nipped between tightly arranged tables. We were added to a hungry queue of people perusing menus and licking their lips.

But the half hour wait was more than worth it for what came next - I decided I liked Medina as soon as we sat down. The decoration is sumptuous but modern, all rich mahogany and gilded edges. It’s got a booze bar as well as a coffee one, so you can have a cheeky mimosa or Irish coffee with your breakfast. Medina means “radiant or enlightened city”, and the natural light and high ceilings make Medina feel plenty of both.

Phil ordered a “spiked” coffee to start with, meaning a little tincture of spirit comes with your coffee (it was his birthday after all!). The daily special was amaretto, and we also plumped for a raspberry caramel latte. We so fancy.

The food here mixes traditional brunch fare with eclectic Mediterranean flavours, so dishes on offer range from granola to tagine with black olives and preserved lemon. There’s almost too much to choose from, but after much deliberation over coffee, we ordered the Fricassee and the Cassoulet.

Oh, mama. We made the right choices.

The Cassoulet, baked and served in a skillet, is a delicious fusion of ruby red tomatoes with wine, salty bacon, white beans and two eggs, sunny side up, golden yolk oozing over the thick sausages. The flavour is intense, rich and peppery, and threaded with accents of fennel and garlic. It feels like something you’d eat at an authentic restaurant in Spain – but the eggs and bacon keep it suitably brunch-y.

However, it was the Fricassee with was the star of the day. Writing about it makes me want to go back and get another, sharpish.

It’s an incredible stew, packed with flavour, again served in a big skillet. It’s filled with braised ribs, roasted potatoes, sweet caramelised onions, eggs and smoked cheddar. I’m still getting over how good it was.

If that wasn’t enough food (which it definitely was), we decided to order waffles as a kind of “brunch dessert” (because that’s a thing). Medina are renowned for their liege-style waffles (which I think means smaller and crunchier?), and we just couldn’t walk past the impressive display at the front of the café without ordering some.

Thankfully, you can order them individually, so we just plumped for one to share. You can choose from a range of dips– including salted caramel, white chocolate pistachio rosewater and milk chocolate lavender. We went for the fig orange marmalade, which was a deliciously spicy, citrusy and sweet compote, the perfect accompaniment to the fluffy waffle.

Trust me when I say that if I could, I would have ordered more. But after a couple of hours, it was finally time to waddle back out onto the quiet streets of the Library District – and past the queue of people waiting outside.

Looking for the best brunch in Vancouver? I’m putting my hand up for Medina. Just make sure you go on an empty stomach.

Where:

Medina,

780 Richards St. (between Robson & Georgia) Library District, Vancouver, BC V6B 3A4

What:

Medina is an insanely popular spot for brunch in Vancouver, combining traditional breakfast food with authentic Mediterranean dishes. It also has a bar serving alcohol for some cheeky afternoon drinks.

When:

Medina is open from 8am – 3pm Mon-Fri, and 9am-3pm on weekends and holidays. You can’t make reservations so just turn up – I’d generally say the earlier the better. 

How much:

Dishes on offer range from $8 (about £4) for granola to $17 (about £8.50) for the bigger dishes. 

What should I order?:

If you want some classic breakfast fare, go for the “Wolves Breakfast”. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, go for the cassoulet, fricassee or the tagine.

Where's your favourite place for brunch?