Smooch Food: Love Letters to Every Bite

☕ Cafe Spotlight: Pallet Coffee (Olympic Village) Location: Olympic Village (Yukon St & West 2nd Ave—formerly Starbucks) The Drinks: Latte ($6.00) & Mocha ($6.75) Beef Brisket Sandwich: $18.00 (Tender beef, touch of BBQ sauce, greens) Nordic Salmon Toast: $18.00 (Poached eggs, avocado, greens, salmon) Waking up early on a weekend for a routine dental appointment is never the ideal start to a Saturday, but it does offer the perfect excuse to treat yourself to an incredible brunch afterward. To soften the blow of a 9:00 AM appointment, we decided to check out the recently opened Pallet Co...

🥙 Dinner Spotlight: Shawarma Time (CBC Building) Location: Downtown Vancouver (Formerly Popeye's / Triple O's) Mixed Shawarma Plate: $22.99 (Tender chicken & beef, rice, salad, pita) Arabic Mixed Meal: $19.99 (Saj bread wraps served with fries) The Refreshment: Fresh Mint Lemonade ($6.99) If you have lived in Vancouver long enough, you probably play the mental game of tracking what certain iconic retail spaces used to be. For the longest time, the spot in the CBC building downtown was a classic Triple O's, which later transitioned into a Popeye's. Today, that exact same cor...

🇲🇽 Happy Hour Spotlight: Patron Taco and Cantina The Occasion: Weekly Company-Paid Team Lunch Happy Hour Timing: Tuesday to Friday, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Beef Tostada: $8.00 (Crunchy base, tender pull-apart beef) Vegetarian Nachos: $12.00 (Massive layers of melted cheese) There is nothing quite like hitting the ground running after an incredible annual leave! My colleagues decided to welcome me back to the office with a hilarious twist for our weekly company-paid team lunch. To make sure I wouldn't experience immediate withdrawal from the vibrant food scene in Mexico City, they themed this we...

🎉 Family Celebration: Dad's Birthday Dinner Location: Cantonese BBQ (Richmond, BC) Must-Order: 4-Item BBQ Combination Set ($56.80) The Comforts: Beef and Broccoli ($28.80) & Crispy House Special Noodles The Sides: Stir-Fried Pea Sprouts ($29.80) & Yang Chow Fried Rice Just last month, our family gathered together to celebrate my mom's birthday at Cantonese BBQ in Richmond. The meal was so spectacular that when it came time to decide on a spot for my dad's birthday this week, he explicitly requested that we go right back to the very same place! We all agreed without a single second of hesitation because...

Let’s be honest: airport travel is stressful enough without having to gamble on a sad, dry, pre-packaged newsstand sandwich. Whether you're flying out on an early flight, dropping off family, or killing time during a long layover, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has some incredible food options— if you know where to look. Instead of making you scroll through a giant, confusing directory, I’ve broken down the absolute best local culinary gems at YVR by exactly where they are: before or after security. Consider this your official airport survival roadmap! ✈️ Welcome to YVR: Canada’s Gateway to the World Welcome to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) ! Often voted the best airport in North America, YVR is a stunning, light-filled hub that acts as Canada’s main bridge to Asia, Oceania, and destinations all over the globe. Because we are nestled right on the beautiful West Coast, landing here feels like stepping direc...