It’s sad that the 24/hr restaurant has almost become the exclusive domain of fast food chains, which is to say that unique and independent places that are open around the clock have become extremely rare. In Vancouver, we only have a handful, namely Duffins, House of Dosas, Lucy’s Eastside Diner, and The Naam. We could use a good deal more, but only if they were worthwhile.

And here’s another thing we could use more of: hideaway-style patios. In most other Canadian cities, open-air patios are often tucked away in the back of restaurants, not laid out in front for sidewalk people-watching. Though each style has something going for it, we find it much easier to relax when hidden away out of sight. We can think of only a few exemplars of this in Vancouver: Kitchen on Main (formerly Crave on Main), Adesso Bistro, Pronto, and Via Tevere. More would be hugely appreciated.