Annalena and Their There co-owners, Jeff Parr and Mike Robbins, re-open popular burger joint, Hundy, at 1144 Homer Street in Yaletown this week.
When I took a tour of the newer, smaller, white-tiled and undeniably minimalist space this week, I couldn’t help but compare the first iteration of Hundy to this 2022 version… I was happy to see that the custom-designed-and-built menu board hanging above the counter listed the same delicious burgers familiar to disciples of the West 4th location (classic, cheese, bacon, chicken, and veggie). Also carried over: fries, poutine, a killer cabbage salad with spicy peanuts and a tight selection of not-your-average canned drinks (thank Lucky’s Bodega for this), as well as wine and Hundy beer (both ale and lager).
The room – intentionally spartan – draws warmth from milk-glass globe lighting, wooden beams and brick walls. As if to be sure that everything was as it should be, I found myself searching the space for signs of co-owner Mike Robbins’ emblematic design details that have become synonymous with Annalena and Their There.
Signature Hundy logo? Affixed in neon to the wall directly inside the front door. Lego heart? Check. Bear statues? Perched on the counter. Sneaker sculpture and basketball references? All present.
On the surface, the Yaletown incarnation of Hundy is much the same as its Kitsilano predecessor. Under the surface, however, lies another story.
As familiar as the room and the menu felt, I had a sense that I was missing something. Although the space was close to being finished and the doors were already open to walk-in customers who were happily ordering burgers, I couldn’t help but notice a seemingly endless procession of trades-people emerging from a small doorway to the right of the counter.
This was when Mike Robbins revealed that, although Hundy is indeed the familiar burger restaurant I saw around me, it will also be a very elaborate front to a cocktail bar and speakeasy, still under construction. With that, Robbins led me through the side door and down a storage corridor into the cocktail bar beyond.
“Stock Room, a 50-seat Free House Collective (previously Donnelly Group) concept is beautiful. And, with a beverage program designed by Trevor Kallies and designer Ricky Alvarez’s magic touch on the interiors, I’m sure it will be a popular destination…but what’s the connection between the Stock Room and Hundy?
The answer: Not only will Hundy be selling burgers from the new Homer Street storefront, but under the watchful eye of talented Chef Erin Searle (who has been working with Robbins and Parr at both Annalena and Their There for the past 5 years), Hundy’s menu will also be on offer (with table service) at The Stock Room.
Hundy and The Stock Room aim to officially open on Thursday, March 31st, but Hundy is currently in the soft open phase (which means you can slip in to score a burger starting today). Have a look inside:
Welcome to Yaletown and it’s vibrant restaurant scene. Yaletown is the place to be for a great night out with friends. I’m looking forward to my first Hundy burger. I think there is a need in the neighbourhood for a more casual burger and beer option.