Cafe Medina Vancouver Brunch Review 2026: Open Run Success

Cafe Medina Vancouver

Brunch Hotspot Menu Recommendations

My Experience Getting in Without a Reservation (Open Run)

Text & Photos © Nabuli

On the morning of our last day in Vancouver,

I was pondering where to grab brunch, and the place we ultimately chose was

Cafe Medina!

If you're searching for popular brunch spots in Vancouver,

this place consistently pops up alongside Jam Cafe,

so it was definitely somewhere I'd wanted to check out even before my trip.

Cafe Medina does accept reservations, but

I felt the reservation fee was a bit much? (10 CAD)

So, I decided to go for an "open run" on a weekday morning instead.

Coincidentally, the day we could visit was a Monday, so an open run seemed like the perfect plan!

As it turned out, on the Monday morning I visited,

we got in almost immediately without a reservation, barely waiting at all,

the food was fantastic across the board,

and I was charmed by everything from the ambiance to the staff.

It's absolutely a place I'd love to visit again if I ever return to Vancouver!

Cafe Medina Vancouver

📍 Location

780 Richards St, Vancouver, BC

📍 Hours

Mon-Fri 08:00 - 15:00

Sat, Sun 09:00 - 15:00

Cafe Medina is located right in Downtown Vancouver,

so if you're staying downtown,

it's a perfectly convenient spot to weave into your morning plans.

We visited on our final day in Vancouver.

After brunch, we took a leisurely stroll around the area,

then relaxed with a coffee at a Starbucks near our hotel,

and afterwards, we made our way to the airport.

If you have some ambiguous time left on your last day, perhaps with an afternoon flight,

it's a fantastic idea to fit in an early morning brunch.

Cafe Medina Waiting Times

A quick search will show you that Cafe Medina is incredibly famous,

so it seems people often face really long waits.

That's why I initially debated whether I should make a reservation.

However, making a reservation incurs an additional 10 CAD fee

(listed as a donation).

But since it was a Monday, we thought we wouldn't have to wait much if we did an "open run," so we skipped the reservation

and arrived right when they opened.

When we got there, there was about one group ahead of me,

and a few more groups arrived after us.

Once the doors opened, almost everyone who was waiting

was able to go in together.

We were also immediately shown to our table and placed our order.

Looking back at my receipt, it said:

Order completed at 8:06 AM.

Seriously, we ordered almost the moment we walked in, lol!

So, based on my visit on a weekday Monday morning,

you don't necessarily need a reservation, and you won't suffer from long waits.

Of course, the situation might be different on weekends or later in the day,

so please keep in mind this is based on my personal experience with an open run on a Monday.

Cafe Medina Menu Prices

There were two of us, but

since we don't know when we'll be back, we decided to order everything we wanted to try,

and ended up with three brunch dishes, haha!

Fricassee CAD 31

Harissa Burger CAD 22

Mushroom Toast CAD 17

Orange Juice CAD 7.50

Cappuccino CAD 5.20

✅ Prices from the receipt

Subtotal CAD 82.70

GST CAD 4.14

Total CAD 86.84

Since we ordered three brunch dishes for just two people,

the total would probably be less if you only ordered two dishes, right?!

Still, as expected with Vancouver prices,

it is a bit pricey compared to brunch in Korea 🤣

Brunch Taste Review

​

✔️ Mushroom Toast

The dish I enjoyed the most was the

Mushroom Toast.

Honestly, just by the name,

it seemed like the most ordinary of the three,

but after tasting it, it was my absolute favorite.

It was fresh and not too strong in flavor overall,

making it perfect for breakfast without feeling heavy.

Among the three dishes,

It was so effortlessly delicious, I just kept reaching for it.

However, it does contain cilantro,

so my friend, who isn't a fan of cilantro, wasn't too keen on it, haha.

With flavors reminiscent of hummus,

it tasted truly healthy yet incredibly delicious! 👅

As someone who happily enjoys both cilantro and hummus,

if I could only re-order one of the three dishes,

I'd definitely go for the Mushroom Toast.

✔️ Harissa Burger

Up next is the Harissa Burger! ‼️

This wasn't a dish I originally planned to order.

After picking out two menu items and wanting to try one more,

I was browsing the menu, unsure what to choose,

so I directly asked a staff member for their recommendation.

Initially, they recommended Cafe Medina's famous

waffles.

But when I said

I wasn't really in the mood for anything sweet,

the next thing they suggested was the Harissa Burger.

And before I placed my order,

the staff member explained that it was a bit different from what we typically imagine a burger to be.

When the dish finally arrived,

I thought, 'Wait, *this* is a burger?!' haha.

it looked quite different from what I had pictured.

But honestly, I actually liked this style even more!

It was such an easy and convenient way to eat.

It felt like a unique dish that you could only experience at Cafe Medina,

making me glad I took the recommendation and ordered it.

The spice aroma was definitely prominent,

and my friend wasn't too fond of this one either, haha.

It also comes with hummus,

but if you're not a fan, you don't have to dip into it,

so that shouldn't be a major concern.

​

✔️ Fricassee

Our third dish was the Fricassee! ❗️

I'd seen this dish on a blog and imagined it would be served warm,

making it a menu item I absolutely had to order.

However, personally, for me,

it was my least favorite of the bunch... haha.

But interestingly, my friend loved the Fricassee

the most out of all three! ^_^

For me, the seasoning felt a bit salty,

and the meat inside was quite large and hearty.

The texture of the meat, to me, felt a bit like deeply braised, savory beef stew.

Because of that familiar and rich meat flavor,

personally, it didn't quite capture my interest as much as the other two dishes.

That's not to say it wasn't tasty, though;

it was purely a matter of personal preference.

If you enjoy familiar and robust flavors,

the Fricassee might just be perfect for you.

But here's what I *really* loved about this dish:

the bread that came with it! Haha.

The bread was truly amazing.

It was fantastic when paired with the Fricassee,

and honestly, this bread left quite an impression on me.

So, in my subjective opinion,

after trying all three, here's my personal taste ranking:

1st: Mushroom Toast

2nd: Harissa Burger

3rd: Fricassee

But here's a fun fact:

my friend and I had completely opposite tastes! Haha.

I loved the Mushroom Toast the most,

while my friend's top pick was the Fricassee.

Cafe Medina offers a brunch experience that goes beyond the usual eggs, bacon, and pancake-centric offerings.

With flavors like cilantro, spices, and hummus featuring prominently,

your satisfaction with the menu might depend on whether you typically enjoy these kinds of flavors.

✅ Menu Selection Tips

Given that Vancouver is a multicultural city,

it seems Canadian cuisine here embraces a diverse range of ingredients.

So, before ordering, it's a good idea to check if cilantro is included

Something good to note!

At Cafe Medina, instead of just picking

'the most delicious' item, I think it's more important

to consider what flavors you genuinely love

and choose your menu accordingly!

If you're a fan of spices or hummus,

I'd personally steer you towards the Mushroom Toast and the Harissa Burger!

But if cilantro or strong spices aren't quite your cup of tea,

it's totally fine to ask the friendly staff for recommendations

on milder, more universally appealing dishes before you order.

✅ Super Friendly Staff!

Beyond the incredible food at Cafe Medina,

there was something else that truly impressed me:

the staff were genuinely wonderful!

They constantly kept an eye on the tables,

quickly topping up water whenever it looked low,

and really seemed dedicated to making sure everyone's needs were met.

The entire team was so friendly,

which really added to the delightful dining experience.

Cafe Medina: Highly Recommended!

Cafe Medina is absolutely a spot

I'd rush back to if I found myself in Vancouver again.

The whole vibe of the cafe was simply wonderful,

and the food perfectly hit all the right notes for my palate.

It definitely made me think, 'Ah, so this is why it has that Michelin nod!'

If you're wary of reservation fees

and can manage an early start,

doing a weekday 'open run' like I did could be your perfect strategy!

(Seriously, I imagine weekends get absolutely swamped).

Among Vancouver's famous brunch spots,

this isn't just a 'one and done' kind of place where you go just because of its reputation.

I was so utterly charmed by the food, the ambiance, and the service that

I'm already dreaming of a return visit! ㅠㅠ

If you're on the hunt for an unforgettable morning brunch experience in Vancouver,

Cafe Medina gets my enthusiastic thumbs-up!

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More Canadian Adventures Await!⬇️