Restaurants

Leisure Center to Open New In-Store Cafe July 14

And you don't have to be shopping for a designer duds to get a taste.

By Stacey McLachlan /

And you don’t have to be shopping for a designer duds to get a taste.

With 20,000-plus square feet to play with, Yaletown’s Leisure Center has plenty of room to experiment—so no wonder that the luxury fashion and event space has turned its sights on something new: the restaurant world.On July 14, Leisure Center’s lunch-service cafe will open for business and (surprise, surprise) both the interior design and the menu are meticulously curated. “We want this to be the new frontier of luxury—it’s not just about books and clothes,” says Scott McKeown, senior event manager for Leisure Center. “We want people to enjoy spending time in the store and food plays an important role there.”

Though the shopping areas of Leisure Center are done up in crisp gallery white, the cafe features a more playful vibe, featuring custom-designed illustrated black-and-white wallpaper by French brand Omy. The lush greenery surrounding the 20-odd seats adds in a layer of organic colour, and gives the space a bit of a garden-party vibe.
Each lunch option—heavily focused salads and sandwiches—is crafted from sustainably and locally sourced ingredients and plated for maximum Instagrammability. Burrata-and-heirloom-tomato salad, duck confit with seasonal fruit, pretty tartines are some of what you can expect on opening day, but the menu will change with the seasons. Pastries will be brought in from a rotating selection of Vancouver bakers (cult favourites Off On Wednesdays and Butter Mere, to name a few), and fresh pressed juice, teas and coffees round out the beverage options.
Burrata and heirloom tomatoes. Tartine and salad. Baked goods by Off On Wednesday.
It’s a natural addition to a store that’s all about experiential shopping. But you don’t need to be on a fashion spree to have a little taste of luxury: grab something to go, or treat yourself and stay awhile.
Leisure Center Cafe opens for lunch at 11:00 a.m. Monday to Saturday and 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, beginning July 14.