G’day,

Those in the know, know where to go.

We’re excited to have just launched our latest episode of Mates on Crates, featuring Richard Mah, Owner at Northern Cafe in Vancouver, BC. Tucked above a lumber yard in South Vancouver, Northern Cafe has been part of the city since 1949, first as a lunchroom for workers, and now as one of Vancouver’s most beloved brunch institutions. Recognized by Yelp as the number one place to eat in Canada in 2023 and by Vancouver Magazine for Best Brunch, it is the kind of place guests line up for, bring their families to, and remember long after they leave. Richard, along with his brother Raymond and the Mah family, carries forward the heart of the cafe with comfort food, handmade gyoza, bottomless coffee, and the simple mission of making people feel at home. It was a pleasure to sit down with Richard to chat about the history of Northern Cafe, the importance of community, the family recipes behind the menu, the gyoza program, and all of Richard’s favourite spots.

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Each time we do a Mates on Crates interview, our guests share up to twenty of their favourites with us. For each episode, only a handful of those favourites make it into the final two minute cut. In order to highlight all of our guest’s favourites, we are happy to share the full list of favourites right here.