The Uncommon Cafe

Disclaimer:  All food in this review was complimentary.  Opinions are my own.

At the Uncommon Cafe, it’s about delicious homemade goods in a warm inviting space and community building through their commissary kitchen.  When husband-and-wife team, Lisa and Luc Leimanis, opened the Uncommon Cafe, they had sustainability in mind – that is, food made-in house, locally-sourced beverages, biodegradable take out containers, and using décor and equipment from pre-owned sources.  Overlooking Oppenheimer park, this eclectic yet cozy cafe provides an ideal place to grab a comforting meal.

I was recently invited to a media event at The Uncommon Cafe to meet the owners and staff and other small businesses that call the commissary home.

Uncommon Cafe Eats

The entire menu at the Uncommon Cafe is made-in house by Luc including sandwiches, soups, salads, and weekend brunch.   The baked goods – muffins, scones, cookies, loaves and bars to name a few – are prepared daily by in-house baker, and owner of Tartine & Maple, Valentine Kitamura.

The event included samples of the Uncommon Cafe menu.  First was the pork bun or B.O.B – a scrumptious and soft bun with bacon and onion filling.

Loved the simple yet tasty flatbread with Jalapeno Jelly.

The veggie rolls and braised chicken bites had a wonderful homey feel.

The Uncommon star would have to be the meatballs.  Named as one of the best meatballs in Vancouver by Vancity Buzz, it did not disappoint.  This is the stuff dreams are made of – herb and cheese-stuffed meatball topped with padano shavings.

Local Businesses Supported by the Commissary Kitchen

We got the opportunity to interact with the passionate owners that work out of the Uncommon Cafe commissary.  One local business is Tartine & Maple, owned and operated by the Uncommon Cafe’s very own in-house baker, Valentine.  Valentine has a French culinary background and we got to sample some of her delicious petits choux or cream puffs.  She teaches cooking classes held at the Uncommon Cafe where you can learn to make stock, dough, puff pastry and more.  Her cooking classes are named as one of the best offered in our city.

I felt inspired by Trudy Ann’s passion for her Chai business.  Amazing Chai concoctions, I swear.  Trudy Ann’s Chai is a staple at Vancouver Farmer’s markets and you can find her Chai sold all over the city from cafes to stores.

We sampled the wonderfully refreshing shrubs created by Mixers & Elixirs.  A shrub is also known as a drinking vinegar, a sweet and tart fruit-based concentrate that you can mix with soda water or in cocktails.  Her shrubs cleansed my palate and I loved the Quince.

We got to know Adriana and Martin, a husband-and-wife duo, who together run Tasty & Nourishing.  Their company is about yummy soups made from scratch and based in bone broth.  Their cauliflower soup was flavourful and comforting.

Getting kombuch-educated by Jolan Aubry, owner of Standard Kombucha, was a real treat.  Kombucha is a great source of probiotics and antioxidants.  Standard Kombucha is 100% organic and uses AAA green tea. They course filter to ensure the highest probiotic count and flavour.

All in all, it was an amazing and intimate event where I learned a lot about the Uncommon Cafe and the local small businesses supported by their commissary.  It goes to show how wonderful it is to support local businesses because not only their products are delicious but are made with love.

For more information on the Uncommon Cafe, visit www.uncommonssary.com

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