Things to Do in Vancouver - lunch - sunday brunch at griffins restaurant in the hotel vancouver

Things to Do in Vancouver: Finding Fun Things to Do in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Lunch - Sunday Brunch at Griffins Restaurant in the Hotel Vancouver
notes from Mom

The Hotel Vancouver

Activity: Our family enjoys eating out on Sunday mornings. On really special occasions we go to Griffins Restaurant at The Vancouver Hotel. They have a lot of different foods to pick from. I can remember eating deep-fried calamari, pan-fried trout, scallop and prawn noodle salad, and, of course I can't forget Nate's favourite, bacon, and Jen's, sausages. Kelvin enjoys meat, so he like to sample dishes like rack of lamb, roast pork and chicken.

But the desserts are what I enjoy the most. It's every sweet-tooth's dream: profiteroles, rice pudding, mango mousse cake, cheesecake, fruit flan. Nathan's favourite is the Jell-O, and Jen likes the jellybeans. (Griffins has a small table set aside with goodies for children). On Sundays they have freshly squeezed juices (included in the price). If you're not up to a gourmand feast, you can order off the menu.

Age group: All ages. We've been going for a number of years and they've always been accommodating to our children.

Expense rating: Fairly pricey, but worth it. Adults eat for $25.95 and children under five years are free. Those between 5 and 12 are half price.

: Pleasant, open restaurant which doesn't pack too many tables in. The food is always good. I wouldn't say it was fantastic (I'd give it a solid 8 out of 10), but there's enough variety to please everyone, even the most finicky eaters.

: The Hotel Vancouver is in the middle of town, so parking is expensive (to the tune of $1.50 per half hour at the hotel). You can find cheaper parking if you're willing to walk.

The bigger, more consequential problem is that of over-eating. I can't resist the desserts. Luckily, nobody is counting how many you eat. I never eat dinner after indulging in the brunch at Griffins.

Details: The Hotel Vancouver ((604) 684-3131) is located on the corner of Georgia and Hornby Street. Griffins faces Hornby Street across from the Vancouver Art Gallery. Sunday Brunch begins at 11:30 am and goes until 2:30 pm (or 3:00). They also have a weekday brunch and afternoon tea.

Area: Vancouver

Season: All seasons

Educational highlights: The Hotel Vancouver is a CPR hotel, so it's a bit older and nicer than most hotels in Vancouver. You may enjoy walking through the hotel and looking at the furnishings and architecture. Our kids enjoy doing somersaults on the carpet because the pile is so thick. When you leave you have the whole city of Vancouver at your fingertips.

Fun for the adult?: If you like sampling food, this is a relaxing, fun way of doing it. Our children are fussy eaters, but they always eat to their heart's content. They enjoy going so they're motivated to behave well, which makes our brunch all the better. When we're finished we have Stanley Park close by, or shopping downtown to burn off the calories.