Strathcona’s hospitality community will come together this month to showcase the neighbourhood’s vibrant culinary scene while raising money to provide support for vulnerable individuals in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) during the second annual Dine Strathcona initiative, taking place November 18 to 30.

First launched in 2019 by the Strathcona Business Improvement Association (SBIA) as ‘Dine Railtown’, the neighbourhood initiative has now expanded to encompass restaurants, cafés, and breweries across the larger Strathcona area. Dine Strathcona will see participating dining establishments such as Ask For Luigi, Dosanko, and The Garden offer a feature dish throughout the two-week event period, with $1 for each dish ordered donated to WISH Drop-In Centre.

For almost 40 years, WISH Drop-In Centre has been a refuge and an essential point of contact for street-based sex workers who have been made vulnerable due to poverty, homelessness, trauma, violence, stigma, and a lack of access to supports and opportunities. It is the largest organization in Canada supporting sex workers and the only drop-in centre in the region supporting them 365 nights a year. Money raised during Dine Strathcona will help fund the critical services and resources WISH provides, including its 24-hour drop-in centre where they serve over 9,000 meals a month, its emergency shelter, Mobile Access Project Van, and WISH’s capacity building programs.

“Small businesses and organizations like the WISH Drop-In Centre are at the heart of this neighbourhood and it’s more critical now than ever to show our support for them,” says Theodora Lamb, Executive Director of the SBIA. “Dine Strathcona allows residents and visitors alike to do just that — make a positive impact in the lives of those who live and work in the district while also enjoying safe dining experiences at the many incredible cafés, restaurants and small businesses that call Strathcona home.”

Participating locations have implemented extensive safety and distancing measures to keep their customers safe. Many of the feature dishes are also available for take-out and delivery for those who wish to support Dine Strathcona from the comfort of home.

This year’s Dine Strathcona participating restaurants, cafes, and breweries and featured dishes are as follows:
— RESTAURANTS —

Ask for Luigi
Fried Cauliflower and Chickpeas  $15
fried cauliflower and chickpeas with saffron aioli, mint, lemon, parmesan

Axum Ethiopian Restaurant
Vegetarian Combo  $15
a combination of yellow split peas, red lentils, cabbage & carrot and spinach simmered in a mild and spicy sauce

Dosanko
Wild Mushroom Doria  $20
wild mushrooms (chanterelle and lobster), roasted garlic white sauce, onion, rice

LanaLou’s Restaurant
Cheeseburger & Fries (Veggie Option Available)  $13
all-beef patty or veggie patty (mushroom swiss) topped with triple cheddar,  spinach, tomato, garlic mayo on a warm toasted brioche bun and served with hand-cut fries.

The Belgard Kitchen
Wagyu Bavette Steak  $26
barley koji marinade, tallow-roasted fingerling potatoes, black garlic 
GF, DF

The Garden
Mushroom Bowl  $12
mushrooms, peas, wild rice, brown rice, black kale, pickled beets, pickled carrots, pickled mushrooms, pumpkin seeds
V, GF

VV Tapas Lounge
Warm Cauliflower Dip  $13
cashews, olives, bread

— CAFÉS —

Harken Coffee
Japanese Curry  13
Japanese sweet curry & koshihikari rice, puffed rice topping, lucky buddha pickles (daikon radish)
V

HoliDrink Cafe
Pegobo Noodle and HoliDrink HoliEH Spicy Ginger  $25
ramen noodle soup with prawn egg garlic onion and bok choy served with a spicy ginger drink

Pallet Coffee Roasters
Grilled Cheese + any Regular-sized Beverage  $10
house made grilled cheese (vegetarian or meat option available) with any regular-sized specialty beverage

Railtown Cafe
The Winter Kale  $12.75
baby kale, black rice, shaved apple, roasted yams, red onion, feta, dried cranberries, Egyptian dukkah, aged sherry vinaigrette

The Uncommon Cafe
Green Cheese & Yam Pizza!  $11
roasted yam rounds, marinara, jalapeño & herbed ricotta

— BREWERIES —

Container Brewing
Rarebit  $8 (small), $14 (large)
a Welsh dish consisting of a Bechamel sauce served over slices of toasted bread, with roasted oyster mushrooms and sharp cheddar cheese

Hastings Mill Brewing Company
Chicken Tacos  $10
trio of seasoned chicken tacos with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, fresh cilantro and pico de gallo

Luppolo Brewing Company
Funghi Pizza  $17
tomato sauce, fior di latte, mushroom, truffle oil, goat cheese

Strathcona Beer Company
Margherita Pizza  $17
tomato sauce, mozzarella, fior de latte, extra virgin olive oil, basil, Grana Padano

Superflux Beer Company
Roasted Cabbage with Beef and Duck Bolognese  $17
roasted cabbage served with organic beef & duck Bolognese and black vinegar

 For the latest news about the Strathcona Business Improvement Association or the Dine Strathcona initiative, go to strathconabia.com, become a fan of /StrathconaBIA on Facebook and follow @StrathconaBIA on Twitter and @madeinstrathcona on Instagram