Say goodbye to the strawberries, ice cream and days at the beach. Summer is officially over, but those of us in the know, know that fall is really where it’s at! Not only is fall the best season for outfits … hello, scarves and sweaters … but it also sets the stage for some of the best dining of the year. Local, seasonal produce is at its best and Surrey’s restaurants and coffee shops are showcasing the harvest in the best ways.
Tap Restaurant
#101 – 15350 34 Avenue
The cuisine at Tap Restaurant is distinctly French-inspired with a contemporary West Coast perspective. A restrained and refined menu features a handful of appetizers, soups, salads, and plates principaux from which to select. Chef Alistair Veen partners with farmers to provide customers with the best in local meats and vegetables. Spiced figs, roasted late-summer tomatoes, shimeji mushrooms, duck, fall squash (from Mary’s Garden) and pears highlight the fall menu at Tap.
Le Jardin Restaurant
1677 128th Street
This tiny restaurant in Ocean Park is serving up big flavours and every week those flavours change! Le Jardin provides a unique dining experience with attention to every detail from atmosphere to food and wine, and a passionate commitment to highlighting fresh, local and seasonal products. A coursed Chef’s menu changes weekly to ensure the ultimate in fresh and local, and a new dining experience every time you visit. The October 5 to 10 menu highlights seasonal dishes including poached halibut, duck pot pie, roasted corn bisque (featuring local corn) and house-smoked salmon.
Ruex Cafe & Bar
120 – 13615 Fraser Highway
Inspired by Melbourne, yes, the one in Australia, Ruex serves brunch (and dinner) with an Australian twist and a nod to local ingredients. The restaurant is stylish and very Instagram-friendly, and the dishes are all beautifully plated … and super tasty. Their autumn menu includes Pumpkin Spice & Pistachio Waffles, a Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict and a Kabocha Squash Ravioli, and be sure to check out the cocktail menu – The Autumn Stroll is a whiskey cocktail with pear, ginger beer and honey!
Old Surrey Restaurant
13483 72 Avenue
Fresh, inspired dishes made with local ingredients grown on the family farm in the foothills of Chilliwack shine in the fall menu at Old Surrey Restaurant. The flavours of the season are celebrated in dishes across the menu, from the mushrooms served with the Steak au Poivre, and the beans and zucchini that accompany the Queen Charlotte Halibut to the potatoes used for pommes frites and the seasonal fruit served in their desserts. And it’s not just the produce that is local, the restaurant is well known for sourcing its lamb from the family farm as well.
Everbean Cafe
#106 – 15331 16th Avenue
Tucked away inside the lobby of a health centre in South Surrey, Everbean Cafe is an oasis of happiness and coffee joy! Stop by and order from their seasonal menu, including a “real” pumpkin spice latte blended with house-made vegan pumpkin sauce made from real pumpkin puree and a blend of warming spices, stirred lovingly into a sauce. This is where the real PSL is hiding!
Kaffina Coffee
100 – 2950 King George Boulevard
South Surrey’s Kaffina Coffee is known for knowing its customers. Like, really knowing their customers! They’re committed to finding the most suitable coffee for you and then they brew it to suit your palate. And the addition of seasonal flavours takes that great cup of coffee and makes it even better. Spice up your drink with seasonal syrups like pumpkin spice, maple spice and cinnamon, or trust their palates and order a Cinnamon Vanilla Cider, a Spiced Flat White – spiced with organic pumpkin spice syrup, or a Pumpkin Tumeric Fog.
Dukes Fine Ice Cream
#104 – 6758 188 Street
Ice cream isn’t just a summer treat, and the crew at Dukes Fine Ice Cream know that! Fall flavours like salted caramel and cinnamon transform ice cream into a fabulous fall treat. Choose a scoop, or two, of their newest seasonal flavour – Pumpkin Pie! This taste sensation gives all the pumpkin spice feels … in a cone!