This guest post was written by Mack, an Edmonton-based geek who fancies himself a part-time foodie. You can find him online at his blog, and on Twitter.
My friend Megan and I were without our trip planner extraordinaire (Sharon) for our trip to Vancouver a few weeks ago, so we didn’t have a plan for where to go or what to eat. After much indecision on Sunday morning, we eventually hopped on the bus from UBC and made our way toward Gastown. We wandered around for a bit and eventually decided on Chill Winston for brunch. I had walked past it on previous trips to the area, but had never ventured inside.
We quickly scanned the menu and decided to stay. The interior definitely fit the description of a “restaurant lounge”. I loved the big, comfy chairs and the nice big windows (you can see the statue of Gassy Jack just across the street). Had Sharon been with us, I know she would have gushed about the exposed brick along inside. The most memorable feature for me was the washrooms, however. Instead of your traditional, completely separated men’s and women’s rooms, chill winston has a big room with a giant tap in the middle, and lots of individual stalls. Unique and kind of interesting.
The brunch menu is new apparently, and is described as a “winter brunch menu”. It also points out that Winston only uses eggs from organically-fed free-range chickens. I ordered the Eggs Benedict ($11) – two soft poached eggs and ham on a toasted English muffin topped with citrus tarragon hollandaise. I thought it was really tasty, and combined with the potatoes, it definitely hit the spot.
Megan opted for the Ham, Cheese, and Tomato Omelette ($14) – three eggs, grilled ham, tomato concasse, and Gruyere. I expected the omelette to be bigger, but Megan seemed to enjoy it all the same. The fruit was a nice addition to both plates as well, despite being out of season.
We hung around for quite a while after our meals, not in any hurry. The restaurant wasn’t very busy, but it was still nice to not feel rushed – the staff cleared our plates but didn’t try to push us out the door.
If you’re looking for somewhere to stop in Gastown for a drink or something to eat, consider checking out Chill Winston. And for the locals – you can preorder lunch for take-out online! Very cool.
Chill Winston
3 Alexander Street
Vancouver, BC, V6A 1B2
604.288.9575
open everyday, 11 AM to 1 AM
Only Here for the Food 
Looks like a good find. I thought maybe the angle was affecting the ‘size’ of the omelette, as I would think a 3 egg version would also be bigger.
To be fair, it was way thicker than any omelette I’ve ever had in my life.
Glad to hear it, just me and my eyesight 🙂