Spend the Afternoon Dining in Burnaby Heights

Images by Ryan Wagner / Good Side Photo
Words by Alexis Baran

Referred to by locals as “The Heights”, this neighborhood in Burnaby prides itself on being full of friendly local businesses and shops in a walkable little enclave. Nearby is Montrose Park where you can access the Trans Canada Trail, with a view of Vancouver’s North Shore mountains. After a bit of a wander, here’s what to eat.

Green & Oak Malaysian Restaurant

3760 Hastings Street

With a hot cup of tea and a deep breath of fresh spices, this modern eatery is welcoming and friendly. Their style suits couples tucking into warm bowls of soup as well as large family dinners with lots of sharables.

The seafood laksa soup is curry-based with fish ball, tofu, bean sprouts, egg, lemon grass, lime juice and hints of coconut milk. Your choice of vermicelli, egg noodle, rice noodle, mixed or no noodles.

The roti canai is grilled Malaysian flatbread with a curry dip.

These traditional Malaysian satay skewers comes with peanut dipping sauce.

The pan fried eggplant & green beans were arguably the star of the meal. With a house-made seasoning, laksa paste, and a helping large enough to take some home.

Sopra Sotto

4022 Hastings Street

Just up the street from Malaysian cuisine is modern Italian meals made with local ingredients. Classic pizzas slide from a stone pizza oven out front, and in the back you’ll find dough left to rise for two days and sauces simmering for hours to steep the flavour perfectly.

Chitarrine puttanesca is square spaghetti made fresh in-house, Sicilian anchovies, capers, olives, cherry tomatoes, and parsley.

Enter the Margherita pizza with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, grana cheese, and basil.

Served with scissors to snip and fold, flip, or nibble.

Glenburn Soda Fountain

4090 Hastings Street

On the weekend just before 2:00pm, don’t be surprised to find a cluster of people waiting for the “open” sign to appear at this nostalgic dessert spot, rain or shine. Stroll in for sundaes, milkshakes, malts, candy and soda syrups.