For more than 27 years, owner Sophie Dikeakos has been serving breakfast, brunch and diner classics to happy customers at her eponymous café. As famous for its long wait lines as its very-soft-poached bennies, Sophie’s Cosmic Café definitely take you on a trippy journey. The interior hasn’t changed since opening, with its bright yellow walls crowded with original art from the likes of Fred Herzog and Ken Lum vying for space with kitschy tchotchkes like antique lunchboxes, vintage toys and sundry collectibles from bygone eras. The only change over the years is the mural that was added to the exterior patio wall by artist Eric Metcalfe. The bold, bright geometry is a perfect complement to the wood-floored outdoor space, with its bright green chairs.
The menu is also firmly rooted in its beginnings, albeit the eggs are local and free-range now. Diner fare describes the food here pretty well, but the fruit is always seasonal and cut to order, and, if you’re looking for a deal, two eggs any style with fries, toast and jam will set you back less than eight dollars. The bennies are famous here, as are the omelettes, but the ashoura, a chilled bowl of red winter wheat with raisins, nuts, cinnamon and vanilla, is an unsung hero that deserves a spotlight all its own.
After almost 30 years in businesses, you’d think fickle Vancouverites would move on to a new favourite, but Sophie’s, like its owner, happily shows no signs of slowing down. Like the cosmos, it seems this café’s run is fated to be infinite.
• 2095 West 4th Ave. | 604-732-6810 | SophiesCosmicCafe.com
