Hailed by one customer as "one of the last old school greasy spoons left," Grade A Steak & Seafood Restaurant at Granville and Davie served up its last low-price meals on Tuesday, March 14.
The veteran Vancouver restaurant, known for its bargain prices, and Chinese-Canadian diner-style fare - particularly breakfast - announced its closure via a letter to diners on its doors earlier this month.
"We opened the doors of Grade A restaurant in 1984 so it is with great sadness that we announce our closure," begins the note from the owners of the casual eatery at 1175 Granville St.
The reason for the closure is that the owners were unable to come to an agreement about terms for a lease renewal, they explain.
"We are grateful and humbled to have had the opportunity to serve you for 39 years," Grade A's owners add.
While this is the end for Grade A in its current location, the owners did end on a "hopeful" note that they might be able to open elsewhere "in the future at a new location."
One of Grade A's signature dishes was its steak and eggs breakfast plate, and low-priced steak was definitely a thing in the neighbourhood for a time; the legendary chain Mr Mike's got its start just a couple of blocks down on Granville in the 1960s.
Diners serving western-style breakfast and lunch staples alongside Chinese dishes continue to enjoy popularity in Vancouver; comparisons to Grade A and Pender's Smile Diner are abundant. Earlier this year, a longstanding diner located near the Fraser River in South Vancouver (inside a construction company's yard, no less) earned top honours in a national restaurant ranking - Northern Cafe and Grill has been around for decades, but in its most recent years has been the venture of a local family who put Chinese dishes on the menu along with diner classics.
