They're calling it vegetable-focused with "hospitality included pricing."
Translation: Folke, a new restaurant in Vancouver's Kitsilano, features an all-vegetarian menu and they've eliminated tipping.
Folke opened its doors in early June at 2585 Broadway in the space vacated just weeks earlier by Japanese restaurant Super Hiro's. The 1,400-square-foot restaurant offers seating for 40 indoors with room for an additional 12 diners on the covered patio.
The new Kits restaurant is the first-time venture for chef-owner Colin Uyeda and pastry chef-owner Pricilla Deo. The longtime friends chose the name to reflect their shared desire to bring people together through food and offer a sense of community and connection.
“Our vision for Folke has been rooted in a genuine desire for guests to feel enriched by connection to our team, one another, and to the food they are experiencing,” said Uyeda in a media release. “This restaurant is a result of our collective passion for exceptional locally-grown ingredients and the experience of dining.”
On Uyeda and Deo's locally- and seasonally-driven menu are dishes meant to showcase the abundant foods grown in regional soil. The selection of small plates will change based on availability and inspiration, and you might find items like dumplings made with leek and chard with a mushroom xo sauce or a sunflower risotto with kosho (a citrus chili paste) and spruce.
From the bar, you'll find a mix of craft beers, ciders, and wines, and features refreshing cocktails, mocktails, and house-made sodas.
The pricing of the dishes, however, was also created to support Folke's "people first" ethos. Gratuities are factored into the menu price, which Folke says "allows employees to achieve a healthy salary with benefits while promoting a cohesive working environment."
"Tipping culture was not something that aligned with our values and we believe that this is a more sustainable model for our restaurant," Folke's owners further explain on social media.
Folke is open for dinner Thursday through Monday starting at 5 p.m. Follow Folke on Instagram at @folkerestaurant.
