Ubuntu Canteen

Ubuntu Canteen Ubuntu canteen is your organic restaurant and cafe in the fraserhood of Vancouver B.C.

Omcan pasta boiler 2x 6L isolated tank. Regular plug 350. I’ve only used this twice. Great for small spaces or pop ups
03/26/2025

Omcan pasta boiler 2x 6L isolated tank. Regular plug 350. I’ve only used this twice. Great for small spaces or pop ups

Then COVID came and solidified our stance. We began to explore unknown territories, places where our souls had never bee...
04/18/2023

Then COVID came and solidified our stance. We began to explore unknown territories, places where our souls had never been but felt rather comfortable. We began to divest from the traditional restaurant model and created something so dynamic. It wasn't about solving a crisis; it was about providing a reprieve from the monotony of being home, being isolated, and having to be confined to work by the same walls that you sleep in. We made meal plans, we fed immigrants, we went outside and went back inside, and we went online and everywhere. It was disorienting, but most importantly, we had each other. No one was laid off. Ubuntu gave us life, and Ubuntu gave people hope. Ubuntu revitalized the lost zones of hospitality, and it reminds us that gratitude sustains reciprocity.
As much as we wanted to continue revolutionizing the restaurant industry, after COVID, we found ourselves repeating a particular journey that we had already experienced. This made it emotionally monotonous to sustain the business in the long run. The system wanted predictability and consistency. The cuisine we offered was almost too exclusive, making it challenging to reach a broader audience. Despite our efforts to remain innovative, we found that the road was leading us back to my days at Farmers Apprentice, a place that I had left behind.
We want to assure you that this decision to close was not made because we are burnt out, but rather because we feel that we no longer have a new purpose with Ubuntu. We are grateful for the support and loyalty of all of you. Most importantly, thank you for acknowledging what we did for each other during COVID.

In conclusion, we are proud of what we have accomplished with Ubuntu, and we hope that the memories and experiences we shared will continue to resonate with you.

The audience had to come last in order to service the audience.

As I reflect on the four years we spent in service, I have come to truly appreciate the significance of a community spac...
04/18/2023

As I reflect on the four years we spent in service, I have come to truly appreciate the significance of a community space. The audacious yellow color of our space was a statement, a beacon of light in the dark times that lay ahead. Initially, I had no idea what Ubuntu was supposed to be, other than the impetus that had summoned me. I didn't have much control over the journey or the composition, other than embracing the people we coincided with. It was literally hiring the first person to apply and trusting them with the gift that they were going to bring. The vision was simple - to create a non-linear and modular space and serve food in a convivial setting. The mantra was also seemingly simple: devotion, reverence, gratitude, and impeccable welcome.
Our success was not measured by any financial standard but rather by the effect this space had on people. Children running around in the dining room coexisting with misfits and humans generations older was something to behold. I wanted a space that didn't just belong to a particular economic demographic or age group. I wanted a space that decimated my former self as an ambitious chef. I wanted a humble beginning where roast chicken was simply served on a bed of vegetables. I wanted a broth that soothes ailments and alleviates moods. I wanted naturally fermented bread with butter. I wanted moms to not feel inconvenient bringing their toddler in; I wanted them to have change tables without having to move too far. I wanted music that I love to listen to, warm wood, and lots of plants. I wanted to watch movies and eat pizzas. I wanted to have books read to an audience. I had it all planned out, and as hard as it was on my family and newborn, we made it work.

I am here to announce that our last day of service will be the 15th of April.Despite the sadness that comes with the clo...
03/23/2023

I am here to announce that our last day of service will be the 15th of April.
Despite the sadness that comes with the closing of this establishment, it is important to reflect on the many ways in which it has impacted the community and contributed to the spiritual and personal growth of our staff and patrons.
At the heart of Ubuntu Canteen was a commitment to fostering relationships within humanity and our relationship to mother earth.
This spirit of unity and connectedness was reflected in every aspect of the restaurant, from the way the food was sourced and prepared to the way the staff interacted with one another and with our guests. It was a place where people could come to feel a sense of belonging and to connect with something greater than themselves. To succeed here was to create an intimate interdependency, which was meant to recognize the importance of collective well-being and shared responsibility; thus negating the idea of a hyper individualistic notion of success in this capitalistic culture. As we say goodbye to Ubuntu Canteen, we do so with grace and gratitude. We are grateful for the many ways in which the restaurant has touched our lives and enriched our community. We are grateful for the convivial eating experiences, the lessons in community, spiritual growth, personal and professional growth, and the memories and connections that will stay with us long after the restaurant is gone. Ubuntu Canteen may be closing its doors, but its legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of all those who were fortunate enough to be a part of its community.
As Toko-Pa Turner puts it, the practice of belonging is not seeking prowess or dominion over anyone else, but the ability to live in the conversation between things. This is a deepening movement into relationships with the self and others.

We’re doing it all again 🤩… this time though, together with , we’re going to Italy!On March 16th, we’ll be pouring deli...
03/02/2023

We’re doing it all again 🤩… this time though, together with , we’re going to Italy!

On March 16th, we’ll be pouring delicious Italian wines, alongside a seasonal tasting menu, specially curated for this event by chef

Tickets are $150 (including food and wines) and they’re now available on

Email us at [email protected] for any dietary needs.

We’re doing it all again 🤩…This time though, together with , we’re going to Italy!On March 16th, we’ll be pouring delic...
02/28/2023

We’re doing it all again 🤩…
This time though, together with , we’re going to Italy!

On March 16th, we’ll be pouring delicious Italian wines, alongside a seasonal tasting menu, specially curated for this event by chef

❕info on menu coming soon❕

Tickets are $150 (including food and wines)

Find more info on producers and tickets on

We’re doing it all again with 🤩… this time though, we’re going to Italy!On March 30th, we’ll be pouring delicious Itali...
02/28/2023

We’re doing it all again with 🤩… this time though, we’re going to Italy!

On March 30th, we’ll be pouring delicious Italian wines, alongside a seasonal tasting menu, specially curated for this event by chef

❕Menu soon to be posted ❕

Tickets are $150 ( including food and wines)

More information on the producers and tickets are now available on

❕Delicious pours happening ❕🔸Domaine Fond Cypres ‘Cyprés de toi’ Chardonnay - asian pears, apples, lemon and herbs 🔸Cas...
02/23/2023

❕Delicious pours happening ❕

🔸Domaine Fond Cypres ‘Cyprés de toi’ Chardonnay - asian pears, apples, lemon and herbs
🔸Casa Agricola Malauva ‘Malauva Bianco’ (skin contact) Malvasia, procanico, drupeggio - salty apricots, orange, peach
🔸Markus Altenburger ‘Jois’ blaufrankish - dark berries, fresh and elegant

Let’s celebrate New Year’s Eve together 🎇 🥂🍾Reservations for New Year’s Eve are now available on ! We’ll be serving a 8...
12/02/2022

Let’s celebrate New Year’s Eve together 🎇 🥂🍾

Reservations for New Year’s Eve are now available on !

We’ll be serving a 8 course seasonally curated tasting menu showcasing the freshest and most beautiful ingredients that our community of farmers and foragers have available.

You can join us for the early seating or the later one, depending on what the plans for your evening are !

Looking forward to welcome 2023 together 💛

Wine list additions 🤩See you all tomorrow !
11/22/2022

Wine list additions 🤩
See you all tomorrow !

❕Event alert ❕We couldn’t wait any longer for this announcement!On Wednesday, December 7th we’ll be hosting for a dinn...
11/18/2022

❕Event alert ❕
We couldn’t wait any longer for this announcement!

On Wednesday, December 7th we’ll be hosting for a dinner collaboration.

Kaifeng-born Yu Su is a Vancouver based producer, sound artist and DJ who also likes to cook.

Tapping into an expansive repertoire of “fourth world” ambience and left-field dance music, Yu Su’s emotion-packed compositional punches are best described as organically groovy jazz-bient expeditions between coasts.

Yu Su and our team will be working together, to present you a multi course dinner accompanied by a sound diary through some regions of mainland China.

Tickets are $129 (welcome cocktail, taxes and service charge included) and they’re now available on

So some of y’all have been asking about the menu for next weeks collaboration with . The thing is, we needed the ceramic...
11/18/2022

So some of y’all have been asking about the menu for next weeks collaboration with . The thing is, we needed the ceramic to speak to us and how it will interact and fulfill their duty as a vessel. So here’s some thoughts in the order of Course 1, pickled and preserves vegetables, course 2 sea urchin custard, course 3 halibut with local lemon grass, course 4 Pitt meadow raised angus beef, chewy beets, beef fat. Course 5 einkorn risotto, parsnips. Course 6 potato soft serve, vanilla and bourbon caramel.

Address

4194 Fraser Street
Vancouver, BC

Opening Hours

Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 10pm
Friday 9am - 10pm
Saturday 9am - 10pm
Sunday 9am - 10pm

Website

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