Behind Burnaby Village, nestled in amongst large estates and older turn of the century houses is the Hart House Restaurant. When planning the day, we had no inkling that there was a historic restaurant close by… and upon discovery, it came as a welcome surprise.
Built by Frederick Hart in 1906, the Hart House is a large Tudor Revival building that stands amongst acres of green lawn and impressive gardens. In the 1920s, the gardens were renowned and people came from far and wide to see owner Ethel Moore’s spectacular iris gardens. The Moores owned the house for three decades until the 1950s when it was purchased by the District of Burnaby. The gardening tradition continues and the house is now a popular site for Sunday brunch, weddings, and movie shoots.
I have to say that, we ate very well during our visit and were treated like dignitaries. The restaurant offers white linen service, gluten, dairy and corn free options; everything is made from scratch and the brunch menu is not unreasonably priced. In hindsight, a morning of frolicking in Burnaby Village, a fantastic meal, and an afternoon of kayaking on Deer Lake made for a perfect day.
