Medina Cafe
Medina Cafe is a single-location Mediterranean-inspired breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant in downtown Vancouver, BC, founded in 2008 and Michelin Guide Selected since 2022, serving walk-in diners and hosting private events for up to 70 guests.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Medina Cafe does
Medina Cafe, legally operating as Café Medina, is a single-location Mediterranean-inspired breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant located at 780 Richards Street in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 2008 by owner Robbie Kane and relocated to its current downtown home in August 2014, the restaurant has positioned itself as a stylish, eclectic bistro destination built around connoisseur-grade coffee, craft cocktails, and signature Belgian waffles served alongside Levantine-influenced coastal cuisine. The restaurant has been featured in the Michelin Guide as a Selected restaurant annually since 2022, lending international credibility to its brand.
The company's revenue is generated primarily through dine-in service, supplemented by private event hosting (corporate gatherings, wedding receptions, and daytime buyouts for up to 55 seated or 70 standing guests), online ordering for pickup via its website, and digital gift card sales through the Toast Tab platform. Distribution is direct-to-consumer, with reservations handled through a "Reservation by Donation" waitlist system that functions as both a marketing and customer-acquisition tool. Marketing channels are limited to organic digital presence, an email newsletter, and word-of-mouth reputation; no paid acquisition, partnerships, or multi-unit franchise activity is evident.
The underlying technology stack consists of a Squarespace-hosted website, Toast Tab for ordering and gift card fulfillment, and standard point-of-sale infrastructure. No proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or integrations beyond off-the-shelf SaaS tools are disclosed. The restaurant operates without institutional investors, parent companies, subsidiaries, or publicly disclosed funding, and continues to function as an independently owned single-unit hospitality business serving the Vancouver metropolitan area.
Medina Cafe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Medina Cafe
- Legal name
- Café Medina
- Website
- https://medinacafe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Medina Cafe is a single-location Mediterranean-inspired breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant in downtown Vancouver, BC, founded in 2008 and Michelin Guide Selected since 2022, serving walk-in diners and hosting private events for up to 70 guests.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Medina Cafe industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurant
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Casual Dining Restaurants (THAFACAB)
Keywords
Where Medina Cafe is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Medina Cafe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: Primary revenue stream from serving Mediterranean-inspired breakfast, brunch, and lunch dishes including signature Belgian waffles, brunch items, coffee, and craft cocktails to dine-in customers.
- Private Event Hosting: Secondary revenue from hosting private dining events including corporate gatherings, wedding receptions, and buyouts. The venue accommodates up to 55 seated or 70 standing guests.
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold through Toast Tab platform, providing prepaid revenue for future dining experiences.
- Online Ordering: Direct online food ordering through their website for pickup and delivery services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Dine-in menu pricing |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Reservation by Donation |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
Medina Cafe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Medina Cafe is a full-service, single-location Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in Vancouver offering breakfast, brunch, and lunch featuring signature Belgian waffles, eclectic bistro fare, connoisseur-grade coffee, and craft cocktails. It also hosts private events including wedding receptions, corporate gatherings, and daytime buyouts for up to 55 seated or 70 standing guests, supplemented by online ordering, gift cards, and a donation-based reservation system.
Product overview
Medina Cafe is a single-location Mediterranean-inspired breakfast/brunch/lunch restaurant in Vancouver, BC, operating since 2008. The core offering is its dining experience featuring signature Belgian waffles and Levantine-inspired coastal cuisine, complemented by private event hosting services (weddings, corporate events, private dining for up to 55 seated or 70 standing guests). Additional services include online ordering, gift cards via Toast Tab, and a donation-based reservation system.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dining Experience (Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch) Full-service Mediterranean-inspired breakfast, brunch, and lunch offering featuring signature Belgian waffles, eclectic bistro fare, connoisseur-grade coffee, and craft cocktails for dine-in guests at the Vancouver restaurant.
- Private Events (Weddings, Corporate, Private Dining) Private event hosting including wedding receptions, corporate gatherings, and private dining experiences accommodating up to 55 seated or 70 standing guests, with daytime full buyouts available.
- Gift Cards
Quantifiable outcome
- Recognized by Michelin Guide since 2022
Companies that use Medina Cafe
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Medina Cafe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Medina Cafe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Medina Cafe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Forage: Vancouver farm-to-table restaurant offering elevated brunch and dinner service. Comparable in culinary-driven positioning, downtown Vancouver presence, and commitment to seasonal, locally-inspired cuisine.
- Tableau Bar Bistro: Vancouver French-inspired brunch and bistro restaurant. Comparable in elevated brunch service, downtown Vancouver location, and bistro-style menu positioning, though with a French rather than Mediterranean culinary focus.
- L'Abattoir: Vancouver upscale restaurant offering French-inspired cuisine in a Gastown location. Comparable in downtown Vancouver positioning, hospitality-driven dining experience, and elevated culinary identity.
- The Sandbar: Long-established Vancouver restaurant in a downtown location offering private event hosting alongside regular service. Comparable in downtown Vancouver presence and corporate/private event capability.
Direct peers
- The Flying Pig: Vancouver-based brunch and casual dining restaurant with multiple locations. Shares the same brunch/lunch daypart, similar menu positioning, and same target consumer demographic in the Vancouver market.
- Nook Restaurant: Vancouver brunch and lunch restaurant serving elevated comfort food in a neighborhood setting. Comparable in service model, brunch specialization, and casual-yet-curated dining positioning.
- Red Wagon Cafe: Long-established Vancouver brunch and comfort food cafe serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch in a casual dining atmosphere. Directly comparable in service model, daypart focus, and Vancouver customer base.
- Jam Cafe: Brunch-focused restaurant group with locations in Victoria and Vancouver, BC. Offers a similar elevated brunch experience targeting the same Mediterranean/brunch-adjacent customer base in the Pacific Northwest urban market.
Broad incumbents
- First Watch: Large US-based brunch, breakfast, and lunch chain with hundreds of locations. Comparable in daypart focus (breakfast/brunch/lunch only) and specialty menu positioning, though operating at significantly greater scale in a different geographic market.
Emerging players
- Jam Java: Vancouver-based coffee and brunch concept. Comparable in Mediterranean/coffee culture positioning and brunch specialization, though operates at a smaller scale and is a more recent market entrant.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Medina Cafe social profiles
Digital presenceMedina Cafe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Medina Cafe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Medina Cafe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Medina Cafe M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Medina Cafe
What does Medina Cafe do?
Medina Cafe is a full-service, single-location Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in Vancouver offering breakfast, brunch, and lunch featuring signature Belgian waffles, eclectic bistro fare, connoisseur-grade coffee, and craft cocktails. It also hosts private events including wedding receptions, corporate gatherings, and daytime buyouts for up to 55 seated or 70 standing guests, supplemented by online ordering, gift cards, and a donation-based reservation system.
Is Medina Cafe a public or private company?
Medina Cafe is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Medina Cafe founded?
Medina Cafe was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Medina Cafe based?
Medina Cafe is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Medina Cafe make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are private Event Hosting, gift Cards and online Ordering.
Who are Medina Cafe's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Forage, Tableau Bar Bistro, L'Abattoir and The Sandbar. Direct peers are The Flying Pig, Nook Restaurant, Red Wagon Cafe and Jam Cafe. First Watch is listed as a broad incumbent. Jam Java is listed as an emerging player.
Does Medina Cafe have an API?
No public API is recorded for Medina Cafe.
What industry is Medina Cafe in?
Medina Cafe's product category is Casual Dining Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAB, Casual Dining Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.