VANCOUVER — MONZO, the latest concept from Kitchen Table Restaurants, will open its doors in downtown Vancouver on September 9, 2023. MONZO — a spin on the word “manzo” (Italian for ‘beef’) —is located on the ground floor of the Vancouver House on the corner of Granville and Pacific streets. The 88-seat restaurant and bar will serve simple and approachable fast food using Canadian beef and top-quality ingredients in a setting that’s at once modern and fun. MONZO will be the 12th concept to join Kitchen Table Restaurants’ group of Italian restaurants across the city, which include Ask for Luigi, Carlino, Di Beppe, Bacaro and Pizzeria Farina, among others.
The new concept draws its inspiration from the Italian Paninaro, a subculture that was born in the early 1980s in Milan. Known for their distinctive fashion sense that combined luxury labels with sportswear brands, these carefree affluent youth rebelled against the slow-food traditions of the time. Instead, they spent their days socializing at panino bars and newly emerging American-style fast food restaurants.
“Just like the burger-obsessed, fashion-forward paninaro, we’re paving a new path to deliver something that’s truly exciting,” says Mark Perrier, partner at MONZO. “We’ve taken our time and considered every detail to develop a menu of burgers, sides and drinks that simply taste and feel great. We believe we are the best in beef, and that we have the best burgers available. We are so proud and excited to open our doors and welcome guests to this unique new space.”
The menu centres around its flagship Canadian beef burgers made with a secret blend of cuts that are custom ground and cooked to order on a high-temperature griddle. Guests can also enjoy a cast of non-burger staples and sides — from a Milanese-style chicken sandwich made with hand-breaded cutlets, to beef-fat fries, onion rings and soft-serve gelato. Gluten-free and vegetarian burger options are also available.
