English Bay beachgoers decry lack of affordable eats

Cactus Club Café opened a location at one of Vancouver's most popular beaches over a decade ago and some locals say it hasn't kept a promise to open a concession stand offering more affordable fare.

The restaurant was awarded a contract to operate at English Bay in 2010, through a competitive process led by the city's park board.

According to the award contract, it was chosen based on its ability to provide a "first-class dining and take out experience." 

But some in the area say the restaurant isn’t holding up its end of the bargain because it has never opened a promised concession offering more affordable take-out options than those on its indoor dining menu. 

"Cactus has advised staff they intend to offer lower priced fare with a far greater selection than traditional concession food. The large outdoor seating space should be a popular addition for beach visitors,” the 2010 agreement says. 

"In addition to the restaurant menu, the concession, scheduled to open for the summer season, will feature affordable and accessible takeout options for beach goers,"  a 2012 media release from the Cactus Club Cafe touting the opening of the beaachfront location said. 

Victoria Kline, a West End resident who frequents the beach with her dog, is frustrated with what is on offer at the location.

"It’s obviously not doing what it said it would right? There's no concession stand, it's a really overpriced menu, hard to get in to, and a lot of the locals aren't happy with it,” she said.

"Unless you're going into the restaurant and getting a happy hour item, there's no affordable items and definitely not the concession stand."

A concession sign still hangs from the ceiling of the original building, overtop of patio space for dine-in patrons..

Take-out food options are available by scanning a QR code on a cellphone and selecting items to order from what looks like the original menu.

The cheapest item appears to be edamame at nearly $10 while the most expensive is a steak at almost $50.

The park board was asked why it hasn’t pushed the restaurant to offer a low-cost concession stand, and a spokesperson said the board can’t set menu prices. A statement sent to CTV News also said, “there is no requirement for low-cost food options.”

Cactus Club Café did not respond to CTV News after multiple requests for an interview.

A contract renewal for the restaurant English Bay site is scheduled for November 2026.