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Described as an informal, punk rock-themed burger joint, Cannibal Café ‘On the Drive’ certainly lives up to the billing.  Looking every bit the diner it is, Cannibal Café prides itself on venerable staples such as burgers and fries but offers so much more.

“It’s been running for about four years and the owners were really into the punk scene so It’s kind of a punk burger bar, if you will,” says General Manager Natalie Warnke, of the locale whose walls are literally plastered with classic posters recalling Vancouver’s rich musical history.

If it’s beer you’re after, The Cannibal doesn’t disappoint.

“We have fourteen taps on draft at all time and most of them are Craft Breweries but we do have a couple of the big boys on there as well,” she adds.

“We try and stay local and usually all of our beers are from within BC.”

It’s a trend you see all too frequently as traditional beer drinkers make the switch to craft.

“People are definitely into craft and every day I get more and more people walking in with a new brand or a new brewery. And it’s great because every day more and more people are going craft and its way better than mass-produced beer so I’m all for it – and beer goes hand-in-hand with burgers.”

Which brings us to the Cannibal Café’s signature burger – but be warned: this isn’t for just anybody. After all, it takes quite a stomach to bring down ‘The Beast’!

“We have two different ones,” says Natalie of ‘The Beast’, which comes at a price – or, perhaps not!

Which brings us to the Cannibal Café’s signature burger – but be warned: this isn’t for just anybody. After all, it takes quite a stomach to bring down ‘The Beast’!

“We have two different ones,” says Natalie of ‘The Beast’, which comes at a price – or, perhaps not!

“When we opened the first one that we came out with had only six layers of beef; six layers of bacon and six layers of cheese but we actually upped the ante’ as a lot of people were finishing it. So no, it’s up to eight layers of six ounce meat patties with eight layers of cheese and bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions and pickle.

According to in-house statistics, the failure rate on taking down ‘The Beast’ is about 80 percent.

If you dare, you need to give The Cannibal Café notice. Preparation for ‘The Beast’ takes up the entire grill!

Cannibal Cafe – 1818 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC

www.cannibalcafe.ca    

Published Oct 23, 2017 | Writer Joe Leary