Vegan Brunch Near Vancouver, WA | Off the Griddle Portland

Published May 18, 2026 · Off the Griddle

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If you live in Vancouver, you already know the situation: the vegan brunch scene on the WA side of the river is thin. There are a handful of plant-friendly menus tucked inside omnivore spots, a few juice bars and bowl shops, but no real anchor for the kind of brunch where you sit down, order a waffle with fried chik’n, and split a Bloody Mary with someone. For that, you cross the bridge.

The good news: you don’t have to go far. Off The Griddle’s Alberta Street location is roughly 15–20 minutes from downtown Vancouver depending on traffic and which bridge you take. That’s closer than a lot of intra-Portland trips, and it puts you in the heart of the Alberta Arts District — which is a pretty good place to be on a Saturday morning anyway.

This guide covers what to know before you make the trip: how to get here from different parts of Vancouver, what bridge traffic actually looks like at brunch hours, what to order when you arrive, and a few things worth doing on the Portland side to make the drive feel worth it.

Why Vancouver Locals Are Crossing for Brunch

Vancouver’s food scene has come a long way — downtown and Uptown Village in particular have some genuinely good restaurants. But dedicated, full-menu vegan brunch is still a gap. Most of what’s available is “vegan-friendly” rather than vegan-first, which usually means one or two menu items rather than a kitchen built around plant-based cooking.

That matters more than it sounds like it does. When the whole kitchen is plant-based, the waffles are better, the gravy actually tastes like gravy, and there’s no awkward dance about substitutions. You order what you want from a real menu instead of asking what can be modified.

Off The Griddle has been doing this on Alberta for years. The customer base is a real mix — full-time vegans, gluten-free folks, people with allergies, and plenty of omnivores who just like the food. If you’re driving down from Vancouver, you’re coming because there isn’t an equivalent on your side of the river yet. That’s the honest pitch.

How to Get to Off The Griddle from Vancouver, WA

Off The Griddle’s Alberta location is at 2215 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211. Here’s how it shakes out from different parts of Vancouver:

From Downtown Vancouver

Take I-5 South across the Interstate Bridge, exit at Alberta St (Exit 303), and head east. The restaurant is between NE 22nd and 23rd. Off-peak, it’s about 15 minutes. Weekend mornings before 10am are usually clean. After 10:30am on a Saturday or Sunday, build in a buffer — bridge traffic and the Saturday Market crowd start to fill in.

From Hazel Dell & Salmon Creek

I-5 South all the way, exit Alberta. From Salmon Creek, plan on 20–25 minutes weekend mornings. The trip is essentially a straight shot down the freeway.

From East Vancouver, Fisher’s Landing, & Cascade Park

I-205 South is usually your friend — cross the Glenn Jackson Bridge, take I-205 to the Killingsworth/Columbia Blvd exit, and work west on Killingsworth or Alberta. Plan on 20–25 minutes. I-205 tends to move better than I-5 on weekend mornings.

Bridge Timing — The Honest Version

The Interstate Bridge (I-5) is older and lift-spans, which means occasional unscheduled stops. The Glenn Jackson (I-205) is newer, higher, and doesn’t lift. For brunch hours, both bridges are usually fine, but if you’re coming on a sunny Saturday in summer, I-205 is the safer bet. If you’re a chronic bridge-checker, the WSDOT and ODOT traffic cams are worth a glance before you leave.

Parking on Alberta

Street parking on Alberta and the side streets is usually findable weekday mornings. Weekends are tighter — aim for NE 22nd or 23rd and walk a block. Alberta has bike lanes east of 15th, so street parking is one-sided. Give yourself five extra minutes and you’ll be fine.

What to Order When You Get Here

The menu is entirely plant-based, with most items available gluten-free on request. A few things Vancouver regulars (and everyone else) keep coming back for:

• Waffle with Fried Chik’n — The signature move. Crispy vegan chik’n over a scratch-made waffle, maple syrup, gravy. If it’s your first visit, order this.
• Nashville Hot Sandwich — OTG fried chik’n, Nashville hot sauce, horseradish slaw, dill pickle chips, and mayo on a bun. Available gluten-free with a GF bun.
• Tofu Scramble — The comfort classic. Hearty, well-seasoned, pairs perfectly with biscuits and gravy.
• Seasonal Waffle Special — Rotates with what’s fresh. Ask your server what’s on — these tend to sell out.
• Bloody Mary — Full bar, locally made mix, proper garnish. Mimosas with locally squeezed OJ if that’s more your speed.

See the full menu here →

Gluten-Free and Allergen-Friendly Options

Almost the entire menu is available gluten-free by request. Off The Griddle has been doing GF since before it was a Portland cliché — it’s built into how the kitchen operates, not an afterthought. That said, it’s a shared kitchen environment, so they can’t guarantee zero cross-contact. If you have celiac-level sensitivity, let your server know and they’ll walk you through what’s safest.

Soy-free options are marked on the menu (look for the SFO label), and nut-containing items are similarly flagged. Vegan + gluten-free, vegan + soy-free — there’s plenty to eat.

Make a Day of It: Things to Do Near Off The Griddle

If you’re driving down from Vancouver, a few easy ways to make the trip feel like more than just a meal:

• Alberta Arts District — Off The Griddle sits in the middle of it. After brunch, the galleries, boutiques, and studios along Alberta are worth a slow browse — especially on Last Thursday (the monthly art walk, April through October).
• Mississippi Ave — About 10 minutes west. Independent shops, record stores, and a couple of bookstores. Easy to pair with Alberta for a full afternoon.
• Portland Saturday Market — Downtown, on the waterfront, weekends through December. About 15 minutes from Alberta.
• OMSI or the Portland Japanese Garden — If you’re bringing the family, both are easy add-ons.
• Irving Park — A few blocks from the restaurant. Good place to walk off a big waffle before the drive back.

Tips: Wait Times, Pickup, and When to Come

• Best time to come: Weekday mornings are quietest. Weekend brunch gets busy by 10:30am — aim for 9–10am or after 12:30pm if you’d rather not wait.
• Pickup option: If you’d rather grab and head back to Vancouver, order online for pickup. Phone-in orders may be paused during peak hours to protect dine-in service, so online is the move.
• Happy hour: Available for dine-in guests during dinner service (4–11pm). If you’re making a longer day of Alberta, worth circling back.
• Closed Tuesdays. Plan accordingly.

Ready to Make the Trip?

Off The Griddle’s Alberta location is open every day except Tuesday — brunch 9am to 2pm and dinner 4pm to 11pm. We’re at 2215 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR, roughly 15–20 minutes from downtown Vancouver depending on which bridge you take.

Order online for pickup or call us at 503-889-0660. Dine-in is first-come, first-served. We’d love to see you on this side of the river.