Free from dress codes and uniforms, servers at popular Vancouver spots embrace their personal style, making customers feel like they’re dining with friends.holgs/iStockPhoto / Getty Images
Step inside some of Vancouver’s buzziest restaurants, and the stylish staff are likely to amuse the eyes, just as an amuse-bouche amuses the mouth.
At culinary hotspots like Gary’s, Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions and Pizza Coming Soon, freedom from dress codes and uniforms allows servers’ personalities to shine – and in some cases makes style as much a part of the dining experience as the food itself.
A server’s choice of sneaker, vintage T-shirt or carefully thrifted accessories can set the tone for a night out, making diners feel as if they’ve walked into a room full of friends who happen to be plating oysters, pouring wine or sliding pizzas out of an oven.
In contrast to more traditional establishments where black pants and button-ups are standard fare, personal style is integral to these restaurant brands, much like other aesthetic choices such as the music or decor. But that’s not to say the staff are part of the furniture – far from it.
While Vancouver stalwarts like Joe Fortes and Gotham Steakhouse uphold tradition through longtime uniforms that reflect their heritage and time-honoured hospitality values, newer eateries are embracing individuality and a sense of authenticity. Instead of being faceless intermediaries between diners and their food, staff are a living, breathing extension of the brands themselves: cool, creative and eclectic.
At Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions off Vancouver’s trendy Main Street, it can be tricky to pick out staff members from among the stylish crowd.
“I don’t think I would want to work for a place that had a dress code,” said Hazel Park, a server at the restaurant. “I believe the freedom of expression through my clothing actually encourages me to show up looking nicer to work than if I was required to wear the same thing every day or stick to an only-black ensemble.”
Park’s colleague Bige Güçer noted that style is often a topic of conversation with guests. “I love to talk about fashion and also ask people about their style, so it’s a wonderful way for me to get conversations flowing and make connections with my tables.”
Anna Sutela, wine director at Gary’s in South Granville, appreciates having an employer that trusts her to express her personal style while maintaining a sense of professionalism.
“Funny enough, our team shares a lot of similar pieces and we’re often inspired by each other, so I feel like our outfits are cohesive with each other and the space,” she said.
Sutela echoed the sentiment that style can be an ice-breaker with guests dining at the Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. “We often get asked where a piece is from, or someone comments on my nails. It’s always welcome, and I find myself commenting on guests’ style in return.”
Pizza Coming Soon, a popular Chinatown spot serving what it describes as “Japanese stoner food” (think chicken karaage, big mac bao, jerk pork dumplings) even packages its distinctive aesthetic into merchandise. Bright, illustrated graphic T-shirts, often designed by owner Alex Rhek, have cultivated a loyal following among diners.
Perhaps it’s no surprise then that guests have dubbed Pizza Coming Soon “the drippiest restaurant,” according to server Shanice Bishop. (That means “stylish,” for those not glued to Instagram.)
“I love not having a dress code. I think that’s what makes Pizza Coming Soon so great,” she said.
“Everyone has their own style and personality, and it blends together cohesively.”
Manager Shaylen Washburn, known for her perpetually backward and slightly askew hat, added that the restaurant employs “some really cool people with cool stories and backgrounds, and we want to shine a light on that by allowing our staff to wear what they’re comfortable in.”
But some still believe that staff dress codes can be helpful.
Olivia Harrison, director of design and brand at hospitality consultancy the Fifteen Group, said that from a marketing perspective, dress codes make a lot of sense. “Without guidelines of any kind, you’re really at the whim of anyone’s personal style, which is fine if you’ve hired people who are naturally ‘on brand’ for the restaurant you’re trying to create … but overall it feels like leaving an essential part of the brand experience off the table.”
Dickson Li, the founder of start-up dumpling brand Dicky’s Dumps, which has held pop-ups at Pizza Coming Soon, says that style is the first thing he notices when he walks into a restaurant.
Li names DD Mau and Is That French among his picks for the Vancouver restaurants with the most stylish staff. “If a server is well put together, that means they put some thought into it, and I can appreciate that.”
