10 budget-friendly restaurants in Metro Vancouver

Inflation thieves are robbing us of the fun out of dining out. But it’s not all despair. There are lots of places where it doesn’t bite quite so hard. This is the first of two roundups of more affordable places to find yummy food in Metro Vancouver.

Where: 1889 Powell St., Vancouver
Info: alepheatery.com

Vegetarian, pan-Middle Eastern food cuisine in a fresh, white Instagram-ready room with fresh greenery,  good music and friendly vibes. Owner Haitham El Khatib connects Middle Eastern cultures through food, perhaps a result of having spent seven of his childhood years in a Lebanese refugee camp. “I was raised on love, not fear,” he says. The shakshuka with poached eggs embedded in a spicy tomato sauce gives loves. As do the shawarma potstickers, Persian baos, and muhammara, a spicy red pepper and walnut dip.