Craving something ultra decadent today? Then pull up a chair and get cozy, because the folks at Scandilicious Waffles at 25 Victoria Drive know a thing or two about good old fashioned comfort food. Owned and operated by Anita and her daughters Kristina and Karlie, the restaurant-cafe has only been in the ‘hood for a little over a year now, and is already a favorite for a sweet or savory bite. Anita, who comes from an Administration background, got the idea to open the shop after a trip to Europe with her daughter. “Kristina went to Norway to visit family, and decided to pop over to London. That’s when we noticed businesses selling waffles through their windows,” Anita explains. “And we thought, what a great concept to bring to Vancouver.” 
“My passion has always been food and health,” Anita tells us. “Food is such a social thing. You don’t need to speak the language to understand what’s on your plate; it looks beautiful. I have been baking and cooking all my life, very traditional Norwegian recipes and we’ve brought forth a lot of my mum’s traditional recipes and baked goods. I have always wanted to do this, but it wasn’t until my trip to Europe with Kristina that solidified it – and seeing family again after many years. At the time too, my father had passed and one of the last things he said to me was “promise to start the business.” The food at Scandilicious is handmade with love, something Anita is very proud of. “Everything here is made from scratch, all the buns, sauces, baked goods – including the gluten options,” she says. The restaurant also carry several vegan and gluten-free friendly options, including waffles and mix, so you can make your own Scandilicious inspired waffles at home. They’ve also teamed up with a local roaster to launch a new in-house coffee label, called Mjolnir. “We’re always experimenting,” Anita says. “We have lefse in Norway, and it’s like a Mexican Burrito, a flatbread that is very thin and made with potatoes. Traditionally it’s served with sugar and butter, but what we have started doing was serving it as a savory dish called Viking Tacos. Another favourite we serve here is our Norwegian meat balls, and they are different from Swedish meatballs as they have a kick to them. They’re full of spices and we serve them on mashed potatoes with gravy and a Swedish berry sauce.” When we ask Anita about the area, she says she loves seeing all the young families living in the ‘hood. “It’s a young and up and coming community, and it’s such a busy corridor,” Anita says. “Everyone drives down here, many people with different professions. Lots of industrial businesses as well; you really have an eclectic mix, with different walks of life here. It’s also really laid back and the people are generally happy.“ Learn more about Scandilicious Waffles on their website, and stay social on Twitter and Facebook!