East is East, an Afghan restaurant in the heart of Vancouver, offers a million reasons to lounge amongst the pillows and enjoy an ethnic meal. With arguably the spiciest chai tea in the city and the tastiest curries and sauces, East is East boasts cozy throws, wooden benched nooks and snuggly feather cushions where food is savoured with friends and cultural differences are left at the door.
After their family fled Afghanistan during the outbreak of the Soviet war, brother and sister duo, Mustafa and Razaviah Reza spent ten years in India before immigrating to Vancouver. They opened East is East in Kitsilano in 2001 and later, a second location on Main Street. “We wanted to have a place where you could go and experience a culture,” says Mustafa. Their restaurant is a symbol of passion come to life, as East is East breaks cultural boundaries and creates an atmosphere that encourages the appreciation of food, friendship, and music, with live entertainment routinely gracing their intimate stage.
