YVR lifts off with new restaurant

Local concept brings West Coast contemporary cuisine to passengers

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is ringing in the New Year with a new full-service restaurant, Lift Bar & Grill. Inspired by the original location in downtown Vancouver, passengers are now able to enjoy their well-known selection of seasonal cuisine with a focus on local seafood offerings.

“YVR provides the first and last impression of British Columbia so we are delighted to welcome Lift Bar & Grill to bring our passengers a unique West Coast dining experience,” said Scott Norris, Vice President, Commercial Development, Vancouver Airport Authority. “We take great pride in delivering exceptional customer experiences and having quality food and beverage offerings play a huge role in that—we look forward to hearing our passengers’ feedback.”

Centrally located in the international terminal, the restaurant is wrapped around the airport’s iconic aquarium and is designed to draw on a coastal waters theme. This is evident in both the interior detailing with tones of warm oak, steel blue and charcoal greys as well as the menu, featuring Oceanwise certified seafood. YVR partnered with SSP Canada, a division of SSP Group, a leading operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations worldwide, to bring the Lift Bar & Grill concept to the airport. With over 50 years of experience, the SSP Group serves approximately a million customers every day. They currently operate approximately 2,000 units in over 30 countries around the world, including 10 locations at YVR.

Michael Svagdis, Chief Executive Officer of SSP Canada commented, “With the international departures area serving as a global gateway between Asia and the Americas, Lift Bar & Grill is a welcome addition to the worldly minded passengers of YVR. We’re honored to work closely with Chef Soojin Park and the Lift team to craft a stylish restaurant experience that truly delivers a memorable taste of Vancouver before passengers head to their next destination.”

In addition to Lift Bar & Grill, SSP Canada will open five other food and beverage locations, occupying 14,225 square feet at YVR. The restaurants will include a mix of local as well as modern, world-class international and proprietary brands. Pajo’s Fish & Chips serves up locally sourced, but world famous fish and chips; Bánh Shop features traditional Vietnamese street sandwiches and bowls; and Freshii provides fresh and healthy food options. These offerings will be opening throughout 2017 with two additional concepts to be opened in 2019. The entire portfolio will further enhance YVR’s award-winning concession program.