Owners Becky & Jen have called Gabriola home since they were just wee. After years of living on and off the island, traveling and working, they both eventually settled back on Gabriola with their partners, Alex & Bram.
In 2017, Becky & Jen saw a gap on the island that they wanted to fill - somewhere people could gather every morning for that first cup of coffee, enjoy a simple breakfast or lunch, and catch up with friends and neighbours. They just needed the perfect space!
With decades of restaurant and hospitality experience between the four of them, they started their business journey as a catering company and serving coffee and sandwiches at the local Saturday Farmer’s Market. From there they were given the opportunity to be the on-site contract caterers for program participants at The Haven on Gabriola.
Eventually, their hard work and waiting paid off, as the perfect location presented itself and they jumped at the opportunity - officially opening the doors of Ground Up Cafe & Catering in June 2022.
Owners Bram, Jen, Becky & Alex with baby Gus the day the property was purchased
Our team works very hard to source as much as we can from Gabriola Island and Vancouver Island producers. This includes meat, eggs, veggies and locally roasted coffee. Using fresh, local ingredients is very important to us not just for the quality of ingredients but also for strengthening our local economy and building a strong island community.
We love the strong working relationship that we have built with local farms and producers and nothing makes us prouder than seeing happy people eating great local food.
