Since opening its first location in 2015, Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio has become of the most popular Vancouver restaurants thanks to its unique fusion of Peruvian and Japanese food cultures. The menu is unique and approachable, incorporating west coast ingredients while drawing inspiration from international cuisine.
"The concept for Ancora was very clear since day one and it made designing and branding extremely fun," says Kelly Jordan Hamilton, sales and marketing manager. "When Ancora was brought forward, it simply just clicked and we knew we had moved from concept to reality."
The name reflects the restaurant's seafood-focused menu and waterfront location while alluding to the harmony of their diverse cultural influences.
"Directly translated from Italian—influenced by the owner's roots—Ancora means 'anchor', giving reference to the sea and highlighting our Japanese and Peruvian cuisine."
Although they hadn't planned on expanding beyond the original False Creek location, the opening of their second Ambleside location gives even more meaning to the name.
"We can't help but think we subconsciously knew, because Ancora can also be used as 'again' or 'more' in Italian," says Hamilton.
Both Ancora locations are open daily from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. for patio dining, with cocktail hour from 2:30 to 5 p.m. They also offer takeout and delivery, including a new "Take and Plate" option for dining at home.
