Is Canada’s best restroom in Port Moody?
The washroom facilities at Hard Bean Brunch Co. are among the five finalists in the 2023 Canada’s Best Restroom contest.
The annual online competition is run by Cintas Canada, which manages restrooms and cleaning for more than 55,000 Canadian businesses.
In a news release, Cintas said Hard Bean is lauded for its individual, gender-neutral stalls that “are framed in bright, yellow trim with matching signature yellow doors.”
As well, each stall is equipped with its own sink “for full privacy.”
Hard Bean Brunch Co. opened its doors at 2781 Clarke St. in April 2022, the culmination of a culinary dream for colleagues who previously worked together at the Browns Restaurant Group.
Chef Geoff Morrison and corporate manager Heather Rhodes wanted to create a family-friendly brunch experience that could seamlessly morph into the evening hours as a fun, sophisticated dining destination for adults on a night out.
But the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the supply chain challenges and construction delays that accompanied it extended their journey from concept to realization to more than three years.
The menu at Hard Bean includes brunch staples like classic French toast and waffles to later-in-the-day fare like a variety of burgers, poke and salad bowls, salads and quick eats such as chicken pesto quesadillas and waffle crusted chicken wings.
The restaurant also has an extensive drinks menu of cocktails, mimosas, shooters, hard coffees along with non-alcoholic options.
Challenging Hard Bean for the honour of having the country’s best restrooms are:
- Forest Pavilion washrooms in Winnipeg
- the washrooms at the Gathering Place, a community centre in Vancouver
- Yesterday’s Auto Gallery, a classic car museum in Edmonton
- the Big Apple pie stand in Colborne, Ont.
According to the news release, the finalists all excelled in five categories:
- cleanliness
- visual appeal
- innovation
- functionality
- unique design elements
Online voting opened June 5 and continues until July 7 and you can vote as often as you like. The winner receives $2,500 worth of products and cleaning services from Cintas plus permanent bragging rights as the place to "go" in town.
