Behind the Name: Vancouver’s Beetbox

How Vancouver's premier plant-based comfort food provider got its name

When Justin Tisdall revealed his plans to open a plant-based comfort food counterpart to Vancouver’s beloved Juke Fried Chicken back in October of 2019, the concept of a counter-service restaurant with indulgent and satisfying vegan and vegetarian eats was still relatively new to Canada. 

Now two years into its residence in the space formerly occupied by Little Juke, Beetbox has set the bar when it comes to plant-based comfort foods in Vancouver and chef Bryan Satterford’s 100 per cent plant-based menu has succeeded mightily in delivering ethical, approachable, and delicious cuisine. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Beetbox (@beetboxveg)

In addition to an array of comfort food classics like the Chick-Un sandwich and the crispy gordita, along with a selection of sides such as chilli cheese fries and curry cauliflower salad, Beetbox also offers a range of vegan-friendly libations including kombucha, vegan milkshakes, and local craft beer. 

When it came time to name his new concept, Tisdall says he had a handful of core options, but Beetbox wasn’t initially one of them. 

“Beetbox was originally going to be called ‘VegHead’, but that name never felt right, a bit too strongly worded,” explains Tisdall. “Beetbox allowed us to keep our restaurant concept revolving around music as a background theme, and also overtly let people know the food concept without hitting them over the head with it.”

Beetbox is open daily for dine-in, takeout and delivery from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.