Plans are moving forward to bring a new restaurant to a restored heritage building on Argyle Avenue, marking another chapter in Ambleside’s long-standing evolution as West Vancouver’s dining and waterfront hub.
Heritage setting, West Coast menu
The venue, to be called Navvy House, will open its doors inside the recently restored Navvy Jack House at 1768 Argyle Ave. The project is being developed by At Home Hospitality, the same team behind Vancouver’s Banter Room and the award-winning Prophecy.
The kitchen will be led by Executive Chef and Operating Partner Mike Rose, who was born and raised in West Vancouver. According to the team, the menu will follow seasonal rhythms and coastal influences, drawing on both Pacific and Atlantic traditions while emphasising ingredients “built on natural flavours.” The operators describe the offering as “unfussy, bold,” featuring seafood and cuts of meat cooked with attentive technique.
Hospitality ties to the community
Front-of-house duties will be overseen by General Manager Miguel Campomar, who currently works at Banter Room. Campomar said the project carries personal meaning because it returns him to Ambleside.
“There’s something special about coming back to Ambleside, the neighbourhood that raised me, to help build this next chapter,”
The Navvy House concept continues At Home Hospitality’s interest in activating historic spaces. Operating Partner Justin Mensah-Coker noted the team’s prior experience with Prophecy, which occupies a 1927-era space in downtown Vancouver’s Rosewood Georgia Hotel.
Design and outlook
Renderings released by the operators show a restaurant that preserves original heritage details while layering in contemporary touches and framed views over the Burrard Inlet. The venue is described as suitable for long lunches and evening service, capitalizing on the neighbourhood’s waterfront setting and pedestrian traffic.
- Location: Navvy Jack House, 1768 Argyle Ave, Ambleside, West Vancouver
- Developer/Operator: At Home Hospitality
- Chef/Operator: Mike Rose
- General Manager: Miguel Campomar
Local restaurateurs and developers have in recent years emphasised the value of heritage conservation paired with new hospitality uses. For West Vancouver residents, such projects raise questions about neighbourhood character, parking and the relationship between tourism and community-serving amenities.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Building | Navvy Jack House (restored heritage building) |
| Address | 1768 Argyle Ave |
| Operators | At Home Hospitality (Banter Room, Prophecy) |
| Food focus | Seasonal, coastal-inspired menu with seafood and meats |
What to expect next
The announcement so far outlines the team, location and culinary direction but does not include a public opening date. Residents and regular visitors to Ambleside can expect additional permits and neighbourhood notifications as the project moves toward launch. The use of an existing heritage building for hospitality aligns with broader local trends that seek to preserve historic fabric while activating ground-floor uses that draw both residents and visitors.
As the Navvy House project advances, questions around service hours, capacity and impacts on local traffic will likely return to council and community discussion. For now, West Vancouver gains another example of how restaurateurs are investing in character-rich locations and translating coastal ingredients into new dining rooms along the inlet.
