Today we were in Coquitlam, out in the middle of nowhere for a new and one of a kind business concept, proving the old saying that if you build it they will come.
Instead of constructing a destination around a community, here they have built the hub and are expecting the community to come to them. This is the Tri-cities Pavilion created and hosted by Marcon and QuadReal, giants in construction and property.
The result of this concept and their merger is a two story building that will soon house 4 different food and beverage businesses. Currently Nemesis Coffee and Gigi’s have moved in and we got at chance to get better acquainted with both here today.
After parking in their significant lot and walking up to the all glass exterior, you can see the promise of the design. The jungle gym makes this the perfect stop for young parents to bring their children, while they grab a coffee and treat for themselves. Then when the kids are hungry they can all grab a pizza from the restaurant, or take some pasta to go for dinner.
Today our visit would start upstairs in their museum, with a toured look at this prototype that they are calling a “catalyst” and the start of firsts of many. A vision that began in 2017.
Our organizers forecasted the change that was about to happen with the extension of the Evergreen Line. In planning the city’s growth and evolution, the looked at years in to future and what could be a valuable addition to Coquitlam’s city centre. What they realized was that the area will soon be connected by all forms of transit from the aforementioned Skytrain to highway, and the Coast Mountain buses. And the Tri-cities Pavilion is what they came up with to further connect.
After an inspiring speech we were invited to head back downstairs to Gigi’s, a Kitchen Table Group restaurant and akin to Ask for Luigi. Where the latter was created in Luigi’s image, Gigi’s is a love letter to their patriarch and a nick name he was fond of. Gigi’s is inspired by who Luigi was as a person and his pride in Italian traditions, using the best ingredients, and serving it with hospitality.
The space was bright and airy with vaulted ceilings, large glass windows, and hanging light fixtures. It didn’t rely on art to decorate, but the greenery of the garden that surrounds the building to peek through to. The feeling of outdoors in, was further with living foliage and patio lights strung up.
As we settled we were invited to enjoy drinks at their island bar. I had their Lemoncello Spritz that served as a great aperitif, as well as a refreshing fizzy cocktail to couple with the small bites that came around the room.
Each saltier than the last, the drink was needed to wash each bite in between. To be honest, I was not a fan of any of the three.
The Prosciutto with caper berry was best of the bunch given how it was the least salty.
The Roasted red pepper on focaccia was overly oily and one toned.
Where the Polenta with ricotta and salted cod was overbearingly salty and dense. The base of corn meal was not enough to disperse this and its grainy texture echoed the grittiness of the smashed fish paste. There was no fresh element and the roe only compounded everything else.
What makes Gigi’s truly unique is their Burrata bar. Where you can order whole balls of mozzarella with strands of cheese curds. Dressed in olive oil and maldon salt, all three items are imported from Italy. The Burrata is done so every two days to ensure freshness and quality.
Having tried it for myself I can contest to its quality. This was the best Burrata I have ever had, and worthy of travelling back to the Tri-cities Pavilion for when I have a craving.
As a group we were also treated to a cooking demo by the Executive Chef of Gigi’s Lloyd Taganahan. He prepared their soon to be most popular dish the vegetarian Cacio e Pepe. A spaghettoni with tellicherry peppercorns and pecorino. We didn’t get a chance to try it here, but had the option to order it for lunch.
In our couples or groups we were invited to take a seat at our chosen table. Where each guest had the further option of choosing their three course meal. My guest and I would share the following.
For appetizers we had the playful Albacore Tuna with Orange, Pickled Onion, Caper Berry, Fennel, and Chili Vinaigrette. The fish was for its texture as you got most of the flavour from the toppings. The orange and pickled onion were especially delightful as a warm up for our heavier mains ahead. The caper berry was the outlier and served better as a palate refresher afterwards.
In hindsight we should have ordered the marinated olives, given how much of the salad we got and how we saw it as mostly “grass”. Fennel & Arugula Salad with Pickled Fennel, Shaved Radish, and Pecorino Cream. More bitter leaves than dressing and cheese, this was not to my taste. There was too much of it for two people to share, let alone for one person as a full course. Better as a side meant to accompany, not star.
For our mains we shared the Campanelle, a meaty white sauce pasta with Ragu Bianco, Braised Beef Cheek, and Pecorino. I loved the texture of the soften pasta and how much meat there was to have even bites of beef and pasta. I just would have liked another element to give the dish more depth and another interesting texture to maw on. Some fresh tomatoes or even chopped olives for some needed acidity, even a crisp vegetable to refresh the serving mid way through would have done well.
The Bigoli Nero was our favourite of the two, a seafood butter pasta with Frutti Di Mare (squid and shrimp), Uni Butter, and Panagratto. The uni was bespoke, and noticeable as an accent, but it was the el dente pasta and well prepared seafood that were the stars, with a nice crumble for textural interest.
And for dessert we were invited to the second half of the building at Nemesis Coffee for pastries and coffee. This is Nemesis’ 5th location and they have yet again stayed true to their goal of being in the most striking of spaces with unique atmospheres.
They had all the classic coffee shop teas, lattes, and coffees; plus a few extra like the ube matcha available in hot or cold.
This was a striking drink with the merging of the colours green and purple into grey, finished with neon purple latte art.
This we would enjoy with a box of their treats to go. All of Nemesis’ pastries are made in house by their bakery brand, Dope Bakeshop. They too will be seeing an expansion and their first stand alone shop in North Vancouver.
Their salted chocolate chip cookie was wonderfully chewy and wholesomely nostalgic. Their matcha caneles were on the salty side.
Their croissants were a perfect golden brown, the pull apart bread light and fluffy, and the lemon loaf delightful. I could have done without the extra cream and sugary coating on the banana bread. Overall a great assortment with plenty of savoury and sweet options to choose from.
In closing, the Tri-Cities Pavilion has officially been open as of June 25th, 2025. The first of its kind community hub, a stand alone destination, not centred around apartment or condo living. A cafe and restaurant built around the belief that life’s most important moments happen at the table and there is something for everyone from the early morning to late at night. Two food and beverage concepts with two more to come in the near future. A seasonal wine bar on the patio, and a bistro to celebrate Lucia, Luigi’s wife, known as the life of the party. Looking forward to all there is to come from this trailblazing concept.
TriCity Pavilion
2968 Christmas Way, Coquitlam, BC V3C 4E6
tricitypavilion.ca
