Safari Snack House & Grill

Whether you believe in fate or not, walking into Safari Snack House and Grill appears to have been meant to be for owner Shairose Shamji-Karmali. “This all happened very quickly,” says Shairose. “I was a corporate trainer; I lived in Toronto for 32 years." Then a friend set Shairose up with Karim, who lived in Vancouver. "Once I started talking to him online, I really thought I liked this man.” So much so, Shairose ended up moving to Vancouver, had her first date with Karim at the flavourful African-Indian fusion restaurant Safari Snack House and Grill, and eventually married him.

To ease the shock of moving across the country and jumping into a city where she didn't know anyone other than her husband, Shairose frequented Safari Snack House and Grill and befriended the then-owner. The two women grew so close that Shairose took over the business in 2010 when the previous owner was ready to retire. Safari Snack House and Grill had quite literally become her second home, and Shairose was eager to pass that inclusive feeling on to every customer who walked through the doors.