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There’s a certain magic to a well-laid table—a warmth that goes beyond the food, an atmosphere where conversation flows as freely as the wine. For Ophelia Arida, owner of Mèreon in West Vancouver, that feeling isn’t just a happy byproduct of hospitality. It’s the very reason her restaurant exists.
Mèreon comes from mère, the French word for mother, Arida explains. The restaurant’s name is a blend of mère and Lyon, a tribute to both the nurturing spirit of cooking and the culinary traditions of one of France’s most renowned food cities.
“It’s a nod to the great female cooks of Lyon who shaped the city’s gastronomic reputation,” Arida says over the phone. “But for me, it also speaks to something deeper—the way food brings people together, the way it expresses love.”
Love and food were inseparable for Arida growing up in Lebanon.
“In our house, everything revolved around the table,” she says. “If you were sad, we made food. If you were celebrating, we made food. Our home was always open, always full of people. I got that sense of hospitality from my mom.”
That deep-seated connection to food and gathering took on new meaning when Arida began traveling to France. Initially as a student on school trips, and then as a traveler drawn back again and again, she fell in love with the country’s charm.
“There’s something about France—you don’t just see it, you feel it,” she says. “It’s in the way they treat food, the way a simple baguette and cheese can be the most perfect meal. The finesse, the history, the quality—every bite tells a story.”
Years later, after living in Dubai and then moving to Canada with her husband and children, Arida found herself ready to tell her own story through food.
“I knew I wanted to open a restaurant,” she recalls. “I debated between Mediterranean and French cuisine, but ultimately, French just felt right. It made the most sense to me.”
Ophelia Arida comes from a family where everything revolved around food. Nicole Robertson.
For Mèreon, she partnered with renowned Vancouver restaurateur Emmanuel Joinville, formerly of Jules Bistro, to develop the menu.
“I had a vision of what I wanted the food to be—classic, approachable, deeply satisfying,” she says. “Emmanuel brought his expertise, and together we crafted a menu that feels both familiar and exciting.”
Mèreon, which opened just over a year ago in Ambleside, quickly found its audience. The 52-seat restaurant was nominated for two Golden Plate Awards from the Georgia Straight, including Best Restaurant in West Vancouver and Best French Restaurant. And the menu? A love letter to French comfort food.
Some dishes have become instant icons.
“The French onion soup—day or night, it’s our bestseller,” Arida says. “And during brunch, the Croque Madame flies out of the kitchen. People love the socca, too—this chickpea flatbread from Nice. We put our own spin on it, topping it with house-smoked salmon and guacamole.”
Dinner service, which launched a few months after opening, brought even more highlights: beef bourguignon, West Coast sablefish, and a risotto Arida considered taking off the menu. But patrons had other ideas.
“We looked at the numbers and thought, there’s no way we can remove this,” she reveals with a laugh.
Mèreon isn’t just about the food—it’s about how it makes people feel.
“We wanted something classy, but never cold,” Arida says of the design. “High-quality, but approachable. A place where you feel at home, where you can come in jeans or a dress, and it doesn’t matter.”
Hand-painted artwork dots the walls, bistro chairs and tables channel Parisian ease, and there’s an intimacy to the space that makes regulars feel like family.
“West Vancouver is a close community,” Arida notes. “We have guests who come so often, we know them by name. That relationship is special.”
As Mèreon enters its second year, Ophelia has her sights set on the future.
“Short term, consistency is everything,” she says. “Good food, good service—we can never let that slip. But in the long run? I’d love to grow the family. Maybe a sister restaurant, something with a different concept.”
That might not be Mèreon 2.0, but something else inspired by the same values.
“We’ve learned so much from this experience,” Arida says. “Now, we’re thinking about what’s next—how we can take what we love and build on it in a fresh way.”
Whatever comes next, one thing is certain: it will be rooted in the same philosophy that built Mèreon—a love of gathering, a respect for tradition, and a belief that the best meals are the ones shared.
“Seeing people enjoy themselves, sharing good food, making memories—that’s what gives me happiness,” Arida says. “That’s why I do this.”