Home of famous pies: Owners and locals remember Langley's iconic Hilltop Cafe

According to a notice in the cafe's window, the Hilltop Diner Cafe has permanently closed its doors due to landlord issues.

Former owner Brianne Williams confirmed that the iconic cafe will not reopen as originally planned.

Life was not easy for the Hilltop Diner Cafe. Some owners had different ideas and Hilltop even had to close for a few years in the 1970s. But despite all of this, the diner remained a staple in the Langley and Aldergrove communities until its closure in July of this year.

Just inside the entrance was a wall hung with photos of people who had successfully eaten the Everest Burger, a long-time menu favorite that consists of three 5-ounce burger patties topped with bacon, mozzarella, cheddar, ham and country sausage.

The decorations also included photos of previous owners, period-specific pictures and even signs from years gone by.

Hilltop was built in 1946 next to the then five-year-old Highway 1A, now the Fraser Highway. At the time, there was little to no transportation, so commuters spent most of their day traveling between Vancouver and Chilliwack.

The cafe was considered a convenient stopover on the Langley Prairie. It was built as a service to the motel on the same property, where commuters and travelers could stay overnight and enjoy home-cooked meals.

Some of the history of this popular pub has been lost, but the first mention of it can be found in a newspaper cutting from 1947, when the pub opened under the management of Isobel Ralph.

“The new building was built and is owned by J. Hardy and A. Newman. They plan to build an electrical store and auto camp on the property,” the excerpt states, although no first names are found.

In 1948, J. Hardy's advertisements appeared in the Langley Advance newspaper, advertising cabins for rent.

The Hilltop Café was popular with truckers even before the highway was built and became famous for its homemade cakes.

In May 1950, articles indicate that Sam East became the owner, and J. Hardy continued to offer the cottages for rent until April of that year. And in August, an advertisement appeared asking people to contact EB Gerrard.

But in December 1950, an article announced that the Hilltop had been purchased by Todd Spicor, who already owned the dining rooms of the Langley Hotel, the Laura Mel Hotel in White Rock, and the Harrison Hot Springs Hotel.

“The new owner says he will remodel the interior of the popular motorway rest area and equip the kitchen with new, modern appliances,” it says.

Around 1953, the Hilltop Café became the property of Gladys and Elmer Janzen – or Jansen, as the name was misspelled in some newspaper clippings.

The Janzens moved to BC from Saskatchewan in 1945. While Gladys ran the Hilltop Café, Elmer ran Al's Service Station next door, which was open 24 hours a day, and in 1958 he eventually took over the gas station.

The restaurant won first prize among the commercial floats in the 1953 Fall Festival parade, now known as the Aldergrove Fair, which is held in the summer. Janzens' winning float was a replica of the cafe with a counter and waitresses inside, according to a newspaper clipping from the time.

Hilltop was finally taken over by the Baker family in 1970 and run by husband and wife team Doug and Edith.

According to a newspaper clipping in the Langley Advance, Doug Baker had already been a chef for 27 years when his family took over the cafe. He had worked as head chef at the Leon Hotel in Port Moody and also at the Rupert Taylor Motel and Restaurant in Hope. He was also head chef at the Cook Inn in Vancouver for several years.

Around 1973, the Hilltop Cafe became the property of Colin Donison. He moved to Aldergrove from Langley in 1965 as a building contractor. Donison ran for city council for the first time in 1970, but was not elected.

Advertisements from the 1970s indicate that the establishment was called the Hill Top Motel and Restaurant and that the property was located just a few steps east of Bulat's Market.

A newspaper clipping from March 1977 summarizes Donison's request to Langley Township to renovate the Hilltop Cafe. It is not clear what kind of renovations were to be made or if his request was ever approved. In 1979, cabins were still being offered for rent.

Donison died in May 1980 and the Hilltop became the property of a “Mr. Lee”, whose first name is unknown.

The Hilltop's former and possibly last owner, Brianne Williams, recalled stories about Mr. Lee's “legendary pork chops” and how people continued to ask for them even after she took over in 2020.

“I think most of the stories people tell me are about Mr. Lee. He left a lasting impression on people, especially the high school students who spent a lot of time at the diner back then,” she said.

She said many people had told her that in the 1990s, Mr Lee often paid children with free food so they wouldn't spray paint the building.

“The place was his owner for a long time,” Williams recalled.

There is a gap in available records as to who owned Hilltop after Mr. Lee, but in 2011 the establishment became the property of two sisters: Sandie Parley and Andrea Zaiser.

By this time, the Fraser Highway was no longer the only travel route through the Lower Mainland and Hilltop was primarily visited by family and friends for breakfast and lunch.

Both sisters had worked as waitresses in the past and Zaiser had managed a few restaurants. So when the call came in 2011 that the previous owner was ready to sell, the sisters jumped in headfirst. Parley was looking for something to do in retirement and Zaiser needed something of his own.

Their goal was to return the place to its 1940s roots, which meant changing the music and removing the sports posters from the walls.

They also expanded the cake menu from two to 20 cakes, including the famous flapper pie, and let their children help run the restaurant.

And then Williams entered Hilltop's history: She signed the ownership papers on March 17, 2020, and started her first day of work on June 1 of the same year.

But she didn't imagine her first challenge would be keeping Hilltop alive during and after the COVID pandemic.

“Keeping the place open through COVID, supply chain bottlenecks and labor shortages hasn't been easy. But I've met some of the most amazing customers, some of whom have become like family to me,” Williams said.

Thanks to its loyal customers and employees, Hilltop has succeeded.

“The team that was there until the day we closed (July 15) and planned to come back [for September]for which I am eternally grateful,” said Williams.

Williams has even created some of his own cakes to add to the menu.

“I loved baking cakes… the chocolate bar cake was probably my favorite, layers of fudge and caramel with bits of chocolate bar [in] the topping. It sold out quickly!”

Her fondest memories are the conversations with the regular customers and her stories about her family's visits to this restaurant over the generations.

Langley and Aldergrove residents shared their thoughts and memories of their visits to the Hilltop online.

“This was a place of nostalgia and great food that was fun for all ages,” Amber Develder said of the restaurant’s closure.

“Hilltop was one of those things that you expected your great-grandchildren to 'ooh' and 'aah' about, especially after streaming a Hallmark movie and seeing Hilltop… Living 80 years is a beautiful time,” commented Aldergrove resident JC Giesbrecht.

Many locals remember going to the diner as children with their parents and grandparents or bringing their own children to eat.

“I remember being there when I was very young. Late 50s, early 60s. Back then [it] was a special trip, it felt like a long drive from 200th Street and 72nd Avenue. My favorite part was sitting on the red stools and making them turn around. What fun that was!” said Pamela Martin.

“It's sad that it's gone. It was a really great place! My dad and I ate there and I remember eating eggnog cake at Christmas. So good. We're going to miss it,” said Taylor Nicholls.

Dave Halliday said his first time at Hilltop was in 1970.

“I used to stop by there for a piece of cake and a coffee back in high school,” he said.

And Wally Martin, owner of the Princess and the Pea Hotel, said he held many business meetings at Hilltop in the 1960s and 1970s.

“I remember there was a pay phone in the lobby, which was a great convenience before cell phones in the '70s,” Martin told The Star, adding that he hopes Hilltop will reopen. “Our heritage is disappearing.”

In the 1980s, Murray Yeo recounted a conversation he had with a truck driver in Hilltop.

“He told me that they used this stop to let the old trucks cool down after driving uphill. He also mentioned huts in the back area where they stayed overnight,” he said.

In an email to The Star, Aldergrove resident Renee Arbo sent a 2019 photo of her son trying the famous Everest Burger at Hilltop.

“We loved the retro ambience of the restaurant,” she said.

The cafe has had many different owners over the years, Williams noted, and their stories are enshrined in the building.

In the hallway there are floor plans of the building with the motel in the background.

“It's really faded now, but sometimes I would stand there and try to imagine the place in its original form,” she said.

There is also a photo of the first owners hanging above the door, which offers a comprehensive overview of the restaurant.

“We always joked that they were in charge and watching everything we did,” Williams giggled.

As the last owner of a restaurant with 78 years of stories and history, Williams said she was devastated that this “ends in a bitter fight.”

“It (Hilltop) is old and has been through a lot, and I hope the new landowners will recognize its value to the community and bring it back into use.”

Originally the restaurant was only closed over the summer, but new owners were due to take over in September.

However, Williams confirmed that Hilltop will not reopen due to “unforeseen” circumstances with the property’s landlord.

Hilltop has been used in dozens of films, including The Big Bang, Bates Motel, and the television series The X-Files. It was also featured on John Catucci's Food Network television show You Gotta Eat Here.

The 1.36-acre property on which Hilltop sits, 23904 Fraser Hwy., is valued at $4.5 million, according to a 2023 BC assessment.

The property is listed for sale on royalty.ca and Coldwell Banker for $5.7 million. It is not clear how much of the value is due to the Hilltop Cafe or Pioneer Motors (the other long-standing business on the property) and what the land value is.

The property was last offered for sale in 2019 for $2.4 million, but was not purchased. It was previously sold in 2004 for $578,000.

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