If your midnight cravings have ever left you wishing for something more satisfying than a Big Mac, you’re not alone.
Longtime friends Cheikh Mounir Keita and Melvin Jiani Laudu found themselves having that exact conversation on a random Thursday evening. That same night, Minuit Munchies was born.
Serving up sizzling charcoal-grilled meat in crispy baguettes, slathered in a creamy, spiced mayo sauce, the French-African sandwich pop-up can be found every Thursday and Friday this summer at The Boxcar, hosted by patio wine bar Grape Vibes.
‘It was a very late night’
Late-night conversations aren’t uncommon for Keita and Laudu, who have been close friends since they first met four years ago. And it was during one of their spontaneous talks about business ventures and new concepts that Minuit Munchies came to be.
“It was a very late night and we were just talking at home,” Laudu tells V.I.A. with a chuckle.
“Since childhood, I’ve always loved cooking and would host a lot of friends at home for dinner,” Keita says. “People would always tell me ‘Oh, your food is amazing. You should open up a restaurant or something,’ but I didn’t really have the opportunities to pursue it at the time.”
Two days after creating their Instagram page, Keita and Laudu attended their first fair for a supplier in the halal industry. The following day, they were invited to participate in BC Ramadan Fest 2025.
In just a few weeks, Minuit Munchies went from hope-filled discussions to feeding crowds at their first festival.
“I was expecting to sell around 500 sandwiches throughout the five days because we were fairly new, but we ended up selling around 2,000,” Keita says.
‘Something you can enjoy’
In Vancouver’s vast, multicultural food scene, Minuit Munchies aims to fill a gap: fresh, handmade food that satisfies anyone’s midnight cravings.
“I’ve been in Vancouver for a while, and if you are hungry and want to munch late at night, [your options] are pretty much McDonald’s, Wendy’s–fast food basically,” Keita explains. “But there’s nothing that feels so fresh, mouth-watering…something that you can enjoy.”
Smoky, rich and juicy, the sandwiches from Minuit Munchies are inspired by bold West African flavours and Ivorian street food.
“I wanted to keep the original recipe as close to the one from back home, but I realized that it was not tasty to everyone,” Keita says. “So I needed to do a little bit of trial and error.”
And more experimentation is in the works.
With their current menu only offering chicken or beef, Keita and Laudu are currently working to add vegetarian options in the future, noting the thriving plant-based community in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. They also hope to introduce more African inspired menu items in the future, from poutine seasoned with West African spices to cassava couscous with a twist.
Late nights and good vibes
For Keita and Laudu, Minuit Munchies is rooted in the energy of late-night conversations and food that brings people together.
“Food is an international language,” Laudu says. “We want to be a place where we can all have a good time and talk around a nice sandwich.”
From the very first event, Keita says, community has made all the difference. Support from friends, local organizers, vendors and customers has encouraged them to continue with their efforts.
Minuit Munchies’ current collaboration with Grape Vibes was also formed thanks to a community event: a pop-up market taking place at The Boxcar. It was there that Grape Vibes co-founder Alexandra Hulley first tried their sandwich and reached out shortly after.
“I’m very grateful for all the positive comments that we’ve been getting from everyone that’s tried our food,” Keita says with a smile. “The organizer [Grape Vibes], every day that we’re here, they’ll order two sandwiches.”
“Thanks to the community, we are able to grow,” Laudu adds. “We always keep that in mind, and we want to give back to the community.”
Starting next summer, Minuit Munchies plans on obtaining a food truck and opening up an online restaurant at a commissary kitchen to better serve customers across the Lower Mainland. For now, though, those ambitions remain on the horizon as Keita continues to balance the venture with his full-time day job.
In the meantime, you’ll find them grilling in the back patio of The Boxcar on Thursdays and Fridays, serving up sandwiches that hit different after dark.
Minuit Munchies is at The Boxcar patio (917 Main St) in Vancouver on Thursdays and Fridays from 6 to 11 p.m., hosted by Grape Vibes. The venue is 19+ and is dog-friendly. Follow @minuitmunchies on Instagram.
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