Vancouver: A Local’s Guide

Written by:

Domenic De Los SantosDesign + Photo by:

Nathalie De Los Santos

Gastown

Chinatown

Historic. Modern. Stylish.

Coal Harbour

G a s t o w nL’Abbattoir (217 Carrall) for fabulous cocktails and foodGuu Otokomae (375 Water) for authentic Japanese pub food Purebread (159 W Hastings) for one of the best bakeries in town Revolver (325 Cambie) for the best place in the city to grab a cup of coffee.Must-sees: FlyOver Canada, Steam Clock, Waterfront Station, Woodward’s Building

C h i n a t o w nPhnom Penh (244 E Georgia) for their Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes such as butter beef, wings, etc New Town Bakery (148 E Pender) for Filipino Chinese baked goods like steam buns, apple tarts and egg tarts Calabash Bistro (428 Carrall) for Caribbean dishes and the largest rum collection in the city.Must-sees: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver Chinatown Gate, West Han Dynasty Bell, Sam Kee Building (The World’s Narrowest Building), Catfe (a cat cafe, 88 W Pender)

Coal Harbour connects the waterfront district to Stanley Park. Consisting of mainly apartments and condominiums, this area is popular for dog enthusiasts and those who love a nice view of the North Shore.

Bella Gelateria (1001 W Cordova) for the best, award winning artisan gelatoTableau Bar Bistro (181 Melville) for French bistro classics and fabulous brunchesChewies Oyster Bar (1055 W Hastings) for New Orleans inspired cuisine with Happy Hour Buck-a-Shuck oystersMink Chocolates (863 W Hastings) for local artisan chocolates.

You can walk along the Waterfront/Seawall promenade to get to Stanley Park. Or check out the Vancouver Aquarium. Get active atHarbour Green Park & Cardero Park. Take a selfie at Marina Square & Lost Lagoon.

Yaletown

West End

Y a l e t o w nBlue Water Cafe (1095 Hamilton) Luxurious and top quality West Coast Seafood ($$$) DD Mau (1239 Pacific Blvd) for upscale Vietnamese sandwiches (banh mis) and coffee Black Rice Izakaya (782 Cambie) for hako (also known as oishi) sushi & tapas.Small Victory Bakery (1088 Homer) for a good place to grab a matcha latte and some baked goods

PARKS! David Lam Park, George Wainborn Park, Coopers Park COMMUNITY! Vancouver Public Library, Roundhouse Community Centre, Aquabus ART! VanCity Theatre

W e s t E n dNero Belgian Waffle Bar (1703 Robson) for delicious and beautiful waffles Stepho’s (1124 Davie) for cheap and big portioned Greek foodMarutama Ramen (780 Bidwell) for delicious handpulled ramen Dinesty (1719 Robson) for one of Vancouver’s best spot to get Shanghai dumplings - Xiao Long BaosAND MANY OTHERS! Joe Fortes, Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Cafe, Forage, ChatimeBEACHES! Sunset Beach, English Bay Beach CULTURE! Inukshuk sculptures, Laughing Men statue

City CentreVancouver’s bustling city core plays host to the Pacific Centre/Nordstorm and Robson street if you’re a big shopper, but also to our music and art scene with the Vancouver Art Gallery (by donation on Tuesdays) and the Orpheum & Vogue within a 5 minute walk away. Love churches? Visit Holy Rosary or Christ Church.

FoodChambar (568 Beatty) serving creative Belgian cuisine and one of the best places in the city for cocktailsJapadog (530 Robson) the international sensation Japadog, your classic hot dog with a Japanese twistFinch’s (353 W Pender) a small but busy cafe that serves up beautifully arranged sandwiches and saladsFaubourg (769 Hornby) is a Parisian cafe that serves a multitude of French pastries and desserts

VANCOUVER

EAST

STRATHCONAMT. PLEASANT

CLARKKINGSWAY

COMMERCIAL DRIVE

SUNSETSOUTH

VANCOUVER

Main St

Art & Indie. Music & Food.

Boutiques.The Drive

M a i n S t r e e tAu Petit Cafe (4851 Main) regarded as Vancouver’s best place to have a Vietnamese sandwiches Hawker’s Delight (4127 Main) cheap and greasy Malaysian food East is East (4433 Main) a fantastic Middle Eastern experience complete with belly dancing on Thurs-day eveningsLe Marche St. George (4393 Main) is a friendly neighbourhood cafe and corner store that not many know about, great place to grab a coffee and pastrySolly’s (4071 Main) Vancouver’s most popular Jewish bakery that serves up chocolate babkas.

MUSIC: The Biltmore, Fox Cabaret, Red Cat Records CRAFTS: Urban Source, Collage Collage. Go antiquing and consigment shopping here! Front & Co, Main & 30 to 18th have many, many antique shops

T h e D r i v eKishimoto (2054 Commercial) If you don’t mind the wait, this is one of the best Japanese food experiences!Viva Tevere (1190 Victoria Dr) Excellent Neapolitan pizzaBelgian Fries (1885 Commercial) Authentic Canadian poutineHavana (1212 Commercial) Neuvo Latino Cuisine and CocktailsWalk up the street! Since it’s Little Italy, lots of character is in this neighborhood. Storm Crow Tavern is a board game pub. The Rio is an indie movie-house.

Strathcona

Clark & Powell Sunset

South Vancouver

Truly an underappreciated area. This area hosts the Powell Street Festival. There is the prestigious ARC Collective for Artists. Kessel & March is a lovely restaurant that sits next to the Odd Society Spirits where you can get local distilled spirits. Further along the street is the Volunteer Orphan Kitten Rescue Association which always takes donations.

E Hastings always scares off tourists, but further past this troubled area is a vibrant residential area that’s often overlooked. Beta5 Chocolates uses unique ingredients and is a local chocolate-maker. Yolk’s is well known for it’s chicken and waffles. La Casa Gelato has over 200 flavors of gelato. For a breakfast spot, Red Wagon is recommended! There is also the Rocky Mountaineer Station, Playland Amusement Park and plenty of street art. The Astoria & Waldorf Hotel are cheap clubs with an more eccentric crowd.

Two words: Duffin’s Donuts. If you want a good slice of Vancouver street life, the occasional crazy person, good donuts and greasy fried chicken, this is the spot. (Knight & 41st)

Sunset is known as Little India with many spice shops, fabrics and dining establishments owned and operated by East Indians. Dosa’s Corner has massive Indian do-asa. Breka serves Eastern European pastries. There are pockets of Chinese and Filipino restaurants as well. If you’re looking for a giant bowl of soup you can custom-ize down to noodles and filling for under $10, then Deer Garden is the spot. Angel Cafe is a Hong Kong style cafe. There is also the Sunset Skating Rink!

WEST VANCOUVER

W. POINT GREYARBUTUSDUNBAR

KERRISDALE KITSILANO

OLYMPIC VILLAGEBROADWAY

UBC

Kits

Wellness. Style.

Heritage.Kerrisdale

K i t s i l a n o05 Rare Tea Bar (2208 W 4th Ave) carries specialty teas that are hand-picked by the owner in the mountains of China, they also serve kombuchaFable (1944 W 4th Ave) home to Top Chef Trevor Bird, the menu offers farm to table cuisine Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe (2095 W 4th Ave) kitschy breakfast and brunch dinerMuseum of Vancouver, Planetarium, Vanier Park, Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver Maritime Museum

K e r r i s d a l eAjisai (2081 W 42 Ave) A very popular sushi bar in Kerrisdale serving up fresh rolls and sashimiFaubourg (2156 W 41st) the original Faubourg cafe from Paris; they have desserts and pastries Secret Garden Tea Company (5559 West Blvd) offers a large list of specialty teas and high tea options

The Bootery (a family shoe store), Bean Brothers Cafe (for people watching), Hills (for shopping)

Arbutus + Dunbar

W. Point Grey + UBC

Neverland Tea Salon offers an affordable but boutique experience of high tea. Jethros Fine Grub was fea-tured in Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives for its hub cap sized bacon infused pan-cakes. The Musqueam Cultural Centre lies in the heart of Dunbar.

Visit the university! It is its own small town. There are plenty of family activities too: Jericho Beach, Spanish Banks, Museum of Anthropology, TRIUMF labs, Pacific Spirit Regional Park, Wreck Beach, Foreshore Trail and the Apple Festival during the fall.

Olympic Village

Broadway

O l y m p i c V i l l a g eTerra Breads (1605 Manitoba St) a bakery with an assortment of breads and pastriesFlying Pig (127 W 2nd Ave) a nouveau Canadian bistroLegacy Liquor Store (2095 W 4th Ave) rare liquors and new spirits are sold here! If you love liquor, it’s like being in a candy store.

Science World, Bird Sculpture, Creekside Park

B r o a d w a yCafe de Salade de Fruits Delicious French brunchBeaucoup Bakery a bakery started by a local legendSuika a small and quaint Japanese tapas and bistro.Bump and Grind a grab and go cafe and coffee place

Take a walk from Main to Macdonald - Broadway will have lots of little shops and locals walking around.

SHAUGHNESSYFamily.

Melting pot.Old & New.

OAKRIDGEMARPOLE

LANGARA

Oakridge

Granville ( SHAUGHNESSY )

O a k r i d g eSushi Miura Cheap sushi and a wonderful sit down experienceMimibulovesme Japanese parfaits and crepes Anna’s Cake Housea popular Asian bakery.Samurai Sushilarge rolls that are ridiculously cheap. And we mean massive!Van Dusen Botanical Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, Bloedel Conservatory, Rose Garden at QE Park

G r a n v i l l eMemphis Blues BBQ and smoke-house - what else can we say?Granville Island Market Assorted cheeses, meats and fresh seafood!Cafe Crepea sit down crepe restaurant with Western food

GO TO GRANVILLE ISLAND: They have lots of food, marine lifestyle and boutiques and arts/culture and a duck pond!

Marpole

Langara

M a r p o l eDublin Crossing a classy Irish pub experiencePink Elephant Thai a quick Thai food restaurant T&T SupermarketCheap Asian groceries & hot food to goGigli Bin MarketAn Italian Market

Cineplex Theatres, Marpole Pavillion, Fraser River Park

L a n g a r aAll You Can Eat India Buffer a little sketchy but an iconic Vancouver curry placeChurch’s Chicken for a late night fix Langara College’s FoodcourtThe only attraction is people watching the red-eyed students

Langara Park is a good run/hike, there’s a pop up art gallery on Ontario & 57th.

HistoryGastown was once an industrial area and has emerged as one of Vancouver’s hot spots for cocktails and dining. With it’s cobbled pavements and the iconic Steam Clock, Gastown is old meets new. Chinatown is gritty but filled with heritage build-ings from the early 1900s. Once a bustling Chinese community, Chinatown is slowly starting to become more densified as more artists and young professionals move into the area. There are still many sights to behold here.

Coal Harbour connects the waterfront district to Stanley Park. Consisting of mainly apartments and condominiums, this area is popular for dog enthusiasts and those who love a nice view of the North Shore. Once filled with warehouses, Yaletown has evolved into a hip and upscale area that the party scenesters go to be seen. Yaletown is known for it’s love of dogs, including several parks dedicated for them.

The West End is known for its beaches, good eats and friendly neighbourhood. Davie Street plays host to one of the largest Pride Parades in North America and welcomes the diversity with beautiful and vibrant rainbow sidewalks. Vancouver’s bustling city core plays host to the Pacific Centre mall and Robson street if you’re a big shopper, but also to our music and art scene with the Vancouver Art Gallery (by donation on Tuesdays) and the Orpheum and Vogue within a 5 minute walk away.

Independent coffee shops, furniture shops, antiques and a rainbow of different cui-sines can be found here on Main street. With a casual, unpretentious atmosphere, Main street is approachable for everyone.

Known as Little Italy, you’ll find many Italian establishments down Commercial Drive, but also many other great restaurants ranging from Indian to Japanese cuisine. Com-mercial Drive is known for it’s large artist population and it’s sometimes eccentric and eclectic neighbourhood.

Strathcona is an up and coming neighbourhood that is known mostly for it’s Industrial areas. But with more and more businesses opening up in the area has attracted more Vancouverites into this area.

Enjoy.

Notes

Sunset is known as Little India with many spice shops, fabrics and dining establishments owned and operated by East Indians. There are pockets of Chinese and Filipino restaurants as well.

Kitsilano is the embodiment of the Vancouverite - living close to the water, healthy living. You’ll often see healthy and active Vancouverites walking their dogs and sipping on their freshly pressed juices wearing yoga pants in this neighbourhood.

Kitsilano has it’s own micro community here that is a diverse mix of sports stores, healthy eateries, Italian, Thai and West Coast restaurants. A pocket community of the middle-upper class.

Kerrisdale has it’s carefully curated fashion shop Hills, boutiques and plenty of coffee shops and specialty tea shops. The area is filled with mostly teenagers who go to the local school and wealthier families.

One of Vancouver’s busiest transit hubs, the Broadway/Fairview area reflects this. Many places to grab and go for food, Whole Foods, banks, the hospital and medical buildings nearby. There are a couple of restaurants and cafes here opened 24 hours or late.

A quieter, older community, Oakridge is centralized by it’s mall and adjacent parks for the entire neighbourhood to enjoy.

Considered one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Vancouver, Marpole has been on a quiet incline recently with the area being upgraded with new eateries and healthy supermarkets.

Ask Josh & Nathalie & Dee for their life stories and more places to visit!

Want to explore more?

NORTH VANCOUVER & WEST VANCOUVER are known for their scenic hikes & boating and luxury lifestyle. Mount Seymour is only an hour away from the city.

RICHMOND is internationally known for its delicious Chinese cuisine & lifestyle. Everything here will not break the bank. SilverCity and Olympic Oval are wonderful family-friendly spots.

BURNABY has one of the largest shopping malls (Metropolis at Metrotown). There are also shidden gems for dining.

TRICITIES has underappreciated gourmet cuisine of all types, shopping centres and upcoming distilleries.

NEW WESTMINSTER has beautiful heritage architecture and is often filmed in. It has many boutiques and a river market.