Vera's Burger Shack - Wrap your lips around these burgers

No matter how many wonderful and varied things there are to eat in the world, sometimes there's just nothing like a nice burger, and the bigger the better. Vera's Burger Shack has become one of the best places in Vancouver to indulge in your hunger for burgers, and Olympic fans with an appetite, a love for beef patties and a sense of humor will find themselves very pleased indeed!


About the restaurant: Vera's Burger Shack is a local Vancouver-owned franchise of restaurants sprinkled all over the city, particularly downtown and in Kitsilano. They all share a very basic and sparse decor that echoes that of a 50's burger joint, with simple booth seating at small square tables. The walls are covered with tongue-in-cheek menus and posters listing all the available trimmings and asserting that their version of a "low fat" burger involves taking off the bun. All in all, it's not the best in terms of comfort or atmosphere, as there isn't much in terms of music or television and the seats aren't the most comfortable, but it's certainly servicable for what it is. The servers at the cash register are friendly and boast a cheerful sense of humor, often joking with customers and laughing. However, there is no table service; you come up to the counter to pick up your meal. Also, the food here takes a bit longer to prepare than other fast food restaurants, so be prepared to wait a little while. Many people take this into account and prefer to phone ahead (or order online).


The food: Like Memphis Blues, Vera's Burger Shack makes absolutely no pretense at being a "healthy" eating establishment. This is not where you come when you're on diet; this is where you come when you're dying for a giant juicy burger and a mountain of crispy fries drizzled with sauce. And boy, does Vera's nail it. Their burger menu reads like a love letter to meat, cheese and veggies, with dishes like the Cantor (which is topped with a giant slice of salami and fried onions), the BBQ burger (provolone, BBQ sauce, fried onions and bacon) and the Baja Burger (cheese, guacamole, salsa and hot peppers). You can also customize your burger with a huge variety of toppings, including "The Usual Suspects" (ketchup, mustard, lettuce, etc) and more unusual trimmings like roasted garlic, fried egg and blue cheese. You can also select different patties such as veggie, lamb and turkey, allowing for further customization. Naturally, by the time you're finished crafting your monster burger, it's the size of... well, a monster.

Taken from Vera's Burger Shack.

All the ingredients are fresh and tasty, and the burger is moist, savory and absolutely perfect. The beef patties particularly are of really high quality, with a taste that evokes that of a sirloin steak. The juice soaks into the toppings and bun and makes the experience a satisfying (if somewhat messy!) affair. Just try to have one on an empty stomach, as the sheer weight of meat and toppings is extremely rich and filling.


If burgers aren't your thing, try one of Vera's hot dogs, which applies the same love of mountainous toppings to wieners. Vera's fries also deserve special mention; they're thick and crispy, with the skin still on, and fantastic for any fry fanatic. And yes, you can also order poutine here! Round it up with some yam fries, onion rings, milkshakes and so on, and you have a superlative burger experience!


My favourites: The Cantor, the Vera Burger, the BBQ burger, Vera's fries.


Cost: Vera's burgers are a bit more expensive than in comparable places (certainly far more than McDonalds) but that befits the excellent ingredients and giant size. The basic burgers cost about $6, while the speciality burgers loaded with meat and cheese go from anywhere from $9 to $11. Upgrading to a combo (drink and fries) is an extra $4. You can often get slightly better deals by ordering their daily special; each day features one burger at a reduced price.


Take-out?: Yes. Not only that, but you can order ahead online or over the phone.


Delivery?: No.


Licensed?: No.


Website and menu: Here.


Location(s): There are several branches of Vera's located downtown, in Kitsilano, and in other areas of the city including the airport. Link to Google Maps.


Summary: Burger lovers both local and international should take the time to try Vera's Burger Shack. One bite and you'll be converted. Just be sure to use the napkin... you'll need it!

Sophie's Cosmic Cafe - Where Vancouver comes for breakfast

Hello, Olympic fans! Sick of lineups yet? While waiting to get into a place can always be frustrating, it's often a good sign when you're looking for a good restaurant; after all, if a restaurant is popular enough to attract a large number of people as well as keep them waiting, it's got to be something pretty special! In the case of Sophie's Cosmic Cafe, a favorite with locals, the attraction is a friendly and welcoming staff, a funky decor, and large breakfasts guaranteed to send you away with a full stomach.


About the restaurant: Despite the name, Sophie's Cosmic Cafe does not go in for futuristic or sci-fi decor. Instead, like the Old Spaghetti Factory, it focuses on nostalgic and vintage memorabilia, but with a simpler approach. The walls are festooned with random knicknacks like old tricycles, license plates and children's toys. The old collectibles are coupled with a sort of kitchy 50's diner color scheme, making it seem like a bit of a trip back in time. The waiters and waitresses are very welcoming and friendly, although they can get a bit harried and busy at times. The atmosphere is very homey, with people chatting and laughing. All in all, this is the sort of place where even a first visit makes you feel like a regular, part of the relaxed and warm feeling.


Note that lineups are particularly long on Sundays, as their Sunday brunches are very popular.


The food: Sophie's offers great fare common with casual family diners. Some people have had so-so experiences (reviews on Urbanspoon speak of frozen fries and cold scrambled eggs) but my breakfast and brunch visits have always left me full and very happy. The portions are huge and perfect for an empty stomach, and the food is very savory and satisfying. I'm particularly fond of their Belgian waffles, which are topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries and tastes delightfully sweet. The hash browns are also really tasty, with just the right amount of seasoning. The best part of breakfast at Sophie's, though, is having a tall frosty milkshake with your meal. As a huge milkshake fan, I appreciate the chance to indulge; the milkshakes are thick and sweet and provide an unusual but tasty counterpoint to the breakfast meal. They also come in a wide variety of flavors, including coconut, almond and orange.

Taken from Erika on Urbanspoon.

While Sophie's is most famous for its breakfasts, its lunches and dinners are nothing to sneeze at, offering a respectable selection of burgers, sandwiches, and even entrees like oyster soup and roasted chicken. Save room for dessert, though... with such tempting items like Belgian chocolate cheesecake and an absolute *mountain* of an apple pie, there's plenty to appeal to your sweet tooth!


One last thing Sophie's is famous for is its hot sauce, which goes well with everything from eggs to fries. If you find yourself falling in love with it, you can buy a bottle for $5, making a nice and cheap culinary souvenir.


My favourites: Belgian waffle, vanilla milkshake.


Cost: While slightly more expensive than similar diners, Sophie's still offers a nice bang for your buck thanks to its large portions. Most dishes are around $10, with some of the more expensive dishes clocking in at $20. 


Take-out?: Yes.


Delivery?: No.


Licensed? Yes.


Location(s): Sophie's Cosmic Cafe is in Kitsilano, on 4th Avenue not far from Granville Island. Link to Google Maps.


Website and menu: The main site is currently down for reworking, but you can still access chunks of the site here, including pictures of some of the menu favorites.


Summary: Sophie's Cosmic Cafe has been a Vancouver favorite for years, drawing locals to line up cheerfully every day for its warm atmosphere and satisfying breakfasts. Olympic visitors wanting to see where we go when we're not partying in the streets should take the time and brave one more lineup... I think you'll find it worth the trip!

Olympic Bites - LiveCity Yaletown

LiveCity Yaletown is proving one of the most popular and exciting party venues for the Vancouver Olympics. I made it there for the first time on Wednesday and cheered along with hundreds of other Canadians as we took the silver medal for speed skating. But all that cheering makes a fan hungry. What was the food like?


The venue: LiveCity Yaletown, near David Lam Park.
The meal: Bison burger, shrimp dumplings
The price: $13 ($8 for the burger, $5 for the dumplings)

The impression: I was expecting the same kind of food at LiveCity Yaletown as LiveCity Vancouver,  so imagine my surprise when the concessions featured a variety of international cuisine! Separate windows offered food from Greece (gyros and donairs), India (mostly curries), Italy (pizzas and calzones), China (noodles, fried rice and dim sum items), Jamaica (jerk chicken and patties) and Canada (hot dogs, burgers etc). I really appreciated the nod to Canada's multi-cultural background (but what, no Japanese?!) as well as the attempt to offer some variety. I decided to try the bison burger from the Canadian booth and the shrimp dumplings from the Chinese.

First things first... the bison burger was a big disappointment. I had high hopes as I love both beef and burgers and thought it would be something really cool and unusual, but the taste was underwhelming and the presentation was very bad. The burger patty was simply cut in half and shoved into a hot dog bun. It was very awkward to hold and eat, doubly so when I tried to add toppings as well. The patty itself was interesting, with a slightly saltier, gamier taste than regular beef burgers, but it wasn't worth what I paid for it. All in all, I was very let down.

Luckily, the shrimp dumplings were there to save the day, and save it they did in fine fashion. Initially I was concerned as the "skin" seemed a bit rubbery, but as soon as I bit into the shrimp insides I was in heaven. Sweet, moist and tender, the dumplings were set off to perfection with a tangy soy sauce (you can also ask for spicy sauce). An experienced dim sum expert might not be impressed, but I certainly was, and would happily order these again. Not only that, but they seemed remarkably well priced compared to other overpriced options.

The verdict: I much prefer the food here to that at LiveCity Vancouver; there's more variety, and there really are some gems here. Next time I come back, I want to try more of the Chinese food, or perhaps try some Jamaican, Greek or Italian dishes. Having said that, I do recommend giving the bison burger a miss; there's a lot better food to spend your money on.

Olympic Bites - Cypress Mountain

Hey everyone! Hope you're enjoying the Olympics as much as I am! For those planning to make it up to Cypress Mountain for the events, here's a quick review of the concession up there.



The venue: Cypress Mountain, near the half-pipe/snowboard cross runs.
The meal: Homemade clam chowder + hot chocolate
The price: $9 ($6 for the chowder, $3 for the hot chocolate)

The impression: Firstly, the venue gets unavoidable marks off due to concession location, although it's not really anyone's fault. See, the  concession is situated behind the bleachers at the base of the hill, which wouldn't be so bad... if the bleachers didn't have over 200 stairs to climb to get up to your seat. What this means is that if you go, take your seat, then go back later for a bite to eat, you will be climbing over 400 stairs (or at least what feels like it!) and wiping yourself out. My legs felt like noodles by the time I got back to my seat. With this in mind, I'd recommend grabbing a bite to eat when you first arrive before you take to the stands; if not, at least try and get all your food in one go, and be sure to get enough drinks/etc for the rest of the event.


Having said all that, the food itself was pretty darned good, almost worth the climb. I was not expecting great things from the clam chowder, but was very pleasantly surprised to find it was absolutely excellent. It had a nice and subtly spicy kick to it, and went down smooth without being cloying or overly thick. The pieces of clam and potato were a little small, but there was more than enough of them, and they were tender and fresh. The packaged crackers made a perfect addition to the soup.

The hot chocolate was also excellent. The chocolate was extremely rich and strong with a sweet taste. My dad thought it was a little too sweet, but for me it was just right.

The verdict: If you can bear the inflated prices and the long stair climb, the food at Cypress Mountain is more than satisfying enough to tide over sports fans. The clam chowder particularly is fantastic and well worth a taste. Just try to grab it on your way up!

My Top 5 Japanese Restaurants

As I'm sure is quite clear by now, I have a thing for Japanese food. And I'm not alone; wherever you go in Vancouver, you will find plenty of sushi bars and Japanese restaurants to tempt your fancy. For international Olympic visitors, it can be a little daunting... after all, which places are best? Where should you eat?

Well, I am but one fan of Japanese food, but I do have a list of favorite places to go for a wonderful Japanese meal. All of these places have kept me coming back again and again and have stood out in my mind as unique and outstanding examples of Japanese cuisine. I've covered several of them before, but here they are in a ranked list. This is only my personal list, but considering what a fan I am, it should prove at least somewhat useful!

5. Japadog

Although Japadog is indeed a fantastic place to eat, I nearly didn't add it as it's not what one would usually call a "Japanese restaurant." It's a hot dog stand, after all! But the addition of authentic ingredients and flavors make this uniquely Japanese in its own way; the okonomi dog, for example, does a great job of echoing the original dish that inspires it. Use of seaweed, plum, edamame and other elements make this stand out not only next to hot dog stands but to plenty of "real" Japanese restaurants, propelling it to the number five spot.

4. TIE: Richmond Sushi and One More Sushi

Richmond Sushi is the restaurant that introduced me to the joys of all you can eat sushi.  It's fast, cheap, and very satisfying. I particularly fell in love with their chopped scallop sushi, although since then Shin Ju has replaced them in my affections. If you are in Richmond for Olympic events, it's a great place to scope out for those hungry for sushi.

As for One More Sushi, it's a fantastic option for those on the UBC campus. As an undergrad, I went here almost every week for four years running. It doesn't hurt that it offers warm, comforting food for a student's budget. I think the thing that kept me coming back again and again was the katsudon; the egg and sauce was moist and sweet and soaked into the vermicelli and rice perfectly. It also did excellent seafood motoyaki (which is entirely too easy to mess up, in my experience).

3. TIE: Guu and Gyoza King

I really can't choose between these two places; they're both excellent examples of izakaya dining. Guu commands a bit more popularity among Vancouver foodies and has more experimental dishes available, but Gyoza King commands a lot of loyal customers and offers a welcoming, homey atmosphere as well as both soothing and adventurous dishes (only try the natto if you're willing to take a risk!) Both restaurants attract a lot of Japanese ex-pats as well as food fans like myself, and they both are staffed by cheerful waiters and waitresses eager to serve. If you want something more than just sushi and noodles, you must try one or both of these places!

2. Shin Ju

Nothing quite beats good Japanese delivery, and Shin Ju... well, delivers! Sit in customers can enjoy the same super-fast service as well as a wide assortment of great sushi and unusual dishes like okonomiyaki and takoyaki. There's also a really robust all-you-can-eat option for lunch and dinner that's guaranteed to fill you up. This has been one of my favorite places in Vancouver for years and continues being my delivery of choice during weekends. 

1. Kadoya

When a Vancouver sushi restaurant manages to outshine sushi back in Japan, you know you've found something special. Kadoya has some of the best rolls around, with plenty of mouth-watering toppings and fillings to satisfy any diner. Locals and Olympic visitors alike will find this place not only a good deal but a great restaurant in general. If you want to experience the best sushi that Vancouver has to offer without paying gourmet prices, don't leave the city without dropping by!




And there you have it, my top recommendations for Japanese food. What better way to fill up after the Opening Ceremonies?



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Shin Ju – My Japanese restaurant of choice for three years running.

Not many people know about Shin Ju. It doesn’t come up on the “best of Vancouver” websites, or on sushi recommendations, or what have you. To this day, I have no idea why, because besides Kadoya, this is easily my favorite Japanese restaurant in all of Vancouver. It’s cheap, it’s tasty, and it has both timeless classics and a few unusual items on the menu. Better still, they do both take-out and super-fast delivery… as I know after ordering from them for three years! And if that weren’t enough, they offer excellent all you can eat! If I accomplish nothing else with this blog, getting more love for Shin Ju would be enough.

And now for something completely different! I have actually done a “proper” food review for Shin Ju as part of a course on food and travel writing. For those that are looking for a more indepth look at some of the meals there, check it out here. For those that want a shorter summary, read on!

About the restaurant:  Shin Ju is a modest and unassuming restaurant on Broadway St., not unlike countless other establishments in the area. It’s a decent size, and there’s usually no wait for a table. One wall is dominated by large windows and it’s well lit, but the décor is… well, it’s all right, but it’s a bit of a mishmash of Japanese knickknacks like sake bottles and Hokusai prints. They have one flatscreen TV but it’s only viewable in the front area; diners in the back alcove will not be able to watch the Olympics here.

The staff is quite friendly, and more importantly, very fast. Usually items are served to you before you can blink. While they do have their hiccups – I’ve been left waiting a few times, and getting a refill on your water can be hard – they are exceptionally good for the most part. That goes double for their delivery. While they usually say it will take 45 minutes to deliver the food, they usually show up after 20, if that. Of course, this might be because I’m a very regular customer…

The food:  At first glance, people might pass over Shin Ju as being like any other sushi restaurant in the city. They are missing something really great, however, as Shin Ju wins major points for both excellent food and unusual dishes.

Shin Ju offers plenty of the regular items you would expect in a Japanese restaurant: California rolls, beef teriyaki rice bowls, ramen and so on. However, if you check out the appetizer section, you’ll find some great authentic dishes not normally found in many Vancouver restaurants. My favorite example is okonomiyaki. A sort of weird cross between a pancake and a pizza, okonomiyaki consists of a flatcake fried with a mix of cabbage and seafood topped with fish flakes, mayonnaise and a sweet sauce. Takoyaki is another good example: small chunks of octopus deep fried in moist balls of batter, like a dumpling. I’ve always loved okonomiyaki and takoyaki but despaired of finding places in Vancouver that served them; Shin Ju has therefore remained on my top list of places to go.

Having said that, everything on the menu is excellent. The ingredients are fresh, and everything comes straight to the table still warm from the fryer or grill (the yam tempura roll is particularly good, the cool rice a great juxtaposition to the warm golden yam).

Special note should go to Shin Ju’s all you can eat menu. Recently revamped to broaden the selection, customers can choose from a wide variety of sushi, gyoza, robata and grilled items as well as ramen, yakisoba and so on. Between the fast service, the good quality, the assortment and the price, this is an excellent way to save money, try lots of different things and walk out with a very full stomach.

My favourites:  Okonomiyaki, takoyaki, #7 take out special, ebi gyoza, yam tempura roll, beef teriyaki don, tuna sashimi, most of the all-you-can-eat menu… the list goes on.

Cost:  Very reasonable; it’s comparable to many other midrange sushi restaurants, but the portions and variety make it a better deal overall. All you can eat is $17 in the evenings ($12 during the day), and it’s very easy to eat enough to make it worthwhile. Most of the appetizers are around $3-5, with most sushi rolls coming in around $4. The only really expensive items tend to be the sashimi, with an assorted platter coming in at $18.

Take-out?:  Yes. Not only that, but take-out orders get 15% off. Note that their take-out menu is much smaller than their sit-in menu, but you are able to order things from the sit-in menu regardless (e.g. okonomiyaki)

Delivery?:  Yes, for orders over $15. Make sure to call ahead during the Olympics to check for road closures.

Licensed?:  Yes.

Location(s):  Shin Ju is on the corner of Broadway and Hemlock, near the major transit hub of Granville and Broadway. Link to Google Maps.

Website and menu: Here.

Summary:  If you are looking for a Japanese restaurant that offers high quality food at a good price, look no further. If you would like great service for take-out and delivery, this is the place to come. Shin Ju remains one of my favorite places to eat in Vancouver.

Stepho's - Worth the wait

If you find yourself walking along Davie Street around dinnertime, chances are you will see a rather long lineup on one side of the street, eager patrons waiting patiently to get inside one of the most popular restaurants in the area. The restaurant in question is Stepho’s, and while the reason for its popularity is still hotly debated, it certainly offers some excellent Greek food.

About the restaurant:  Stepho’s is located near Burrard and Davie, an area known for its quirky alternative roots and “best kept secret” restaurants. There are several other great restaurants nearby – such as Samurai and Kadoya – but something about this place keeps the lineups out the door. Not that the interior is particularly small! The restaurant itself is of a decent size, with several slightly segregated areas for seating. The décor is a sort of chintzy knockoff of stereotypical Greek island architecture; white walls, tiled roofs, and Greco-Roman clay accoutrements.  The servers are friendly, but be prepared to have to listen carefully; the restaurant is often noisy and bustling with people.


Note that, if you want to reduce line-up time or even avoid the line altogether, your best bet is to call ahead for take-out.

The food: All right, confession time, I’ve only been here once in order to review it for this blog, so I sadly cannot offer a comprehensive review. Having said that, I actually am not a fan of Greek food so the fact that I came away really enjoying the meal I had says volumes! While there are plenty of dishes for Greek fans, items like the roast lamb dinner and the calamari are appetizing to everyone.

I suspect that part of the reason this place is so popular is due to the portion sizes. They are absolutely enormous. One of my friends who goes to Stepho’s regularly says he has yet to try their desserts because their entrees are always so filling. It certainly helps that the food itself is extremely tasty and well-cooked. The flavors are incredibly rich and stay with you a long time. The roast lamb especially was moist and tender, with the meat and fat falling off the bone. The rice was a great counterpoint. The calamari was also excellent, with jut the right amount of batter. If I had to level a complaint, I’d say that some of the dishes were a tiny bit more fatty than some people might like, but I enjoyed it thoroughly.


My favourites:  Roast lamb dinner, calamari.


Cost:  Extremely reasonable for the amount you get. The roast lamb dinner was under $10, as are most of the entrees on the menu, and it was more than enough to fill me up.


Take-out?:  Yes.


Delivery?:  No.


Licensed?:  Yes.


Location(s):  Stepho’s is on Davie Street, near the Burrard intersection.  Link to Google Maps.


Website and menu: No official website, but menu available here.


Summary:  If you have a yearning for Greek food and want to go to the place all the locals go, Stepho’s should be your number one destination. It’s cheap, filling, and good, and even though the lineups can be a bit annoying, it’s good to know a restaurant is popular enough to have Vancouver beating a path to its door.

Granville Island Public Market - Part 2

Welcome back to my two part special on Granville Island Public Market! In Part 1 I covered several restaurants and shops that I’ve been meaning to try. Why haven’t I tried them yet? Well, several reasons… but mostly because I’m too busy going back to the places I already know and love!

Thus, for Part 2, I’ll be covering my favorites, the restaurants and shops that keep me coming back again and again. Let’s get started!

Gourmet Wok

This is probably my favorite place to eat lunch on Granville Island, bar none. Despite being just a “fast food” Chinese restaurant, the food is really fresh, tasty and well prepared. I have several friends who swear up and down that their fried rice is the best in the city, while I have a mad and passionate love for their Shanghai fried noodle and honey garlic pork. As per most fast food Chinese places, you can assemble your own combo, with rice or noodles + 3 entrees for $7.

Market Grill

Whenever I’m on Granville Island and in the mood for a burger, this is where I come; it’s also the best place for a savory breakfast, with breakfast sandwiches, scrambled eggs and so on. Great hash browns as well! As for their burgers, I am particularly fond of their Hawaiian burger, which features teriyaki sauce and a slice of pineapple. Note that the Market Grill is not in the main food court but rather across the outdoor courtyard.

Muffin Granny

As the name would suggest, this place offers plenty of baked goods such as muffins and cookies, but that’s not what I come here for. No, I come for the delicious crepes, made fresh while you wait. I particularly love their strawberry crepe with whipped cream; it’s a great breakfast or sweet dessert. Be warned, however, that the lineup for crepes can be quite long, and it takes a while to make the crepes.

A La Mode

A La Mode specializes in pie, be it savory pot pies or dessert pies.  Actually, pot pie is a bit of a misnomer, as the taste and presentation is often more like an incredibly thick and creamy soup in a bowl, covered with freshly baked pastry. Either way, it’s absolutely delicious. Like many other restaurants in Granville Island Public Market, A La Mode also offers frozen versions of their dishes to take home and cook; you can look through three freezers full of different pot pies and desserts. Note that, like the Market Grill, A La Mode is in a separate area than the main food court.

Blue Parrot Espresso Bar

A pleasant little café at the end of the food court, Blue Parrot Espresso Bar offers one of the nicest indoor seating areas, with picture windows on all sides overlooking False Creek and the beautiful views of downtown. The food and drinks themselves are also very nice, with fluffy muffins and good coffee. I particularly like their steamed milk with vanilla.

Nons Drinks to Go

Another café, this one near A La Mode and Market Grill. It offers the usual round of espresso, cappuccino and so on, but what I really like are their Italian sodas. Customers can select and mix several fruit flavored sodas to their liking, resulting in a fizzy drink that’s far less sweet than regular pop. I am partial to a mix of orange and vanilla, but next time I intend to try strawberry and vanilla instead.

Granville Island Tea Company

Nestled deeper in the market, Granville Island Tea Company is the perfect place to go if you are a tea aficionado, or just feel like trying some unusual organic teas. Boasting pots of every kind of tea leaf imaginable, this place has a timeless, classic quality to it. If a tea exists, chances are they serve it. Bonus points go to them for their incredibly authentic matcha blend.

Stuart’s Bakery

Moving away from restaurants and cafes into actual shops, I’m a big fan of Stuart’s Bakery. It is, unfortunately, a bit expensive, but the desserts, breads and pastries on offer here are fantastic. I am a particular fan of their cinnamon bun loaf, an entire loaf of bread smothered with icing and baked with a cinnamon spiral inside. Their cookies are tasty and their other breads are always fresh and satisfying. But mostly I just love them for creating one of the best things ever: apple caramel cheesecake. That alone keeps me coming back again and again and again…

Candy Kitchen

If your sweet tooth tends more to the chocolate and candy side, the Candy Kitchen is a great place to visit. It has a lot of rare candies (not to mention collector Pez dispensers) so you may find some old childhood favorites here and nowhere else.

Olde World Fudge

More chocolate! This is a lovely little fudge producer that offers some really nice flavors, like cookies and cream or maple fudge. The best part is that you can buy samplers of fudge as well as entire slices.

Edible British Columbia

If you are looking for some culinary souvenirs of your Olympic visit but don’t want to go with overpriced or touristy packaged salmon, why not give this place a visit? Edible British Columbia’s main purview is selling any and all foods, drinks and snacks produced in British Columbia. This means you can find anything from marinades to syrups to chocolate and back again. Also, if you’re really interested in indulging in culinary pursuits during your stay, EBC also runs tours of Granville Island Public Market to help budding chefs get the most out of their visit.

Dussa’s Ham and Cheese

Everyone I know raves about Oyama Sausage, but for some reason I prefer to go here for my meat. I’m not sure why… force of habit? Faster service? Whatever the reason, their pancetta is really good, and they do some of the best honey garlic pepperoni I’ve ever tasted. If you’re looking to save money, pick up one of their assorted meat packs; they’re great for sandwiches.

La Baguette  et L’Echalote Bakery

Technically I’m cheating by including this, as it’s not in the market itself; rather, it’s directly outside one of the main entrances. I like it enough to make mention of it, though, as it offers some really nice bread at more reasonable prices than Stuart’s.  A bakery with a distinct French vibe both in the service and the food, La Baguette offers tons of different options for bread and pastries. My personal favorite is the bag of half-baked French rolls; they’re cheap, and when you bake them at home, they fill the whole place with a mouthwatering aroma. Also, check out the little courtyard in front, as there are often buskers and musicians performing here.

Lee’s Donuts

Ah, Lee’s Donuts. I’ve saved the best for last. Lee’s does fantastic donuts in general, including some unusual flavors like mango or marble chocolate. They also allow you to buy frozen donuts to stash in your freezer for a later date. But really, they deserve fame and fortune for one really, really good reason.

They make the largest apple fritters in the universe.

I’m dead serious. I cannot fully convey to you how freakishly, awesomely huge their apple fritters are. These things can be used as flotation devices.

To give you an idea, here’s a picture of one, with a pencil beside it for comparison. Also, the plate in this picture is a dinner plate.

Not only is it absolutely huge, but it’s also ridiculously tasty, with a crispy sugary outer skin and real apple filling. Oh, and did I mention this monster of a donut is only $4?

I love Lee’s Donuts. 

Thanks for reading, and remember to check out the Granville Island directory for more info on these restaurants and on the island itself.