A Foodie’s Tour of Granville Island, Vancouver, BC

Places to eat

In the Public Market building, you can choose from a diverse variety of food stalls. Don’t miss the other eateries elsewhere on the island — there are plenty of hidden gems. This is not a complete list, but here is a list of my favorites. Create your own self-guided food tour!

• Terra Breads: This innovative bakery sells a variety of delicious breads (cranberry-pistachio among them) as well as both savory and sweet pastries. Their croissants are among the best I’ve ever had. If you have a sweet tooth, be sure to try the cardamom cruffin!

• Blue Parrot Coffee: Not only a coffee and tea place, but also with a solid selection of sandwiches and baked goods. This kiosk, which offers a great view of the marina, sells a wide variety of flavored coffee drinks — including some topped with delicious chocolate whipped cream.

• La Tortillera: A bright Latin burst in the food court. Their shredded chicken is seasoned just right — not too spicy, but a lot of savory flavor. I love the shredded chicken on their taco salad, which also incorporates their savory black beans and pico de gallo. Pick up some of their housemade guacamole to go!

• JJ Bean: This is the place for espresso purists! You won’t see a large menu here, but they do an amazing job with the basics. They use such high-quality ingredients that the chocolaty flavor of the espresso comes through. I think this is one of the best lattes in the city of Vancouver!

• Gourmet Wok: Delicious Chinese stir-fry at a great price! You will not leave hungry from Gourmet Wok. Try one or two meat or vegetable dishes on top of savory noodles – the two entrée dish is big enough to share! The flavors are bold but not too spicy or sweet.

• Muffin Granny: This is one of the original Granville Island stores, and it still pumps out everyone’s favorite baked goods on a daily basis. Muffin Granny makes my husband’s favorite peanut butter cookies on the planet — they have a shortbread-like texture with tons of peanut butter flavor. You can also choose from a selection of freshly baked muffins and scones. Further, they make delectable sweet and savory crepes fresh to order.

• Public market stalls: Don’t sleep on the stalls brimming with fresh fruit. The glowing piles of fresh berries lure me in every time. It’s such a great healthy accompaniment to all of the less-healthy goodies.

Food shops

Looking for a tasty souvenir? Or, something to cook back at your rental? Look no further! The market vendors have you covered from savory to sweet to exotic.

• Bon Macaron: In my opinion, these are some of the best macarons anywhere. Skip the local Laduree outpost on Robson Street; Bon Macaron has better depth of flavor! Their varieties range from the basic (pistachio) to the unique (blue cheese & pear). They also offer macaron-making workshops!

• Granville Island Licorice Parlour: I know, licorice is a polarizing food. I happen to like licorice, and this store offers over 90 varieties of bulk licorice and other candies. Relive your childhood! (Note: this is not in the Public Market – it’s located near the Kids Market under the Granville Bridge.)

• Longliner Seafoods: THE place to get seafood in the Public Market. They offer fresh local fish if you have cooking facilities. But what I really love is the sweet-savory hit of the candied smoked salmon — it’s a must-try! If you’d like to take any of their goodies home with you, Longliner is happy to help you package up your bounty.

• Olde World Fudge: This kiosk makes fudge and other candies on site. If Tiger Butter is available, try it! This delectable chocolate and peanut butter candy is a fan favorite.

• South China Seas Trading Company: Looking for that exotic ingredient to complete your Asian meal? There’s a good chance that you’ll find it at this store. I could get lost here for hours imagining all the delightful combinations I can create in the kitchen!