Welcome to “Little Italy.” Located on the east side of the city, the Drive is overflowing with Italian coffee bars, bakeries and restaurants. Arriva Ristorante, at 1537 Commercial Drive, has over 30 different pasta sauces on its menu. I’d recommend the Pennette Con Pollo Affumicato (smoked chicken and peas in a cream sauce) as long as you’re not watching the calories. Be sure and ask if they have any St. Honore Cake that day. Although it’s not on the menu, occasionally they’ll have this delicious Italian rum cake available.
And it’s not just about food. Peek in the window of Kalena’s Shoes (1526 Commercial Dr.) and admire the exquisite Italian footwear. Want to liven up the walls at home? Artrageous Prints and Framing specializes in ready-to-hang artwork as well as a great selection of prints.
But the best thing to do here is to simply people watch. Commercial Drive is surrounded by a remarkably diverse neighborhood, and the sidewalks are always filled with people. You could easily spend a few hours outside a coffee bar with your biscotti and cappuccino and just watch the world go by.
Granville Island
One of the most popular destinations in Vancouver, Granville Island is located at the end of a peninsula between downtown Vancouver and the rest of the city. For this reason, do not even think about driving there, parking is virtually impossible. Hop the bus or take one of the jaunty little blue and white ferries that take passengers between downtown and the island.
The main attraction is the huge covered market with its produce stands, butcher shops, cheese emporiums and decadent desserts. You could easily spend an hour or two simply strolling the aisles, admiring all the wares for sale. In addition to food, hand crafted jewelry and clothing can also be found for sale. There are also plenty of vendors with take out food to purchase. Grab a sandwich and head out to the dock to watch the sailboats cruise by.
Traveling with little ones? They’re certain to enjoy the Kid’s Only Market. Two playgrounds, including a water slide in the summer, will keep them entertained while you relax. In addition, there are plenty of shops geared strictly to kids as well as face painters and video games.
Bridges Restaurant, painted in bright yellow, is a landmark on Granville Island. Featuring outside seating on the dock, it’s the perfect place to spend a warm, summer evening. How about a glass of Pinot Blanc and an order of chilled Dungeness crab with spicy mayonnaise? Life doesn’t get much better than this.