The GOODS from Granville Island

Vancouver, BC | ‘Grocery shopping’ doesn’t need to be a dirty term. Once you eschew the insufferable, sterile linoleum and halogen supermarket glow, and ditch the tedious shopping list, procuring provisions can actually be a pleasurable experience. At Granville Island’s Public Market your instincts are your best guide to stocking your fridge and pantry, and inspiring your at-home menus. The hours spent shopping feel like a pastime and source of inspiration and nothing like a chore.

For starters, produce is elevated, both literally and figuratively, via the various stalls’ displays of seemingly enormous artistic and technical feats. A tower of perfect, jumbo cherries or strawberries is difficult to resist and, once you give in, it’s doubtful that the fruit will survive your journey home, except for in your stomach.

From nature’s innate beauty to the baker’s skill…you’d have to be inhuman to abstain from the sugary artistry of the Market’s many bakeries and patisseries (a mini cheesecake from Stuart’s may be exactly what you need to sustain your energy whilst strolling through the aisles).

Now that you have fuelled up, it’s time to get down to business. Start with basics, like bread and cheese. Try a round of “Frisky” ash ripened Mt. Lehman goats milk from Dussa’s paired with baguette from A Bread Affair (immediately outside of the main Market area).

On to the main course: fresh, local ingredients speak for themselves but can take a turn for the adventurous with the easy addition of one of the Stock Market’s compound butter or dressing inventions. BC spot prawns and grilled asparagus with skewered shiitake mushrooms, smothered in Key Lime & Ginger Butter, for instance. Or, for a more Mediterranean flavour, skip the butter and toss the above ingredients with their Harissa-spiked Spicy Greens vinaigrette with some olives and local lettuce, for a simple salad.

Speaking of olives: it’s easy to go overboard at Zara’s Pasta which, in addition to their fresh noodles and ravioli, also offer a variety of regionally-specific, imported olives available in bulk, to fulfill all of your picnicking, cooking and cocktail embellishment needs. But don’t bypass the pasta: a couple of knots of linguine is a no-brainer for dinner; and the addition of wild fiddleheads or those aforementioned spot prawns (the season is short so get them while you can!) is guaranteed to impress anyone you’re cooking for.

If you have even a single indecisive bone in your body, likely it will present itself at Bon Macaron. Who knew that so much delight and such a myriad of flavours could be contained in these airy, two-bite French pastries? If you want a truly unique dessert experience, turn to their selection of macarons featuring ingredients from other Granville Island vendors, including Artisan Sake Maker, Granville Island Tea Company and Chilliwack River Valley Natural Honey.

Details

Granville Island
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Open 7 days a week | 9am-7pm

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 About Granville Island

Granville Island is an urban haven spilling over with fine restaurants, theatres, galleries and studios, and of course, fresh food. For over 35 years, the Public Market has delighted Vancouverites. Some of the Market’s businesses continue to flourish after 20, 25, and even 35 years on Granville Island. Some of the newer businesses are fast becoming Vancouver traditions in their own right. You’ll find over 50 passionate experts eager to share their knowledge on everything there is to know about their offerings of fresh produce, gourmet foods, baked goods, seafood, and more.

Granville Island’s restaurants are downright tantalizing, ranging from laid-back West Coast to elegantly gourmet. A romantic night out, a café lunch with friends, meeting the gang for patio cocktails at sunset…our places cover the waterfront. Outdoor seating extends out onto old wooden piers, providing an up close view of Vancouver’s scenic water life along with your meal.

Along with the Railspur District with handmade apparel and jewelry, The Net Loft Shops with arts and crafts, local breweries & distilleries, and annual events and festivals into the mix, Granville Island is a destination where locals and visitors come together to be inspired, entertained, or simply to relax in a truly unique atmosphere.