Granville Island is one of the top tourist destinations in Vancouver. It actually resides on a peninsula and not on an island. It is home to a large public market, a scenic marina, restaurants and vendors that offer local crafts and goods. This was our second trip to Vancouver and I’m glad we made time to visit this place.
As we entered Granville Island, I was amazed at how extensive it was. There were quite a few retail shops, restaurants and general businesses. As we drove, I even noticed a “Kids Zone”. I quickly regretted that we didn’t devote a day to explore this marketplace.
Public Market inside Granville IslandBeautiful Heirloom TomatoesFilling the baskets with berries
Our driver dropped us off at the designated cabstand. One of the buildings nearby was labeled “Public Market” and so we decided to see if we could find something that would satisfy our need for breakfast. A fair amount of fruit and vegetable vendors were set up. Gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, fresh greens and beautiful organic berries were in abundance. Next to the wall was a full service meat vendor. Preparing bagel sandwichws with smoked meatsAttractive display of macaronsAs we made our way through the market, the vendor changed to crafts and specialty foods like handmade sausages, smoked meats, coffee and tea, hats and jewelry. Long display cases with baked good showed impressive items like croissants, muffins and colorful macarons.
Chicken Pot Pie with a side saladSpinach QuicheBelgium waffle topped with bacon and Canadian maple syrupBacon and egg sandwichHunger eventually gave in and everyone split up and ordered from the different vendors available. One of the most popular items was a chicken pot pie and my wife ordered one. Spinach quiche was another popular item. Cousin Helen ordered the Belgium waffle with bacon and I ordered the croissant with eggs and bacon sandwich from the same vendor. I was quite happy with my breakfast sandwich. The croissant was buttery, flakey and light. It was cut in half length-wise and filled with a fried egg and bacon. Triangular formed hash browns were also included. The bacon was thick and extremely lean.
Assortment of macaronsAfter we finished our breakfast, we continued to walk through the Public Market. Cousin Jason stopped at an olive oil vendor that specialized in infusing it with other flavors. The one that seemed most intriguing to me was the harissa infused olive oil. The girls were enamored with a French macaron baker. He offered interesting flavors like salted caramel, bubble gum and earl grey. They ended up buying a box to enjoy later.
Edible CanadaBecause we had a scheduled time to board our cruise ship, we headed back to the hotel to pack. I’ll definitely return to return to Granville Island as I missed seeing “Edible Canada” and the gourmet chocolate vendor.
