Exploring Vancouver’s roots (Vancouver, BC)
You’ve likely biked or walked around the stunning seawall in Stanley Park. You’ve toured Granville Island, shopped on Robson Street, and visited the sails of Canada Place. Hopefully you’ve eaten copious amount of sushi and dim sum - some of the best outside of Asia. Next, you’ll want to head to where Vancouver began - Gastown. We’ll explore the historic neighbourhood, try an eclectic range of food, and also visit nearby Yaletown. You’ll learn more as we venture through the historic neighbourhoods that help tell the story of this picturesque west coast city.
Note: The area visited on this tour is close to the Downtown Eastside, a neighbourhood that has long faced complex challenges with many people in the area dealing with drug addiction and mental-health issues. It’s not necessarily dangerous but you should be aware and for safety reasons, avoid alleys/side streets, as well as the area of Hastings St. around Main St.
The City of Vancouver is situated on the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Tour map
Starting Point
Begin at the Granville station of Vancouver’s Sky Train. Head to the corner of Seymour St. and Dunsmuir St.
Peaceful Restaurant
602 Seymour St.
11am-9:30pm
Since 1998, Peaceful Restaurant has offered a taste of classic Northern Chinese dishes. One of seven locations across Metro Vancouver, Peaceful’s specialties include dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, and beef rolls (flaky green onion pancakes rolled up with beef slices).
Peaceful’s famous beef rolls (Mar 2019)Head north on Seymour
Turn right on Pender.
Cartem’s Donuts
534 Pender St. W
9:30am to 4:30pm
For the past 10 years, Cartem has been serving some of Vancouver’s most popular donuts from scratch.
Head back to Seymour St.
Turn right on West Cordova St.
Make a slight left onto Water Street.
You’ve now entered the heart of Vancouver’s Gastown. Designated as a National Historic Site, Gastown is Vancouver’s first neighbourhood. It is named for “Gassy” Jack Deighton, a British steamboat captain who ‘gassed’ (talked at length) around town, after he opened a saloon in 1867. After nearly completely destroyed by a fire in 1886, Gastown was rebuilt at the end of the 19th century. Its historic character was preserved after a failed plan to build a highway through the area in the 1960s. Centred on Water Street, Gastown is a hub for restaurants, shopping, and bars,. The famous Gastown Steam Clock is located at the corner of Water St. and Cambie St.
Turn right on Abbott St.
Turn left on West Cordova St.
Tacofino Taco Bar
15 West Cordova St.
11:30am-10pm (to midnight Fri/Sat)
What began as a taco truck in the surf town of Tofino on Vancouver Island, is now a popular spot for tacos and burritos with a dozen locations around Metro Vancouver.
Turnaround and continue on West Cordova St.
Turn left on Cambie St.
Meat & Bread
370 Cambie (corner West Hastings)
11am-3pm Monday to Friday
There’s nothing like the perfect sandwich and Meat & Bread is a top candidate. Meat & Bread is famous for its Porchetta (pork roast), but has a few other options on offer too such as the buffalo chicken and the meatball.
Simple deliciousness at Meat+Bread (Mar 2019)Head south on Cambie St. (for about 800m)
Turn left on Smithe St.
A note about Chinatown
One block south on Cambie St. from Meat+Bread, if you make a left on Pender St. you’ll see the gate marking the entrance to Vancouver’s original Chinatown. While historically one of the largest Chinatowns in North America, unfortunately in recent years, the neighbourhood has seen somewhat of a decline. Many in the city’s Chinese community have recently moved or settled in other areas of the city, including in Richmond south of the city centre. Along with the issues surrounding mental health and additions of the nearby Downtown Eastside also being prevalent here, many businesses have unfortunately closed. However, there are some interesting sights recalling the rich history of the area. These include:
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden -the first Chinese or "scholars" garden built outside of China. The park is free to access but there is an admission fee to access the garden.
Chinese Cultural Centre Museum: a small museum highlighting the Chinese-Canadian experience
Chinatown Memorial Plaza: two bronze statues; one recognizing the thousands of Chinese-Canadians who built the Trans-Canadian railway system, and the other honouring Chinese Canadians who fought in World War II.
Sam Kee Building: The narrowest commercial building in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Many Chinese immigrants came to Vancouver in the late 1800s, with tens of thousands arriving to work on the Canadian Pacific Railway. However, following the railroad’s completion in 1885, the discriminatory Chinese Immigration Act imposed a ‘head tax’ to discourage further immigration. The tax was raised twice between 1885 and 1903. The newcomers who did arrive faced discrimination including riots in 1907 that forced 2000 Chinese immigrants from their home. By 1923, the head tax was replaced with an Act that all but abolished Chinese immigration. Repealed in 1947, immigration remained restrictive until liberalization of immigration policy in the 1960s. Later in the 20th century, the neighbourhood moved from a business district to a cultural destination, with bakeries, restaurants, produce markets, and a popular night market that ran until 2014. Unfortunately many cultural locations have moved elsewhere in the city in recent decades, with the city working to develop a plan to revitalize the area to its former glory days.
Yaletown
Walking south on Cambie St., we’ll eventually enter the neighbourhood of Yaletown. Formerly a warehouse district, since the 1980s, Yaletown is a major destination for restaurants, bars, cafes, and shopping.
Passione Gelato
55 Smithe St.
Noon-10pm (4-10pm on Monday)
Napolitano Salvatore Boccarossa recently opened this gelato shop in Yaletown. A graduate of the Carpigiani Gelato University in Italy, Boccarossa has won awards for his delicious creations.
Turn right on Smithe St.
Turn left on Beatty St.
7 Days Coffee
920 Beatty St.
8am-4pm
End your tour with a drink at a popular local coffee spot.
From here, you can continue to explore Yaletown, walk along False Creek, cross the Cambie Street bridge into Olympic Village or return to the Sky Train at either Yaletown-Roundhouse (Canada Line) or Stadium-Chinatown (Expo Line).
Route Information
Tour map
Start at Granville station.
Head to the corner of Seymour St. and Dunsmuir St.
Peaceful Restaurant (602 Seymour)
Head north on Seymour
Turn right on PenderCartem’s Donuts (534 Pender St. W)
Head back to Seymour St.
Turn right on Cordova St.
Make a slight left onto Water Street into the heart of GastownTurn right on Abbott St.
Turn left on West Cordova St.Tacofino Taco Bar (15 West Cordova St.)
Turnaround and continue on West Cordova St.
Turn left on CambieMeat & Bread (370 Cambie St.)
Head south on Cambie St. (for about 800m)
Turn left on Smithe St.Passionate Gelato (55 Smithe St.)
Turn right on Smithe St.
Turn left on Beatty St.7 Days Coffee (920 Beatty)
Post-tour options: explore Yaletown, and False Creek, cross the bridge to Olympic Village, or return to SkyTrain (Yaletown-Roundhouse or Stadium-Chinatown).