Granville Island: a locals’ favorite and a huge draw for visitors

Granville Island is one of the most memorable places in Vancouver, with its lively Public Market, artisanal studio spaces, theatre venues, and diverse food establishments.

Located on False Creek, just beneath the south end of Granville Street Bridge, Granville Island was originally two sandbars where Indigenous peoples seasonally fished and held events and later established a permanent village.

The area came to prominence in 1889 when the original Granville Street bridge was erected to connect both sides of False Creek. The access to water made it attractive to commerce, leading to many mills and factories setting up business by the 1930s. Except for a brief resurgence during World War II—when the name Granville Island emerged—the industrial site saw considerable decline as other forms of transportation overtook shipping by water. Interesting, post-war, Granville Island became a peninsula when parts of False Creek were filled in to join the island with the rest of the city.

Then, in 1973, the Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corporation (CMHC) assumed ownership and rapidly initiated a highly successful revitalization process. What had become industrial wasteland transformed into a mixed-use community space. Old warehouses were repurposed and brightly painted, and a flood of vendors, community groups, and restaurants populated Granville Island.

Given its False Creek location as well as the popularity of its Public Market, Granville Island is a destination for food lovers. Since the 1970s, Granville Island has flourished, attracting millions of visitors every year who adore its charm and community atmosphere. Innovative restaurants and food vendors add vitality to its multifaceted offerings, making Granville Island a very dynamic Vancouver neighbourhood.

What Makes Granville Island Unique as a Dining and Drinking Destination

The culinary centre of Granville Island is without a doubt the Public Market, which launched in 1978, providing visitors with direct access to butchers, fishmongers, produce vendors, and other artisan food companies. The Market also features a food court selling an array of international cuisines, including schnitzel, pad thai, and vegetarian pho. To this day, five of the original vendors are still in the Market, while many other long-term vendors are proud multigenerational enterprises. The significance of the Public Market to Vancouver’s food scene cannot be overstated: it fundamentally changed how people bought groceries and made meals. “People’s eyes were opened in terms of what it was like to eat fresh food,” says Cate Simpson, head of Marketing and Communications as well as Public Affairs for CMHC Granville Island.

Simpson says the Public Market is so exciting because each vendor is an expert in the food they sell, whether it’s Benton Brothers who specialize in fine cheeses or Tenderland who sells gourmet meats and poultry. Simpson says that it’s very common to see local chefs at the market, looking for the freshest fish from a supplier such as Seafood City or chatting with other food vendors about their artisan goods. Many of these food companies, such as Oyama Sausage Co., are innovative pioneers, introducing Vancouver to specialty artisan goods, like modern charcuterie, that the city wasn’t able to purchase before.

Excitingly, the Market continues to evolve. Day vendors sell unique artisanal products while new permanent stalls focus on being local and sustainable. In fact, the Market is expanding into a nearby building to allow room for even more vendors. Lee Murphy, owner of Preservatory Provisions and Toast Bar, originally started selling seasonal local jams at a farmers’ market at Granville Island in 2002. When she saw a space open up in the Public Market, she leapt at the chance. “My whole family loves it here. It’s my mom’s happy place. The vibe is incredible. It’s still such a beloved Market,” Murphy says.

Murphy feels the Public Market and Granville Island are undergoing a renaissance. “I think it’s coming back to what it was twenty years ago. It’s so vibrant down here. You can feel that now when you walk around the Market,” she says. Food establishments collaborate with one another to create exciting new items and also foster community in the process.

Dining establishments, such as Dockside Restaurant and The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant, boast incredible views and exemplary West Coast cuisine. Meanwhile, restaurants such as Alimentaria Mexicana highlight the diversity of Granville Island’s restaurant scene. Stephen Duyzer, Owner and Managing Director of The Vancouver Fish Company, adores his establishment’s proximity to all kinds of entertainment options. “You can make it a dining event. There are so many theatres on Granville Island, and everyone knows about the shopping. All of that makes us unique,” he says. Duyzer believes that Granville Island’s location by the water lends itself to restaurants that spotlight local sustainable seafood, such as sablefish from the Sunshine Coast. “I think us being on a marina surrounded by fish purveyors, that is very unique,” he says.

Alimentaria Mexicana

Finally, Granville Island is a wonderful neighbourhood for having a drink with some casual bites. Many restaurants, such as Tap and Barrel Bridges have amazing patios, as well as extensive drink selections. Granville Island Brewing, one of Canada’s first microbreweries, is still going strong. Its convivial tap room offers flights of beer, in addition to snacks and small plates. The Liberty Distillery, the city’s first 100% craft distillery, features a cocktail lounge and also provides tours with tastings. And Granville Island is home to the nation’s first premium sake winery, Artisan SakeMaker, which has a tasting room for sampling its very original interpretations of sake.

Granville Island Events to Put on Your Calendar

Granville Island is a constant hive of exciting activity. Individual studios host private events, such as workshops and exhibitions, while diverse festivals and concerts take place ­in the various venues as well as outdoor spaces. Granville Island gets in the spirit of numerous seasonal holidays, transforming its already picturesque space with decorations and lights. As well, many theatre companies, such as The Improv Centre, the Arts Club Theatre Company, and Boca del Lupo, are located on the island, offering wonderful and thought-provoking entertainment before or after a meal. Meanwhile, Vancouver Foodie Tours leads regular Granville Island Market Tours where guests can taste the best artisan food items available.

Vancouver Foodie Tours

Numerous major festivals occur annually on Granville Island. The Vancouver International Jazz Festival, which takes place in the summer, holds both free and ticketed shows featuring local and international artists. Besides the many restaurants close to the performance venues, food trucks are usually in attendance, serving eats from all around the world. The Fringe Festival, which happens in September, is a celebration of innovative, provocative, and highly entertaining theatre. Theatre goers can visit the pop-up Fringe Bar, where drinks, live music, and good company can be found.

The Vancouver Writers Fest in October invites local and international writers to participate in readings, talks, and interactive sessions. Many of the events have a culinary component, such as brunch and afternoon tea, so that attendees can savour words as well as food and drink. And finally, events for Latin American Heritage Month occur on Granville Island, showcasing aspects of rich Latin American culture, such as dance, music, art, and, of course, wonderful food.

There’s always something happening on Granville Island, making every visit a unique and vibrant experience.

More Granville Island food options: