Find good vibes at Calabash Bistro
Dedicated to celebrating Caribbean culture in Vancouver, its at this laid-back eatery that you’ll find amazing food, a line-up of signature rum cocktails and a lively basement space adorned with local art and live music - Calabash Bistro. Through food, drinks, music and art, they’ve developed an unpretentious landscape that is safe and welcoming for all who visit. Enjoy Calabash’s signature dishes like jerk pork belly, slow braised oxtail, or various curry dishes before heading downstairs for late-night live entertainment on weekends.
Eat your veg at Beetbox
Located in the heart of Vancouver’s West End, you’ll find Beetbox – a colorful counter-service restaurant with some 90s vibes offering an ever-growing community of vegans, vegetarians, and ‘flexitarians’ a homespun menu of plant-based comfort food that includes burgers, fries, and salads. Perfect for casual dine-in, quick pick-up or delivery to enjoy back in your suite.
Treat your tastebuds at Juke Fried Chicken
Photo courtesy of @jukefriedchicken @therichwon
Known for its fried chicken (with gluten-free options that you swear can’t be), sticky pork ribs, and craft beers, Juke Fried Chicken has quickly carved out a reputation for serving up an elevated-yet-fun menu, comprising of the city’s best southern-inspired fare with a side of hip hop. Next door to Juke, you’ll find their cocktail hotspot called Chickadee.
Photo courtesy of @kulakitchen
Bring home the good stuff
No brick-and-motor location for Kula Kitchen as they only do deliveries, but easy online ordering means you can try their Afrocentric plant-based foods that are rich in flavor, nutritious, and oh-so satisfying. Plus their line-up of signature sauces and pre-made meals means less prep after a long day of exploring the city.
Elbo Jamaican Patties, headed up by chef Christopher Boreland who wanted to bring his favorite comfort food to the west coast, serves handcrafted Jamaican patties, delicious coco bread, in-house-made chutneys and sauces available for online ordering in Vancouver.
In Vancouver's Strathcona neighborhood on the east side, you'll find the recently opened Rise Up Marketplace. A local shop serving up fresh baked goods, sandwiches, and a marketplace for quality-made essentials and locally-produced Caribbean favorites like Maureen's Rum Cake and The Real Patty Co. patties.
Photo courtesy of @vanmuralfest @higherpotency @johnsebastiansart @gaysalishart @dreamwalker.x
Take a tour of the Hogan’s Alley Murals
In the early 1900s, an area of the city’s Strathcona neighborhood was once a thriving cultural hub for Vancouver’s Black community, known to locals as Hogan’s Alley. In the early 70’s the building of the city’s viaducts cut through the area and entirely displaced the community. As part of reclaiming Black visibility in the area, the Black Strathcona Resurgence Project has collaborated with an intersection of local artists to create a collection of stunning murals in the area. See the map and learn more about the project here. Included in the collection is ‘Solidarity Storytelling’, created by Chinese artist Emma Xie, Indigenous artist Chase Gray, and Black artist John Sebastian. The mural is “intended for community healing and building towards our futures in solidarity in the city”.
Shop stunning fair-trade textiles from Batiqua
While Batiqua's bricks and mortar store is closed for now, the Vancouver-based textile maker’s online shop features a selection of brightly colored and beautifully patterned, fair-trade home goods made in Zimbabwe.
