By JP McGlynn; Gastown BIA
Cambie is a lengthy path, running from Water Street to Marine Drive.
In our little portion, one will find such an eclectic mix of inhabitants that you’ll know for sure you’re in Gastown. Here you’ll find one of the best coffee shops in the city, an organic clothing store for babies, a fetish wear shop, a community pub, a meatball speciality restaurant, another great pub, an authentic Korean kitchen, a native art gallery, designer bridal shop, eyewear store, tarot reading and spiritual shop and in a basement – a store called The Basement.
Perhaps you’ll imagine yourself in a daze; a waking dream where nothing is as it should be. Well of course it’s not. It’s Gastown.
Welcome to our Cambie Street.
Photo: yellowpages.ca
Ollie Quinn – Founded in 2012 to provide quality prescription glasses, sunglasses and non-prescription polarized sunglasses at a fair price to the style savvy. Ollie Quinn strives to deliver fantastic eyewear at a reasonable price, backed up by great service. Frames are designed in-house using carefully sourced materials.
Photo: harukoreankitchen.com
Haru Korean Kitchen with its warm, cosy, and minimalist interior is a small eatery run by Heui Jeong and her mom, Emmyli. The introverted pair proudly serve classic Korean cuisine including Stone Bowl combos, Namul, Fresh Green and Kimchi Bi-Bim-Bap, Kimchi Fried Rice, Bulgogi Rice and Spicy Stir Fried Chicken. All mains come with multigrain rice and a side salad with prices ranging from $11-$16
Photo: rommy.nyc
Perhaps the most iconic and indeed the most photographed of Gastown’s coffee shops, Revolver is a true java house. This is artisanal coffee making at it’s finest. An apothecary of sorts, stuffed with an array of magical equipment where mad scientist like baristas concoct world-class coffee that’s carefully metered out to exact measurements and specifications. The Wizards are at play in Revolver on Cambie Street. There are two rooms – one, where the coffee and other drinks are prepared with some small booths for intimate seating and an adjoining room, Archive, where laptops and industrious coffee-flies are in plentiful supply.
Photo: dailyhive.com
Kofta Meatball Kitchen serves over 200 combinations of handcrafted meatballs, bases, sauces, and garnishes, as well as daily specials. Kofta only uses ingredients that are sourced from local farmers, butchers, bakers, and drink makers along with quality products that are made ethically, free of antibiotics, hormones, and chemical additives. Choose from their menu of bowls, baguettes, salads and sliders. Recommend is the THE HITCH BAGUETTE– SPICY PORK BALLS, ASIAGO, MARINARA SAUCE, JALAPENOS, HERBED PARM PANKO.
Photo: yellowpages.ca
The Black Frog has great food as well as a large selection of local craft beers. It’s a solid location to catch all the action when it comes to sports on TV. They have a nice patio looking north to the mountains and the water. Try their signature MOON BURGER:(Beef, Chicken or Veggie) melted brie & caramelized onion with lettuce, tomato and sun-dried tomato mayo.
Photo: gastown.org
The Cambie is the liveliest pub on the street, where the patio fills up almost every night. The pitchers are very affordable and the food is consistently good, with the kitchen serving up large portions. Inside The Cambie you’ll find big long tables and benches that create a communal atmosphere, making it a fun place to hang out. It’s best to go with a group of friends as you are bound to meet a bunch of other people. Order the Cambie Platter – hot wings, onion wings, fries, yam fries, chips & salsa with chipotle mayo and polish it all off with a round of Deep Fried Oreos. Go big or go home.
Photo: dinemondmentality.com
The Basement by Loyal Coalition is a platform for local emerging streetwear-esque and casual wear brands from Vancouver, allowing designers to showcase their goods and be part of a collective of Vancouver businesses and entrepreneurs. Brands they carry include Van City, Reclaimed, 9 O’ Clock Gun, Beachcomber Coffee Co and SuperColour.
Photo: yellowpages.ca
The Good Spirit is a metaphysical boutique owned and operated by Savannah Olsen, previously from The Old Faithful Shop on Cordova. There is a tarot reading area (book your appointment with any of the Fellowship of the Four) complete with white tables, candles and sheepskin rugs along with the best selection of unique and highly artistic tarot card sets in the city. You’ll find many types of crystals, sweet sage sticks and spiritual books.
Truvelle Bridal Boutique is a midsummers night dream delicately stitched to white rose petals, fresh Baby’s Breath and a soft hushed wind that flows through the willows. Bridalwear designer Gaby Bayona has branched into retail, opening a loft boutique where bride-to-be’s can view her entire collection. Gaby’s line, Truvelle offers elegant gowns for modern brides with a penchant for refined aesthetics.
Deadly Couture is a cache of clothing and accessories for adult play and dress up. Here you’ll find latex, pinup, lingerie and leather gear for men and women. They stock a fine assortment of wigs along with Steampunk, Raver and Festival Wear. Best place in the city for clothing and accessories that take you from boring ordinary to wildly extraordinary.
Photo: yelp.ca
Parade Organics on Cambie is a unique shop selling organically made clothing for babies and toddlers as well as a selection of quality toys. A Canadian company, Parade Organics crafts clothing using only the softest, most durable organic cotton made fair trade in India.
Since 1979, The Inuit Gallery of Vancouver has offered museum-quality collections of masterwork Inuit and Northwest Coast art. The gallery features new work by established artists along with highlighting the work created by next generation emerging artists. Their Inuit collection includes Inuit Sculpture, Cape Dorset Drawings, Cape Dorset Prints, Inuit Drawings. Inuit Prints, work by Kenojuak Ashevak and Wall Hangings. Their Northwest Coast art collection includes Northwest Coast Sculpture, Northwest Coast Graphics and Coast Salish Art by John Marston and Luke Marston.
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