It’s been ONE YEAR since we launched the Gastronomic Gastown Tour! We’ve always loved the history-rich and food-centric neighbourhood but after a year, we’re officially smitten!
9 Ways You’ll Fall in Love with Gastown
1. Gastown’s dreamy old world charm
Cobblestone streets, vintage street lamps, historic buildings…Gastown is just a 10-minute walk from the heart of downtown, yet it is a dramatic escape from Vancouver’s glassy skyscrapers.
People wander through Gastown with a sense of spontaneity, excitement, and discovery…and we’ve fallen in love with that feeling.
2. Gastown’s celebrity status
Vancouver is known as “Hollywood North” and Gastown is often in the spotlight. If you love spotting celebrities, movie sets, and photoshoots, there’s an abundance of creative activity here!
3. Coffee Culture
In case you missed it, Vancouver is a city that adores caffeine. Gastown is home to some of Vancouver’s coolest coffee shops. Bean variety, brew variety, where and how you drink it…Gastown’s trendy coffee shops know how to spoil a foodie.
Our favourite Gastown haunts include: Revolver (pictured above), Timbertrain, and Milano Coffee.
4. Gastown looks chic in all seasons
Daytime, darkness, sun, rain, snow…Gastown is graceful in each of Canada’s seasons!
Photo credit: @mrs_splitz
5. Gastown has the happiest Happy Hours
Notorious for cocktails, craft beers, and snackable pairings, Vancouver’s #1 foodie district hosts some of the best happy hours.
Our favourite Gastown happy hours include: Six Acres (pictured above), Nicli Antica Pizzeria, The Flying Pig, and La Mezcaleria.
6. Mystery and surprise at every turn
Gastown is a maze of restaurants, boutiques, and watering holes. Navigating the cobblestone streets is second nature to locals, but out-of-town guests constantly remind us how unique it is to have such a diverse assortment of local businesses thriving together.
7. Lovely Lofts
For those who love people watching, high ceilings, and loft seating, Gastown has some breathtaking spaces.
Our favourite dining rooms to perch with a cocktail include: Bao Down Snack Bar (pictured above), L’Abbatoir, The Diamond, and Tuc Craft Kitchen.
8. Story vs. History
Gastown may be Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood, but relatively speaking, it’s not all that old. Some stories have been documented, but so much knowledge is still held in memories and tales from the community. The more time you spend in Gastown, the deeper the conversation grows.
9. The people are amazing…you might actually fall in love?
If you are a traveler, a local, an entrepreneur, a businessperson, all walks of life are embraced in Gastown. This is a cross-section of Vancouver that cares deeply for the city – its past, its present and the story still to come.
It brings us great joy to host our Gastown food tour and see guests fall in love with the neighbourhood, just as we have! Thank you for an amazing 1 year in the community – here’s to many more!
