by Flow’s Neighbourhood Guide 2019: Strathcona
Bordered by Chinatown to the west, and Clark Drive to the east, Strathcona is Vancouver’s oldest and most diverse commercial and residential neighbourhood.
Many people immediately think ‘Downtown Eastside’ when they think ‘Strathcona’. While it’s true that most of the Downtown Eastside lies within Strathcona, this up-and-coming neighbourhood is very popular with millennials. Strathcona is home to many craft breweries, trendy restaurants, street art, and small businesses (including us!).
We want to take this opportunity to show you the real Strathcona — our Strathcona.
Here are the top 7 places you must check out when visiting this historical neighbourhood:
1. Strathcona Beer Company
Photo Credit: Vancouver Brewery Tours
As we mentioned, there are plenty of craft breweries in Strathcona. Strathcona Beer gets a special shout out because they’re literally 3 doors down from us! Try their Beach Radler (a light, citrus-y beer that’s perfect for the summer), any of their IPA’s, or one of their delicious pizzas (prosciutto & arugula is our go to)!
Still thirsty? Check out these other breweries: Strange Fellows Brewing / Powell Brewery / Off The Rails Brewing / Bomber Brewing / Storm Brewing / Callister Brewing Co / Andina Brewing Co
895 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6A 3Y1
2. The Garden Strathcona
The Garden is another cool place that’s super close to us (this one’s right across the street from Flow)! The Garden is a cafe, bakery, and shop. Go grab a cup of their Equinox Espresso blend (a partnership with Agro Roasters, another Strathcona neighbour), sample one of their yummy pastries (baked in-house), and just enjoy the beautiful, enchanted atmosphere.
868 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1R6
3. La Casa Gelato
Looking for some Instagram inspiration? La Casa Gelato is a Strathcona staple that’s been been around since 1982. Not only is the entire building pink, they also have 238+ gelato flavours in store! It may sound overwhelming, but you get to taste as many flavours as you want before making your decision (just buy a token at the counter when you enter the store). They have classic flavours like vanilla and chocolate for the purists, but we recommend tasting some of their more adventurous flavours too, like wasabi or garlic!
1033 Venables St, Vancouver, BC V6A 3R9
4. The Gourmet Warehouse
Photo Credit: The Gourmet Warehouse
If you’re an aspiring master chef, you’ll love The Gourmet Warehouse. Started in 1998, The Gourmet Warehouse is a 19,000 sq.ft. warehouse that carries specialty ingredients and cookware essentials. Looking white truffle butter, a tagine, or want to dabble into molecular gastronomy? The Gourmet Warehouse is the place to go.
1340 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V5L 1S3
5. les amis du FROMAGE
Photo Credit: Vancouver Sun
Voted “Best Cheese Shop” by readers of The Georgia Straight, The Westender, and The Courier, les amis du FROMAGE is a family owned and operated specialty cheese store. Their original store is in Kitsilano, but luckily for us, their second location is literally a 15 second walk from our office. Want to impress your friends at the next gathering? les amis du FROMAGE offers high quality local and imported cheeses (cut to order), charcuterie and antipasto platters, and cheese wedding cakes. Yes, you heard us — a cheese wedding cake! How amazing does that sound?
843 East Hastings St. Vancouver, BC
6. The Heatley
With local rotating craft beers and wine on tap, The Heatley is a bar, eatery, and just an all-around cool spot to hang out at. More of a cocktail person? Try their Apparition cocktail (tequila, rosemary syrup, fresh cut cucumber, lime juice, tonic, and a sprig of rosemary to garnish). The Heatley also hosts DJ’s and live music almost every night of the week. You know where to find us after work!
696 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1R1
7. Flow Furniture Lounge
We couldn’t end this list without mentioning our very own Furniture Lounge. Located right next to our office, we sell some of our gently used staging furniture for half of the retail price! Open 3 days a week, Flow brings in new pieces whenever another one’s sold (unlike other staging companies who do annual furniture sales). Because of this, you can always expect something new when you come to our Furniture Lounge.
Wednesday 9:30am-2:30pm
Thursday/Friday 12pm-5pm
873 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1R8
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Anyone else love Strathcona as much as we do? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.
