What (not) to do on Granville Island

After having been Vancouver residents for nearly 4 years, my friend and I decided it was time to tour Granville as a tourist. Thus far, our (separately undertaken) trips to Granville meant heading to the Public Market for the chicken pot pie or catching a show. Purpose-driven, one-track-mind trips. 

We spent a few minutes poring over TikTok and Instagram, as one does, crafting a rough plan, subject to change based on a) whim and b) Vancouver’s weather. We identified our big goal: try The Lobster Man’s must try lobster rolls, an idea planted in our heads by multiple TikTok-ers. And on a bright, sunny Saturday in June, woefully sunscreen-less, we boarded the 84 and headed to Granville Island. 

Take this with a pinch of salt. We’re by no means experts and our takes on this day trip may very much be considered hot. Here’s what not to do on Granville Island, courtesy of two twenty-two-year-olds with no dearth of opinions on absolutely everything. 

The Connecticut Lobster Roll  – $27.99 (+tax!) 

Brioche bun, warm butter, lemon juice, and Atlantic lobster. Tracks why it’s a fan-favorite. Our pairing, unfortunately, is an odd one for this purpose. One (me) has never tried lobster and sports a low tolerance for seafood tastes and smells; the other carries the weight of a failed lobster experience and a consequent dislike for the same. 

Our expectations were high. Perhaps that’s where it went wrong — we’d set our expectations high and the outcome was bound to be disappointing. The combined verdict? 5/10. Yes, it could very well be us, but I like to think my palate is [decently] refined, what with having a chef for a mother and a penchant for travelling. 

There wasn’t anything wrong per se, the roll was just less overall. In our humble opinion, the 5 would’ve been an 8 if there was more butter sauce. And if the roll was a tad bit cheaper considering the side was chips. The flavours were there, just muted. 

This takes the number one spot on our no-go-list for Granville, owing to a bar that had been set higher than necessary and a price tag we can’t justify. 

The Liberty Distillery 

Google reviews painted a shiny picture of the cocktails, Yelp boasting a 4.4/5, most customers leaving satisfied. Our mistake was entering a (largely) whiskey-and-gin bar without having developed a taste for either. My order was a Limoncello Spritz, vodka-based, while my friend ordered a Passionfruit Mule, made with “Jasmine Tea Infused ‘Whiskey.’” 

First thoughts: no. Glad we tried, but never again. Somewhere around the halfway mark though, the drinks started tasting good. Either we developed a taste for it in a span of minutes, spurred by the 130-year-old bar setting and the distillery behind us, or the alcohol was doing its job. Either way, a win in our books. 

4 days after this visit, I took my roommate there, a whiskey-lover. My reasoning for revisiting a place I do not enjoy sober was the set-up and so I could weigh my biased, anti-whiskey opinions against a true appreciator. The Liberty Distillery is 50/50 on my no-go-list; if you’re in Vancouver and you truly enjoy gin and whiskey, do visit! Otherwise, you should glance at the distillery inside, but keep Alimentaria Mexicana on the very top of your list. There’s no way I’m letting you miss out on the Spicy Tamarind Margaritas. 

The Original Paper-Ya 

A tone readjustment is underway, starting with Paper-Ya. You should not visit Paper-Ya because you’ll want to buy things you absolutely do not need. Is anything useful? Probably… not. Could you add more whimsy to your life with a gyoza fridge magnet? Yes! 

As a collector of notebooks that serve to fill the notebook-sized hole in my heart (nothing else can fill it, no) and have no purpose beyond being eye-candy, this store was the worst place to visit. Steer clear if you’re a notebook-fiend. 

Dundarave Print Workshop

Dundarave was another TikTok recommendation, one that we were very excited for. Somebody had posted a TikTok on a postcard-printing workshop for a mere $5 per postcard, happening on Saturdays. We didn’t realize there were specific Saturdays, a lesson learned upon entering the workshop. 

The disappointment was short-lived; the workshop was too beautiful to wallow in. We left with information about their next upcoming workshop (27th June, queer printmakers meet-up) and a plan to return for their next postcard gathering. Why’s this on the no-go-list? Because please do not go without checking workshop dates online! I guarantee you’ll want to attend one. 

Immediate Yeses 

Entering the far-end of the no-go-list (the yes-go-list?), here are our unmissables: 

• Chicken pot pie from A La Mode Pie Café
• The Baileys Chocolate Beignet Donut from La Bise Bakery 
• Upstart and Crow (support your independent bookstores!!) 
• Broom Co. if you require a gourmet broom and a good laugh 
• Margaritas from Alimentaria Mexicana

And whatever you do, do not forget to pee before you begin the walk back to the bus stops.

Thanks for tuning in! And if you’re super invested in this duo and our TikTok shattering takes, you may reach out and ask for our vlogs (we’re amateur vloggers and yes, we vlogged this trip).