Working for Yellow Pages as a contractor meant taking on content porjects and local listicles. They can all be found under my author profile here.
Here are a couple standouts I found fun doing the research for:
Best Vegan Pizza in Vancouver
As cheese alternatives become more mainstream, more vegan options are popping up around town. Here are a few vegan-friendly pizza options that are sure to pack a punch to your tastebuds so you won’t even miss the cheese.
Virtuous Pie is a small sit-in restaurant near the heart of Chinatown that offers a 100% plant-based menu featuring delicious pizzas and ice cream treats. Three long tables will fit larger groups if needed or you can people watch from the bar in the window. For a flavourful treat, try the Superfunghi or Ultraviolet.
This Commercial Drive space is small yet charming in décor and atmosphere. They offer both delivery and pick-up specials so you can grab a ‘za to enjoy in nearby Grandview Park or have one delivered to your stoop. Offering three vegan pizzas, they use Daiya cheese to ensure you don’t feel like you’re missing out.
Promising vegan-friendly fresh ingredients plus sauces and dressings that are prepared in-house, Vegan Pizza House is a great place to try out delicious vegan dishes. Their vegan-friendly cheese of choice is Daiya and they have plenty of faux meats to choose from.
Situated at the south end of Commercial Drive, Jamaican Pizza Jerk is an experience that should not be missed. Enjoy the Caribbean vibe as you step through the door and watch Chef Bounty cook your food in the open kitchen. Their pizzas are all made with delicious Ital&Irie sauce, a combination of soya cheese mixture, and homestyle crust.
Ludica features a large, open concept space with a wall full of games to play while you eat, and big tables that fit both your food and your game of choice. It can be a little overwhelming when players get passionate about their turn at the next table but it’s a bright, happy space with cheerful staff. Ludica offers the choice of either substituting Daiya cheese on your pizza or leaving it off entirely.
Created as a “love letter to the originators of traditional Roman pie,” Joe Pizza is a great choice if you’re looking for pizza in Gastown with a casual atmosphere. Its open concept build features a large communal table if you’re feeling social and smaller tables by the window when you’re not. The rectangular slabs are made with local organic flour and you can get them by the slice or split a whole slab with a few friends. Their Queen Vegan combines the flavours and textures of artichokes, cherry tomatoes, and kale.
The Arbor offers a new take on traditional comfort food when you slip into their casual yet cool atmosphere. Their rotating pizza dishes can include a nut cheese substitution. Try the Spicy BBQ for a fun flavour twist or stick to the classics with their Margherita. Enjoy it on their newly set up back patio for an extra treat.
Yellow Pages Fraserhood Guide
A Little Bit of History
Touted as an up and coming neighbourhood for the for the last few years, the Fraserhood area stretches from Broadway all the way up to 31st with a few blocks on either side from Prince Albert to St. George. Originally built as the North Arm Trail in the late 1800s, it linked three major areas of activity – New Westminster, sawmills and logging camps along Burrard Inlet, and the farmlands Fraser River’s North Arm. In 1910, it was renamed Fraser Avenue for the pioneer and explorer Simon Fraser before becoming what it is today in 1948 – Fraser Street. Offering a diverse mix of heritages and cultures, the area blends together a unique group of shops, cafés, and restaurants as more mixed-use buildings are built along the Fraser St corridor.
Morning
Fraserhood lends itself to a great morning vibe, whether you’re looking for a quick coffee to wander the block with or a sit down brunch to catch up with old friends. Check out the fine Japparribean cuisine of the Lion’s Den, a local institution that blends the cultural cooking of its owners to serve everything from jerk chicken to okonomiyaki. Pop into the newly open Bells and Whistles, a family-friendly “thinking man’s sportsbar” who recently expanded to include brunch on their menu. They serve gluten free chicken and waffles, which should excite your favourite celiac, and offer a full wall of beer options.
Step off the beaten path and into the neighbourhood for sweet or savoury crepes at Marche St George, a beautiful cafe and general store that makes you feel like part of the family and part of the neighbourhood. If you head up the hill, you’ll find three local-ish new-ish coffee shops – Bows and Arrows coffee roasters, Prado Cafe and Kitchen, and JJ Bean. The former two also offer a full food menu for a sit down breakfast/brunch option.
Afternoon
If you’re looking to spend a casual afternoon in this neighbourhood, pick up some fabric for your next project at Spool of Thread or shop for some new ceramic bowls from Clayzone Ceramics, who also offer pottery classes for the whole family. Check out the vegan shoe store, Nice Shoes to pick up a pair of sandals for your next mani/pedi at Charm a few shops over then head over to the Pie Hole or up to Earnest Ice Cream for a sweet treat to cap off the day. The Pie Hole offers both sweet and savoury options made from local ingredients that you can eat in the shop or take home for later. Earnest offers a rotating menu of both vegan and dairy ice cream flavours.
Evening/Night Life
The “golden triangle” at the cross streets of Fraser and Kingsway has been expanding the last couple of years, featuring restaurants like the critically acclaimed Savio Volpe and the established French bistro Les Faux Bourgeois – both great places to go for a night on the town with that special someone. If you prefer something a little less formal, check out Los Cuervos Taqueria for tacos and a margarita or drop by Crowbar to sample from their cocktail menu. For food on the go, grab a slice at Straight Outta Brooklyn Pizza, or get a burrito to go from Sal y Limon to enjoy in the nearby Robson Park where more often than not you can find people picnicking, practicing with hoops, or enjoying a game of kickball.
If you’re grabbing a drink in the neighbourhood, the Lido offers a full menu of curated cocktails and a casual atmosphere thanks to its eclectic mix of furniture and fantastic soundtrack. Be sure to bring cash though as
Linnaea Kershaw 