Commercial Drive

Known by locals as “The Drive”, the long strip of shops & restaurants is the perfect antidote to the sheen and bustle of downtown Vancouver. You won’t find many franchises nor all too many tourists along this east-side strip and its offshoot streets, and there’s nary a glass tower nor souped-up Lamborghini in sight. Instead, there are humble street-level boutiques, lively cafés, patios and pubs, and a pervasive artsy, counter-cultural vibe. Add to the mix some fantastic Italian restaurants, delis and gelato shops (the neighbourhood is also known as Vancouver’s Little Italy)—along with every other type of world cuisine imaginable—and you have a recipe for a mellow day of strolling, shopping, sipping and savouring in one of the city’s unique, up-and-coming neighbourhoods.