Commercial Drive
Where to begin with describing the Drive? It's brash. It's got opinions. The pedestrians are anything but and will walk into the street as if every day is Car Free Day. Located in Vancouver's east side, the neighbourhood officially known as Grandview-Woodland has been the nexus of a wide variety of different ethnic and cultural groups since its heyday as a Vancouver's counter-culture scene. Since then it has seen waves of first Italian, then Portuguese, Latin American and East Asian immigrants settling and making the neighbourhood home. It's not so much a melting pot and more of a Jackson Pollock painting with each blob of paint be it Chinese, Ethiopian, lesbian, or crust-punk adding its own unique voice and presence to a larger whole.
Via Tevere
Commercial Drive Licorice Parlour
Figaro's Garden
Prado Cafe
La Grotta del Formaggio
Grandview Park
Kishimoto
Attic Treasures
Santa Barbara Market
Womyn's Ware
The Stormcrow Tavern
The local nerd bar.
Bump n Grind Cafe
Black Dog Video
St. Augustine’s
Craft beers for days!
Explore more neighborhoods
La Mezcaleria
- Address
- 1622 Commercial Drive
- Website
- Visit Website
This one is definitely somewhere in my top three places to eat in the neighbourhood. The food is focused on staying authentically Mexican while maintaining a commitment to local and ethically sourced ingredients such as fish. The molcajetes are a particular favourite of mine; traditional stone mortars repurposed to serve fiery hot fillings for tortillas. There is also a dizzying array of different tequilas and mezcals available in curated flights as well as Mexican inspired cocktails. This is my go-to Mexican experience in the city.