Spoiler alert: This place was awesome. It was better than Pike Place Market in Seattle and any other market we visited during our three week vacay on the west coast.
Environment
Granville island may sound inaccessible, but it is very easy to get to with public transportation. We took a bus here. The entire area feels like a different part of the country. It is cute, full of colorful stores and parks. There are tons of local shops selling art, clothing, etc. Then, of course, there are a couple breweries and many different restaurants to try. The views of the city are also fantastic!
But everyone knows that you come to Granville Island for the MARKET!
Public Market
The first section of the market is packed full of restaurant vendors. Everything from French bakeries, Indian cuisine, fish and chips, etc.
The first thing I ate was a pear and butter crepe from Muffin Granny. It was the special for only $5.95 (Canadian money…even cheaper in U.S. bucks). You can watch them make the crepes right in front of you.
Was it good? Very! And very large. I split it with Drew and that held us over for a while.
The second, and largest, part of the market is the actual market. Here, it seems like hundreds of vendors of all sorts sell their goods. Everything from fresh produce, to fresh-made pastas, to baked good, to raw meats and bones, fresh seafood, and so forth.
To say this market was overwhelming is an understatement. It was impossible to pick just a couple of items to buy. I walked through the place three times stressing about it. Everything just looks too good! If I lived in Vancouver, I would come here for lunch a couple times a week, for sure!