You Say: Best Places in Vancouver for Local Food

We’re celebrating the harvest here at VancouverMom.ca by focusing on local food. Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and what better way to mark the season than to feast on the bounty of local produce filling farmers’ markets, restaurants and grocery stores all across Metro Vancouver?

One of the great things about local food is the way that it connects us with each other and the place we live. When you eat local you get to know the people who grow and prepare your food, and you come to learn when different foods are in season and where to find them. People tend to gather around food, and that’s even more true when that food is local food. We’d like to build on that connection, and so we reached out to our followers and fans on Twitter and Facebook, and asked them to share their favourite farms, gardens, markets and restaurants.

Talking Local Food on Facebook

We had some great discussions on Facebook, here and here. Here’s where you head for local food:

Jen Kaddatz said she gets her produce, “Straight from the farms around Ladner and Tsawwassen!”

Anna Cohen said that she loves the, “UBC Farm!”

Pat Battles shared her pick from outside of Vancouver, saying, “Root Cellar here in Victoria.”

Nikkol Nadin also lives outside the Vancouver area, and she said, “I am from salmon arm and we go to Demille’s Market. Corn is so good there. They bring in a lot of food from all over the Okanagan and from town.”

Harriet Fancott brought it back close to home, saying, “I love the Winter Market at Nat Bailey.”

Britt Baxter-Bellas echoed Harriet and said, “Winter market at Nat Bailey, summer market at Southlands farm (there’s a barn, pigs, goats, and pony rides for the kids).” Then she added, “Italian Kitchen is also great for kids. As soon as you sit down they will start preparing your child’s meal.”

Twitter Tips for Enjoying the Harvest in Vancouver

Not to be outdone, our Twitter followers weighed in with tips of their own:

{ Loove and Sweet } whose Twitter handle is @LooveandSweet likes, “A small and sweet farm market in Delta. It’s called Calvin’s Farm Market in the Sunshine Hill Shopping Center.”

Kristi Ferguson, who tweets as @MrsKFergie, told us that she gardens. Right now she’s harvesting, “Lots of beans, carrots and about a million zucchinis!”

Our Content Manager @AmberStrocel had to weigh in, too. She said, “I love the Coquitlam Farmers Market!” [Editor’s Note: I tweeted to myself, since I am usually the person behind VancouverMom.ca on Twitter, but the market is really great so I wanted to be sure it got a mention!]

Sandy Canvas, whose Twitter handle is @SandyCanvas said, “Our favourite is the Vancouver Farmers Markets @VanMarkets and @agrocafe! Yumm! We especially love the staff at both spots!”

Lindsay Coulter, who is none other than David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, tweets at @DavidSuzukiQoG. She said, “Rocky Mountain Flatbread is pretty superb. Organic Lives is cool too.” Our West Side Contributor Kate Marples recently visited Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co., and I think she would agree with Lindsay’s choice.

@tovahp shared her picks, saying, “Bandidas on Commercial is awesome.” Then she added, “Love Rocky Mountain Flat Bread’s kids Sunday and Monday make your own pizza.”

Finally, Julie Nowell of @momcafetricity said that for her it’s the setting that makes local food. She told us, “Munching slow BBQ’d ribs and homemade crunchy coleslaw in our gorgeous garden is the best local eating (and drinking) for me.” I think we can all raise a glass to that.

Your Local Food Picks

You’ve read what our friends on Facebook and Twitter have to say. Now it’s your turn to weigh in. Where’s your favourite place to find local food in Vancouver? Tell us in the comments!