I really miss Granville Island Public Market.Its defiantly a hot spot for tourists.When I lived in Vancouver I would never think of shopping on the weekend.The produce is fresh and inviting along with cheese,meats,sweets,breads and many interesting vendors.One of my favorites was the green olive and sea salt bread from Terra Breads always a line up but the best bread.There are a few florists as well with intoxicating smelling flowers that fill the air.There is also some great breweries here and really nice restaurants check out the Sandbar its a fantastic restaurant on the top level and a open ceiling you can smell and see the ocean below such a stunning view and delicious food.When I had company come from England this was there favorite part of there Vancouver trip.

Granville Island is one of the true gems in Vancouver. The area boasts the Emily Carr School of Art & Design, shops run by local artisans, a microbrewery, the Kids Only market but the one thing I LOVE about Granville Island is the Public Market!

There are stalls upon stalls of fresh produce from local farms, flower shops, pastry shops, bakeries, grain shops, butchers, pasta, teas, hand made confections, etc. I also love the fact that you can often deal directly with the independent shop/stall owners. It results in a more personal experience. I find the quality and variety of the food items better/more unique than what you could get at a regular grocery store. The produce is often fresher and cheaper compared to grocery stores (I guess because it comes directly from the farm). This is my favourite place to grocery shop in the whole city. The variety that is provides along with the unique shopping experience cannot be beat.

However, I would recommend going at non peak times (during the week or in the early morning on the weekends) as the place can get REALLY busy and parking at Granville Island can be challenging at times.