Traditional Easter treats like hot crossed buns or chocolate eggs are a few of the specialties available from some of our members or you can opt for a full catered brunch or dinner in your own home.
Follow along for 3 Strathcona Businesses Offering Easter Eats and Treats below.
Plant-based chocolate never looked and tasted so good. Living Lotus Chocolate is taking traditional Easter goodies, like cream eggs and chocolate chick pops, and making them dairy-free. You’d never notice the difference, and trust us when we say you’ll want to jump on Living Lotus’s Easter Collection early – they always sell out in advance.
Visit their website for a list of retailers or to place an order for delivery.
Enjoy Easter dinner from the comfort of your home via Railtown Caters. Their heat-and-serve family feast includes Honey-Glazed Ham alongside an array of sides and classic plates, including our Scalloped Potatoes with Gruyère Cheese, and some of the fluffiest Hot Cross Buns in town. Railtown will also donate partial proceeds from the sale of each Easter To-Go package to Mission Possible, a non-profit organization that provides street-level care for those with immediate and critical needs in the Downtown Eastside.
Visit their website for menu and order details.
Savoury Chef is offering a stacked feast consisting of house-made milk buns, herb roasted potatoes and your choice of lamb or pork roast. They don’t slack on dessert either offering brown sugar pie, apple pie and hot crossed buns. You can also get your appetizer on with a selection of charcuterie boards or antipasto options.
Find their full menu and delivery options on their website here.
If you have an Easter offering and would like to be included on this list please email info@strathconabia.com to submit your details.
Their name combines “Yardie”, meaning Jamaican diaspora, and “Grabz” for their grab-and-go style foods. Yardie Grabz is located in a commissary kitchen in the heart of Strathcona offering authentic and homecooked dishes – like patties, oxtail, and jerk chicken – for curbside pickup, delivery, and catering.
We spoke to Dimitri, the founder and head-chef of Yardie Grabz, about his unique offerings for the city and the impact he makes as a Black business owner in Strathcona.
Can you tell us a little bit about your products?
We make classic Jamaican grab & go street food with a homestyle approach. From Jamaican Patties, Jerk Chicken to Oxtail, everything is handcrafted and made from scratch. We ensure we use only fresh quality local ingredients, halal and/or organic meats for every product, as we treat our customers and clients as if ourselves or our families are eating our food.
How did you begin your journey with cooking and how did you decide to turn your craft into a business?
Ever since I was a kid I’ve been a foodie and loved pastries, baked goods and anything sweet and savoury. My passion for cooking started when I was younger and I worked part-time jobs in the food industry when I was in high school and university. Throughout that time I worked my way up in positions and met a lot of cooks and chefs on the way that have influenced my style in cooking.
Yardie Grabz came to be from a craving for Jamaican Patties that I had during the COVID-19 lockdown. I wanted a patty so badly, but could not find any in Vancouver that truly represented the taste that I knew growing up. I came up with a recipe and tried cooking it for myself. I made them and posted them on social media, and from that moment family, friends and strangers started to message me if I could make patties for them. From then it’s only gone forward.
Where in Strathcona are you based and what makes this neighbourhood special to you?
We’re based at 266 Raymur Avenue. It’s a cool neighbourhood because it is very industrial. The building we work directly in has multiple businesses around us, of different kinds. So it’s great to be working around creative and hard-working individuals in the community. It definitely adds to the fuel of the hustle.
What kind of impact does your cooking have on the community?
I believe we impact the community in a positive and tasty way! We’re a go-to spot for locals in the East Van area and as well as Caribbean/African residents of Vancouver. As they too, had challenges to find authentic food that represents their culture and what they regularly eat.
We’re one of the very few Black-owned businesses in Strathcona, and one of the only few Jamaican food production companies in Vancouver – and the Lower Mainland at that. So It’s a blessing to merge my two cultural identities of Canada and Jamaica through food service while putting smiles on people’s faces.
How can we get our hands on some of your food?
You can find our products on our website www.yardiegrabz.ca
We provide wholesale service, catering and takeout and delivery on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays.
Our Jamaican Patties can also be found at our great vendors at New Amsterdam Cafe, Tony’s Coffee and Rise Up Marketplace (another great business in Strathcona.) We plan to provide our Jamaican Patties throughout more stores in Strathcona and throughout Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, so be on the lookout for that. Any newly info can always be found our Instagram/Website @yardiegrabz or yardiegrabz.ca
Visit our blog for more on our Maker of the Month series.
What better time to take advantage of our beautiful Vancouver weather than to plan a tour through some of Strathcona’s historic and colourful neighborhoods.
For moments when friends or family visit from out of town or you’re craving to do something a little different without going too far, we have a list of some self-guided and guided tours for you to choose from. Find a few of our favorites below!
Curated Tastes is Vancouver’s first and only art mediation company that creates fun and engaging tours for anyone looking for something different to do in Vancouver. No previous art knowledge or experience is necessary!
Uncover the hidden history of Vancouver’s pre-war Japanese-Canadian community.
It is not common knowledge that prior to the Incarceration, Displacement and Dispossession of 1942, the Powell Street corridor was once the home to 8000 Japanese Canadians and over 400 Japanese-owned businesses. Today, there is an abundance of remaining history and architecture that tells the story of a community that thrived in this unique area of Vancouver!
Tours can be offered in Japanese.
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/historic-powell-street-walking-tours-vancouver-bc-tickets-152774682187
If you’re looking to plan or head out on a spontaneous self-guided mural tour Strathcona is the perfect start. The Strathcona neighbourhood is filled with the city’s second-highest concentration of murals within walking distance of each other, with a few delicious stops on the way. Head East on Cordova St. towards Campbell Ave. to catch some great street art then loop around to Hastings to stop for a cold drink or bite at Strathcona’s favourite The Heatley.
There are also some special guided tours happening this year as part of the Black Strathcona Resurgence Project (BSRP). The Black Strathcona Tour runs 10am Friday, Saturday, and Sunday every week from Aug.4-22. Discover the BSRP Year 1 murals and the cultural history of the Hogan’s Alley neighbourhood led by Vancouver DeTours guide Alasdair Butcher, BSRP Curator Krystal Paraboo, and a special guest expert from the Black community. Tours are by donation.
Sunday August 22, the BSRP Bike Tour is happening. Jump on your wheels and experience the magic of murals produced by Black artists across the city on a special bike route. There will be multiple group riding slots throughout the day and an opportunity to learn about the history of the Strathcona neighbourhood.
Download the Vancouver Mural Fest app or visit their website for a full map of murals throughout Strathcona and the remainder of the city.
Are you really experiencing Strathcona if you haven’t taken in one of our many breweries? We have you covered. Get your squad together and take a tour to a few (or all) of our fabulous breweries – there are a total of five to choose from!
To plan your own self-guided tour through Strathcona’s breweries visit our website for a full list of locations
For a guided tour through Strathcona Brewing and Luppolo Brewery and a few other East Vancouver breweries visit Canadian Craft Tours.
It’s been a challenging year for Vancouver and the rest of the world. One that has kept us distanced from almost everyone we know and missing the times when we could get together, eat, laugh and celebrate with our family and friends.
A year of doing our part to flatten the Covid-19 curve has left nearly every planned event resulting in cancellation. Weddings and birthdays were reduced to small bubbles or postponed all together, baby showers and other accomplishments were and still are being celebrated virtually. As vaccines roll out and we hope to slowly get back to our normal lives we’re keeping our spirits up for an end to restrictions on gathering with loved ones.
Strathcona is home to a number of companies that work to help special events of all sizes look and feel their best. Whether you’re planning a small celebration with your close circle or a big, fat, post-Covid bash these four businesses can help bring the “wow” to your upcoming festivities.
Check out our list below to learn more about these local Strathcona businesses.
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about taking any celebration decor to the next level is flowers. And as most of us can agree that the foundation of every special event is the decor.
Meyer’s Floral Company has been distributing wholesale flowers to Vancouver and the lower mainland for over 30 years. Located in Strathcona at 1209 Adanac Street in Strathcona, Meyer’s creates some of the most beautiful bouquets we’ve seen on this side of the viaduct. Consider this Strathcona small business when planning the flowers for your next wedding, celebration or other event.
A hidden gem in the heart of Strathcona, The Garden is a cozy and lush space to host your next local small event.
A 1200sft space with large, bright windows that can be rented with amenities such as sound system, banquet tables, chairs, catering and more. The studio can also be rented alongside the accompanying downstairs cafe for small weddings, events, film shoots and more. A unique space to rent for your next event or just to grab a coffee and take in the vibes.
The star of the show at any event is almost always the food, so impress your guests with some of the yummiest catering Strathcona has to offer. From canapes, to food stations, to fine-plated dinners, Cocktails & Canapes specializes in creating a culinary experience with their world-class cuisine that’s sure to elevate your next celebration. To extend their business offerings during COVID they now also feature a delivery brunch box for special occasions like Mother’s Day.
Take your event dreams and bring them to reality.
Debut Event Design is a Strathcona-based business and a must-have for the design of your next celebration – big or small. If you’re planning a wedding then you’re in luck, Debut Event Design insists on creating a unique and memorable design that you’ll never forget. If you’re just looking for help with rentals such as furniture, backdrops, and more they do that too. There is no limit to the event goals you can reach with this Vancouver company.