Commercial Drive Neighbourhood Guide

“There is never a lack of things to do around The Drive. For special event fun, we love the seasonal Farmers Market at Trout Lake (pictured) as well as annual events like the Eastside Culture Crawl, Italian Day and Car-Free Day. You’re always bound to find something happening at the Croatian Cultural Centre, too. For more regular family activities, Britannia Community Centre is the perfect spot to get your fix of swimming, skating and other rec activities and the adjacent Grandview Park is great for playground play, picnics and people-watching.”

“There are plenty of locally owned shops on The Drive. If you have little ones, you’ll definitely want to check out the fabulous selection of children’s clothes and toys at Room for 2, Dilly Dally (pictured) and Dandelion Kids. And be sure to make time for a coffee or treat break – we love Fratelli’s yummy Italian baking for a sweet stop.”

“We often end up at St. Augustine’s Craft Brew House or Toby’s on The Drive (pictured). Both are close to us and have extensive bevvy lists. We love the casual atmosphere at both places, especially during hockey season.”

“As a vegetarian, I love the menus at Bandidas Taqueria and Cafe Kathmandu. For takeout, we have Volcano Sushi on speed-dial. I have to say that I’m a sucker for comfort food and if you ever find yourself on the south end of Commercial, be sure to pop by the Commercial Street Café (pictured) for their grilled cheese and dill pickle sandwiches.”

WHY LORRAINE LOVES WHERE SHE LIVES

“What’s not to love about The Drive? My busy brood (two kids, hubby, a giant dog) and I love the booming population of young families and friendly neighbours in our area. We also enjoy the convenience of the close proximity to Downtown Vancouver, highways and transit – not to mention all the community parks (we call Trout Lake our backyard), schools and independent food outlets. All of these things make neighbourhood adventures and family entertainment easy. The Drive is known for its quirkiness and character, both of which are super appealing to me. It’s a community that embraces originality, diversity, fun and activity for all ages and interests – perfect for my energetic family!”

Click through for Lorraine's favourite places to eat, drink, shop and play on Commercial Drive.

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