After having a good look around Gastown with its cobbled streets and cute renovated flats, there are several good places to stop for a coffee, drink or lunch.  Stars among them are:

1. Maple Delights.  It may be hypocritical to say “avoid the touristy things” and then plug a shop/cafe called Maple Delights, but this place is equally a hit with the locals (many Canadians are stereotypically obsessed with maple).  Almost everything in this shop contains maple, from the enormous and delicious muffins to the exquisite little pies to the ice-cream to the coffee (this is optional, and I have to say, I don’t recommend it).  Expect a sugar high afterwards.  The staff are really sweet too.

2. Brioche.  An intriguingly designed cafe-restaurant (entrances off both Water and Cordova Streets, kitchen in the middle, a rambling, seemingly going-nowhere hallway connects the two sides).  However, overcome the confusion and give Brioche a try: except between 12 and 1, when it is mobbed by local office workers in for a filling plate of pasta, or a London Fog tea latte with a culinary-school beautiful dessert.

3. Six Acres.  This excellent pub is practically in the shadow of Gassy Jack’s statue, to it’s easy to celebrate virtuous cultural Canadian tourism with a fantastic imported beer.  The beer menu includes selections from Belgium, Germany, Spain and Japan, among many others.  The pub is small and cozy, appropriate for intellectuals, girls on a night out, beer snobs and everyone in-between.  Moreover, the food looks amazing–personally, I’ve never been able to get beyond the dessert offering of Apple pie simmered in brown sugar and spiced rum; it alone is enough to justify repeat visits.

4. The Black Frog.  A nice pub-restaurant smack in the middle of Gastown, but a little isolated at the very bottom of Cambie Street.  It seems cut off from the bustle but is close enough to hear the chimes of the Steam Clock.  Nice seating area too–in the depths of the bar to feel like a regular and watch the sports on TV, or along the outside edge by the big windows.  Great for the afternoon or evening.

5.  Steamworks.  The classic.  Close enough to the seabus station to always justify one more drink before you make the crossing back to the North Shore.  Steamworks is also a micro-brewery and features tasting menus of their beers.  The views from upstairs, of Burrard Inlet and the North Shore mountains, are spectacular.

6.  The Harbour Centre Food Court.  Not a serious gourmet option by any means, but if Gastown is just one stop on your touring schedule, and lunch is needed, the food court is an affordable but somewhat hidden option.  Harbour Centre is almost directly across from the Seabus Station, and the food court is located in the middle of the lower level.  Not everything is greasy fries, either.  You can get a nice bowl of Indian food with Naan bread for about $5, or decent sushi for less.  If it’s a coffee break you’re after, along the outside of the Harbour Centre building is a branch of Tim Horton’s the most famous Canadian coffee and doughnut chain.  They also make surprisingly good steeped tea.  Communication with the staff of (mostly) ESL students can be challenging, but entertaining.

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