East Vancouver

East Van, a place so well-known it makes its own merch. This neighbourhood of Vancouver, set off by the large East Van Cross, has a reputation for being artsy, full of punks and rebels and edgier than the rest of town. It’s also an immensely popular place to buy a home. Historically more affordable than Downtown Vancouver, depending on where you land in this neighbourhood, each section has its own unique vibe.

To the far northwest corner is Chinatown, still home to much of Vancouver’s Chinese community and restaurants like the New Town Bakery – but it’s also seeing other residents and businesses arrive. Along Commercial Drive you’ll find plenty of trendy restaurants and bars, which are major attractions especially on weekends. Its affordability meant that to this day plenty of immigrants made the area home, leading to businesses catering to many groups, including Vietnamese, Indian, Thai, Italian, Mexican and more.

Affordability meant that artists, rebels, punks and other folks could live here and create unique music, paintings, photographs and more. That spirit still exists in East Van, with galleries like Arts Off Main, Slice of Life Gallery and more. You can also enjoy bowling at Grandview Lanes or take advantage of the facilities at Britannia Community Centre. Try sampling a brew at Strathcona Beer Co. or see a show at the Rio Theatre.

Housing of all types exists in East Van, from detached houses and condos to rental suites. Prices vary widely, too, with some more popular areas seeing high prices, while others still afford the opportunity to snag a bargain. It’s well served by SkyTrain, with a neighbourhood hub around Commercial-Broadway and plenty of bus routes. In the future, you’re likely to see more condo and rental towers pop up to meet increasing demand, such as near VCC-Clark. Plus, townhomes and multi-unit properties on single-family lots are appearing often.

The Drive

Commercial Drive, or "The Drive," is home to some of East Van's trendiest restaurants.

A proud sense of community.

People are proud to be from East Van, and they’ll let you know it. Given its reputation as a gritty, hard-working place, that makes sense. You’ll likely find folks hanging out together, sharing a drink in one of the many pubs and bars in the neighbourhood or mingling together at house parties. As mentioned, you can get East Van merch, which shows you just how serious residents here are about their sense of place.

With many parks throughout the neighbourhood, there’s usually a place to relax. And it’s always an easy walk to a grocery store, restaurant or cafe, so you’ll hardly need to leave the neighbourhood, if you even want to. It’s no wonder people make it known they’re from East Van.