6 places where you can fill your picnic basket in Vancouver

In a city where there is as much natural beauty as Vancouver, warm sun-filled days are best spent outdoors picnicking with friends on a blanket spread across a grassy knoll or sandy shore.

While creating the perfect picnic basket can bring with it pure joy and utter indulgence, it can also prove more hassle than it’s worth. Not anymore, thanks to a handful of artisans, eateries, and delis offering stress-free, pre-made picnic kits, as well as a bounty of freshly made supplies.

Providing everything one needs for the perfect al fresco dining experience, here is a list of local businesses preparing delicious, gourmet picnic supplies.

Giovane Café

This summer, Giovane is offering the Stanley Park Stroll Picnic for two, available for $50. The picnic includes a choice of two panini, two salads, two cookies, and two beverages, packaged in a Giovane thermal tote bag for guests to keep. Snacking add-ons like cheese and a charcuterie board, are also available for an additional cost. 

Picnic goers can also design their picnic à la carte, if they so desire, and can purchase the picnic tote for $7.

Address: 1038 Canada Place, Vancouver
Phone: 604-695-5501
Twitter: @FairmontPacific

The Dirty Apron

For a hassle-free picnic, The Dirty Apron offers an online picnic ordering system, where customers can select sandwiches, salads, cookies, and beverages. Gourmet picnic picks are also available, and include charcuterie, local cheese, house-made dips, crackers, fruit, and snacks. The Dirty Apron’s classic picnic for two costs $50, while their gourmet bag of goodies for two costs $80.

People can pre-order their picnics (packaged in a Dirty Apron re-usable jute bag with cutlery) by emailing or calling The Dirty Apron, or stop in at The Dirty Apron Deli and grab/assemble their own picnic supplies.

Address: 540 Beatty Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-879-8588
Twitter: @Dirty_Apron

Picnix

Picnix is a full service picnic company, specializing in local, seasonal foods, beautifully presented and cleverly stored. Offering a picnic lunch under the tree cover of Stanley Park and a dinner service close to English Bay, Picnix provides a unique and convenient way to eat outdoors while Vancouver’s weather is warm and the nights long.

Complete with a red and white checkered picnic blanket, cutlery, plates, cups, sun umbrella, and outdoor games, like bocce ball, the Picnix wooden wagon (handmade and custom-built) contains a carefully prepared spread and reusable dining ware, making for a fuss-free and mess-free al fresco dining experience. Both the lunch and dinner service cost $80 for two people.

Phone: 778 -889-7706
Twitter: @PicnixVancouver

Nosh

While Nosh, Glowbal’s casual cafe-style eatery at the TELUS Garden, does not offer a picnic basket per se, they will put together a number of their grab-and-go items and package them up in transportable tote boxes. Picnic-goers can order online and choose between a variety of salads, gourmet sandwiches, handmade pastries, and beverages.

Address: 101 – 510 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-449-6674
Twitter: @Glowbal_Group

DD MAU

Similar to Nosh, DD MAU in Yaletown does not prepare a ready-made picnic, however, it does offer a picnic to-go option, perfect if you’re craving delicious banh mi and are headed to the Seawall or David Lam Park for an outdoor lunch. Quick and fresh, DD MAU’s picnic special can be ordered two ways; there’s a full size version for $24 (two full size sandwiches, one order of salad rolls, and two house iced jasmine teas), and a half size version for $17 (two half size sandwiches, one order of salad roll, and two house iced jasmine teas).

Address: 1239 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver
Phone: 604-684-4446
Twitter: @ddmau

La Grotta Del Formaggio

Why not go Mediterranean for your next picnic? If you’re keen to fill your own basket with supplies head straight to La Grotta Del Formaggio, where you will find an impressive selection of Italian fine foods. There are hearty sandwiches on offer with all the fixings, as well cheeses, meats, and pickled veggies, perfect for making your own charcuterie platter.

Address: 1791 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Phone: 604-255-3911
Twitter: @LGDFVancouver