Dished Neighbourhood Gems: Vancouver's Hastings-Sunrise
Vancouver is home to some amazing gems, longstanding classics, and under-the-radar establishments when it comes to stellar food and beverage.Â
We’re doing the digging for you by highlighting the best local destinations to check out in each city (if you haven’t already).
Here are our Dished Neighbourhood Gems for Hastings-Sunrise.
Developers and local business improvement associations tried to rebrand this neighbourhood as “The East Village” a few years back, but there are two issues with that: one, no one actually calls it that, and two: locals know it (and refer to it lovingly) as Hastings-Sunrise.
Technically, Hastings-Sunrise is defined as the area between Nanaimo Street, Boundary Road, East Broadway, and the water’s edge, but the strip of Hastings from roughly Victoria Drive to Boundary is usually colloquially included as well.
Hastings-Sunrise has, until recently, been one of the more affordable East Vancouver neighbourhoods (and was historically a working-class and low-income area), but now that that distinction doesn’t really exist in Vancouver (show me a cheap rental and I’ll show you a scam), the neighbourhood remains a vestige of a fading East Van spirit.
Largely a mix of immigrant Asian families who have lived here for generations and a younger crowd, Hastings-Sunrise has always been a hot spot for food in this city.
With a mix of newer restaurants and bars (think Tacofino, Dachi, and the upcoming It’s Okay) and older, family-owned places, the neighbourhood is the perfect area to spend a day eating and drinking.
Here are a few of our favourite places in Hastings-Sunrise.
’50s diner vibes, but make it Malaysian: Laksa King
View this post on Instagram
To call yourself the king is a bold move, but Laksa King more than deserves the title. This neighbourhood joint with the ’50s diner-style interiors serves “homemade style” Southeast Asian cuisine, with dishes ranging from Malaysian, Thai, Burmese, and Taiwanese. Grab a booth here and order some roti, Drunken Beef, or the restaurant’s namesake: Laksa.
Address: 2546 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-428-0155
Beautiful, delicious hummus platters: Tamam: Fine Palestinian Cuisine
View this post on Instagram
For all those who have spent years riding on the rapid bus up and down Hastings, wondering what that place with the greenhouse-like dining space is: its’ Tamam, and it’s worth getting off the bus for. This Palestinian restaurant is truly a special spot, with flavourful dishes like grilled chicken with za’ater and sumac, Fattoush, falafel, eggplant salad, and more. Plus, it has maybe the most artful hummus platter we’ve seen, making it pretty dang hard to go back to those grocery store tubs ever again.
Address: 2616 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-620-7078
Super cheap pastries: Hong Kong Bakery
Google Maps
With absolutely no online presence to speak of – no website, and no social media pages – Hong Kong Bakery remains pretty off-the-grid. Unless you live in the neighbourhood or happen to be walking by, you might never know about this East Van spot. But the bakery has some of the best prices in town on Hong Kong-style treats, from BBQ pork buns for less than $2 and a huge range of sweet treats. The inside (and the outside, for that matter) is pretty non-descript, but pop in and grab a coconut bun or a palmier – you won’t be disappointed.
Address: 2449 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-253-8826
Square pizzas and house-made cannoli: Casa Eatalia
View this post on Instagram
We love a low-key Italian deli, especially when it has insanely good Google reviews (a rare 4.9!). Casa Eatalia is Hasting-Sunrise’s neighbourhood spot for authentic Italian square pizza, sandwiches, and sweets. Even if you’re just stopping by for lunch, you’ll want to grab a cannoli for later, too.
Address: 2638 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-842-0462
Picklebacks and our favourite bathroom: Jackalopes Neighbourhood Dive
View this post on Instagram
It is our unabashed opinion that every neighbourhood needs a go-to dive bar, and Hasting-Sunrise is lucky enough to have Jackalopes. With loud metal music (usually) playing over the speakers, bathrooms that are fully wallpapered collages of dog heads plastered over magazine prints, plus good food and cheap drinks, this spot is a favourite. Besides, any joint that calls itself “100% satanic and organic” has our heart.
Address: 2257 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-568-6674
Hot pots and fake plants:Â Song Huong Restaurant
View this post on Instagram
With tons of fake plants dangling from the ceiling and a faux bamboo aesthetic at the bar, this Vietnamese restaurant stands out from the rest. We love the atmosphere, of course, but the food is great too, with classics on the menu like pho (with more than a dozen options!), BĂşn (vermicelli dishes), hot pot, and appetizers like chicken wings and steamed rice rolls.
Address: 1613 Nanaimo Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-251-1151
Boozy Brazilian cocktails: Boteco Brasil Restaurant
View this post on Instagram
More than just a restaurant, Boteco is an experience. This Brazilian spot serves great food, drinks, and has live music every weekend. Go with some friends, grab some snacks (we recommend the fried polenta, Coxinha, and Queijo Coalho), and get a little tipsy on Caipirinha – the restaurant’s signature Brazilian cocktail made with Cachaca 51, sugar, and fruit.
Address: 2545 Nanaimo Street, Vancouver
Phone: 778-379-7995
Vancouver’s best cheap breakfast: Bon’s Off Broadway
View this post on Instagram
Everyone in Vancouver knows about Bon’s legendary cheap breakfast, and if you don’t then that’s about to change. Bon’s is a place out of time, both in its unchanging interiors (everything is covered in graffiti) and in its insanely cheap all-day breakfast for $2.95. Somehow, despite inflation, Vancouver’s insane housing costs, and all the other near-apocalyptic events we encounter on a yearly basis, Bon’s has never raised this price. Bon’s is a place to be hungover and hungry and we hope this never changes.
Address: 2451 Nanaimo Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-253-7242
If you have a neighbourhood gem in or around the city that you want to shine a spotlight on, let us know at [email protected].Â
Follow Channels and Categories