Dished Neighbourhood Gems: Vancouver's Punjabi Market
Vancouver is home to some amazing gems, longstanding classics, and under-the-radar establishments when it comes to stellar food and beverage.Ā
We’re doing the digging for you by highlighting the best local destinations to check out in each city (if you havenāt already).
Here are our Dished Neighbourhood Gems for Punjabi Market.
Punjabi Market is a small, three-block area on Main Street between East 48th and East 51st Avenues. The commercial district is technically part of the Sunset neighbourhood, both of which are home to one of Canada’s largest South Asian communities.
The three blocks here have long been a hub for Indian restaurants, sweet shops, clothing stores, jewellers, grocers, and other local businesses, drawing folks from the South Asian community to its shops since the 1970s.
In order to protect and preserve this important cultural area, the City has recently taken measures to work with businesses and residents of Punjabi Market, especially as development threatens to erase the neighbourhood and its history.
While many of the restaurants that used to exist here have now shuttered, it’s still a fantastic area to head to for Indian groceries and eats.
Here are our picks for the best neighbourhood gems in Vancouver’s Punjabi Market.
Pakoras and samosas: Tandoori Oven
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This restaurant specializes in Indian and Pakistani cuisine, serving a range of dishes like daal, eggplant bharta, chicken tandoori, biryani, and more.
Address: 6452 Main Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-565-3355
Indian eats and sweets: All India Sweets & Restaurant
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This longstanding restaurant has a huge menu of naan, biryani dishes, and tandoori, with plenty of vegetarian options. True to its name, it also offers a few dessert options, including Gulab Jamun, Kheer, and a Coconut Surprise.
Address: 6560 Main Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-327-0891
Spice heaven: Punjab Food Center
Punjab Food Center/Google Maps
For all your Punjabi grocery needs, head to Punjab Food Center. This spot has a small selection of produce at the front (with a great selection of pepper varieties!), as well as aisle upon aisle of spices, sauces, ghee, bulk rice, grains, and other hard-to-find items needed for many South Asian recipes.
Address: 6635 Main Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-322-5502
Halal groceries: Bangla Bazar
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Head to this small, recently opened Halal market for fish, meat, spices, rice, and more specialty Bangladeshi grocery items.
Address: 6657 Main Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-754-5841
Affordable produce: Polo Market
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This little corner market is known by locals for its incredibly affordable produce, as well as a selection of South Asian pantry items, spices, bulk nuts, and huge bags of rice.
Address: 6411 Main Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-620-3240
Indian sweets: Himalaya Restaurant
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This restaurant has served the community in one iteration or another for the past 50 years ā a hugely impressive feat for restaurants in this city. Himalaya, which also has a location in Richmond, serves Indian classics like tandoori, biryani, vindaloo, goat curry, and plenty more.
Address: 6587 Main Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-324-6514
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].Ā