Few seasons are sweeter - and more fleeting - than picnic time in BC. And sure, you don't need more than a hunk of good bread and wedge of cheese to make a picnic, but for those of us with loftier ambitions who hanker after beautiful baskets spilling over with delicious treats, we asked Vancouver Magazine Food Awards judge, Joie Alvarez Kent to put together a list of her top ten favourite places to get a gourmet picnic in the city. From Bard on the Beach's elegant lemon-tarragon glazed BC sockeye salmon to prosciutto, arugula and fig-jam sandwiches and chocolate pistachio cream cheese brownies there is a outdoor feast out there for you just waiting to be ordered. Dig in - and don't forget your blanket.
Intermission at Bard on the Beach is a delicious interlude with picnic meals from Emelle’s Catering. There are snack, sandwich, and antipasti packages available, also the Equivocate, which features wild BC sockeye salmon with a lemon-tarragon glaze atop eight-grain rice pilaf with fresh citrus fruit, roasted cauliflower and caper salad, and a salted caramel chocolate oat bar. Order 48 hours in advance; available for pick up at the Bard concession starting 1 hour before showtime. $29/person.
Eight Robson Street restaurants have put together some options for quick, well-priced lunches to enjoy at one of three outdoor dining spots created for sunny summertime dining. Choices include Los Cabos Chicken Tacos from Earls On Top, pulled-pork burritos from Steamrollers, smoked beef with Swiss cheese and mushroom crepes from Café Crepe, as well as new potato salad with Gelderman Farms bacon and Little Qualicum blue cheese from Abode. Call ahead or order on the spot. Available until August 31; Robson Street reusable tumbler included while supplies last.
Tourists and locals alike can enjoy Vancouver’s great outdoors with chef Dana Hauser’s gourmet picnic meals; her Stanley Park Afternoon Tea is a pinkies-up choice for civilized noshing. During picnic season, chef Hauser draws upon the Fairmont Waterfront’s honeybee apiary and rooftop garden for many of her ingredients: figs for prosciutto, arugula and fig-jam sandwiches; lavender for French macarons, and honey and tarragon for the honey and lemon iced tea. Order up to 3 hours in advance. $37/person + refundable picnic basket deposit.
Perfect for cheese and charcuterie lovers, Big Lou’s packs a picnic basket chock full of artisanal delights. There’s house-made pâté, turkey and pork pepper bites, pork or duck rillettes, and porchetta potato salad as well as salami from Two Rivers Meats. Brie and Rathtrevor cheeses from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks round out the protein festival. Order one day in advance; delivery available on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays for a nominal fee. $45 for two + refundable picnic basket deposit.
Dirty Apron’s killer-good sandwiches are reason enough to pick up one of their al fresco meals. Their mouthwatering selection includes confit albacore tuna with fennel and citrus mayo and seasonal Thai beef steak with papaya and tamarind vinaigrette. A Picnic for Two is $50, but why not take it over the top with the indulgent Gourmet version that adds charcuterie and cheese, crackers and dips, organic fruit, and chocolate pistachio cream cheese brownies. Order by 4:00 pm the business day before pick-up. $80 for 2 people; reusable Dirty Apron jute picnic bag and cutlery included.
A luxe picnic for two with Chef Jean-Francis Quaglia’s Mediterranean-inspired cuisine is the next best thing to being on the Côte d’Azur. Customize your meal with antipasti selections that include Merguez sausage, smoked trout, Pissaladière, and grilled artichokes. Order up to 3 hours in advance. $84 for two people + refundable picnic basket deposit. Also available at the Provence Mediterranean Grill location on W10th.
Chicken, ribs, rib ends, sausage, brisket, and pulled pork… Memphis Blues packs a carnivore’s fantasy into their Picnic Packs. Throw in all the fixin's too - cornbread, slaw, collard greens, fries, and beans — together with a quartet of Boylan’s sodas, and it’s a spread that any southerner would be proud of. Order on the spot at any location. $69.95 for 4 people including plates, napkins, and cutlery in a go-anywhere box.
If cheese is your raison d’être, then Benton Brothers is an ideal pre-picnic stop. From smooth to stinky, crumbly to creamy, and everything in between, you can personalize a picnic with fromages to suit your taste. Round out your snacking with tasty accompaniments such as cornichons, terrines, dried fruit, olives, and a baguette. Call ahead for a pre-made tray or drop in for wrapped goodies to go. $30 to $50 for two people. Available at all locations.
This Summer Picnic Basket by Truffles Fine Foods Café is a delicious way to seek verdant respite from the summer heat at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Choose from selections such as curried chicken salad wraps, smoked salmon on gluten-free foccacia, tomato and bocconcini salad, and freshly baked double-chocolate cookies. Thumbs up for house-made basil iced tea. 12 baskets available daily on a first come, first served basis from July to the end of September (weather permitting). $40 for two people + refundable picnic basket/picnic blanket deposit.
Re-Up’s ‘Bucket’ of irresistible sweet-and-spicy Fried Chicken is available seven days a week, but Fried Chicken Fridays are when those in the know sate their cravings—between 3:00 and 6:00 pm, the price drops from $29 to just $20. Also included are four buttermilk biscuits and a tub of hand-cut coleslaw tossed in a yogurt and mayo dressing with added kick from Re-Up’s mustard spice blend. Call ahead to avoid a wait (especially on Fridays and weekends) and secure your order before they sell out.
Intermission at Bard on the Beach is a delicious interlude with picnic meals from Emelle’s Catering. There are snack, sandwich, and antipasti packages available, also the Equivocate, which features wild BC sockeye salmon with a lemon-tarragon glaze atop eight-grain rice pilaf with fresh citrus fruit, roasted cauliflower and caper salad, and a salted caramel chocolate oat bar. Order 48 hours in advance; available for pick up at the Bard concession starting 1 hour before showtime. $29/person.
Eight Robson Street restaurants have put together some options for quick, well-priced lunches to enjoy at one of three outdoor dining spots created for sunny summertime dining. Choices include Los Cabos Chicken Tacos from Earls On Top, pulled-pork burritos from Steamrollers, smoked beef with Swiss cheese and mushroom crepes from Café Crepe, as well as new potato salad with Gelderman Farms bacon and Little Qualicum blue cheese from Abode. Call ahead or order on the spot. Available until August 31; Robson Street reusable tumbler included while supplies last.
Tourists and locals alike can enjoy Vancouver’s great outdoors with chef Dana Hauser’s gourmet picnic meals; her Stanley Park Afternoon Tea is a pinkies-up choice for civilized noshing. During picnic season, chef Hauser draws upon the Fairmont Waterfront’s honeybee apiary and rooftop garden for many of her ingredients: figs for prosciutto, arugula and fig-jam sandwiches; lavender for French macarons, and honey and tarragon for the honey and lemon iced tea. Order up to 3 hours in advance. $37/person + refundable picnic basket deposit.
Perfect for cheese and charcuterie lovers, Big Lou’s packs a picnic basket chock full of artisanal delights. There’s house-made pâté, turkey and pork pepper bites, pork or duck rillettes, and porchetta potato salad as well as salami from Two Rivers Meats. Brie and Rathtrevor cheeses from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks round out the protein festival. Order one day in advance; delivery available on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays for a nominal fee. $45 for two + refundable picnic basket deposit.
Dirty Apron’s killer-good sandwiches are reason enough to pick up one of their al fresco meals. Their mouthwatering selection includes confit albacore tuna with fennel and citrus mayo and seasonal Thai beef steak with papaya and tamarind vinaigrette. A Picnic for Two is $50, but why not take it over the top with the indulgent Gourmet version that adds charcuterie and cheese, crackers and dips, organic fruit, and chocolate pistachio cream cheese brownies. Order by 4:00 pm the business day before pick-up. $80 for 2 people; reusable Dirty Apron jute picnic bag and cutlery included.
A luxe picnic for two with Chef Jean-Francis Quaglia’s Mediterranean-inspired cuisine is the next best thing to being on the Côte d’Azur. Customize your meal with antipasti selections that include Merguez sausage, smoked trout, Pissaladière, and grilled artichokes. Order up to 3 hours in advance. $84 for two people + refundable picnic basket deposit. Also available at the Provence Mediterranean Grill location on W10th.
Chicken, ribs, rib ends, sausage, brisket, and pulled pork… Memphis Blues packs a carnivore’s fantasy into their Picnic Packs. Throw in all the fixin's too - cornbread, slaw, collard greens, fries, and beans — together with a quartet of Boylan’s sodas, and it’s a spread that any southerner would be proud of. Order on the spot at any location. $69.95 for 4 people including plates, napkins, and cutlery in a go-anywhere box.
If cheese is your raison d’être, then Benton Brothers is an ideal pre-picnic stop. From smooth to stinky, crumbly to creamy, and everything in between, you can personalize a picnic with fromages to suit your taste. Round out your snacking with tasty accompaniments such as cornichons, terrines, dried fruit, olives, and a baguette. Call ahead for a pre-made tray or drop in for wrapped goodies to go. $30 to $50 for two people. Available at all locations.
This Summer Picnic Basket by Truffles Fine Foods Café is a delicious way to seek verdant respite from the summer heat at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Choose from selections such as curried chicken salad wraps, smoked salmon on gluten-free foccacia, tomato and bocconcini salad, and freshly baked double-chocolate cookies. Thumbs up for house-made basil iced tea. 12 baskets available daily on a first come, first served basis from July to the end of September (weather permitting). $40 for two people + refundable picnic basket/picnic blanket deposit.
Re-Up’s ‘Bucket’ of irresistible sweet-and-spicy Fried Chicken is available seven days a week, but Fried Chicken Fridays are when those in the know sate their cravings—between 3:00 and 6:00 pm, the price drops from $29 to just $20. Also included are four buttermilk biscuits and a tub of hand-cut coleslaw tossed in a yogurt and mayo dressing with added kick from Re-Up’s mustard spice blend. Call ahead to avoid a wait (especially on Fridays and weekends) and secure your order before they sell out.
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