VC08 - Gastown — Chinatown

Café Medina (#1) Strong coffee and warm Belgian waffles (topped with fig/orange marmalade or lavender/ milk chocolate) form the basis of the menu at this new on-point coffeehouse from the team behind still-trendy Chambar next door. A new full-service kitchen came on-line in May. 556 Beatty St., 604-879-3114.

Nouvelle Nouvelle (#2) Go for easy-to-wear fashionforward labels like Insight and Sessun, flattering trouser-cut jeans from Habitual, and a nice selection of accessories. 209 Abbott St., 604-639-9888.

The Block (#3) With so many stores and ateliers opening in these parts, it’s easy to overlook the boutique that’s been here all along. Local designers get equal billing with exclusive-in-Vancouver brands; look for Anna de Courcy’s striking pendant necklaces made from old thimbles and coins. 350 W. Cordova St., 604-685-8885.

Provide (#4) Robert Quinnell and David Keeler have created a striking lifestyle store on this once-bleak block of Beatty Street. Cast-resin vessels by noted local artist Martha Sturdy mingle with seashell-like bowls by Rina Menardi. 529 Beatty St., 604-632-0095.

Chinatown Night Market (yellow area on map below)Keefer Street transforms into a lively outdoor bazaar every summer weekend, complete with market finds, free entertainment — some nights it’s Cantopop; others, it’s traditional Chinese opera — and flavourful street eats. From 6:30 to 11 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between May 16 and September 7.

Roden Gray (#5) This new menswear concept store has a modern, if sombre, vibe in keeping with sensuous cologne from Comme des Garçons and utilitarian separates from lines such as Nice Collective, Apolis Activism, and local label Wings+Horns. 231 Cambie St., 604-689-7302.

So.Cial Custom Butcher Shop and Deli (#6) House-made charcuterie heaped on focaccia — primed with roasted red peppers, hot peppers, lettuce, cheese, and red onion — starts at…$6? (Large sandwiches top out at $12.) The word is out: at lunchtime this place is packed to its pressed-tin ceiling. 332 Water St., 604-669-4488.

At the new Koolhaus (#7) location (1 Water St., 604-875-9004) score reproductions of modern classics like Charles and Ray Eames’s bentwood chair, and fabulous mirrors, wall clocks, and statement pillows. Those seeking authentic Eames, Platner, Saarinen, Aalto, and more should proceed across the street to Inform Interiors (#8) (50 and 97 Water St., 604-682-3868). Owner Niels Bendtsen’s own furniture line, Bensen, is a highlight.

New Town Bakery (#9) Steamed buns and moon cakes are the draw at this Chinatown institution, but with pastry this buttery and flaky, none of the freshly baked tarts will disappoint. 158 E. Pender St., 604-689-7835.

The Wing Sang Building (#10) Chinatown’s oldest building, dating back to 1889, was once home to an opium factory, then an import/export business. It’s now being renovated for the offices of ubiquitous condo marketer Bob Rennie’s private art museum. 51 E. Pender St.

REAL ESTATE MARKETPLACE

503–36 Water St.
$645,900
{Maintenance Fee} $222.82
{Specs} 897 sq. ft., one-bedroom unit in the Terminus building; features geothermal heating and cooling, floor-to-ceiling windows, and rooftop patio.