From bannock to bao: 8 must-try food trucks in Vancouver
Vancouver's food truck program began in earnest in 2010, when the city started issuing licenses to mobile kitchens. Today, more than 200 vendors are licensed to feed the Lower Mainland masses from their modified vehicles.
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You can find food trucks everywhere from parks to craft breweries to street parties, while The Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival hosts a number of events throughout the year, including Food Truck Wars, a three-day event at the Cloverdale Exhibition Grounds.
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You can't go wrong with mac and cheese, and REEL serves it from three bright yellow movie-themed trucks. Variations include The Green Mile, topped with broccoli and crispy onions; Godzilla, topped with nori and Japanese mayo; and Some Like it Hot, with banana peppers and hot sauce.
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Bao Buns
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In addition to their stand at the Richmond Night Market, Yoseb and Francis, a.k.a. The Bao Boys, 'bring incredible energy to every event they attend making them a fun and interactive choice with a unique offering,' Rachel Keith, marketing director for GVFTF, says. Their steamed buns, topped with ice cream, icing sugar and condensed milk, earned them GVFTF's People's Choice AND Best Sweet Treat awards at Food Truck Wars 2025.
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One of a few vegan food trucks in the city, Chickpea offers a Mediterranean twist to plant-based platters, wraps, hotdogs and burgers. Vegans happily queue for the Chicksteak, consisting of vegan steak and sautéed onions; the crispy seitan (wheat gluten) chicken; and the shawarma, made with soy curls marinated in a blend of curry, sumac and coriander. In 2024, Chickpea's Main Street storefront made OpenTable's list of Top 100 restaurants with Healthy Bites in Canada.
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Big City Bannock
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One of the newest additions to YVR's food truck scene is the Indigenous-run Big City Bannock. Raymond and Hannah Yamelst saw a gap and are filling it with the fried flatbread that is a staple for Indigenous people across the country. The Yamelts use bannock in tacos, burgers, and twists. Deer stew, sockeye salmon chowder and huckleberry lemonade are also on the menu.
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Toronto Sun
16 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
REVIEW: 'Smurfs' get surreal, which might be lost on the kids
Published Jul 19, 2025 • 4 minute read No Name (James Corden) and Smurfette (Rihanna) in "Smurfs." Photo by Paramount Animation / Paramount Animation Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. The biggest surprise about the new 'Smurfs' movie was the smattering of applause that bubbled forth in the darkness of a recent, kid-friendly preview screening as the credits began to roll. But the animated film – a complicated portal-hopping adventure set in the (groan) multiverse that also incorporates a smattering of live action, mostly scenery and no actors – does have its moments. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account For instance, I briefly smiled when the titular blue 'rat-monkeys,' as the film's bad guy calls these troll-like imps, dimension-hop from one world to the next in an effort to save all that is good from the evil twin wizards Gargamel and Razamel (voice of JP Karliak). Each dimension is rendered, cleverly, in a distinct style of animation: stop-motion clay, a child's crayon drawing, 1970s-era 8-bit video graphics, subtitled Japanese anime and, for reasons I don't fully understand, one surreal undersea vignette featuring a talking tardigrade – a teensy creature that looks like a bug in a fat suit – voiced by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The surprise is not that anyone liked the film. There's no accounting for taste, especially when it comes to offbeat fare like the Smurfs, an intellectual property that has it roots in Belgium, where, in 1958, comic artist Pierre Culliford, working under the pseudonym Peyo, created them as Les Schtroumpfs, but that the robust clapping seems to have come almost entirely from grown-ups. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. During the movie, their young charges appeared to fidget and shift impatiently, greeting their parents' ovation by sitting on their hands or, more likely, using them to scratch their heads in confusion. The reaction from the children in the crowd seemed to echo the closing words of Rihanna, who as the character Smurfette, articulates what I imagine more than a few in the theatre may have been thinking: 'Don't crunch our brains so much!' The script by Pam Brady (a 'South Park' producer and writer of the R-rated films 'South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut' and 'Team America: World Police') is all over the map, sometimes quite literally. Director Chris Miller ('Puss in Boots') opens the action amid the mushroom-shaped houses of Smurf Village before switching to Paris – then the Australian Outback, Munich and points beyond. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 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Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Edmonton Journal
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Style Blueprint
2 days ago
- Style Blueprint
18 Luxurious Southern FINDS for Summer 2025
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It's luxe, yes, but with this level of sparkle and craftsmanship, it's one you'll wear forever and pass down with pride. All letters are available at Tulipano for $5,200. Pin Diamond studs Delicate but dazzling, these are everyday diamonds with the right amount of sparkle. Crafted in solid 14-karat yellow gold, each earring features three bezel-set round diamonds in graduated sizes for subtle dimension. Wear them vertically or as mini climbers in a second piercing. With a total of .13 carats of full-cut diamonds, these petite studs are effortlessly elegant and made to last. The pair is $650 at Brooke Worthington Jewelry. Pin Pearl necklace This necklace is pure coastal glamour with its luminous Japanese Biwa pearls on a custom-dyed pale green thread. It brings texture, elegance, and a touch of the unexpected to any necklace stack or on its own, whether you're in a cover-up or dressed to the nines. Shop this for $500 at Coral Strands. Pin Emerald bracelet Flanked by a thick 14-karat gold link chain, this stunning bezel-set emerald adds the perfect amount of wow to your wrist. It's the kind of piece you'll reach for every day, but it still feels special. This luxe love comes from Theodosia for $6,000. Pin WARDROBE Hand-knit fish vest Fish seem to be on everything right now, but we are smitten with this slow-fashion, hand-knit piece from Nashville designer Kelsey. She knits each piece in her Music City studio and then hand embroiders the dots on the fish, giving it additional texture and ensuring no two pieces are the same. The fit is cropped and boxy for effortless layering. This delightful fish vest is $850 at Studio Kelsey. Pin Oyster clutch Cast from metal in an intricate oyster shell design, this structural clutch is hard to miss. The interior is lined, and the chain shoulder strap is removable. At nearly nine inches wide, it's perfect for evening essentials and turning heads. It's available in gold or silver for $495 at Thirty One Jane. Pin Kaftan dress A Sue Sartor kaftan is that versatile piece you'll reach for all seasons. The airy flutter sleeve paired with a dramatic A-line skirt makes it work with sneakers and stilettos. The fully buttoned front and lightweight, hand-loomed silk taffeta in a hand-dyed navy make it the perfect, event-ready dress for all occasions. It's $595 at Sue Sartor. Pin Suede loafers Classic, seasonless, and with some subtle sparkle on the structural metal heel, these Italian-made suede loafers will walk with you from the boardroom to the bar and anywhere in between. Shop these for $645 at Capitol. Pin ENTERTAINING Rumi game set It's time to retire your beat-up Rummikub set and replace it with this funky, ultra-chic upgrade. With sleek acrylic racks and bold blue details, it adds a splash of fun to game night and is proud to be displayed in between. This set has four racks, 106 weighty tiles, and two jokers. It is $350 (and comes in multiple colors) at Odd McLean. Pin Champagne bucket This showstopping hammered silver champagne cooler by renowned silversmith Emilia Castillo is reason enough to throw a party. Adorned with cabochons and paired with a matching silver underplate, it holds up to four bottles and radiates celebration. Designed exclusively for Houses & Parties, it's more than a cooler — it's a centerpiece at $3,398. Pin Scalloped napkins These scalloped napkins have Southern charm and a tailored twist. A Matouk table linens collection staple, the textured diamond cotton pique is finished with crisp, white piping. They're ready to make Tuesday taco night feel like a garden party. The set of four napkins comes in white or spring green for $174 at Charlotte's. Pin Custom stationery This Mississippi paper designer turns your everyday stationery set into keepsake-worthy notes you're excited to write. This motif features hand-illustrated floral borders and your name (or names) in whimsical script on thick, creamy paper. Sets of 25 cards start at $192 at Lucky Luxe. Pin FOR MEN Lightweight blazer Meet the Ghost Blazer: Sid Mashburn's go-to jacket and one of his all-time favorite pieces. Made from airy, high-twist English wool, it's unlined and ultra-lightweight to give that polished look without the weightiness of most sports coats. Next-level details include subtle pick stitching, sculptural brass buttons, and cleverly designed flap pockets that tuck in cleanly. It's as sharp over a tee as it is with a tie. A true wardrobe chameleon, this is $995 at Sid Mashburn. Pin Two-day briefcase Part briefcase, part carry-on, part weekender, this handsome, utilitarian bag will last for years. Made in Italy from buttery leather and meticulous tailoring, it's got a place for everything — tech, papers, travel essentials — and even a hidden compartment that transforms into a trolley to go over your wheeled bag handle. It's $4,050 at ByGeorge. Pin Retro Fieldbar cooler The South African-made Fieldbar cooler marries vintage style and modern cooling tech. Designed to look like a chic travel case, it keeps your bevs frosty for up to 50 hours. With leather handles, brass hardware, and serious insulation, it's ready for tailgates, road trips, and picnics galore. This comes in four fabulous colors for $250 each at Epergne. Pin For daydreaming — and maybe a splurge or two — we certainly hope this list was fun! This article contains product affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links. ********** Want to see more of our Southern FINDS? Follow us on Instagram! About the Author Zoe Yarborough Zoe is a StyleBlueprint staff writer, Charlotte native, Washington & Lee graduate, and Nashville transplant of eleven years. She teaches Pilates, helps manage recording artists, and likes to "research" Germantown's food scene.
