Vancouver Restaurant: Terra Breads Bakery & Cafe

Article by Erin Cooper, bread lover and Vancouver restaurant reviewer extraordinaire.

A Favourite Local Lunch Spot

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, my husband, one-year-old boy and I headed to our favourite local lunch spot, Terra Breads. Most of you will recognize the Terra breads logo and packaging from your local grocery stores. They produce wonderfully crusty breads and wholesome, nutty granola that you can buy at IGA, Choices, and Whole Foods. My husband and I are longtime fans of Terra Breads – our love affair started when they opened up a bakery inside the Granville Island Public Market several years ago. Our favourite place to go for lunch on the weekends is their café on 4th Avenue. What used to be a large baking facility is now more people (and stroller) friendly, with a number of tables, and a nice window bar to sit and watch the world go by.

I can’t say enough about this Vancouver restaurant. First, there is the food. Everything in the café is made fresh daily. They have wonderful grilled sandwiches, fresh salads, and a daily soup (I’m partial to the minestrone on Wednesdays). Kids love the gooey grilled cheese sandwiches, served with gherkins and homemade ketchup. You can also pick up one of their savoury baked goods, such as cornbread muffins, foccaccia (three different kinds) or a cheese stick. And don’t even get me started on the desserts. In addition to my unhealthy addiction to the blueberry bread, I am a fan of the pecan cinnamon bun, the chocolate chip cookie, and the coconut macaroon. I’m not the only one – my husband will refuse to talk to me if I leave Terra Breads without a macaroon for him in tow.

A Lively – But Not Loud – Vancouver Restaurant

The atmosphere inside this Vancouver restaurant is lively without being loud. It’s the perfect amount of noise to keep your infant sleeping in the stroller while you sneak in for a chai latte and a scone. Toddlers are kept entertained by the constant comings and going of people through the door. It’s like that perfect mix of activity and volume that doesn’t send all eyes your way when your fussy kid throws his spoon on the floor and sweeps his lunch off the table.

If all this doesn’t send you running to Terra Breads, then you should know that they have two highchairs (yes! A proper lunch out with your kid!), a wheelchair accessible door (great for getting in and out with your stroller when you are solo) and clean bathrooms with a changing table. Seriously, what more could you want out of a Vancouver restaurant?

A Magical Subscription Box for Pre-Teen Girls

In addition to their 4th Avenue café and Granville Island bakery, Terra Breads has locations at 5th and Ontario and Olympic Village. V

Erin Cooper is a professional mother of one who enjoys playing with her boys, dinners out with good friends, red wine, and a good yoga class (not necessarily in that order!). She feels lucky to have been raised in the city of Vancouver, and she thinks there is nowhere better than this place she calls home. She loves discovering new restaurants and stores, and sharing her finds with friends and family.