13 Unique & Fun Things to do on Commercial Drive

From amazing restaurants and bars to great thrifting opportunities, those looking for fun things to do on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive have plenty of choice.

Spanning 22 blocks end to end, Commercial Drive (or as it’s known locally “The Drive”) is one of the city’s best known neighborhoods.

For a long time, it enjoyed a reputation as Vancouver’s “Little Italy”, with a noticeable density of Italian markets, delis, restaurants, and of course, people.

And although some aspects of this legacy do remain, we’d argue that Commercial Drive has since diversified a great deal, with a funky vibe that’s distinctively more global than simply just Italian.

Nonetheless, the Drive continues to enjoy a reputation for being a go-to destination for food, drink, and fun. While not as photogenically strollable as say Gastown or Fort Langley, we’d say the neighbourhood still has its charms… especially when you know where to go.

In this post, we’ll be sharing some of the best things to do on Commercial Drive, whether you’re looking to eat, drink, or shop. Let us know in the comments if we’ve missed any of your favourite activities!

Meander and eat your way through “Little Italy”

Often, you’ll hear Commercial Drive referred to as Vancouver’s “Little Italy”, a legacy left behind by the influx of Italian immigrants who came to Vancouver following the 2nd World War. Prior to that period, it was actually nearby Strathcona that was considered Little Italy, but that’s a story for another time.

These days, the nickname is far less commonly used (and less accurate), given the vast diversity that now exists on the Drive. Nonetheless, whether for marketing or heritage reasons, the four blocks on either side of 1st Ave along Commercial Drive are still nowadays considered to be “Little Italy”.

And while it’s not as obvious as it once was, there are still dozens of businesses on the Drive today that are Italian owned and/or operated.

Just as Richmond is known for Chinese food, Surrey is known for Indian food, and Coquitlam is known for Korean food, the Drive is known for Italian food, so here are a few food spots to keep an eye out for if you’re keen to get a taste of the Drive’s famous Little Italy:

Or feast on all kinds of international cuisines

Of course, Commercial Drive is no longer just a hub for good Italian cuisine. In fact, walk along its 22 blocks and you’ll find a myriad of cuisines from all around the world.

Craving Ethiopian? Chinese? Japanese? Spanish? Thai? Salvadoran? French-Tunisian? All of those (and many more) can be sampled along the Drive, which boasts one of the most diverse food scenes in the city.

You can take a look at their full directory to browse your choices, but we can highly recommend Lunch Lady for their delicious Vietnamese dishes.

Go thrifting

For a lot of newcomers, Commercial Drive can seem like a confusing place to shop. This famous street is crammed with restaurants, supermarkets, food shops, travel agencies, and boutiques, often in a not-so-coordinated order.

Nonetheless, if you’re looking for unique treasures, the Drive is one of the best places to go thanks to its stellar line-up of second hand shops.

Here are a few to check out:

Admire the painted murals 

One of our favourite things about strolling along the Drive is the many colourful murals that adorn the walls of corner businesses.

While Mount Pleasant is probably best known for its colourful murals, there are a lot of neat ones to appreciate on the Drive as well, so be sure to keep an eye out as you explore!

Head to Open Mic Night at Café Deux Soleils

For over 25 years, Café Deux Soleils has been a beloved neighbourhood institution along the Drive serving up healthy comfort food, and a varied cultural calendar that has made it one of the go-to spots in the city for creatives of all kinds.

One particular event that has really put them on the map is their Thursday Open Mic Night, which welcomes performers of all kinds to take the stage and showcase their talents.

Whether you’re there to just watch or have a go yourself, open mic night is one of THE most quintessentially “Commercial Drive experiences” you can have. Don’t miss it!

Catch a show at the Rio Theatre

Speaking of neighbourhood institutions, we couldn’t write a list of things to do on Commercial Drive without mentioning one of the most famous independent theatres in Vancouver: the Rio.

This beauty is one of the few old school single screen theatres of its kind left in the city, with a long history dating back to 1938.

Over the decades, the Rio has lived many lives, starting out as a movie theatre, then becoming a bowling alley, then becoming an Asian language cinema, to its status now as a celebrated performance space and cinema screening everything from cult classics and new independent films to live streams of major sporting events.

The Rio is so beloved in fact that when there was talk of potential redevelopment in the area, a city-wide campaign was launched to “save the Rio”, a feat that was ultimately successful thanks to countless donations, fundraisers, private investors and even a grant from the city itself.

… so yes, a show at the legendary Rio is definitely one of the best things you can do on Commercial Drive.

Explore one of Vancouver’s tiniest “malls” 

Il Mercato is one of those places that you drive past a million times without thinking about what’s inside, but this covered “mall” on the corner of Commercial and East 1st is worth taking a peek at, if even just to admire the bizarre mix of shops inside.

Sure, the combination of Timmy’s, a cellphone repair shop, counsellors, dentists and an MLA might not make Il Mercato a prime contender for “coolest things to do on Commercial Drive” but it does conceal one great hidden gem worth checking out: Lombardo’s, a historic pizzeria that has been around since Expo 1986, and commonly hailed as one of the top pizza spots in the city.

PS: If you’re a fan of malls, did you know Metro Vancouver is home to the biggest mall in the province? Check out our Things to do in Burnaby post to learn more.

Try some of the best gelato in Vancouver

And for those with a sweet tooth, another Commercial Drive must-visit is Dolce Amore, home to Vancouver’s first and only grass-fed gelato.

Dolce Amore is one of the many delicious ice cream shops we mentioned in our roundup of the Best Ice Cream and Gelato Places in Vancouver, so you know it’s good.

The flavours here are unique and delicious, with creative concoctions like Bed of Roses (Fior di Latte Gelato infused with Rosewater and Organic Earl Grey), and Vegan Salted Coconut Caramel.

So, if you’re feeling like a treat after all that eating and shopping, be sure to stop by and see why their slogan is “naturally made, criminally good.

Enjoy an awesome Happy Hour

We’ve already written all about the best Happy Hours in Downtown Vancouver, as well as the best Happy Hours in Burnaby, so you should know we love a good deal.

And as a go-to destination for food and drink, it should come as no surprise that the Drive is filled with a lot of great options for Happy Hour as well. Here are some popular choices:

Enjoy a coffee break

Another great low-key activity in Commercial Drive is enjoying a good cup of coffee.

For such a compact neighbourhood, there’s a fair few options.

In terms of chains, there’s JJ Bean and Prado, but if you’re on the Drive, you might as well treat yourself to something more unique to the neighbourhood, like…

  • Abruzzo Cappuccino Bar: A homey and unpretentious cafe that also shows big soccer matches
  • Cafè Calabria: Italian style coffee bar that also sells sandwiches and pastries
  • Continental Coffee: Fresh, high-quality coffee roasted in-house, been around since the 70s
  • Grounds for Coffee: Not unique to the Drive, but widely considered to have some of the best cinnamon buns in the city
  • Turks Coffee Bar: Hip spot with a great patio and well-trained, certified baristas
  • Mum’s the Word: Fun, eclectic spot with a cool atmosphere and great coffee

Go bowling

And if you’re looking for a fun Commercial Drive date night activity, be sure to check out bowling at Grandview Lanes.

This ​iconic bowling spot has been family owned & operated since 1947, with a affordable rates and fun special deals like date night & pizza + bowling combos.

If you really want to make an evening of it, they also serve a nice variety of drinks and classic ‘pub grub’ like sandwiches, pizzas, hot dogs, and chicken strips.

Admire one of the most obscure public art installations in Vancouver

In terms of obscure things to do on Commercial Drive, we have one recommendation that we bet you’ve walked past a million times.

Steps away from the Commercial/Broadway Skytrain Station, there’s a decades-old public art piece known as subTEXT:Community Signature Project.

The installation was created by Swiss-Canadian artist Susan Schuppli back in 1996, and features the signatures of locals embedded into bright blue tiles. It

Attend “Italian Day on the Drive”

Lastly, if you are looking for fun summer things to do along Commercial Drive, then be sure to add this event to your calendar!

Every June, the Drive hosts its signature event – “Italian Day on the Drive”, a massive annual street festival that celebrates Italian culture, heritage and community.

Known to draw hundreds of thousands of attendees each year, the event includes over 150 vendors and participants spread across 14 lively blocks on the Drive. It’s considered one of the biggest (single day) street festivals in the country, with tons of fun activities, performances, and naturally, food.

Wondering when to go? Italian Day typically takes place on the 2nd Sunday of June, but be sure to check the official Commercial Drive website for complete details.

Did we miss any of your favourite things to do on Commercial Drive?

Let us know in the comments so we can add more recommendations to our list!

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