Hide from the Bustle - The VAG Cafe

This past summer, I volunteered at the Vancouver Art Gallery every week as part of my Library and Archives Masters program. I am a born-and-raised Vancouverite, and I have always known about the intimate and airy Gallery Cafe, but I didn't realise that they produce such a wide and delectable range of items. From panini to a variety of interesting salads, the Cafe serves a diverse selection appropriate for both lunch and dinner. The VAG Gallery Cafe actually has one of the best patios in the city, which is a great place to enjoy a drink on a summer's eve.

Sadly, the coffee is only so-so, and I often hopped over to Artigiano across the street for my morning cappuccino. However, I would always grab a pastry from the Gallery Cafe. They have an amazing dessert section which changes daily. Popular items include a chubby blueberry pie, dark chocolate bread pudding, trifle, lavender creme caramel, and rhubarb muffins. I...ummmm... have a sweet tooth.

I disagree with a number of people I have spoken to who claim that the Gallery Cafe is expensive, or that it is laid out like a cafeteria. Resembling many of the great museum cafes of North America and Europe, the VAG Gallery Cafe employs a deli set-up, which is an efficient format for employees and patrons alike. It is usually logistically impossible (and just plain unnecessary) for galleries and museums to have full-service restaurants, although many of them (including the Gallery Cafe) do serve restaurant-quality vittles.

Keywords: "Alexander Dawkins" , "Vancouver Art Gallery", "Vancouver Patios"