Stir Cheat Sheet: 5 patios and food trucks to fuel the fun at Khatsahlano Street Party
Pull up a sidewalk seat for tortas or Greek ‘za, or grab a bite and head to the fest’s music stages
Hit the Phillips Beer Gardens—four in total—en route to your next patio or concert.
The outdoor seating at Las Margaritas is an oasis amid the party.
Try authentic Brazilian street snacks at Gimme Coxhinas.
Khatsahlano Street Party takes place along West 4th Avenue from 11 am to 9 pm
WHEN THE KHATSAHLANO Street Party unfolds on July 8, the 10-block stretch of West 4th Avenue between Burrard and MacDonald Streets is going to be jumping. Across multiple stages will be topnotch musical acts like Louise Burns and Daysorme, with Yukon Blonde taking to the Stir x TD Stage. It’s all free, geared to all ages, and full of the kind of progressive spirit that goes back to the neighbourhood’s roots.
And no adventure anywhere in Vancouver is complete without stellar food. At Khatsahlano, there will be plenty of fine fare to be had, from mainstay streetside patios serving up burgers and shakes to food trucks at the ready with Himalayan dumplings, Malaysian noodle boxes, and other specialties from around the world. Along the way, hit one of the four Phillips Beer Gardens locations, or check out the Olé Garden for craft cocktails.
Here’s a look at a few top patios and food trucks to check out between bands—all perfect for people- and pooch-watching.
Tacofino Kits Burrito Bar
Sunshine on Saturdays is is a weekly feature of $20 pitchers of sangria: We’ll take two. The outlet belonging to the chain that started in a Tofino school bus currently has a collab with Chinatown’s Juke Chicken: a torta of fried chicken leg with miso mayo, avocado salsa, spicy pickles and iceberg lettuce on a crusty roll; it’s $15, and $1.50 of every torta sold will be donated to Make a Wish Canada. Back by popular demand is the soft and crunchy barbacoa, a juicy plate of white cheddar and Monterey jack, chipotle mayo, cabbage, pickled onions, salsa jalapenos, and cilantro . We love the albacore tuna with soy glaze, wasabi mayo, wakame, pickled ginger, nori—all best served on a sunny, straight-up patio that seats about 18 .
Las Margaritas
Margaritas are the ultimate summer beverage, so where better to enjoy than on the sun-splashed patio of this Kits mainstay? It’s a little trip to a Mexican cantina in this shady spot that serves up dishes inspired by Baja and Southern California ever since 1994. It claims to have the largest collection of tequila in B.C., from Celestial Tequila Anejos to Tenoch Reposado to Siempre Plata Blancos, plus mezcals like Ensamble Koch Aresanal—just the stuff to go with quesadillas, burritos, chimichangas, chicken flautas, and more.
Simpatico
It’s a Vancouver icon, serving up traditional Greek fare alongside the heftiest pizzas this side of Athens since 1969. We’ll take Greenpeace ‘za with green peppers; fish with anchovies, oysters, and shrimp. Mind you, the roasted shoulder of lamb in mustard-and-lemon sauce also hits the spot on the lively sidewalk patio.
Gimme Coxhinas
They’re the ultimate Brazilian grab-and-go street food: coxhinas, crispy croquettes filled with chicken meat and cream cheese, cleverly shaped into a teardrop, then breaded and deep-fried. The appetizer originated in São Paulo in the 1800s, and by the 1950s it had spread to Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, and beyond. The Gimme truck is one of the only places to hunt it down in Vancouver—with Cassia Ribeiro working from her mother’s traditional recipes.
Mom’s Grilled Cheese
Find next-level, nostalgia-fuelled comfort food at this longtime favourite on Vancouver's food-truck scene. You can't go wrong with the Classic, with its nippy aged cheddar oozing out of fresh-baked sourdough. Dip it right into the oven-roasted tomato soup for the full experience. Fancier folks can opt for combos like gouda and carmelized apples. And did we mention the homemade dill pickle on the side? Old school with new vibes, a lot like the neighbourhood where Khats fest takes place.
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