JOHNNY'S POPS

Do you remember the days when you could buy an ice cream from a guy with a bicycle? Well, Johnny's Pops has taken that nostalgic idea and has given it a twist, selling popsicles made from locally sourced ingredients from the front of a bicycle he retrofitted himself.

Johnny grew up in Agassiz and made the big move to Vancouver in 2010. One day, he was inspired by someone in Atlanta making popsicles with interesting flavours. So, Johnny retrofitted a bicycle to hold a cooler for 100 popsicles, found some warehouse space with a kitchen, and in May 2013, Johnny's Pops was born.

The popsicle flavours are largely a result of trial and error. What started as an attempt to recreate ice cream flavours has moved to create unique and mouth-wateringly good popsicles. Flavours include raspberry lime, coconut, apricot salted caramel, and creamy strawberry lemonade. The fruit is largely sourced from Krause Berry Farms in Langley, which has been in operation for over 40 years.

Johnny reckons he has made more than 60,000 popsicles since 2013, which have been devoured everywhere from the Food Cart Fest, to the Vancouver Farmers Market, Khatsahlano, and at private catering functions. This year, Johnny will also be at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, which in itself is a good reason to go. The popsicles are also sold at retail locations including Welk's General Store (3511 Main Street), Gigi Blin and soon at the Dirty Apron (540 Beatty Street).

So the next time you're craving something good (and cold) on a hot day, use the Vancouver Street Food App to find Johnny - he'll be the guy with the striped shirt and really really good popsicles. 

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THIERRY

As anyone with a sweet tooth can attest, finding a good location for dessert that caters to every mood and craving can seem like an impossible task. Unless you've discovered Thierry. 

Thierry, by award winning pastry chef Thierry Busset, is part chocolaterie, part patisserie, and part café. It serves hand crafted chocolates, macaroons, pastries, and desserts, all of which have seasonal options. You could spend hours perusing the counter, looking at all the delicious cakes and the rainbow assortment of macaroons. The only thing stopping you will be the impatient line up behind you - this place is popular!

The interior of the café matches the luxury of the Alberni shopping strip on which Thierry resides. With curved, palmwood walls, Thonet brentwood café chairs, and a heated outdoor patio, you may never want to leave!

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LA CASA GELATO

As you may have heard / experienced, Vancouver has been having a very hot and very dry summer, which isn't showing any signs of abating.

Will all this hot weather, Vancouverites have developed an affinity for ice cream. Thankfully, La Casa Gelato has us covered. With 518 flavours, it would take you nearly a year and a half to try all the flavours (even more if you have a double scoop - think of all the possible permutations!). That's right. It would take you 17 months of trying a different flavour every single day to get through each type. 

This gelato, sorbetto and frozen yogurt establishment originally opened on Commercial Drive in 1982 serving pizza, panarotti, panni and 12 flavours of gelato and sorbetto. It has since grown into the only gelato factory and store in the world that consistently has 218 flavours on location at all times. Choosing a flavour is half the experience (the other half is the décor, atmosphere, and that first lick). 

It's almost impossible to make a recommendation, as we've barely scratched the surface of the available flavours. Regardless of what you choose, we recommend you get it in a hand-made-in-house cone and eat it in the parkette across the street (easily identifiable by its vibrant pink walls). 

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