Your Vancouver Pumpkin Spice Tour

Your Vancouver Pumpkin Spice Tour

It's no secret that summer is over. But when summer packs up for the year, autumn shows itself in. The familiar scent of pumpkin spice begins to linger in Vancouver, and no one does pumpkin better than us. We've compiled a list of pumpkin-spiced treats and other neighbourhood gems for you and your friends to get your fall flavour fix.

Pure Bread Bakery

First stop is Purebread Bakery in Gastown. Don't let their beautiful display of treats overwhelm you (even though their gooey brownies and buttery cookies are hard to ignore). Instead, follow your nose to the pumpkin scones and whoopie pies, and get them warmed for that quintessential fall bite. Start your day at Purebread and follow up with a cozy afternoon along the signature Gastown cobblestone streets flooded with autumn leaves. Purebread also has locations all over the city, including inside the airport, so you can't miss grabbing a fall dessert before you fly out! And for those staying in hotels downtown, like Fairmont Waterfront, Purebread is a short walk away.

Beaucoup Bakery and Wicked Café

Parisian flair meets Vancouver charm at Beaucoup Bakery, and it's where you can sip a cappuccino while digging into pumpkin-spiced cakes or a mousse. Enjoy a quiet, raincover morning on their South Granville patio or warm up inside with a salted caramel hot chocolate for a taste of autumn in a cup.

And if your sweet tooth still isn't satisfied, Wicked Café is just a short walk away as well. Their Wicked Apple Cinnamon Bun is baked with fresh apples and a dusting of cinnamon butter; it's the kind of fall snack that makes you feel toasty on a rainy fall day.

Granville Island Spice Co.

Once you've tasted pumpkin, it's time to smell the real thing. A short walk from Beaucoup is Granville Island, Vancouver's beloved fresh food market on the water. The Granville Island Spice Co. stall is located just inside the market and offers the original pumpkin spice so that you can create your own Starbucks-esque fall snacks at home. And while you're there, explore the Granville Island Public Market to pick up some more local fall snacks, or treat yourself to some art by exploring Granville Island's galleries.

Grounds For Coffee

While Vancouver's ocean views get most of the attention, over on Commercial Drive is where you'll find colourful murals and indie bookstores. Tucked between shops lives the picturesque fall dessert of your dreams at Grounds for Coffee. Known for the city's best cinnamon buns, Grounds makes leaving bed on a snug autumn morning worth it. When the leaves change colours, their pumpkin buns arrive swirled with endless cream cheese frosting and infused with pumpkin spice in every gooey bite. Settle into your fall snack while Vancouver rain taps against the window, or keep it boxed and see autumn leaves take on a storm with a stroll through the colourful McSpadden Park.

Earnest Ice Cream

Whoever said ice cream is reserved for summer has never tried Earnest Ice Cream. Their year-round favourites like creamy cookies and cream and whisky hazelnut are classic, but in autumn, they roll out the red carpet for their fall desserts. They've got apple pie and cardamom flavour, but the real treat is their pumpkin spice ice cream. It's made with their organic pumpkin puree and blended with spices to recreate that classic, nutty taste. Their stores are located mainly across East Vancouver and one in Lower Lonsdale, so you can get your fall dessert fresh off the trail.

Fall in Vancouver means rainy days, cozy outings, and a pumpkin spice dessert that feels more like tradition than trend. So bundle up and dig in, because this season is nothing short of magical.