[Photo from tourismvancouver.com]

Vancouver’s Chinatown gets a lot of attention, but consider taking in the sites, smells and tastes of another of the city’s ethnic enclaves: Punjabi Market, the epicenter of Vancouver’s Indo-Canadian community. Not a market at all, but rather a neighbourhood that occupies six blocks on Main Street, starting at about East 49th Avenue, this Little India is marked by shops touting bright swathes of silk, intricate gold bangles and some of the best (and most affordable) curries outside of Punjab. Here, we offer our recommendations of what to eat, see and buy in this colourful, friendly district.

Punjabi Market’s History

Immigrants from Punjab — a state that straddles the Indian-Pakistani border — first arrived in British Columbia more than a century ago to work in the booming lumber trade. But it wasn’t until the 1970s, when a mass influx of Punjabis settled in South Vancouver, that Punjabi Market truly blossomed and Vancouver’s Indo-Canadian community became inextricably woven into the city’s cultural fabric. Historically, patrons of local shops and groceries have been predominantly Indian, and, although gentrification and high rents have left some storefronts empty, it’s still possible to get a taste of the city’s Indo-Canadian identity.

Eating Indian

There is absolutely nothing like dipping into a rich curry still steaming from the stove. Fresh spices, such as tamarind and cumin, and exotic produce like jackfruit make Punjabi Market’s eateries some of Vancouver’s prime places to grab a bite. Restaurants here are affordable, too, offering delicious vegetarian buffets for $11 or less. (Don’t miss delicately spiced samosas and the gulab jamun, a fried pastry dipped in honey, at All India Sweets and Restaurant (6507 Main St.) Or stop into Punjab Food Centre (6635 Main St.), where bulk spices perfume the air, and aisles are lined with authentic Indian packaged goods and snacks.