The Corner Store Is Back, and It's Serving Pasta
La Tasca
Neighborhood: Renfrew-Collingwood
Address: 2308 E 34th Ave, Vancouver
For those who have been living in Vancouver since before a fluorescent-lit and self-checkout laden supermarket sat at the centre of most neighbourhoods, memories of small, family-owned and operated groceries might still feel fresh. The local mercantiles that still stand remain community pillars. They’re a necessity, providing both weekly grocery hauls and last-minute stops for tomorrow morning’s milk. Frequent one of these neighbourhood staples often enough and you’ll start recognising the staff. Maybe you’ll learn their names, maybe they’ll learn yours.
La Tasca is endeavouring to keep the spirit of these community hubs alive. Having recently opened up shop in the iconic 1918 B.K. Grocery building on the corner of East 34th and Nanaimo, La Tasca is not only a mercantile, but a place to gather over a cup of coffee and a bowl of pasta. Dinner is easier to shop for once you’ve already sat down and enjoyed a quick bite - especially when it’s a fettuccini alfredo priced at $13.00.
As Ashley and Ferney, the team behind Granville Island’s The Stock Market saw it, there was an opportunity to revive a century-old corner store with a sense of purpose, serving the practical needs of the community while encouraging people to slow down, linger, and share a chat over a coffee rather than blitzing through the grocery list. La Tasca offers a broad selection of The Stock Market’s ready-made soups, stews, and stocks to keep mid-week dinner delicious and uncomplicated. Aligned with their own place in the community ecosystem, La Tasca has made an effort to keep their shelves occupied by locally-crafted goods: frozen dumplings from Dicky’s Dumps, sausages from Montañeros, ice cream from Ice Keem, and the (grocery) list goes on.
Carrying more than a century of Renfrew-Collingwood’s neighbourhood history into the present day, La Tasca feels like a continuation of something that really matters. While much has changed since the first grocery to occupy the B.K. building opened their doors in 1920, the purpose La Tasca is serving remains equally integral. In a city where independently owned groceries are steadily disappearing, La Tasca is a reminder that these small but mighty institutions offer much more than convenience. They bring together food, hospitality, and community under one roof, proving that the neighbourhood grocery can still be one of the most welcoming places on the block.
Open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-6pm; Weekends 10am-5pm
