Chinatown and Strathcona finally have a new cafe, deli and grocer, and her name’s Dalina.
Dalina opened Saturday, December 3 on the ground floor of the Bluesky Chinatown apartment building at Main and Georgia streets.
The new spot is owned by the Bosa family, responsible for building the apartment building above, as well as many other buildings across the Lower Mainland.
The 3,000 square foot space is named after the matriarch of the Bosa family, and features a cafe, deli, and grocery store. It’s a beautiful space, clad in sheets of carrara marble and white subway tiles, and features a suspended art installation of sorts, of copper pots and pans hanging above the main counter.
There are lots of sandwiches, salads and soups for eat-in or take away, as well as marinated olives, sausages, cheese and more.
The coffee bar is fantastic, serving strong espresso, and offers milk, almond milk and cream on tap.
The grocery store has a wide variety of local products, including fruit, fresh bread from Terra Breads, olive oils, coffee beans, and of course, lots of Italian products. It probably isn’t somewhere to do all your grocery shopping, but it definitely will be convenient for people in the neighbourhood and those working nearby.
The owners describe Dalina’s vision below:
“The vision for DALINA is one that combines the traditions of an Italian café, with the familiarity of a neighbourhood corner store.
Redefining these two classic experiences, this new take on the neighbourhood grocer comes complete with all of your daily necessities, contemporary and fresh Italian meals, and traditional northern Italian coffee.
Whether you’re looking for the perfect cup to start your day, a fresh and healthy housecooked meal, or that last minute ingredient for your dinner party – we have you covered, from zuppe to nuts.”
There is a patio outside as well, on the corner of Main and Georgia, which should see some action once the weather warms up. Dalina is a great addition to Chinatown, an area traditionally underserved by grocery stores, but with a significant new residential population.
Future Dalina locations could be in the works.
“We are excited to open DALINA on Main Street as our first location, and are hopeful to open additional locations in Vancouver in future,” reads a statement from the owners.
A holiday market is planned for December 9-11 and December 16-18, visit dalina.ca for further details.
