Review Union Market - Vancouver

This beloved Strathcona neighbourhood market with assorted corner grocery store goods but I come here for these things the most. The shrimp cake, the cod cakes, and the Portuguese custard tarts. Those tarts are arguable the best in Vancouver, while the cod cakes are also excellent. I love shrimp so shrimp cakes are tasty for me too. You can grab a coffee and pickup some grocery items you need including bakery items, milk, some vegetables, etc. The people here are great too. We love coming to this place weekly.

Union Market is a great place to get you European groceries. They also make quick lunches and lattes espresso coffees if you in the go? this is the place to go. Very friendly people and always very busy. There is parking on the streets a round it and nearby.

Hidden gem in Strathcona for Portuguese pastries. Will be coming back to try some other treats before the owner retires.

If I can give out 10 stars I would! The fresh food, the friendly/accommodating service -- you can't beat it. I tried Union Market as a result of a referral by my neighbour and I am so glad she mentioned it because I had no idea it existed?! It is a hidden gem. Has the most DELICIOUS cod cakes (bacalhau) made fresh. You can buy them precooked or take them home to cook, either or. Perfect for a gathering (when covid is gone of course). The custard tarts are equally fresh and delicious. You really taste the love in each bite. Tastes of europe. I wasn't lucky enough to go inside, I placed my order over the phone after viewing their online photos. It was delivered to me and like I said, I couldn't be more grateful. Can't wait to go there in person. Thank you for the amazing service to the Union Market fam! I don't know what is better, your food or service! 5 stars for both!! All the best in 2021!

Just visiting and stopped by for breakfast. Got the chicken sausage and spinach strudel. Absolutely amazing food!! Wish I was staying longer so I could come back and try some more of the food items here.

Union Market is a gem of a place with friendly servers, a beautiful front patio (with a heat lamp to keep you warm in the cooler season), fantastic baked goods (highly recommend the cod cakes and potato gratin) and amazing coffee. They also have jams, sausages, and other goods for your convenience! Is a beautiful place and you have to check it out!

Great coffee, breakfast food and other baked goods. All the staff members are also very nice. Perfect example of a small neighborhood market

Great little cafe/market. Good atmosphere and quality of baked goods is amazing.

Union Food Market was one of the places that's been on my "to try" list for a few years, as finding Portuguese products in Vancouver is bizarrely difficult and I love that it's owned and operated by a Portuguese family. I was in the neighbourhood last week and actually remembered to stop by and check this place out. It's a café and small market front that's a favourite amongst local residents and those passing through. It's quaint, it's charming, and if you don't find what you're looking for you're probably still going to way away with at least a coffee and a pastéis de Belém (the infamous Portuguese custard tarts) for your troubles. I wasn't looking for anything in particular as it wasn't a planned visit, but more to satisfy a curiosity. They have a nice (albeit small) selection of homemade treats for sale (pastéis de bacalhau (salt cod fritters), rissóis (shrimp cakes), coxinha (actually Brazilian, but it's a chicken croquette), pastéis de Belém, malassadas (a fried donut shaped like an elephant's ear with a mild orange taste and covered with cinnamon and sugar), and a mix of regular coffee shop treats (carrot cake, etc) along with their coffee bar. In terms of Portuguese ingredients, they didn't have as much selection as I had hoped - they had piri piri in various forms (dried, pastes, marinade), tinned sardines, olives, olive oil, and then several frozen items which include frozen whole sardines, small portions of bacalhau, linguiça/choriço, and the aforementioned homemade treats that have been packaged and frozen. I recognize that we're still in the throes of COVID-19, which has disrupted everyone's supply chain (amongst other things), so the selection may be better during normal times. For the homemade goods, the prices I think are quite reasonable, but I was quite shocked at the price of other items, such as the bacalhau. A very small package (about the size of my hand, a women's size small) was over $20. I kept thinking I was misreading this as you would need to buy about 2-3 (or more...) packages to make one recipe of bacalhau. Cod is the very essence of Portugal, particularly salt cod (bacalhau), but the price here is extremely cost-prohibitive and not feasible for those who enjoy it on a regular basis. The frozen whole sardines, on the other hand, seemed to be a reasonable price - about 3 large sardines were around $8. We left with 2 pastéis de Belém and a malassada to enjoy later that day. The pastéis was delicious, and should be enjoyed warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon. The malassada we found to be quite thin and dry - I imagine if you're stopping by in the morning when they're freshly fried they would be excellent. All in all, it's a cozy neighbourhood favourite that I would recommend if you're in the area with time for a coffee, a treat, and a chat while people watching. In terms of specialty goods, I would say it's certainly worth having a browse while you're there though I wouldn't say it's "the" spot I'd recommend to folks looking for Portuguese fare.

Super friendly and the baked goods are fantastic. Great neighborhood spot