La Grotta del Formaggio Vancouver

A taste of Italy

Rebecca from Vancouver

About me I’m Rebecca, and in 2023, I moved back to my home city of Vancouver after spending four years teaching English in Madrid, Spain. I discovered my passion for travel after my first girl guide trip at age fifteen and recently managed to complete my goal of visiting thirty countries before turning thirty. I love adventures both abroad and at home and exploring the suburbs of cities for ...
"La Grotta del Formaggio, a Vancouver classic, offers hefty custom sandwiches, unique pastas, and diverse cheeses in Little Italy since the 1970s. Enjoy!"

Part sandwich shop, part cheese shop, and part Italian grocer, La Grotta del Formaggio is one of those Vancouver gems that seems to have existed forever. Dating back to the 1970s, it is most famous for dishing up pre-designed and customizable sandwiches ranging from a small baguette to a Foccacia the size of a dinner plate. They are generously filled with toppings, and you won't leave hungry. 

The shop's other highlights are an olive bar, bags of less common pasta shapes such as orecchiette, and a selection of local and European cheeses. My new favourite discovery is their fresh cannoli. 

My favourite thing to do is get a half focaccia sandwich with pesto, prosciutto, and mozzarella as the base and take a look at the photos from La Grotta del Formaggio's early days while waiting to pay. While you can head to a local park to enjoy your creation, I like to be patient and grab one of the eight seats (four inside and two tables outside) for people to watch while snacking.

The other nice thing about La Grotta del Formaggio is its location on Commercial Drive, in a section known as “Little Italy.” It’s a hotspot for murals and niche shops, along with other cafes and restaurants, making it a delicious lunch stop after a walk in this area. 

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Vancouver Spotter Rebecca

About me I’m Rebecca, and in 2023, I moved back to my home city of Vancouver after spending four years teaching English in Madrid, Spain. I discovered my passion for travel after my first girl guide trip at age fifteen and recently managed to complete my goal of visiting thirty countries before turning thirty. I love adventures both abroad and at home and exploring the suburbs of cities for hidden gems. When I can’t escape to the next country on my to - visit list, I enjoy reading, hunting for street art and unique architecture, board games, and improving my Spanish. &...

About this spot

1791 Commercial Drive

Half Panini:

C$

14.50

Nov 1, 2025

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