Pumpkin is back in Vancouver’s pastry cases, curry bowls and beer glasses. Here’s where to find a little more of it this fall.
Back in 2012, I called pumpkin “the seasonal bacon” because it seemed to be turning up in everything. Fourteen years later, the comparison still holds. Yes, I’m old enough to have a pumpkin archive. I’ve loved food and been thinking critically about what’s on our plates for as long as I can remember, so even a squash was never going to escape scrutiny. There are pumpkin croissants to go with your pumpkin latte, pumpkin beer for later, and plenty of pie in between.
This fall, there’s plenty of pumpkin inspiration at Vancouver bakeries, restaurants and dessert shops, along with a few seasonal releases from BC breweries. From a pastry with your coffee to dinner out and a quiet afternoon baking at home, here are a few ways to enjoy the season.
Seasonal menus and availability checked October 31, 2026. Daily selections and stock change, so check the linked menus before making a special trip.
Start with something savoury
Oretachi Curry on Main Street has Hokkaido Pumpkin Croquette Curry on its menu, as well as a pumpkin croquette you can order separately. This is a good place to begin if your pumpkin cravings run more towards lunch than dessert.
Published on Main takes pumpkin in another direction with its Harvest tasting menu. The sample menu includes a pumpkin pie snack with pumpkin vinegar and a pumpkin dessert with sea buckthorn. Harvest runs from October 7, 2026, to January 5, 2027, and the restaurant notes that dishes evolve with ingredient availability. Book for the seasonal experience, with the understanding that the exact pumpkin dishes may change.
Croissants, cream puffs and a very full pastry bag
Terra Breads has a Pumpkin Pie Double Baked Croissant among its monthly bakery features. Spiced pumpkin goes both inside and on top. There’s a pumpkin spice latte on the seasonal menu too, should you want to commit to the theme.
Élysées Cafe & Bakery at 6161 Cambie Street has enough on its fall menu to make choosing difficult: a Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, Pumpkin Cream Puff, Pumpkin Almond Double Baked Croissant and Pumpkin Coffee Cake Loaf. The cream puff is the one that would send me to the counter first, although a slice of coffee cake sounds very sensible for the following morning.
Small Victory South Granville has a Pumpkin Tart with pumpkin cream, ginger confit, tonka mascarpone cream and a gingersnap cookie. That combination makes a nice change from a traditional slice of pie. Check the location’s ordering menu for the day’s selection.
Pie, more pie and a scoop on the side
The Pie Hole keeps things classic with its Pumpkin Pie, finished with whipped cream and nutmeg. Its ordering page offers several sizes and baked or frozen options, handy whether you need dessert for a table or something to tuck away for later.
Tartine Bread & Pies on Beach Avenue offers both Traditional Pumpkin and Smashing Pumpkin on its pie menu. Ask about the differences and what’s available that day before deciding which one comes home with you.
At Granville Island, A La Mode has a Signature Pumpkin whole pie made with pumpkin, brown sugar, spices and a hint of citrus. The online order page asks for at least 24 hours’ notice for pickup, so this one needs a little planning.
Earnest Ice Cream puts the pie into the scoop. Its Pumpkin Pie ice cream combines cooked pumpkin, spices and pieces of pie crust. The flavour was on the menu at the Fraser Street shop when checked for this update. Flavours rotate, so check what’s scooping at your chosen shop before heading over.
And if you’re looking for a smaller dessert after dinner, Arcana in Gastown has Pumpkin Tarts on its menu. Another reason to leave a little room.
Coffee breaks and pumpkin cocktails
The pumpkin spice latte still has its place. Along with Terra Breads, Small Victory South Granville serves hot and iced versions, giving us options for Vancouver’s less predictable fall afternoons.
For an evening drink, The Keg Alberni has a Pumpkin Spice Sour on its fall menu. It combines J.P. Wiser’s 10-year whisky with pumpkin spice, maple, lemon, Angostura bitters and egg white. Check the seasonal menu before going specifically for the cocktail.
BC pumpkin beers to look for
Pumpkin also has a busy season at BC breweries. The BC Ale Trail’s fall 2026 roundup includes these releases, ranging from lager to porter and stout:
- Parallel 49, Vancouver: Schadenfreude Pumpkin Oktoberfest and Lost Souls Chocolate Pumpkin Porter.
- Storm Brewing, Vancouver: Pumpkin Pie Ale.
- Howe Sound Brewing, Squamish: Pumpkineater Imperial Pumpkin Ale.
- Dead Frog Brewery, Langley Township: Pumpkin Spice Creamsicle.
- Five Roads Brewing, Langley: Oogie Boogie Pumpkin Stout.
- PoCo Brothers, Port Coquitlam: Pumpkin Spice Ale.
- Phillips Brewing, Victoria: Crooked Tooth Nitro Pumpkin Ale.
These are seasonal releases, so check with the brewery or your local beer shop for remaining stock. A fall release announcement doesn’t guarantee a can will still be waiting on the shelf.
A little pumpkin baking at home
If staying in sounds better, there are a couple of recipes in the GLV archive worth bringing back into the kitchen. My Pumpkin Pecan Pie combines the two pies in one, and yes, I buy the crust. It’s the pie pictured above, with a little help cleaning up the old photo. My photography and food-styling skills needed work back then. They still do, but they really did then. Thankfully, the pie tasted better than my styling suggested.
There’s also a batch of Pumpkin Muffins with yogurt, raisins and optional nuts. Use plain yogurt and pumpkin purée, rather than pumpkin pie filling. The old post mentions a seasonal pumpkin yogurt, but plain yogurt is already an option in the recipe.
Pumpkin season can be a croissant and a coffee, a curry lunch or a pie cooling on the counter. I’m happy to make room for all three.
