What to know
- North Burnaby offers a mix of family attractions, neighbourhood restaurants, bakeries and shopping destinations.
- Eileen Dailly Leisure Pool is a popular recreation hub beside Confederation Park.
- Anton’s Pasta Bar has become famous for its massive portions and extensive pasta menu.
- The Amazing Brentwood, Glenburn Soda Fountain and Punk Rock Pastries round out a day of shopping and local eats.
North Burnaby offers a slower pace than downtown Vancouver, but that’s part of its appeal.
From longtime neighbourhood favourites to modern shopping destinations, the area is packed with local businesses and attractions that make it easy to spend a relaxing afternoon exploring. Here are five places worth adding to your list.
Bordered by Boundary Road to its west, which separates the city of Burnaby from Vancouver, North Burnaby brings a relaxing change of pace with community centres, long-standing local restaurants, and an indoor-outdoor mall. Work up an appetite at Eileen Dailly Public Pool before challenging Anton’s Pasta Bar’s enormous dinner plates.
Here are five places in North Burnaby that locals love and visitors shouldn’t miss.
Eileen Dailly Leisure Pool & Fitness Centre
- Location: 240 Willingdon Ave.
Situated next to Confederation Park, Eileen Dailly Leisure Pool & Fitness Centre is a family-friendly public swimming pool and fitness centre in the Heights historic neighbourhood in North Burnaby. Featuring a 25 metre lap pool, an exhilarating waterslide, a hot tub, a sauna, and a gym, Eileen Dailly offers something to do for everyone, from children to seniors. The centre also offers swimming lessons for all ages and aquafit classes. Fun fact, the space is named after Eileen Dailly, an educator and politician who represented North Burnaby in the Legislative Assembly from 1966 to 1986.
Glenburn Soda Fountain & Confectionery
- Location: 4090 Hastings St.
Searching for a tasty treat after a hectic morning? Head on over to Glenburn Soda Fountain & Confectionary for an orange creamsicle float or banana split. Opened in 2013 by Burnaby Heights residents Ron and Roberta LaQuaglia, Glenburn still serves old-fashioned ice cream based treats and drinks from 3 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday. Grab a scoop of ice cream or a malt shake to make your evenings a little bit sweeter.
Check out Glenburn Soda Fountain & Confectionery’s menu here.
Anton’s Pasta Bar
- Location: 4260 Hastings St.
Anton’s Pasta Bar isn’t for people who have a causal relationship with pasta, it’s for people who can eat four servings of pasta in one sitting. Located in the Heights in North Burnaby, Anton’s first opened in 1983 with only nine tables before relocating in 1990 to its current spot on East Hastings. With over 61 different types of pasta dishes, ranging from classic red sauce, to baked pastas, there’s a mountain of food for every kind of pasta lover. If you’re somehow able to finish an entire dinner portion of pasta, Anton’s will reward you with an “I ate the whole thing” ballpoint pen.
Check out Anton’s Pasta Bar’s dinner menu here.
The Amazing Brentwood
- Location: 4567 Lougheed Hwy.
The Amazing Brentwood is an indoor-outdoor shopping mall on the side of Lougheed Highway steps from Brentwood Skytrain station. In the late-2010s, the mall underwent extensive renovations, transforming from a small two-storey suburban shopping centre into a vibrant plaza with a Cineplex, buzzy restaurants, a Rec Room, and trendy stores like Aritzia and Sephora.
Punk Rock Pastries
- Location: 5548 Hastings St.
Owned by Holly Fraser, a three-time Food Network baking competition champion, Punk Rock Pastries in the Capital Hill neighbourhood is breaking the mold when it comes to what a bakery can look like. The pastry shop offers every treat imaginable, from brownies to stuffed cookies to donuts. Punk Rock Pastries also specialises in elaborate 3D cakes and NSFW sugar cookies.
Check out Punk Rock Pastries’ menu here.
