There is nothing quite like a great sandwich.

One of city’s finest comes courtesy of perpetually lined-up Finch’s Tea & Coffee House on West Pender. With its quaint Parisian interior and sandwiches with the ability to transform to the French capital, Finch’s has become one of our favourite spots in the city. Now, Strathcona dwellers get to enjoy Finch’s Market, the café’s newly opened sister spot, bound to become a neighbourhood hangout. Along with the baguette sandwich menu, including our beloved prosciutto, pear, brie, and walnut combo ($8.95), Finch’s Market carries organic milk, select produce, and gourmet preserves.

We hear hot menu items are in the works, so keep your eyes peeled and your appetites ready.

—Anya Georgijevic

Finch’s Market, 501 East Georgia (at Jackson), Vancouver, 604-558-1644, http://www.finchteahouse.com

Poppy hates celery sticks and Johnny doesn’t eat raisins on Thursdays, but Sophie needs her fruit separated from her granola. And we thought we left math problems behind in fourth grade.

But even the pickiest eater needs a cafeteria-chic lunch kit. Stock-up on waste-free, natural lunch accessories: sweet reusable sandwich bags ($10), stainless steel food containers, which allow for multiple snacks in one place ($23) and the glorious spork, which does double duty for soups and pasta ($11.50/four).

No plastic wrap, foil or pesky Tupperware to deal with – just simple, eco-friendly, non-toxic lunch buddies.

Happy back-to-school, Mom. —Maria Tallarico        

Waste-Free Lunch at Lavish & Lime, www.lavishandlime.com

Lunching on salads can be a big bore, but not when one is noshing at Railtown Café.

This busy new spot, outfitted with Union Wood Co.’s reclaimed furniture, is already a neighbourhood favourite due to their vast menu of sumptuous salads. Classics like The Chop ($12) and The Wedge ($9) are loaded with layers upon layers of fresh ingredients: beets, egg, tomato, cheddar, bacon bits and a serving of your choice of protein for the former, and tomato, breakfast radish, chives and blue cheese for the latter. 

Before you can say “yum,” you’ll be also eyeing Railtown’s sandwich menu and delicious baked goods, including their baked-in-house doughnuts, continuing Vancouver’s current doughnut revolution. —Anya Georgijevic

Railtown Café, 397 Railway St., Vancouver, 604-568-8811, www.facebook.com/RailtownC

It’s time for the little ones to head back to school (secret sigh of relief). Let’s send them off in style!

We may have learned a thing or two from Halle Berry, like how to make a memorable beach entrance. But we also learned how to sport your kid’s lunch box with the same sass as your Gucci bag. That’s because said lunch box is by Beatrix NY, the cutest accessory line for kids. Featuring an array of adorable creatures like Dieter the Monkey, Esther the Bunny, Juju the Lady Bug and Alister the Dino, these little boxes will make their school lunch a stylin’ one.

Now about that Gucci bag…. —Anya Georgijevic

$38.99 at Hip Baby, 2110 W. 4th Ave., Vancouver, 604-736-8020, www.hipbaby.com and www.raspberrykids.com

With all the delicious sandwich offerings in Vancouver, our aspirations of living a carb-free diet have officially been crushed. And we’re okay with that.

With its delicious take on the traditional Porchetta Sandwich ($8), Pronto Caffe joins our must-have list. Served on a southern Italian bread, the porchetta is rich, with little crispy crackling bits scattered around for a sensational crunch. Our vegetarian friends can enjoy the non-carnivorous sandwich options like the tasty Provolone Sandwich ($6).

Tip: Porchetta gets even more mouth-watering with Peroni beer ($5.75) by its side. —AG

Pronto Caffe, 3473 Cambie St., Vancouver, 604-722-9331, www.prontocaffe.ca

It was tough work having to eat great food on a gorgeous spring day, but someone had to do it!

La Brasserie, Granville and Georgia
Brought to us by the beloved West End restaurant, La Brasserie’s cart does one thing and one thing only: a great sandwich. We’re talking rotisserie chicken, mouthwatering but light, with deep fried onions added for crunch, all served on a buttermilk bun ($7). Need we say more?

The Kaboom Box, Granville and Robson
The epitome of West Coast cuisine, The Kaboom Box has an extensive menu that caters to pretty much everyone. From an epic hot smoked salmon sandwich, fish and chips, to both venison and veggie burgers. Our favourite? The Gulf Island Fried Oyster Po’Boy (market price), the perfect combination of smoothness and crunch.

Roaming Dragon, location varies
The most infamous of all the food carts, this one is hard to miss. Just look for the big red Roaming Dragon truck! Although we are impatient when it comes to waiting, we will gladly stand in line any time of the day for their Korean short rib tacos (2 for $6). Why? The combination of braised ribs, sautéed spinach, mushrooms and kimchi all wrapped up in a perfect little soft tortilla.

Eli’s Serious Sausage, Beatty and Dunsmuir
Of course, we have to include a sausage, the granddaddy of street food. Eli sources his from a local, fifth generation sausagemaker, and serves it on a caraway seed bun made by a local Polish bakery. This is no ordinary hot dog cart though: Eli serves currywurst ($6), one of Germany's favourite street foods, where the sausage is served up with ketchup and curry powder.

Re-Up BBQ, Georgia and Hornby
We can’t think of anything more comforting than their Southern style BBQ pulled pork sandwich ($7). If you think you can’t finish one of these bad boys yourself, think again. It’s the real deal: smoked to perfection, messy, served with cole slaw, and cherished with every bite.

Believe or not, there’s an app for that! —AG

You probably won’t eat all your meals at the Everything Cafe, but you could.

Sean Heather’s latest spot, a cool and quaint coffee shop-cum-diner in Chinatown, serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner in a setting of shiny bar stools, red leather banquets and bleached wood. We came in famished to late lunch with the ladies. We left positively stuffed from a yummy Reuben ($8) made with local corned beef, and a potato salad ($3.50) tossed with frisée, Dijon and a tangy dressing.

Located next to the new Rennie offices, you’re bound to get a side of real estate too.

Everything Cafe, 75 E. Pender St., Vancouver, 604-681-3115.

Even your kids are demanding reusable bags now?

The adorable new Built NY lunch kits fashioned as orange tigers, pink pandas and green rabbits ($14.99) are so cute they won’t mysteriously disappear at the back of the bus.

Unlike their carrot sticks.

View these and other kids’ accessories at Vancouver site www.lavishandlime.com

Cheap and cheerful Mexican joints are popping up faster than you can say Gael Garcia Bernal.

At Yaletown's new Salsa & Agave Mexican Grill, mama cooks in the back while her hottie son waits on tables.

Grab a seat on the sidewalk and order the refreshing, house–made fruit water ($2) extracted from an indigenous Mexican tree.

Next, tuck into authentic sopes ($3), puffy hand–made corn tortillas with crimped edges that hold beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, avocado and a choice of meats–like Carnitas soft pork.

The waiter is so cute you may want to take him home–in which case you can try out the one Spanish phrase you know: "Y Tu Mama Tambien" (and your mother, too).

Salsa & Agave Mexican Grill, 1223 Pacific Blvd., Vancouver, 604-408-4228.

You recycle your New York Times, bring your own bag and wear a bamboo bra, but when it comes to lunch, you're stumped.

Enter Eat Local, a new line of stylish grab & go meals (think jambon–beurre sandwiches on organic flour baguette with hand–churned butter, or organic white bean salad with arugula and local duck confit) that are as tasty as they are good for you.

With salads from $4.99 and sandwiches $7.99, you can stock up for a romantic picnic with your favourite eco–warrior or impress your clients with a healthy, gourmet catered lunch.

They'd expect no less from the queen of green.

Eat Local is available on weekends at Edible B.C. in Granville Island Market.

Read more and view menu at www.eatlocalfood.ca