Waterfalls, coffee, art, and more: What to see in Mission

Author

Grace Giesbrecht
February 23, 2023

Good things are happening in Mission.

I pulled into the steep, hilly city built into the looming hillsides that line the Fraser River. My destination that Thursday morning was everything the town had to offer to tourists, newcomers, or long-time residents.

I visited restaurants and stores that have shaped the downtown for decades and I checked out the newcomers that are helping define the city’s 21st century. I saw a town mid-renewal (or, perhaps, mid-gentrification, depending whom you ask) where bulk stores and ageing signs sit across from trendy home goods shops and cafes full of people on laptops.

I also saw a great waterfall and tasted some slightly illegal coffee.

The English Tart

The drive to Mission from Langley took me about 40 minutes; instead of bolting directly down Highway 1, I wound through the coolies and valleys along 58th Avenue. Upon arrival, I walked down 1st Avenue in the rain until I found a local favourite for lunch: The English Tart. When we asked Current readers where I should visit, this cafe was one of the most recommended spots.

Both my grandmas have heavy cabinets in their dining rooms filled with delicate china decorated with wild roses and silver maple leaves. It’s treasured and only brought out for Christmas and Easter, if then. At the English Tart, its china held hefty sandwiches and earl gray tea. That, in itself, made the meal unexpectedly special. The roast chicken sandwich—a full-size version of something that could be found at a fancy hotel’s high tea—also helped make the place pretty great.

The shop has been a cornerstone of the downtown area for 10 years, the owner, Ruth, told me. Though the view outside the windows has changed a little as new signs have gone up and old ones have come down, the English Tart has largely stayed the same over the last decade, she said.

Gallery 202

Another staple of Mission’s downtown core was the recently-rejuvenated Gallery 202, a community art space just a few doors down from the English Tart.

Ross Lockhart, a realtor who runs the gallery off the side of his desk (and from the front room of his office) told me about the gallery. He bought it from its previous owner in June 2021. The gallery focuses on showcasing hobbyists and doesn’t charge artists to put their work on its walls. (Larger-scale galleries that show professional work often operate on commission.)

Through the gallery, Ross also helped start up a monthly downtown block party christened “First Fridays.” Businesses along Mission’s downtown strip stay open later and live, often local, musicians take the stage.

“We’re bringing people back to the downtown core,” Ross said. The block party wasn’t his idea, but he helped it get off the ground by keeping the gallery open and encouraging other nearby businesses to join in.

“We revived an idea that was already kicking around,” he said.

I wasn’t there for one of the First Friday events, but you can find more information about the events and their role in Mission’s growing arts scene here. The next event is March 3rd.

The Mission Museum

After lunch, I walked up Welton Street and visited the Mission Museum. Exhibits showed the town’s history on the river through the gold rush, the first and second world wars, and beyond.

It is a small museum, set up in a heritage building downtown, but made interesting use of the space it had. I’ll admit, though, that I spent too much time examining medical equipment from the early 20th century and left thoroughly creeped out and a little queasy.

Coffee

There are plenty of spots for coffee in Mission. I pulled in and parked (pretty poorly) at Grab-a-Java’s roastery and coffee bar on the corner of Murray Street and Second Avenue. The business is built into the lower floor of a yellow heritage house that crouches on the steep hill that leads to the river. Despite the menu still tacked up next to the door, the owner, Dave, told me he wasn’t technically allowed to serve cups of coffee—but asked for my order anyway.

When the cafe Dave previously ran shut down in COVID, he began pushing the city to let him serve coffee from the roastery location. The back-and-forth over the specifics of business licensing has been going on for two years, he said, but he expects a resolution soon.

After a quick lesson on the difference between African and Latin American beans, Dave handed me a small paper cup of fresh coffee and instructed me to let it cool slightly before drinking it—and to expect notes of raspberry from the beans.

Cascade Falls

With a coffee in hand, I drove east on Highway 7 towards Cascade Falls. It’s a 20-minute drive along the river under clouds that stretched like carded wool between the hills. The rain started to lighten up.

It was a short, steep walk from the parking lot to the narrow, 30-metre waterfall. I crossed the metal suspension bridge that sits above the canyon at the base of the rushing, whitewater falls. The bridge was slippery from the spray that hung in the air between towering cedar trees, but the trip was otherwise a pretty accessible walk for a great view of the falls. And, unlike some other suspension bridges in the Lower Mainland, visiting this one is free.

Rocko’s

Rocko’s 24-hour-diner was my last stop on my way out of town. It is, in some ways, a classic diner. It’s been around since 1986. It’s full of cracked red vinyl booths, covered in 50’s memorabilia, and a little beat-up after serving decades of night owls.

But it also leans a little into the fame it acquired after hosting the first season of Netflix’s Riverdale. If you’ve ever wanted a Jughead-flavoured milkshake, well, Rocko’s has you covered. Butterscotch and strawberry were the most popular flavours.

Rocko’s leaned into its old-timey charm and played it up a little. Mission itself, with a modernizing downtown anchored by famous staples, is leaning into that charm too.

Other recommendations

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