Heirloom Tomato Month | August 2026

Tomato Festival at Provence Marinaside: Celebrating BC's Best Heirloom Tomatoes All August Long

Provence Marinaside  |  August 1–31, 2026  |  Yaletown Waterfront, Vancouver

August in British Columbia means one thing above everything else: tomatoes. Not the pale, watery kind that sit in a supermarket bin in January, but the deep, sun-warmed, irregular, gloriously imperfect heirloom varieties that arrive at the peak of the season and disappear just as fast. Eaten fresh-picked out of hand, chopped into salsas and salads, juiced, roasted, or sun-dried, there are almost as many ways to enjoy their flavourful goodness as there are varieties. At Provence Marinaside, we've been celebrating them for years, and August 2026 is no different.

For the entire month of August, we're running our annual Tomato Festival: a three-course prix fixe menu ($69) built around the finest heirloom tomatoes BC has to offer, paired with some of the most beautiful rosés from Provence. It will satisfy even the most addicted tomato-holic. It's the most South-of-France we get all year, and we think that's saying something.

"The heirloom tomato is the ultimate summer flavour. They are the taste of the sun and remind me of long summer days when I was a child in Provence." - Chef Jean Francis Quaglia, Owner and Executive Chef

Why Heirloom Tomatoes?

There are tomatoes, and then there are heirloom tomatoes. An heirloom tomato is an open-pollinated variety that has been saved and passed down through generations, typically for 50 years or more, rather than developed for commercial mass production. Unlike the hybrid tomatoes you'll find in most supermarkets, heirlooms haven't been bred for shelf life, uniformity, or the ability to survive a long journey in a refrigerated truck. They've been grown for one thing: taste.

The result is a tomato that looks different, irregular, deeply coloured, sometimes cracked at the shoulders, and tastes completely different too. The colours alone tell the story: deep crimson, golden yellow, striped green, almost black. Each variety carries its own distinct flavour profile, from bright and acidic to rich and almost smoky, and that complexity is exactly what makes them so well suited to a kitchen like ours.

"Heirloom tomatoes have a more intense flavour profile," says Chef de Cuisine Mohit Chauhan, who worked with Chef Jean Francis to develop this year's Tomato Festival menu. "We are fortunate to have local producers such as Windset Farms in Delta and Cropthorne Farm on Westham Island who supply us with amazing varieties. The heirlooms just taste so much better."

Whether you've heard of a Green Zebra, a Moneymaker, a Campari, or a Black Krim, or whether this is your first introduction to the world of heirloom varieties, you'll find them woven through every course of this menu in ways that feel both considered and completely natural.

A Guide to Heirloom Tomato Varieties

It doesn't matter whether you've never heard of a Green Zebra, a Moneymaker, a Campari, or a Black Krim, you'll find wonderful heirlooms of every possible description woven through Provence's Tomato Festival menu. But if you're curious, here's a quick introduction to some of the varieties you might encounter.

Green Zebra
Recognisable by its lime green and yellow stripes, the Green Zebra is tangy, bright, and assertive. It holds its acidity well, making it a natural partner for rich ingredients like burrata or tuna tonnato.

Black Krim
A Russian heirloom with deep, almost mahogany-coloured flesh, the Black Krim has a complex, slightly smoky flavour with rich, low-acid sweetness. One of the most full-bodied tomatoes you'll taste.

Moneymaker
A classic British heirloom with a balanced, clean tomato flavour. The Moneymaker is reliable, versatile, and a reminder of what a tomato tastes like when it's actually grown for flavour.

Campari
Small, round, and intensely sweet with low acidity, Campari tomatoes are among the most flavourful you'll find. Their natural sugar content makes them ideal for roasting and in chutneys, where they concentrate into something almost jammy.

Our team sources whichever varieties are at their peak from our local growers each week, so what arrives on your plate will always reflect the best of what BC is producing right now.

The Tomato Festival Menu

The Tomato Festival runs as a three-course prix fixe at $69 per person, with an optional Provençal rosé wine pairing available for an additional $59 per person. Each pairing has been selected by Assistant Wine Director Ryan Johnson, chosen to complement the sweet-tart complexity of heirloom tomatoes with the red berry and citrus notes that define great Provençal rosé.

Appetizers

Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad
Pickled shallots, basil, white balsamic vinaigrette

Wine Pairing: Maison Sainte Aix Aix Rosé, Grenache/Syrah/Cinsault, 2024 Coteaux d'Aix en Provence, France

Heirloom Tomato Tartare with Tuna Tonnato
Capers, chives, focaccia crisp

Wine Pairing: Château Minuty M de Minuty Rosé, Grenache/Syrah/Cinsault/Tibouren, 2024 Côtes de Provence, France

Entrées

Grilled summer squash, fingerling potatoes, heirloom tomato and espelette coulis

Wine Pairing: Château de Pibarnon Rosé, Mourvèdre/Cinsault, 2022 Bandol, Provence, France

Mediterranean Seabass with Heirloom Tomato Chutney
Israeli couscous with capers and fresh dill

Wine Pairing: Château Roubine Cru Classé Lion & Dragon Rosé, Grenache/Rolle(Vermentino)/Tibouren, 2022 Côtes de Provence, France

Dessert

Strawberry Entremet
Strawberry mousse

Wine Pairing: Luc Belaire Rare Sparkling Rosé, Syrah/Cinsault/Grenache, NV Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France

The Rosé Pairing: Provence on the Plate and in the Glass

Provence Marinaside carries one of the most extensive rosé lists in Vancouver, with over 30 Provençal rosés on the wine list at any given time. For the Tomato Festival, Assistant Wine Director Ryan Johnson has paired each course with a wine chosen specifically to echo and elevate what's on the plate.

"Grapes and heirloom tomatoes share deep historical roots in Mediterranean agriculture. The red berry and citrus undertones in classic Provençal rosé naturally mirror the sweet-tart, complex flavours of fresh summer heirloom tomatoes.", Ryan Johnson, Assistant Wine Director

The optional rosé pairing takes you through four wines across three courses, from the delicate and floral to the structured and food-forward, finishing with a sparkling rosé that's as celebratory as the season deserves. At $59 per person, it's one of the better ways to spend an August evening in Yaletown.

Where to Find Us

The Tomato Festival runs from August 1 to 31, 2026 at Provence Marinaside, located at 1177 Marinaside Crescent at the foot of Davie Street in Yaletown, across from the Quayside Marina. Dine in the air-conditioned comfort of our dining room, or take a table on the patio overlooking the seawall and False Creek. Either way, you won't be far from the south of France.

Reserve your table for Tomato Festival here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Provence Marinaside Tomato Festival?

The Tomato Festival is Provence Marinaside's annual celebration of BC heirloom tomatoes, running throughout the month of August. It features a special three-course prix fixe menu ($69/person) built around locally sourced heirloom varieties, with an optional Provençal rosé pairing ($59/person) curated by our wine team.

When does the Tomato Festival run?

The Tomato Festival runs from August 1 to August 31, 2026. It's available for lunch and dinner throughout the month.

Where do the heirloom tomatoes come from?

We source our heirloom tomatoes from local BC producers including Windset Farms in Delta and Cropthorne Farm on Westham Island. August is peak tomato season in BC, and working with local growers means we're getting varieties at their absolute best.

What is included in the Tomato Festival prix fixe menu?

The three-course menu includes a choice of appetizer (Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad or Heirloom Tomato Tartare with Tuna Tonnato), a choice of entrée (Pistachio and Sundried Tomato Crusted Ling Cod or Mediterranean Seabass with Heirloom Tomato Chutney), and dessert (Strawberry Entremet). The menu is priced at $69 per person.

What rosés are included in the wine pairing?

The optional rosé pairing ($59/person) features four Provençal rosés selected to complement each course: Maison Sainte Aix Aix Rosé with the burrata salad, Château Minuty M de Minuty Rosé with the tartare, Château de Pibarnon or Château Roubine Cru Classé with the entrée, and Luc Belaire Rare Sparkling Rosé with dessert. All wines are from Provence, France.

Do I need a reservation for the Tomato Festival?

Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for patio seating and weekend evenings. You can book online here or call us at (604) 681-4144.

What are heirloom tomatoes?

Heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated varieties that have been preserved and passed down over generations, rather than bred for mass production. Unlike commercially grown tomatoes, they're selected for flavour rather than shelf life or uniformity, which makes them more intense, complex, and varied in taste. Popular varieties include Green Zebra, Black Krim, Moneymaker, and Campari.

Where is Provence Marinaside?

We're at 1177 Marinaside Crescent in Yaletown, Vancouver, at the foot of Davie Street across from the Quayside Marina. We're a short walk from the Canada Line's Yaletown-Roundhouse Station and right on the False Creek seawall.