Vancouver’s newest food spot is putting premium bubble tea and artisanal gelato under the same roof.
That spot is M Cha Bar, the Canadian bubble tea and artisanal gelato cafe, and they are throwing a three-day grand opening for their new Renfrew outpost from May 8 to May 10.
The Vancouver location is a six-year, full-circle moment for the local owner, who grew up in Toronto before moving here at age 10.
She first walked into M Cha Bar on a 2020 family trip back to Toronto, went back twice the same day, and was already pitching the franchise team on a Vancouver location before the trip ended.
Pandemic delays put the plan on ice until 2024, when the Vancouver build was finally back on the table.
M Cha Bar itself is a Canadian brand born in 2018, with four Toronto-area locations already on the books and Renfrew now their first BC outpost.
The concept does two things at once.
The drinks lean into house-made toppings like taro paste and osmanthus tea jelly, with a wider tea program that runs from ceremonial matcha to Thai tea.
The gelato is churned in-house from scratch, with classics like Pistachio and Ferrero Rocher next to Asian-leaning flavours like White Rabbit, Black Sesame, and a limited Durian.
On the drinks side, the Mango Pomelo with Taro Ball, Pandan Mango Sago Bliss (running during and after grand opening week), Taro Coconut Milkshake, Matcha Cloud Dragonwell, Osmanthus Green Milk Tea, and Peachy Dream are their must-try lineup.
The shop sits right across from Broadway Tech Centre, a short walk from the Renfrew SkyTrain station, and within easy range of LaSalle College, Coquitlam College, and the New York Institute of Technology.
That means M Cha Bar makes for a stellar lunch-break and study spot!
Ivy’s plan: roll in before 1 pm on Friday, May 8 for the lion dance, or get there early on May 9 or 10 to land in the first 100 for a free scoop. The brand is also highlighting the Pandan Mango Sago Bliss and the limited Durian gelato as their grand opening picks.
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Address: 2557 Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC
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