Vancouver has plenty of coffee hot spots, and if you are looking for the best of the best, we got you covered here.
Some of the places on this list might already sound familiar to you. You might have already tasted some of their delicious, eye-popping caffeine-induced beverages, perhaps over a chat with friends, or alone as you take the moment to people watch. But in case you haven’t, here are the 13 beautiful and best coffee shops in Vancouver that must enter your “caffeinated” bucket list for 2022.
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13. Small Victory Cafe
Considered a monster of a coffee shop in the area, Small Victory Cafe is where you can find great coffee, delicious breakfast & brunch, mouth-watering desserts, and impressive visuals at the same time! With huge ceilings that give it a nice airy feel, with the white and gold bar adding visual appeal, Small Victory Cafe is pretty Instagram-y if you ask!
Once you’re here early enough, get a chance to try their Breakfast Croissant! A messy, cheesy, bacony, and intensely buttery one that is enjoyable from start to finish. Or you can choose the more elegant Avocado Toast that brings up a savory-sweet taste with nice chewy bread and perfectly ripe avocados.
Together with a cup of Espresso or Latte and you are all set! Nice breakfast and morning coffee can always be so satisfying at Small Victory Cafe!
What to order: Breakfast Croissant, Avocado Toast, Cortado, Espresso, Latte, Pour-Over
Address:
-1088 Homer St Vancouver, BC V6B 2W9
-3070 Granville St Vancouver, BC V6H 3J8
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12. Batard Bakery Cafe
Oui oui! Nestled on Vancouver’s East Side, Batard Bakery Cafe is a family-run boulangerie and cafe that is pretty much French-inspired with a cozy, vintage ambiance. Once setting foot here, you’ll be blown away by so many foodie treasures that are attractive to not only tourists but locals as well. Whenever you’re in the area, take a chance to visit this little Paris!
Besides some popular choices of coffee, what makes Batard Bakery Cafe really outstanding are Pain au Chocolat and Cinnamon Orange Morning Bun. They are two of some must-try items when you visit this little Paris in Vancouver.
You will have an instant crush for that laminated butter dough with a layered, flaky texture, and sticks of chocolate baked into the dough when eating Pain Au Chocolat; or will constantly fall for a rich laminated dough filled with a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest of Cinnamon Orange Morning Bun. Be hurry as they run out of stock real quick!
What to order: Pain Au Chocolat, Cinnamon Orange Morning Bun, Tarte au Citron, Almond Financier
Address: 3958 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5V 4E4
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11. Le Marche St. George
Located a few blocks away from the bustling Main St. area and known for offering spectacular coffee and authentic French, Italian, and Westernized treats, Le Marche St. George is your next stop to enjoy the outstanding coffee quality and the rustic charm of the ambiance here.
You can’t go wrong with their classic Latte and Macchiato, which are the top best-sellers. Or if you’re more into tea, try out their Lavender & Chamomile Tea! Its aromatic scent and mild taste can surely smooth your day all the way long!
Plus, their Crepes have always been a legend, so don’t forget to treat yourself right with those light, fluffy, sweet, and a bit earthy with a touch of thyme. Classic Butter Tart is no less delicious, try both if you still have room in your stomach!
What to order: Crepe, Macchiato, Lavender & Chamomile Tea, Classic Butter Tart, Walnut Misch
Address: 4393 St George St, Vancouver, BC V5V 4A3
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10. The Garden Strathcona
An event space, an online store, and a gorgeous cafe. The Garden Strathcona is all about great food, great service, and great products. Offering customers a daily rotation of their fresh baked goods, and a yummy menu packed with smoothies, breakfast and lunch bowls, this is the spot you go for a fun meet-up with friends, or for a quiet lunch and ‘me time.’
The lunch bowls are amazing here, and we love the Soba Noodle Bowl with chilled soba noodles, ramen egg, pickled onion, kale, red pepper, green peas, roasted cauliflower and a tahini ginger dressing. If you are looking for a snack, their vegan cookies will surely make your stomach content!
Tip: Don’t forget to check out their online store for some cool gifts!
What to order: lunch bowls, Soba Noodle Bowl, vegan cookies
Address: 868 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1R6
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9. Modus Coffee Roasters
For true coffee lovers, there is Modus Coffee Roasters that serves up the best blends of pure roasted heaven. This is a great spot to grab brunch or lunch. Modus serves up a variety of dishes from freshly baked pastry, to mouth-watering bennys that have people lining up outside for a taste.
If you’re there for brunch, try the Double Mushroom Toast with brown mushroom, walnut porcini cream, roast shallots, barberry, red radish shoots and eggs. For a light lunch, the Baguette Sandwich is divine and comes with fresh cheese, sauerkraut, radish, chive, salami and garlic fermented honey. Grab a kouign-amann from the pastry section, and don’t forget the coffee!
What to order: Double Mushroom Toast, Baguette Sandwich, kouign-amann
Address: 112 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1P1
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8. Birds & Beets
One of Vancouver’s most popular spots for foodies, The Birds & The Beets is where you go for great food, amazing service, and just the right dash of style. This aesthetically pleasing coffee shop is easy on the eyes, and features the perfect corner spot for those Instagram Story pics. It’s a wonderful cafe to hang out, relax, and unwind alone or with a friend.
Try their amazing Breakfast Sandwich served with soft scrambled eggs, or the Vegan Coconut-Cinnamon Roll. Their Turkey Sandwich is great too, and so are their coffees and teas. We love to snack on their Toast & Jam with a nice steaming cup of black tea on the side. Yum!
What to order: Breakfast Sandwich, Vegan Coconut-Cinnamon Roll, Turkey Sandwich, Toast & Jam
Address: 55 Powell St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1E9
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7. Cafe La Foret
La Foret is more than a Burnaby coffee shop. It’s an old car body shop turned into a spacious and modern venue, with prominent tall plants that evoke a jungle feeling in the middle of Vancouver’s Burnaby district. They work with various roasters from Canada and the U.S. and continually change their coffee offer for customers. You can also enjoy some great food offered on the menu at La Foret.
You can experiment with various coffee + meal (or something sweet) combinations. Try their Vanilla Lavender latte and combine it with an almond croissant. Or, take the Spanish Latte with house-made condensed milk along with a delectable squid ink toast. Their Caramel Macchiato is another must-try, and you can combine it perhaps with a crispy waffle or some of La Foret’s equally enticing sandwiches.
And because of their aesthetics, La Foret is a popular hang-out spot during the weekends. Come early or be stuck standing around for 15 mins waiting for a seat to open up.
Pro-tip: grab the middle seat directly across from the cake cabinet if you need an outlet.
What to order: Vanilla Lavender latte, almond croissant, Spanish Latte, squid ink toast, Caramel Macchiato, crispy waffle
Address: 6848 Jubilee Ave, Burnaby, BC V5J 4B3
6. Platform 7
Platform 7 is unique for it resembles the interior of a train station. You’ll find them on two Vancouver locations, one in East Hasting which takes on London’s famed Paddington Station, and another in Kitsilano that sources design inspiration from Italy. “It’s exciting to be a train station because it signifies the beginning of a trip and sometimes the final destination is unknown,” would remark owners Marke McNichol and Livio Susin in a special interview for Noms Magazine.
Each Platform 7 has its own unique vibe, however, what really makes them special is the coffee and the diverse ways in which they serve their beans (an abundant list that includes: siphon, aeropress, chemex, hario v-60, French press).
You can opt in for a cup from either their Cold Bar, Brew Bar or Espresso Bar menu. Go for a foamy Nitro Brew from the first menu, or if you are in the mood for some nice mocha, hot chocolate or classic latte, treat yourself something from the third menu. Whether you ask for our favourites, we solemnly swear that the best features are on the Brew Bar menu–their Stumptown Tasting Flight and the Brew Flight. Don’t miss their sandwiches either.
What to order: Cold Bar, Brew Bar, Espresso Bar, Nitro Brew, Stumptown Tasting Flight, Brew Flight
Locations:
-2300 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6K 2E5
-2331 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V5L 1V6
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5. Timbertrain Coffee Roasters
It sits in the heart of the district–the Timbertrain is one more Gastown gem you need to jot down on your the best coffee in Vancouver bucket list. It’s a train-themed cafe in a sea of fancy shops, boutiques and salons, and also very close to a university campus. So, shoppers and students can be a common sight inside the Timbertian, bringing a jubilant vibe to the place.
Here they serve the perfect cold brew in Vancouver, on tap, and is the thickest and creamiest you’ll ever have. Opt-in for their top-notch pourover and watch how the barista prepares it on the cool brew station set up on the counter.
Several other cafes take their beans from Timbertrain Coffee Roasters, so it’s easy to understand the huge popularity of this particular place downtown Vancouver. And if you fancy improving your coffee skills like learning how to latte art or brew the perfect cup of joe at home, they offer some classes too.
Address: 311 W Cordova Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 4K2, Gastown, Downtown
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4. Nemesis Coffee
One of Gastown’s most beloved coffee shops is Nemesis. This is a wonderful coffee corner with laid back ambient and some quite delectable pastries. You don’t want to skip out on their classic chocolate cookie either – it’s one of the best in the city.
Nemesis offers a rotating selection of beans, either as a pour over or espresso, with the v-60 pour over being one of their most popular options. Their coffee flavours pop and the quality is top-notch + if you order a latte you’ll also enjoy some good latte art. And the food adds to the experience at Nemesis. So we recommend you go wild by combining your coffee cup with any of their luscious French Toast, Avocado Toast or Pistachio Kouign Amann.
It gets bumping on weekends so come early if you want a seat.
What to order: French Toast, Avocado Toast, Pistachio Kouign Amann
Address:
-302 W Hastings Street, Gastown
-555 Great Northern Way, Vancouver, BC V5T 1E1
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3. Prototype Coffee
If you are looking for some of the best coffee in Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood, head to Prototype Coffee. This place is a newcomer on the city’s coffee scene but already picked up several accolades and mentions from top dogs like Bonappetit.
The cafe interior also leaves an impression: Dark-hued, accented with mirrors and moss walls. Prototype’s simplistic furnishing of the site is in complete harmony, floor to ceiling, coffee mugs to counter. As impressive as the decor is, the fancy equipment shines as well.
There’s plenty to choose from the menu (over a dozen coffees to choose from), but note that the prices of the cups change depending on which bean you choose. What you order, you can also buy in-store as beans. Get a Codex Guatemala Candeleria, if you fancy an intriguing fusion of Macadamia nut, vanilla, and fruity flavours.
If you’re stuck when choosing from their giant list, Co-Owner Matt and his friendly team are there to help you nail down the right one for you.
Feel good observation: The pour-over came in a wine flask and some items (mocha in our case) came in custom-made ceramic cups.
What to order: Codex Guatemala Candeleria
Address: 883 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6A
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2. Milano Coffee Roaster
Milano is a must-check, family-owned coffee shop in Vancouver. It has been present on the coffee scene since the 1980s, and as the name also hints, they are bringing on an Italian coffee culture in the city.
This coffee shop is Vancouver’s only espresso tasting bar, where they always readily have some eight different espresso samples to try. Each of their espresso uses over ten varieties of 100% premium Arabica coffee beans, so it’s really unique blends. You don’t want to miss La Futura, which is heavenly 10-blend espresso with toffee, spice, and florals. Equally enticing: their pour-over, Turk Island drip, French press blends, and Iced latte that is served in a big mason jar. If you are a chocoholic, you’ll gulp down their killer raspberry mocha pretty fast.
Thumbs up also for their Broadway location: right across Jonathan Rogers park with a wonderful view of downtown Vancouver.
What to order: La Futura, Turk Island drip, French press blends, Iced latte, raspberry mocha
Address:
-156 8th Avenue W, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1N2
-36 Powell Street, Vancouver BC, V6A 1E7
-849 Denman Street, Vancouver BC, V6G 2L9
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1. Revolver
This place is like a coffee planet on its own, where they always meticulously prepare their coffee offer. Here you’ll get to drink some of the most authentic coffee in Gastown, downtown Vancouver. They use only the best roasts, mostly from around North America. But the coffee you’ll order this week may not be available as you return the next week or next month – which adds to the excitement.
Like an open lab for coffee, at Revolver they consistently test new coffee flavours and not every flavour that’s devised ends up on the menu after the testing. They also use a variety of brewing machines to alter the new flavours.
Take some of their Espresso Flight–it’s really a must if you are a coffee person living in or just visiting Vancouver. At their premises, it’s also possible to buy beans from the roasters they use as well as coffee brewing equipment in the room next to the main hall.
What to order: Espresso Flight
Address: 325 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2N4
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Honourable Mentions: Propaganda Coffee, Buro Espresso Bar, 49th Parallel
You may be randomly checking coffee shops or always returning to the same spot close to your place, but that’s not how you’ll bump into the best cafe in Vancouver. This city has so much to offer in terms of coffee, so if you are really a cafe lover, you’ll find this guide pretty handy. 🙂
And in case you are in the mood to rather hunt some bubble tea (which is booming right now), check our pick of the 10 best bubble tea hotspots in downtown Vancouver (and beyond). Enjoy the city and all its luscious drinks!
How We Create Our “Best” Lists
All Noms Magazine’s “best” lists are created using multiple factors and signals to help readers find the best restaurants, things to do, and places to stay at. Some of these factors and signs include personal experiences, correspondence with locals, and compiling experiences from review sites.
Each list is also created to be balanced (in terms of price, cuisine type, ambiance, and more) as possible. This means that the lists are not specifically created in ranking order. You should be comfortable picking from any of the spots on the list and generally have a good time. But of course, YMMV (your mileage may vary) and everyone may have different experiences/palates.