November 29, 2024. Before leaving for Chicago to start my PhD (where I am now!), over the summer I spent a lot of time (and perhaps a slightly unhealthy amount of money) exploring the various coffee shops Vancouver has to offer. I will go through each location I visited and discuss the coffee, the decor, and how amenable the space was for studying/working. I’ve ranked the shops into four tiers (S/A/B+/B/C) based on my level of recommendation (not ordered within a tier). Disclaimer: I am no professional, just a grad student that enjoys coffee. My standard order is a flat white. Here is a google maps list with all of my favourites.

S-tier (Amazing - The best of the best)

Oide

  • Location: Granville Island Adjacent - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Minimalist menu, offering either espresso (black)/flat white (white)/matcha (green) and 1-2 pourover selections. A single, curated choice of roast is available per visit, and while the flavour varies each time, every time is delicious. Generally have very complex and fascinating tastes, very far from the average conception of coffee.
  • Decor: Minimalist (like their menu), slightly industrial decor. In the beautiful waterfall building complex.
  • Studying Potential: Not many tables (though there is one standing desk) and no Wi-Fi. More suited for drinking coffee and spending time with others, but I have worked here occasionally!
  • Additional Notes: My favourite coffee shop in the city. Staff are also super friendly.

Prototype

  • Location: Downtown Eastside - Google Maps, Olympic Village - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Has a fairly extensive selection of speciality roasts (roasted in Vancouver) both for espresso drinks and pourover. They have a “set” where you can try a roast as an espresso and a macchiato. Compared the “codex” roast (the standard espresso choice) which had a mix of fruitiness and chocolatiness/nutiness, and a columbian roast which was much more fruit/acidity forwards. Both were very tasty and sweet.
  • Decor: Downtown location is a small-medium shop with a cool dark/nature aesthetic. The new Olympic village location maintains the slightly funky/artsy vibe, but is much more spatious and brighter.
  • Studying Potential: Downtown location has a couple tables and Wi-Fi, Olympic village location has more space.

Single V

  • Location: Metrotown - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Cups all have cat art which is very cute. Serve espresso drinks as well as pourovers with a wide variety of interesting flavour notes (e.g. passionfruit). Coffee was very tasty - fruity and sweet but not overpoweringly acidic, with green apple as an apt flavour note.
  • Decor: Small shop, with a sleek white modern decor.
  • Studying Potential: On the smaller side, not many tables (though there is a counter) and no Wi-Fi. More suited for drinking coffee and spending time with others.
  • Additional Notes: Barista was friendly, and checked in on how the coffee was. Also cute to see another (regular) customer bringing in coffees to share with the baristas. No tips.

Yuan

  • Location: Grandview-Woodland - Google Maps
  • Coffee: A curated selection of specialty roasts (lots of light roasts especially), with enough choice to satisfy any preferred flavour profile. I tried a natural processed Rwandan coffee roasted in Kyoto as pourover - was delicious, very fruity (grape/mango notes) and floral.
  • Decor: Minimalist/Industrial, in line with the area.
  • Studying Potential: Relatively small, but has Wi-Fi and a few outlets for working!
  • Additional Notes: Offered me very tasty sample while waiting!

A-tier (Great - Worth a trip to)

Cowdog

  • Location: Shaughnessy - Google Maps
  • Coffee: First time here I tried a pourover from Luna roasters (a local roaster), very fruity and floral/tea-like. Second time I tried a flat white which was quite fruity/sweet. Also tried an iced strawberry matcha which was fresh, though could have slightly stronger matcha.
  • Decor: Small, warm wood/plant/flower aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: A bit on the small side, with a couple tables inside and out, so better as a social space than for studying.
  • Additional Notes: No tips. Also tried the FIKA tasting menu they offered, which was very nice though a tad expensive. First course was comparing plum blossom/black bean/golden osmanthus teas. Second course was comparing a house-roasted “Blackberry” coffee in espresso and macchiato form, with a cookie. Third course was a strong matcha shot with a madeline for dipping. Fourth course was pourover (same roast) with cardamom buns. Final course was a hojicha affogato. Service was very friendly and overall enjoyed this quite a bit!

Moja

  • Location: Grandview-Woodland - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Medium-dark roast which is not normally my preference, but is very pleasant with an excellent brown sugar sweetness.
  • Decor: Rustic, open, and slightly low lighting.
  • Studying Potential: Nice selection of tables and Wi-Fi makes this a good working location.

Nemesis

  • Location: Mount Pleasant - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Local roaster. Coffee has a touch of fruitiness without being overpoweringly sower, and a bit of chocolatiness; balanced cup. They also bring your drinks out to you.
  • Decor: Very interesting building; flower bulb style with open barista bar.
  • Studying Potential: A bit busy/loud for studying.

Platform 7

  • Location: Kitsino - Google Maps
  • Coffee: They have a brew bar with a few flight options; you can either try one type of bean/roast prepared via three different method, or compare three different types of beans as pourover. I compared roasts from Indonesia/Guatemala/Rwanda, which were different levels of fruity.
  • Decor: Reminiscent of a train station.
  • Studying Potential: Could be good for either work or social outings. They have Wi-Fi, but on a time limit.

Revolver

  • Location: Gastown - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Offer an espresso flight which allow you to compare two different roasts as shots/macchiatos (4 shots total) for a nice price. Generally offer a choice of at least one fruitier and one nuttier/chocolatier roast each day. I’ve tried both their flight and cappuccino (which is closer to a flat white) and both were very enjoyable.
  • Decor: Woody and classic, but sophisticated. Has a room to the left with some tables/the espresso bar and a separate room just for seating (including a larger communal table)
  • Studying Potential: No Wi-Fi, but has enough seating that could work as a study spot - on a revisit saw a group of visual art students working together at the communal table on a project.

R Ki Coffee Lab

  • Location: Richmond-Landsdowne - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Coffee is roasted in house, and the shop is very committed; they serve coffee and coffee only. Pourover and espresso drinks available. The standard roast is a medium roast with pleasant acidity and richness, but you can pay a little extra for a choice of their lighter specialty roasts.
  • Decor: Small, cozy space with coffee goods and equipment about, that lives up to the “coffee lab” name.
  • Studying Potential: No Wi-Fi and has a 90 minute limit; good for a quick study session, but better for a social outing.

Saunter

  • Location: Gastown - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Nice frutiness/sweetness and body.
  • Decor: Modern wood/concrete/brick aesthetic, also with a very cute tucked away internal courtyard.
  • Studying Potential: On the smaller side but very quaint - would love to chill and think/work in the courtyard.

SLO

  • Location: Riley Park - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Fruity/acidic with nice sweetness and body.
  • Decor: Sleek/futuristic with woody furniture.
  • Studying Potential: Has Wi-Fi and outlets, but laptop use is limited to an hour. The strange acoustics make it quite echo-y, and it is a popular place, so possible but not the best study location.

Sunny M

  • Location: Richmond - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Curate a mix of speciality coffees and teas. Pourover, espresso, and other speciality drinks (and some sweets) are available. My first visit I tried a Columbian pourover that was very grapefruity. The second time I tried a flat white with a dark-chocolate liquor bonbon profile.
  • Decor: Very tiny/cozy shop with a clean white aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: Quite small, so not super suited for work, unless during off hours.

Timbertrain

  • Location: Gastown - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Offers a selection of in-house roasts. Sweet and chocolatey but also fruity.
  • Decor: Small/medium store which combines a retro and futuristic vibe.
  • Studying Potential: A little small, but a possible study spot.

Viva Java

  • Location: Richmond-Bridgeport - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Only serves espresso drinks, owner/roaster is a Turkish guy who’s been doing this for years. Very funny guy with good rapport and talks a big game about his craft. For what its worth, his coffee is very tasty - rich/flavorful, zero acidity, strong-tasting without any of the characteristic bitterness you would expect.
  • Decor: Coffee stand aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: No seating (basically takeout only, with one outside picnic table) so not for studying.

B+-tier (Quite Good - Not quite A, but almost there)

Fresh Press

  • Location: Richmond-Landsdowne - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Coffee has a splash of fruity sweetness without being overpowering. Also serves specialty tea drinks and sweets.
  • Decor: Sleek aesthetic with splashes of whimsy with forest painting, gnome plushies, and Ghibli jazz.
  • Studying Potential: Small but could work as a study spot if not busy.

Lumine

  • Location: Kitsilano - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Offers drip/pourover/espresso, including coffee flights for drip and espresso drinks. Got a flat white using Agro (local) roaster’s choice - fruit forwards with a bit of funky darkness towards the end. Clean mouthfeel.
  • Decor: Small, with a contemporary white/woody decor
  • Studying Potential: A bit small but could be a nice place to work for a bit if not busyl

Mah Milk Bar

  • Location: Grandview-Woodland - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Smooth with hints of acidity and chocolatiness.
  • Decor: Very cute neighbourhood cornerstore X coffeeshop aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: A bit small but on a nice day could be nice to get a table outside and work for a bit!

Milano

  • Location: Mount Pleasant - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Good (but not overwhelming) selection of house roasts, with an options for espresso flights to compare. Cappuccino was chocolatey and tasty.
  • Decor: Cozy Woody/plant vibes, like a spatious living room.
  • Studying Potential: Has enough seating combining outside/inside, can be a good spot!

Sanctuary Cafe

  • Location: Richmond-Steveston - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Straddles acidity/brightness and bitterness, making for a nice balance.
  • Decor: Designed to be an end-of-the-road sanctuary/stop-by for bikers, and themed as such!
  • Studying Potential: Wi-fi (2 hours) and lots of space gives it potential, though it can get fairly busy.

B-tier (Good - Worth going to if in the area)

404

  • Location: Mount Pleasant - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Small coffee stand connected to a ramen restaurant, specializing in asian-style speciality drinks. I got a Korean style Einspanner which was very tasty, creamy, and sweet, but very hard to compare with my standard coffee order. Nice as a treat, maybe too much for a regular order though.
  • Decor: Just a coffee kiosk.
  • Studying Potential: No seating.

49th Parallel

  • Location: Kitsilano - Google Maps
  • Coffee: On the acidic/fruity side. Also has donuts for pairing with your coffee.
  • Decor: Contemporary/clean stone/plant aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: Spatiousness + Wi-Fi makes for a good study spot.

Aperture

  • Location: South Main - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Pretty standard/baseline medium roast.
  • Decor: A cool jazz/motorbike theme.
  • Studying Potential: Pretty ideal study space with a back room, Wi-Fi, and outlets aplenty.
  • Additional Notes: Also serves alcohol.

Analog

  • Location: Yaletown - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Heavy-bodied medium-dark roast.
  • Decor: Lives up to the “analog” vibe with the brick/brown wood decor.
  • Studying Potential: Can get busy, but saw quite a few people working with laptops, so works as a study spot.

Bean Around the World

  • Location: UBC - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Chocolatey and smooth, with a hint of bitterness.
  • Decor: Inside of a repurposed old barnhouse building; very open.
  • Studying Potential: A good south-side campus study spot.

C41

  • Location: Kitsilano - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Had a choice between darker/lighter roast, went for the lighter. The coffee was just OK, pretty standard.
  • Decor: Comfy, woody neighbourhood spot.
  • Studying Potential: Seems like it could be a good study location, particularly given its relative proximity to campus.

Comma Cafe

  • Location: Shaughnessy - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Pretty decent, a mix of roasty and acidic.
  • Decor: Bright and open, a cross between picnic/camping and child’s bedroom.
  • Studying Potential: Fairly spatious, works as a study spot!

Craft Cafe

  • Location: New Westminster - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Smooth, with little bitterness or acidity.
  • Decor: Upscale/white tablecloth.
  • Studying Potential: Fairly ample seating inside and out + Wi-Fi makes for a good study spot.

Doe

  • Location: Grandview-Woodland - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Medium roast with sweet caramel notes. Low acidity and light-bodied.
  • Decor: Cozy woody vibes.
  • Studying Potential: A mix of table/counter seating and Wi-Fi makes it a good spot.

Elysian

  • Location: Mount Pleasant - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Pretty good, somewhat standard fruity specialty coffee profile.
  • Decor: Slightly shorter-ceiling, light wood/plant decor.
  • Studying Potential: Possible, but slightly on the small side and no Wi-Fi.

Estratto

  • Location: Mount Pleasant - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Beans roasted in-house. Barista had very positive vibes, running the single-man operation. Coffee was chocolatey/roasty, tasty though not standout.
  • Decor: Small room/shed in the corner aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: A bit small for a study spot.

Foglifters

  • Location: South Main - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Very acidic-forwards.
  • Decor: Classic woody cafe.
  • Studying Potential: Wi-Fi available on weekdays but not on weekends, and decent options for seating make this a decent weekday study spot.

FUNK.

  • Location: Coal Harbour - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Balance of fruitiness and roastiness, pretty decent, though could be a tad sweeter.
  • Decor: Very wide and open, almost the vibe of a coworking space rather than a cafe.
  • Studying Potential: Seems pretty designed to act as a workspace.
  • Additional Notes: Also serves alcoholic drinks, and has a photobooth(?!).

Great Dane

  • Location: UBC - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Coffee is fairly standard profile, chocolatey with a pinch of bitterness.
  • Decor: Small indoor area of the shop just for ordering, and then an extensive outdoor seating area.
  • Studying Potential: Great as an on-campus study location for spring-summer-fall.

Goja

  • Location: South Commercial Drive - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Ethiopian restaurant that also does a traditional coffee serving. Very strong and heavy-bodied, a bit roasty/smokey with a hint of acidity.
  • Decor: Woody restaurant.
  • Studying Potential: Restaurant, so not meant for studying.

Honolulu

  • Location: Kerrisdale - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Nutty and smooth, but not bitter.
  • Decor: Hawaii/Tropical themed and bright.
  • Studying Potential: Wi-Fi + fair number of tables makes it a good study spot, though has 2 hour limit.

JJ Bean

  • Location: UBC - Google Maps (and others)
  • Coffee: Bright/acidic coffee (a little more than my preference), but does have a bit of sweetness to it.
  • Decor: Sleek/contemporary aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: Table spaces across two floors and Wi-Fi makes this a decent study spot.

Kahve

  • Location: Kitsilano - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Caramelly, medium roast with pleasant sweetness.
  • Decor: Industrial white meets light woody aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: Medium-sized with a good selection of tables, but there is a slightly irritating persistent electrical hum when I visisted.

Lumiere

  • Location: Mount Pleasant - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Roasts beans in-house. Flat white was massive. Chocolatey with strong coffee flavour, but not overly bitter. Low acidity.
  • Decor: A mix of contemporary/modern (at the coffee bar) and classic (wooden tables/chairs).
  • Studying Potential: Has Wi-Fi and enough space for work, though the sounds of the roaster can be a tad distracting if running.

Marulilu

  • Location: Mount Pleasant - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Not a speciality coffee shop (in fact a very tasty Japanese-Western restaurant, specializing in Omurice), but their coffee punches above their weight, with a nice chocolatey sweetness.
  • Decor: Low-key hole-in-the-wall cafe/restaurant.
  • Studying Potential: The fact that it is a restaurant more than a cafe makes this not the best suited for studying.

Matchstick

  • Location: Yaletown - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Chocolatey with minimal acidity, fairly standard, though good.
  • Decor: Wood, white, and mint green with colourful art.
  • Studying Potential: Could work as a study space - good selection of seating.

Modus

  • Location: Mount Pleasant - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Pretty good coffee, on the quite fruity/acidic side.
  • Decor: Cute and sleek.
  • Studying Potential: Pretty small, but could work as a study spot.

Pallet

  • Location: Kitsilano - Google Maps (among other locations)
  • Coffee: Local coffee roaster chain. Coffee had a good, if standard speciality taste, felt like the benchmark (both in terms of cafe vibe and flavour) to cover other cafes to.
  • Decor: Very standard, pleasant cafe fare.
  • Studying Potential: Good as a study spot, saw quite a few people working.

Propaganda

  • Location: Chinatown - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Acidic-forwards with a bit of chocolatiness on the tail. Nice cup, though punchy.
  • Decor: Open and angular, with a mix of wood/metal/concrete.
  • Studying Potential: Pretty decent as a study spot!

Pomona

  • Location: Richmond-Capstan Way - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Specializes in siphon coffee. They roast beans from various locations across the globe in-house. I tried a guatemalan roast which was pretty good. They also make a variety of Asian-style cakes/sweets in house.
  • Decor: Slightly upscale cafe/patisserie vibe.
  • Studying Potential: Has Wi-Fi and a decent amount of space. Also has a 2-hour time limit, if I remember correctly.

Rocanini

  • Location: Richmond-Steveston - Google Maps
  • Coffee: A local roaster chain. The coffee was smooth and chocolatey.
  • Decor: Bright and open.
  • Studying Potential: Can get a little bit busy/loud (in the heart of Steveston), but can work as a study spot!

Sweet Barrel

  • Location: Kitsilano - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Roasts their own beans and makes their own ice cream! Pretty standard chocolaty profile, nothing special, though pretty good.
  • Decor: Woody dark industrial aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: A couple tables but it leans a bit more creamery than cafe so maybe better as a social dessert place than for study.

To Live For

  • Location: Grandview-Woodland - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Medium roast from modus, with dash of acidity at the start and chocolatiness on the tail end. Oat milk with a smooth texture but slightly oiler finish than dairy.
  • Decor: Open space with a white/woody/planty palatte, cross between industrial and organic.
  • Studying Potential: Has some spaces for working, so can work as a study spot.
  • Additional Notes: The main draw here is probably the wide selection of vegan desserts.

Turks

  • Location: Grandview-Woodland - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Roasts beans in-house. Smooth with a roasty tail end and a touch of fruitiness
  • Decor: Very classic dark woody vibes.
  • Studying Potential: Has quite a couple tables that would be good for self-study.

C-tier (OK - Not particularly recommended)

% Arabica

  • Location: Coal Harbour - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Smooth but quite weak.
  • Decor: Located inside a pretty artsy showcase (pretty), with coffee being made inside a cute small pop-up.
  • Studying Potential: They kick you out after you get your coffee. Also, there was a lineup as it was quite popular.
  • Additional Notes: No longer here (just a pop-up) but definitely did not live up to the hype.

Blue Chip

  • Location: UBC - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Coffee is quite bitter/roasty, not a huge fan.
  • Decor: Recently moved into a new, wider space and feels fairly modern/open.
  • Studying Potential: Quite a bit of seating (especially if one considers the entire NEST where it is situated) + campus Wi-Fi makes it a student study staple.
  • Additional Notes: Still a fan of their cookies, even if their coffee was not for my liking!

Boulevard

  • Location: UBC - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Roasts in-house. A bit of an acidic hit to start with a back-of-the-throat bitterness made for a meh cup.
  • Decor: Cozy/dark/woody.
  • Studying Potential: Good as a study spot! Nice tables for working.
  • Additional Notes: This cafe no longer exists, and I have not yet been to the cafe/bakery that has replaced it.

Breka

  • Location: Kitsilano - Google Maps (and others)
  • Coffee: Fairly generically roasty.
  • Decor: Nice open, classic cafe setup spanning two floors.
  • Studying Potential: Good as a study space, though first floor is a no laptop zone.
  • Additional Notes: Even though the coffee isn’t my favourite, I appreciate Breka for being 24/7 and has a very nice pastry/food selection.

Broye

  • Location: Vancouver City-Centre - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Vietnamese style coffee of espresso + sweetened condensed milk. Very dark and heavy-bodied, burnt brown-sugar notes. A bit reminiscent of the instant coffee flavosur profile, which makes sense given the robusta content. Good for fan of darker roasts.
  • Decor: Small but playful storefront, with green and ornaments.
  • Studying Potential: Really just a storefront, with seating available in the food court in the floor above, so not the best for studying.

Cafe Kitsune

  • Location: Gastown - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Bitter/roasty/dark without much sweetness or complexity.
  • Decor: Modern styling, tied in with a fashion boutique.
  • Studying Potential: No tablets or laptops allowed.

Deville

  • Location: Vancouver City-Centre - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Grind and espresso shots are machine-automated. Hint of fruitiness, but overall quite bitter.
  • Decor: Contemporary wooden aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: Seems pretty decent as a near waterfront study spot, but there’s better places in Gastown nearby (both for studying and for coffee).

Grounds for Coffee

  • Location: Point Grey - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Quite roasty/bitter and a touch of acidity.
  • Decor: Pretty classic/cozy cafe style.
  • Studying Potential: A little bit cramped/busy for studying.
  • Additional Notes: The main attraction is the cinnamon buns, which are delicious.

Kafka’s

  • Location: Yaletown - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Local roaster. Coffee was acidic, but not very smooth/sweet.
  • Decor: Abstract art decor with tables outdoors and indoors.
  • Studying Potential: Wasn’t too busy, so has potential for studying, but does have a children’s playground nearby + on the corner of a downtown square so perhaps on the slightly louder background noise side.

Loafe

  • Location: UBC - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Overly sour taste and bitter aftertaste made for an unpleasant cup.
  • Decor: Darker/woody aesthetic.
  • Studying Potential: Quite a few tables inside and outside (located inside of the alumni centre), so a good study spot.

Steveston Coffee Company

  • Location: Richmond-Steveston - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Quite bitter/harsh.
  • Decor: Old-fashioned and small. A bit endearing but not the most comfortable.
  • Studying Potential: A little small, so probably not the ideal study spot.

Thomas Haas

  • Location: Kitsilano - Google Maps
  • Coffee: Coffee was on the bitter side/dark roast; works alright paired with sweets, but maybe too bitter if on its own.
  • Decor: Warm/woody vibes.
  • Studying Potential: Tends to be quite busy, so might be difficult as a study spot.
  • Additional Notes: Love the chocolate and cakes here, but felt the dark roast coffee didn’t meet the same standard.