last june I went back home to vancouver for the first time in six months since moving to cdmx, and not gonna lie, it was a bit weird. even though it was home, it kind of wasn’t, well, because we didn’t have a home there anymore. buuuuut it was also super exciting! the coffee game in vancouver has always been fun, and now that I knew a bit more about it, I was ready to explore and experience. I had my favourites that I used to go to, but I also had a list of new places/locations I wanted to check out. let’s just say, I hit up a lot of coffee shops while I was there. how many you’re wondering? 27 coffee shops in 34 days!
it was really hard to narrow it down to just five, but here we go.
5. 49th parallel
you can never, ever, go wrong with coffee and a donut, and 49th is one of my go-to places for that. my fav location is still on main street. something about that particular spot that just makes me want to stay and hang out all day. the west fourth location is really nice too, it’s got a venice beach vibe to it, I’d definitely recommend you checking that spot too if you have the chance.
https://www.instagram.com/49th/
4. nemesis
newbie on my list. not only is it a super cool, beautiful coffee shop with amazing food, I was able to meet up with owner jess and chat about nemesis, how it started, plans for the future, really really down to earth guy. they serve and sell a number of amazing coffees from all over the world like la cabra, luna, morgon, tim wendelboe, and five elephant.
if you’re looking for a coffee shop with cool vibes, fun baristas, one of the best cookies in the city, and try a coffee you might never be able to try anywhere else, check out nemesis.
https://www.instagram.com/nemesis.coffee/
3. prado
yes, prado was on my list last time, and it’s here again. it’s just classic. i said their gastown location was my favourite before, and as much as I still love it, my mind has changed, I now love the original location on commercial drive more. it’s a bit quieter for my liking, the neighbourhood has a lot to offer, and it’s just got a homey feel to it. I was able to check out some of their other locations, like fir and fraser, and both are unique and cool in their own way.
I’ll always recommend you to go to prado, you won’t be disappointed. oh, and they serve 49th beans, so what’s not to like?
https://www.instagram.com/pradocafe/
2. revolver
always at the top of my list of recommendations is revolver, it’s just awesome. from the style, to the shop, to the merch, to the coffees they offer and sell, there’s nothing like them. they’ve been around for a while and they bring in some of the best beans, like the barn, phil & seb, monogram, gardelli, and heart.
If you’re looking for some cool souvenirs or gifts, their hats and tshirts are my fav. when in vancouver, revolver is a must. seriously.
https://www.instagram.com/revolvercoffee/
1. matchstick
my forever fav. if you follow my ig and blog, you might get annoyed about how much I talk about and love matchstick. it’s always been a go-to for me, especially their chinatown location.
I had the privilege of meeting up with ayla while I was there and just chatted about matchstick. she was super sweet, and at the end of our convo, she sent me home with some beans. I really appreciated her making the time to meet up with a little guy like me.
but back to the coffee shop. they’re in the process of opening up their fifth location downtown in the west end, hopefully the next time I’m visiting, I can check it out, I’m sure it’s going to be as beautiful as their other four locations. not only are their shops nice, but the coffee they bring in and roast in their fraser street location, is just fantastic. I was able to take that el eden bag I was gifted to some coffee shops here in mexico and they all enjoyed it.
please please please, if you’re in vancouver, or visiting, go to atleast one matchstick location, I can guarantee you you’ll love it!
https://www.instagram.com/matchstickyvr/
and there you have it, my top five coffee shops in vancouver. but let’s me honest, there are soooooo many other cool spots I could recommend, choosing just five was hard. here’s a few other coffee shops you should check out if you’re there: elysian, timbertrain, iktsuarpok, birds and the beets, and their there. like I said, there are many many more, so if you want my full list of vancouver coffee shops, send me a message. but for now, that should should keep you pretty busy.
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The Coffee Guy 