Starbucks Card Alternatives for Independent Coffee Shops and Where to Buy Them

Starbucks Card Alternatives for Independent Coffee Shops and Where to Buy Them

Alright, we all know what’s going to happen now. Black Friday is over and the fucking holiday marketing is about to start. The giant corporations with huge advertising budgets, 7 series BMW’s and champagne flavoured mouse mats are about to bombard you endlessly with ads for cheap crap made overseas.

This year I want to encourage you to buy local with my list of Starbucks card alternatives for independent coffee shops in Vancouver.

Starbucks Card Alternatives for Independent Coffee Shops and Where to Buy Them

NOTE: This list is being constantly updated, so check back often for when I find new shops to add.


Siply Coffee App

Siply gift cards can be used in 50 (and counting) of the best independent coffee shops across Metro Vancouver. 

Woman holding Siply appThink Nemesis, Pallet, Prado, Kafkas, Timbertrain, Prototype and so many more.

Lots of people end up on my doorstep looking for the best Starbucks Card alternatives for independent coffee shops and this really is the best example of a really kick-ass alternative.

The Siply app gives you a breakdown of the shop details, maps and many more features.

The real icing on the cake is that using the Siply gift card gets you an additional 10-20% off your drinks when you get to the shops.

Click here to buy a Siply Gift Card.


C Market Coffee

Outside of CMarket CoffeeAre they available on Siply? YES
Arguably the best coffee shop in the Coquitlam area, C Market Coffee has a huge range of drinks, a delightful lineup of food and some amazing house-roasted coffee.

Click here to buy a C Market Coffee Gift Card.


Craft Cafe

Outside of Craft CafeAre they available on Siply? YES
Craft Cafe has a lineup of coffee that rivals any Gastown coffee shop, however, they’re in New Westminster! This is the perfect gift card to give to that person in your life that is always chasing down the best and rarest coffee money can buy and is never happy with any coffee gifts they get! It also doesn’t hurt that their brunch game is ON POINT.

Click here to buy a Craft Cafe Gift Card.


DALINA

Inside of DALINA cafeAre they available on Siply? YES
DALINA mix amazing food options, great coffee and fancy pants grocery store all under one roof. Well, actually it’s two roofs, as they have two shops, but that’s just being fucking pedantic now isn’t it.

Click here to buy a DALINA Gift Card.


Espressotec & Roaster Central

Line of coffee at Espressotec Roaster CentralAre they available on Siply? YES
We’re mixing it up a bit for this one! Espressotec sells all things coffee gear and Roaster Central curates and slings the best bags of coffee from multiple roasters in the city. Their showroom is a shiny, polished coffee nerd’s dream!

Click here to buy an Espressotec/Roaster Central Gift Card.


The Garden Strathcona

Are they available on Siply? YES
When you pretty much have to swim to most coffee shops in Raincouver during the winter, The Garden lets you feel like you’re outdoors when it’s too gross to be in an actual garden. Just look at this photo and you’ll see what we mean:

The inside of The Garden Stathcona CafeAmazing food, amazing drinks and the best goddamn cookies you’re ever going to try.

Click here to buy gift card for The Garden Strathcona.


House of Funk Roasting

House of Funk RoastingAre they available on Siply? YES
Part roastery, part brewery, 100% psychedelic acid trip! These gift cards can be used for any of their coffee products as well as their full lineup of house-brewed beers. They specialize in the funkier, weirder side of beers and coffee. Their barrel-aged coffee will rock your world, your tastebuds and will give you complicated feelings towards metal cans.

Click here to buy a House of Funk Gift Card.


Modus Coffee Roasters

Cappuccino on bar at Modus Coffee RoastersAre they available on Siply? YES
Modus has been cranking out award-winning coffee for years but their recent addition of one of the best brunch lineups we’ve seen in ages, mean that they’re HIGH on the list for every discerning coffee snob to visit. Use their cards on beans, food, drinks or on their kick-ass swag.

Click here to buy a Modus Gift Card.


Nemesis Coffee

Outside of Nemesis Coffee PolygonAre they available on Siply? YES
You probably know these guys because they keep winning awards for being so damn good at what they do, but did you know they’re also bloody lovely people too. Nemesis has one of the most intensely varied bakeries in the city as well as a coffee program that brings in the best coffee from around the world.

Click here to buy a Nemesis Gift Card.


Pallet Coffee Roasters

Inside of Pallet HQAre they available on Siply? YES
With six shops across Vancouver, a Pallet gift card is perfect for that friend who is ALWAYS all over the place. You know the one – they’re always updating Instagram with latte art shots in different coffee shops every day… wait that sounds a bit too much like us.

Anyway, you can spend their gift card on amazing food and drinks as well as on their huge house-roasted coffee lineup (they win awards for their roasting).

Click here to buy a Pallet Gift Card.


Paragon Tea Room

Inside of Paragon Tea Room. Go there to buy Starbucks Card AlternativesAre they available on Siply? YES
Not only do they have some of the best tea drinks in the city, they also have a magical way of making it. Their Tea’spresso machines are a sight to behold and make for a really interesting experience when you order your drinks.

Use the gift card to buy drinks, HK style bubble waffles, or any of their take-home loose leaf teas and powders.

Click here to buy a Paragon Gift Card.


Prototype Coffee Roasters

Inside of Prototype CoffeeAre they available on Siply? YES
Famous for always having 15 or so coffees on bar, this gift card is perfect for that one friend you have that is always WAY too jacked up on caffeine. Prototype also have a mind-blowing selection of wafnuts (waffle donuts) and a huge bean selection to choose from.

Click here to buy a Prototype Gift Card.


Rocanini

The inside of Rocanini Coffee ShopAre they available on Siply? YES
Fun name, even better coffee. Gift card 1 can be used in any of their four shops (including their roastery) and their online cards can be used, well online duh. Their website had a full lineup of beans, gear and tea. Keep your peepers out for their Yemen coffee when it pops up. It was arguably one of the most interesting coffees at the 2019 Beanstock festival.

Click here to buy Rocanini Gift Cards.


Spade

Inside of Spade Coffee, a perfect place to find Starbucks Card AlternativesAre they available on Siply? YES
The crown jewel of Commercial Drive! Spade has a massive selection of coffee choices from different roasters, an in house baker who is an absolute maestro of all things pastry, as well as a lineup of great alcoholic beverages. Their gift card can be spent on anything in-store, or on their webshop.

Click here to buy Spade Gift Cards or continue reading the Starbucks Card Alternatives for Independent Coffee Shops and Where to Buy Them list below. 


Spent Grounds

Inside of Spent Grounds a perfect place to find a Starbucks Card Alternatives

Are they available on Siply? YES
The epicentre of A) great coffee in Surrey and B) Vegan foods! A Spent Grounds voucher is the perfect gift for someone who wants to have their taste buds romanced by amazing house-roasted coffee and then their bellies filled with plant-based eats, from their huge vegan store inside their venue.

Click here to buy Spent Grounds Gift Cards


Timbertrain 

Outside of Timbertrain DEPOTAre they available on Siply? YES
Famous for being one of the most beloved small roasting brands in Vancouver – Timbertrain gift cards can be spent on coffee, gift sets, brewing gear and even merch on their online store and the same only with food at their actual store. And you really need to check out the DEPOT location, as it’s a sight to behold.

Click here to buy Timbertrain Gift Cards


Winston 

Inside of Winston Coffee ShopAre they available on Siply? YES
North Van classiness with Gastown coffeeness, Winston is a game changing cafe in the center of the Lonsdale action. Gift cards can be spent on coffee that’s curated from local BC roasters, food that’s made in house and coffee that’s created by some of the most talented baristas we’ve found. There’s a bit of an Aussie takeover going on here, so get your Flat White game face on!

Click here to buy Winston Gift Cards


Everbean

Everbean Espresso Machine

Are they available on Siply? Not Yet 🙁
You might have to go to South Surrey for this one, but Everbean is well worth the trip. While you’re there, be sure to try their scones, which I’m pretty sure are made entirely out of butter.

Click here to buy Everbean Gift Cards


Harken

The inside of Harken Cafe
Are they available on Siply? Not Yet 🙁
A superhero team of some of the best coffee nerds in Vancouver got together to create this masterpiece of a shop. Use their gift cards to purchase any of their very high end coffees or brewing gear from their online store.

Click here to buy Harken Gift Cards


United Strangers

Exterior of United Strangers Cafe, which is a great shop to buy Starbucks Card AlternativesAre they available on Siply? Not Yet 🙁
One part coffee bar, one part kind of fucking fancy grocery store thing, one part apparel shop, 100% awesome. Their gift cards are perfect for that friend who always bikes EVERYWHERE because United Strangers is becoming a bit of a Mecca for cycling enthusiasts.

Click here to buy United Strangers gift cards.

Do you have any suggestions of what to add to the “Starbucks Card Alternatives for Independent Coffee Shops and Where to Buy Them List”?

If you know of any great Starbucks Card Alternatives for Independent Coffee Shops, please let us know by emailing me at [email protected].


FYI: This list originally appeared on the Siply blog here: https://www.getsiply.com/starbucks-card-alternatives-for-independent-coffee-shops-and-where-to-buy-them/