I first heard about Timbertrain when I was looking for places in Vancouver that served a type of coffee called “nitro cold brew”. After visiting and trying a few of their drinks, Timbertrain quickly became one of my favourite spots in Gastown to go for my caffeine fix.
Coffee
9oz Latte – $4
I’ve had more than one latte at Timbertrain and all of them have been superb. The beans (that they roast themselves) always make excellent shots of espresso, with a great balance of flavour; chocolate notes and a sweetness that’s very enjoyable. Add some perfectly steamed milk on top of that and you have a great drink, time and time again.
10oz Nitro Cold Brew
OK, I’ll admit it, I fully expected this to be a gimmick. Nitro cold brew is when you take regular cold brew (coffee slowly brewed in cold water, usually over 12+ hours) and pump nitrogen into it, to make a smooth, Guinness like drink. The result is fantastic. I’m already a big fan of cold brew, but this process adds an exquisite addition to the mouthfeel. It really was just like a Guinness, complete with the white head!
Food
Waffles – $4
There’s not a great deal of food at Timbertrain unfortunately. There are no lunch items, but you can choose from pastries, donuts and waffles. The waffles are always fresh and delicious.
Location
Timbertrain is in a great location – away from the crowds of Gastown, but close enough to the action to be walkable. There are plenty of buses nearby, lots of parking and a parkade that’s usually crammed full of car sharing cars such as Car2go and Evo.
Venue
Chic Gastown at it’s finest! Very nicely designed, with a huge coffee station for the baristas, lots of seating and a white, metal and exposed brick theme running throughout.
Bathrooms
Despite the fact that the ceiling is really low, the bathrooms are actually really nice! Very trendy lighting and fixtures as well as always being very clean.
Staff
It’s always a pleasure to talk to the staff at Timbertrain. They’re friendly, knowledgeable and I’ve never had a bad experience when interacting with them.