I’ve not been this excited for a coffee shop opening in a really long time and it’s my pleasure to say that the new Platform 7 Cafe, in Kitsilano, was totally worth the wait. A really friendly group of employees, great coffee and food, as well as one of the most interesting venues I’ve seen in Vancouver.
Coffee
10oz Latte – $4
Platform 7 Cafe use Stumptown beans, a well respected roaster from Portland, Oregon. I’ve always liked Stumptown, so it’s no surprise this latte was amazing. The complexity of the flavour that came from the espresso was incredible; a rich toasted caramel flavour, balanced perfectly with the sweetness of the expertly steamed milk. This drink stands out, by far, as one of the most interesting espresso drinks I’ve had in a long time.
In addition to the latte, they serve a quite large selection of drinks including a nitro cold brew system, tap kobucha and various types of teas.
Food
Prosciutto, basil and bocconcini baguette – $8.50
One of the most delicious sandwiches I’ve had in a very long time. Straight out of the panini maker, the baguette was nice and crispy, with fluffy bread inside, a very generous serving of prosciutto and the perfect amount of bocconcini cheese. A basil pesto tied the whole thing together.
Hazelnut Brownie, with salted caramel – $3.50
Light and fluffy but gooey and rich, I’m fairly certain some of this is still stuck to the insides of my ribs, but I mean that in a good way of course! I loved that this was served warm too, with the salted caramel drizzled over the top.
Location
Located on Broadway and Vine it’s easily accessible by bus and there’s loads of free and paid on street parking. It’s a bit out of the way in the grand scheme of things really though. I just don’t ever really see myself around that area very much other than to visit Platform 7 Cafe.
Venue
This has to go down as one of the most interesting looking coffee shops in Vancouver. They’ve totally redesigned the former Higher Grounds Cafe to look like a Belle Époque Paris train station, with metal girders across the roof, a perpetual blue sky above them, clocks, picturesque countryside wall murals and a whole host of amazing coffee based gadgets and gizmos on the shelves and the counter. It’s a tremendously fun place to eat and drink and I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to take my friends there.
Bathrooms
Given that it was the first day they were open I would have been surprised if the bathroom was awful! It was clean and organised, looked nice and I have no complaints about it at all!
Staff
Platform 7 Cafe are definitely doing it right with their staff! Everyone was really friendly, offering me advice about the food and coffee, cracking jokes and even making an effort to show me how to pour latte art (note – I failed miserably when trying to re-create at home). When I asked if I could take photos they happily encouraged it and one barista even posed for a photo with me! I couldn’t have asked for more here… well done guys and girls!
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