The 10 Best Vancouver Coffee Shops of 2017
October 2018 Update: This list is now superseded by the 2018 version, click here to read that instead.
Alright, this is the one you’ve all been waiting for, the 10 best Vancouver coffee shops of 2017. Our stunning city has once again proven that it’s becoming a world player in the coffee scene. No longer is a bag of average beans, a basic espresso machine and a selection of premade sandwiches a recipe for success. Vancouverites are demanding quality coffee from their cafes, they’re demanding high-end brunch options, they’re demanding stunning venues and most of all, they’re demanding top-notch service.
And you know what, this year we’ve absolutely nailed it.
This list was voted for by you, the incredible folks of Vancouver. We had thousands of people tell us their coffee shop preferences and we honestly can’t thank you enough for your input.
Look out Portland… your coffee game is good, but we’re coming for you…
You’ll notice throughout this list I do a price comparison of a couple of the drinks on the shop’s menu. It shows you what price you’ll pay for each drink normally vs if you use my new app Siply. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below or email me if you want to know more.
10. Olive and Ruby
2839 West Broadway
http://www.oliveandrubycafe.com
Latte Price: $4.75
Latte Price with Siply: $3.71
Americano Price: $2.75
Americano Price with Siply: $2.15
A stunningly minimalist and beautiful venue, Olive and Ruby wins my vote for ‘most elegant’ cafe in Vancouver. Their vegetarian food options got them a place in our top 10 brunch awards and their coffee options, supplied by Pallet Coffee Roasters, always ensure you’re getting a high-end drink with whatever you eat. Point your camera in any direction and you’ll have an Instagram worthy photo.
Vancouver Coffee Snob Recommendation: Chose the acai bowl for breakfast and chase it with a turmeric latte. Then add a sneaky cortado for a post-brunch buzz.
9. 49th Parallel
2902 Main Street
689 Thurlow Street
2198 West 4th
https://49thcoffee.com
One of the most famous coffee roasters in Vancouver, you’ll see their teal coloured bags in hundreds of coffee shops across the world. Easily accessible coffee, incredible donuts, some amazing brunch options and three pristine venues spread out around the city.
Vancouver Coffee Snob Recommendation: Try their ‘Epic Espresso’ in an Americano with a sourdough donut chaser.
8. Agro
550 Clark Drive
https://agroroasters.com
Latte Price: $4
Latte Price with Siply: $3.12
Filter Coffee Price: $3
Filter Coffee Price with Siply: $2.34
Agro is a little out of the way, but well worth the visit. It’s a beautiful white space, with wood features and their coffee roaster on display for all to see. Their beans are probably the best value specialty coffee in town and their avocado grilled cheese is better than anything your mum ever made.
Vancouver Coffee Snob Recommendation: Their nitro cold brew is a caffeinated kick up the backside, but be sure to chase it down with the above mentioned grilled cheese, lest you be a jittery mess.
7. Prado
1938 Commercial Dr
1809 Fir St
100 W Hastings St
4208 Fraser St
https://pradocafe.co
Prado is the ‘peoples cafe’, with a focus on providing a local neighbourhood feel, while keeping the standard for coffee and food as high as possible. Their drinks are made with beans from 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters and their food options scale from basic snacks to brunch style food.
Vancouver Coffee Snob Recommendation: Their batch brew filter coffee is always impeccable and I’m a huge fan of their nut and seed power cookies to kick a morning off.
6. KAHVE
1822 W 1st Ave
http://www.kahvevancouver.com
Latte Price: $4.75
Latte Price with Siply: $3.71
Filter Coffee Price: $3.25
Filter Coffee Price with Siply: $2.54
KAHVE have one of our favorite brunch menus in the city, but they’re also accompanied by a fantastic Phil and Sebastian coffee menu, that includes multiple espresso options, high-end geisha beans on filter and the single best London Fog we’ve ever tried in our lives. The staff are some of the nicest coffee folks we’ve ever met, ensuring that every customer is treated like royalty when they enter. You just have to look at their massive counter of loyalty cards to know how popular they are in the local community.
Vancouver Coffee Snob Recommendation: Their smoked salmon avocado toast will change your life, as will their cortado. The missus is fond of their breakfast sandwich and I’m pretty sure would leave me for one of their London Fogs, should the situation ever arise!
5. Revolver
325 Cambie Street
http://revolvercoffee.ca
Arguably the most famous multi-roaster coffee shop in Vancouver, you’ll find a vast selection of drink choices from roasters around the world in Revolver. They source their coffee from whatever country they need to, in order to keep an impeccably high standard for their customers. This is the place you take someone when you want them to know you’re a coffee expert.
Vancouver Coffee Snob Recommendation: Their macchiato is one of the best in the city and their coffee cake will give you dirty dreams.
4. Moving Coffee
64 E 3rd Ave
http://movingcoffee.com
Moving Coffee specialise in roasting only the highest, 90+ grade coffee, then serve it up from their cozy venue in Mt Pleasant. They’ve been responsible for one of the few drinks that have honestly left me speechless. I truly believe that Edmond, their chief caffeine nerd, is one of the best coffee roasters on the planet.
Vancouver Coffee Snob Recommendation: Try their “split” using Phantom beans: A shot of espresso and a grass-fed milk macchiato to pair with it.
3. Pallet Coffee Roasters
323 Semlin Drive
1398 Kingsway St
2002 W Broadway
https://www.palletcoffeeroasters.com
Latte Price: $4.35
Latte Price with Siply: $3.39
Filter Coffee Price: $2.35
Filter Coffee Price with Siply: $1.83
OK, this is impressive, Pallet won ‘best roaster‘, came third in the top 10 best brunches and now a podium finish for them in the 10 best Vancouver coffee shops of 2017! Amazing work from an incredibly friendly team, serving a vast selection of beans from around the world, a delicious repertoire of brunch items and with their new Motive line of coffee, 2018 is already shaping up to be another winner.
Vancouver Coffee Snob Recommendation: Their build-it-yourself breakfast sandwich (be sure to choose a croissant bun) is always a winner with their cappuccino.
2. Aubade
230 E Pender St
https://www.aubadecoffee.info
Long White (Latte alternative) Price: $4.50
Long White with Siply: $3.51
Long Black (Americano alternative) Price: $3.50
Long Black Price with Siply: $2.73
Aubade has a focus on the absolute highest quality coffee you can find on the planet. Eldric, the owner, is a wealth of information when it comes to his profession, always patient when I barrage him with questions and is fascinating to watch work, as he scientifically and methodically creates his drinks via Aeropress, pour-over or espresso. His focus is on black filter coffee or vegan non-milk espresso drinks. No cow juice here I’m afraid!
Vancouver Coffee Snob Recommendation: Go here to geek out about coffee. Tell Eldric what you enjoy, drink-wise, and he’ll craft you one of the best coffee’s you’ll have in your life. If you get the opportunity, his cold brew nut milk combo is like a pina colada coffee.
1. Nemesis
302 W Hastings St
www.nemesis.coffee
Latte Price: $4.50
Latte Price with Siply: $3.00
Filter Coffee Price: $4.75
Filter Coffee Price with Siply: $3.71
Nemesis is a perfect combination of amazingly high-quality coffee from around the world, mixed with Michelin star level food, one of the most beautiful venues you’ve ever seen and a collection of staff that treats every single person that comes in the door like family. Personally, I think Nemesis is one of the best coffee shops in the world, which is probably why they’ve been nominated for that exact award over at sprudge.com/vote.
Vancouver Coffee Snob Recommendation: Walk in, hug the closest employee, they’ll 100% hug back. Then try everything, it’s all amazing. OK, OK, if I have to recommend something try their duck waffles and their hopped cold brew… no wait, the cortado… no wait, the pour over… no wait… oh hell I can’t decide, stop reading this and GO TO NEMESIS RIGHT NOW.