Best Coffee Shops in Vancouver (2026 Roasteries & Cafés)

Published 2026-07-13 · FanVancouver Travel Desk

Updated 2 October 2026 · addresses and menus checked on each café's own website

Vancouver runs on independent coffee: roasters with their own cafés, a multi-roaster bar in Gastown, an espresso tasting bar from a roaster founded in 1984 — and the drink the city gave the world, the London Fog (Earl Grey, steamed milk, vanilla). Every café below was checked against its own website on 2 October 2026. Matchstick Coffee has closed all of its cafés, so it is no longer on this list.

Best café by neighbourhood — quick routing

The London Fog — a Vancouver original

In the best-known story, the city's own drink began in the 1990s at the Buckwheat Café: a regular, Mary Loria, pregnant and struggling with morning sickness, asked for Earl Grey with steamed milk and vanilla sugar — to the baristas' scepticism. Who gave it the name is not known; she later found the drink on café menus under a name she did not recognise. Today a London Fog is Earl Grey, steamed milk and vanilla syrup, almost every café in town makes one, and Starbucks sells it worldwide as the London Fog Tea Latte. Order one at any café below.

Revolver Coffee — Gastown multi-roaster bar

Revolver Coffee, 325 Cambie St (Gastown). The Giannakos family opened it in September 2011. Revolver does not roast: it curates beans from guest roasters, so the line-up keeps changing. Ask the bar what is on pour-over today and compare it with the espresso. Expect a queue at weekends.

49th Parallel — roaster with Lucky's Doughnuts

49th Parallel roasts its own coffee, and its cafés serve Lucky's Doughnuts. Vancouver cafés: 689 Thurlow St (downtown), 2902 Main St (Mount Pleasant), 2198 W 4th Ave (Kitsilano) and 93 Lonsdale Ave in North Vancouver; there is also a café on McGill St in Montreal. The usual order is a flat white and a doughnut.

Elysian Coffee — roastery café on Ontario St

Elysian Coffee started on 5th Avenue in 2004 and now roasts at its café on the corner of 7th & Ontario (2301 Ontario St, Mount Pleasant). Other cafés: Broadway & Ash (590 W Broadway), 5th & Burrard in Kitsilano (1778 W 5th Ave) and Burrard & Helmcken downtown (1100 Burrard St).

• For pastries on the same walk, see the Vancouver bakeries guide.

Pallet Coffee Roasters — cafés across the city

Pallet Coffee Roasters is a Vancouver roaster with cafés across the city, including 980 Howe St, 1115 Melville St and 848 W Hastings St downtown, plus 395 Alexander St, 323 Semlin Dr, 2035 Yukon St and 3820 Oak St. Reliable espresso close to most downtown hotels.

Trees Organic Coffee — since 1996

Trees Organic Coffee has served organic coffee in Vancouver since 1996 and is known for cheesecake made with real cream cheese. The Granville St café (450 Granville St) has an open mic on Thursdays and live music on Fridays from 8 to 10 pm; in Gastown, Trees is at 321 Water St.

Caffe Artigiano — downtown latte art

Caffe Artigiano is known for its latte art and a full food menu. The Hornby St café (763 Hornby St) sits across from the Vancouver Art Gallery; other addresses include 1101 W Pender St, 510 W Georgia St, 429 Howe St, 101 Robson St, 126 Davie St, 1602 Main St and 2378 Cambie St.

Kafka's Coffee — roasts its own

Kafka's Coffee roasts its own beans. Cafés: 577 Great Northern Way, 151 W Hastings St, Kafka's in the Park at 860 Richards St (Smithe & Richards) and 104-350 E Kent Ave. The old Main Street café is no longer listed on its website.

Nemesis Coffee — own roasts and bakery

Nemesis Coffee roasts its own coffee — The O.G., The Juice and Culture are house roasts — and its pastries come from its own Dope Bakery (kouign-amann, pain au chocolat). Vancouver cafés: 555 Great Northern Way and 302 W Hastings St; there are also cafés in Surrey and Coquitlam.

Prototype Coffee — roastery and tasting rooms

Prototype Coffee roasts traceable specialty micro-lots and runs a Roastery and Tasting Room at 883 E Hastings St (Strathcona) and a Tasting Room at 222 W 5th Ave. Beyond espresso, try the espresso & tonic, the honey-orange latte or the molasses chai. Its 2026 menu is this guide's price benchmark: espresso from C$4.50, cortado C$5.25, flat white C$5.50, latte C$6, mocha C$7.50.

Milano Coffee — espresso tastings since 1984

Milano Coffee was founded in 1984 by master roaster Francesco Curatolo; today owner and roaster Brian Turko runs it. Its espresso lounges — 36 Powell St (Gastown), 156 W 8th Ave and 849 Denman St — call themselves Vancouver's only espresso tasting bars: order a tasting and compare blends side by side.

How to order like a local

• Pour-over — priced by the coffee and brewed to order; ask what is on the brew bar today.
• London Fog — hot or iced; most cafés make it with vanilla syrup.
• Prices — at Prototype (2026 menu): espresso from C$4.50, cortado C$5.25, flat white C$5.50, latte C$6, mocha C$7.50.
• Paying — tap a card or phone; the tip prompt on the screen is optional at the counter. More in tipping in Vancouver.
• Pair a café with a walk: Mount Pleasant, Gastown, then cheap breakfast or afternoon tea.

← Explore BC hub — all guides · Vancouver city guide