PORTO CAFE

Porto Café is where presentation and design mix to create a coffee shop that is casual enough for your teenage brother but with the attention to detail your grandmother demands.

This 30-seat café boasts a contemporary design with natural tones, concrete and wood accents, and Eames chairs.  The food and drinks are served on wood boards, etched with Porto's logo. Even the logo has been carefully thought out - it depicts the buildings surrounding the café. As the brand expands, each coffee shop will have its own logo to represent the buildings in its neighbourhood.

The coffee beans served at Porto come from Vancouver's Pallet Coffee Roasters, and are served in all shapes and sizes (and types). Even non-coffee drinkers have choice here, from a wide selection of teas, to hot chocolate, and smoothies. While some of the baked goods are made in the café, others come from local bakeries including Cadeaux Bakery (the cookies taste as good as they look). If you're in the mood for something savory, try the breakfast sandwich, prepared with avocado, Italian meats, and greens.

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CAFFE CITTADELLA

This caffè is anything but a cittadella, unless your fortification is coffee.

Caffè Cittadella has taken up residence in the Shaw House, one of the first homes built in Fairview Slopes. The house was originally constructed in the 1890s and was home to James and Emma Shaw. Since being restored as part of a larger commercial project, the caffè has turned the house back into a welcoming home.  With seating on two stories and a patio outside, there's a nook or cranny for everyone.  And whether you're looking for a sandwich, pastry, or something gluten-free, Emma and James are probably looking on to make sure you pair it with a warm cup of Forty Ninth Parallel Coffee or tea.

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TIMBERTRAIN COFFEE ROASTERS

Timbertrain is serious about three things: coffee, trains, and people.

In 2013, owners Jeff Shin, Min Shin, and Peter Kim combined their mutual love of coffee and trains and opened a unique café in Gastown. Elements on trains are embedded throughout the décor, from the obvious elements like the seating that looks like the booths in passenger cars, to the bar that looks like a rail on its side. Stepping into Timbertrain is like walking into a bustling train station where the staff want to know you by name and make you a perfectly brewed cup of coffee.

Timbertain has a passion for roasting good beans to make great coffee. Whether you're in the mood for a pour-over or a glass of cold brew (available on tap), make sure you pair your liquid with a pastry. We guarantee you'll hope your train (or bus) is running late.

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CAFE BICA

Tucked between the bustle of Kitsilano and Granville Island lies Café Bica, a small coffee shop that’s not afraid to slow things down in order to do things right.

Café Bica is completely unassuming and unpretentious. You would never assume from its exterior that through its doors are some of the best coffees and baked goods you may ever have. Not only does this café know how to make a really good coffee, they also know how to create an environment where time seems to slow down. The décor is simple, with exposed concrete floors and wood furniture. Choose from a long communal table, or grab a smaller one if you can. You’ll need plenty of space, though, for all the food you will inevitably order. Brunch is offered until 11:00am on weekends and 2:30pm on the weekends. They offer soup, sandwiches and salads for lunch, and baked goods all day long. And in a delicate balancing act of making sure there are enough spaces for patrons to sit, and for students to “write” their essays, free WiFi is available after 2pm.

While you’re in the area, if you’re looking for something made in Vancouver, head to the café’s south wall. There, they stock things like candles from Vancouver Candle Company and packaged goodies from Butter Baked Goods. 

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