The biased and not-so-definitive guide to Victoria B.C. Canada's cafe scene - Updated January 2010

Have you been wondering where the best Cafe's and are in Victoria, B.C. Canada and the surrounding area on Vancouver Island? Look no further! This is the definitive guide to coffee and espresso in Victoria B.C. Canada - This Cafe Scene has been in print (online) since 1995! Trust the coffeecrew team for the bottom line on who is serving the best bean! If I have missed a cafe or some detail or another, please e-mail me and I will fix it. If there is something you love or hate about the cafe scene in Victoria, make sure you bring it up with us.

This collection of observations has been built from consumer reviews and personal visits. We visit these cafes a minimum of 5 times with at least 6 reports from other consumers before we offer an opinion. What qualifies Colin to review coffee houses you ask? Good question. He has been drinking coffee in Victoria since the 1980's.

So here are Colin's opinions. They are his opinions and the opinions of the people that care to express opinions on the local cafe scene(via e-mail feedback). Most of the local java joints are great, some better than others - that's life.

Some ultra-hot additions...

• Street Level Espresso - 700 Block Fort Street. Right next to the Dutch Bakery. Ken Gordon's smallish but hipper-than-hip coffee joint was reviewed here on my blog.
• Fernwood Coffee Company - Parsonage Cafe - North Park & Cook Street (Upper Cook Street Village) - the folks at Fernwood Coffee company are on the ball with great coffee and good eats.
• Solstice Cafe - Pandora across from the Ultra-Hip Habit Cafe - Coffee by Fernwood Coffee Company

 

(Vancouver Island's Best) - The Drumroaster Cafe - #24 - 1400 Cowichan Bay Rd. & Trans-Canada highway (South of Duncan)

Geir Oglend became involved in the coffee industry long before the swell in popularity of North American "coffee culture." In fact, Geir installed his first espresso machine in 1973 at local restaurant in Victoria, BC, Canada. After nearly a decade of working around Victoria, he moved his operation back to his hometown of Stavanger, Norway, and opened a fresh pasta/coffee bar named, Bagga Pasta. The year 1988, saw Geir move back to Canada, where he opened Victoria's first stand-up espresso bar named Cafe Giovaninni, located at the foot of Fort and Wharf Streets.

Through his quarter-century long quest to provide great coffee and service to all those who desire, his travels through Europe have included many visits to espresso manufacturers in Italy as early as 1987, and several times since then.

Geir has been involved in selling, installing, and servicing approximately two hundred espresso machines and other coffee-related pieces of equipment on Vancouver Island, Canada, and has trained well over five hundred individuals in the art of making Italian coffee drinks. In addition to this, he has provided sales and service for such fine companies as La Cimbali and Rancilio.

As a cabinet maker with his own complete cabinet shop, he is available to provide his services in aspects such as building, construction consultation including design and layout, of any coffee-related retail outlet.

Bubby Rose's - Cook at Meares Avenue (and in the Cook street Village)

Food: No one in the Cook street village is more devoted to quality baked goodies than the culinary team of Valerie and her husband Mark. Their baked goods look and taste like they just waltzed out of some of Montreal or New York cities best bakery and deli's.

Decor: Bubby Rose's Bakery is a tad small seating wise but it is a working bakery and the take-out action is dizzying. I come in on Saturday mornings for cinnamon buns so ooey-gooey good, so tangy and ultimately edible and oh-so matched to a hot cup of coffee that it's entirely foolish to resist them. Don't take my word for it. Come down - get one. The Challah French Toast is the best in the city... the best on the Island probably.

The Coffee: Mark does his level best to get the most out of his drip coffee. Currently on tap: Discovery Coffee by Sam Jones and crew. Their espresso machine is a Synesso.
The Vibe: Big city bakery cafe in little Victoria. Awesome people watching. Currently in the Cook Street village you can get your espresso from the Mean Bean kiosk adjacent to Bubby Roses One.

(Personal favorite!) Habit Cafe and Culture - 522 Pandora (at Government Street)

Shane Devereaux (and his skilled associates) pilot Habit on Pandora in Victoria's historic old-town. And despite the fact that Victoria has some destination coffee shops in the downtown "area", there are few, if any, that are absolute must-visits in the core.
Habit Cafe and Culture stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of 2% Jazz, Disco on Discovery and, if you are a Vancouver resident, the likes of the Elysian Room.

Habit Cafe and Culture is the kind of no-nonsense specialty coffee place you would find on the streets of Vancouver, Seattle or Portland. It's all about the coffee and espresso based drinks here folks. The Habit is an unusually spacious entity that caters to the social experience surrounding specialty coffee; conversation, meditation and education. In fact, they do public coffee tasting seminars on Tuesdays. And if you really, really love your cup of joe, it might be worth your while to take your knowledge base to the next level.

Habit Cafe and Culture on Pandora below Government Street is a fine example of the next generation of specialty coffee spaces - where knowledge is about as important as the finished product.
I have been to Habit about 20 times now - and there is no question: It's is hipster central for the specialty coffee scene. This is the place to see and be seen.

The Vibe: Habit Coffee represents the monsters of cool. By merely drinking coffee at HABIT, you become cooler, younger and sexier. Heck, being there even fixes dysfunctional elements in my childhood - and that says something! This is the place for young hipsters, sexy happy people - and the coffee is always leading edge - which contributes to the overall groove. So come on down and see what all the cool is about.

Discovery Coffee - 600 Block Discovery (at Government Street)


Discovery Coffee on Discovery Avenue (at Douglas) is now anchored by Logan and his team of the cities best baristas. They are roasting in-store, brewing with a Synesso and the cities only Clover Coffee Brewer.

Discovery Coffee in Victoria is about to get slightly better - come on down for a visit and find out why. Their coffee is roasted on-site with a Deidrich Roaster. They brew Clover Coffee, espresso with a Synesso and have French Press as well!

Discovery Coffee in Victoria is a prime example of cafe destination! Make it part of your coffee journey. Now also open on Oak Bay Avenue at Amphion! 7-7 7 Days a week!

Photo above: Barista Paul enjoys a brief break in the action at Discovery Coffee. If you are looking for the best coffee in town -- or a place that prides itself on not serving a bad cup of coffee... then Discovery Coffee is for you. No excuses. No nonsense. This is the place. The Oak Bay and Amphion location features a siphon bar - coffee as good as it gets. Come on down and let one of the many fine baristi treat you to a single origin that you will never forget.

Beans & Greens - Admirals and Esquimalt (in the Esquimalt Village)

Closed...

 

 The Stick in the Mud - Eustace Ave, Sooke Village, Sooke B.C.

Some 25 miles down a two-lane highway towards the West Coast is the village of Sooke B.C. And up and until about a year ago, Sooke had about 9000 residents starved for great coffee - With the arrival of The Stick in the Mud Cafe, a creation of David Evans, everything has changed.

David Evans shares his passion for the bean with every customer - his motto apears to be: No beverage less than the beverage before it and every drink unique to the needs of the customer.

I have been to the Stick about 4 or 5 times now - which qualifies it for the honor roll you see here. What I find interesting is that - not only has Sooke adapted itself to The Stick Cafe, but the opposite has applied as well.
Specialty coffee is relatively new to this West Coast community but the residents have taken to David's brand of the brew as if they have always had great coffee.

And great coffee and espresso it is! Baked goods prepared on location are a must-have as well.

The Stick in the Mud cafe is at 6715 Eustace Ave, a right turn on Otter Point road in the Sooke village if you are coming in from Victoria... and then a quick left. Coffee is provided by 2% Jazz and is prepared to perfection! The Stick in the Mud cafe is open 7 days a week.

2% Jazz - Hillside & Douglas (next to the Times-Colonist building)

Sam Jones (photo-right) is the king of coffee in Victoria, and this fact remains unchallenged!

There are cafes and there are cafes. 2% Jazz is quite arguably the best the city of Victoria has to offer. 2% Jazz has never rested on its laurels as top Victoria cafe - Best Espresso, best Baristas.

Decor: The Douglas and Hillside location is a hit with neighborhood journalists and staff from the local paper, the Times-Colonist. 2% is a great place to hang out and wait for a bus or read the paper if your so inclined. With Jeff or owner Sam at the bar, expect the best of the best espresso based drinks. Seating is tight and there is always a crowd.

Sam Jones, runner-up for North-Americas best barista at a past SCAA conference in San Francisco, covers the AM shift. Come on down and taste what coffee is really about!

The Coffee: His espresso shots and caffeine-powered attitude is first-rate! 2% Jazz uses the innovative Synesso espresso machine with modified 'bottom-less portafilters' for a truely leading-edge experience. In 15 years of drinking espresso in Victoria, 2% Jazz hits the target 100% of the time. If you are visiting Victoria from somewhere else or are looking for the truly perfect espresso experience, visit 2% Jazz!

The Black Stilt - 1633 Hillside @ Scott Street + Fort and Richmond Ave - open now!

There are few things more wonderful than walking into a unique cafe and finding it buzzing with human activity, conversation and endeavor.

The Black Stilt on Hillside avenue is one such place. I was there again last night meeting up with my middle nephew to talk digital photography. Much to my surprise (on a Wednesday night), the joint was jumping. From about 30 tables, there was one left - and it has my name on it.

Decor: The Black Stilt cafe could be any cafe anywhere in North America - it has darker than usual tones, lots of comfortable chairs and pseudo-chaises -- in this case, filled with people. And that is what makes this independent a delight. It was humming.

So - what's the deal here anyway? Well, they are into the community in a big way - there are local events, music Fridays etc. And they serve ethical beans. It is one of their priorities. Good by me. I tried a double short Americano and it kicked. I thought to myself: You are NOT going to get this quality of coffee across the street at the Green machine... I mean, I know what Starbucks coffee is going to taste like - so why bother, yea?

The Coffee: Correct me if I am wrong, but I think Oughtred Coffee provides the ethical beans here - It is prepared competently by baristi who seem genuinely interested in their customers and the quality of the product. Looking around at the crowd I asked one of the gals behind the counter: "Is this normal for a Wednesday night?" --she replied: "No, it's a tad slow tonight!" - I thought to myself: Maybe we could all get out of our chairs for a moment, go to the window and, in unison, collectively thumb our noses at the corporate machine-coffee across the street

Buon Amici Cafe - Tyee Road (West Side Village)

Food: Their selections are fresh, varied and interesting.

Decor: Buon Amici's combines warmth and creativity that is not over the top. There are few places in Victoria that get all the cozy elements together at the same time and leave you forgetting that you are actually in someone else's place of business. When I walk into B.A.'s, I almost get the sense that I am in my living room - except, of course, for all these strangers drinking coffee and reading books!

The Coffee: Top marks here too. Let me tell you what is different. Derek and crew come out from behind the gear and make their customers part of the process. Where else in Victoria (or Vancouver) is the latte coffee art prepared at your table? Come on down and see for yourself.

Summary: Derek and the team get top marks on all the basics and some. His staff are courteous, focused and gracious. Too often a great cafe is diminished by one or two staff members not pulling their weight and that, most certainly, is not the case here. Everyone is excited about what they are doing and spot on in every regard.

Derek just won a recent Western Barista championships by 1 point over Logan of Discovery Coffee!

Ryan Taylor roasts some of Victoria's better bean on-site. The drip coffee is top notch and espresso is some of the best in town.

Caffe Fantastico is a little rustic for my tastes and the Quadra street location can be a little rough and tumble but the people watching is very interesting. Stop in for the ambiance and the beans.

The Cook street village location is little more than a full service kiosk with neighboring stalls that sell Thai, Ethiopian and Sushi. Both locations are open 7 days a week. The Quadra and King's location is currently undergoing a small renovation to expand bean storage capacity.

Best bean: Causeway blend is the best espresso in the city. Whether you brew at home or have it in-cafe, it cannot be beat. The aged Sumatra (when available) is superb and flavorful to the point of distraction.

History: I have been buying coffee from Ryan since he was selling it out of his back yard. There isn't better bean in the city. Ryan, Kristie and the team at CF care about coffee. So much so, that they have not gone the way of some other local outfits who boost production beyond their capacity to train, support and educate. Volume and quality rarely go hand in hand in the world of great coffee.

Derrick is now handling the bulk of the roasting at C.F. and is doing a fabulous job. CF is number one for fresh roasted coffee on Vancouver Island!

They now have a signature location at Dockside Green alongside the also new Fol Epi bakery - It is arguably the best view in town - with some highly competent coffee thrown in for good measure.

Open for business in the Oak Bay Village, they offer the best in local Deli cheeses and exotic imported meats, Bakery and Illy Coffee, plus Moka Pots by Bialetti.

Their bakery selection gives the expression "to die for" a whole new meaning. Looking for Truffle Oil? It's here! Looking for a shot of illy espresso or drip coffee by Cafe Fantastico, then stop here.

Ottavio's larger location is in the heart of Oak Bay. Ottavio is our second home and we are there once a week or so, They have a nice lunch selection and if coffee is not your thing, order a glass of wine!

The staff at Ottavio, mostly young kids in their late teens and early 20's are fabulous and knowledgeable. Bravo!

Paradiso de Stelle- Bastion Square (above Wharf Street)

In the heart of the tourist district, Bastion Square near Wharf street, is Paradiso Di Stelle.

The first few steps down into Paradiso, take you directly to the fresh gelati bar. Produced on premises by a fridge sized gelato machine nicknamed "Momma", their Italian Gelato is the cities best.

The Italian Bakery provides the bulk of their breads and the coffee is illy. Still rated the "most beautiful baristas in Victoria" year after year, the guys and gals tending the espresso machines are a well trained, oiled and sculpted machine. Italo has been running this place for years now - if he is in and he usually is, by all means yell: Ciao Italo!

No question here - This is the best Cafe for conversation and people watching! One of Victoria's better cafes is in the heart of China town on Fisgard up from Wharf Street. The coffee is fresh and roasted on premises. They have organic whole bean coffees and 'bird friendly' eco-sensitive Java.

Bean around the World is one of Victoria's busiest coffee shops/espresso joints. There is rarely a spare seat but everyone seems willing to share if there is a chair. Their staff are among the most dedicated, competent and enthusiastic.

Decor: Wild-west rustic.
Coffee: Always spot on fresh. Espresso based beverages always reproduced faithfully and consistenly. I have never had a bad coffee here.

Mirage Cafe - 3 locations: Blanshard and View / Yates Street / Government Street & Courtney

Expanded recently with really good coffee, smart staff and tasty food. I have to get back for some more reviews of Mirage. Readers: If you have been there, let me know. They use a very pretty Elektra espresso machine, which I am not a big fan of. That said, in the right hands, the machine is capable of good coffee. We have checked out their own signature coffee that they are roasting in-house (Deidrich roaster) and initial impressions are totally positive.

 Khona Coffee - Fort and Cook.
-- Khona Cafe is a good example of a coffee place embracing the leading edge of the specialty coffee boom - and pushing it a few clicks further.

Where else can you get a mighty fine single origin espresso, an awesome properly brewed and a timed French press AND an Aeropressed coffee! I mean really! Who else is doing Aeropressed coffee in Victoria? Noone!

Khona Coffee rose from the ashes of a deceased Serious Coffee location just over a year ago - and they have never looked back. This is a clear example of how the "mom & pop" single locations will always have a leg up on the franchise operations - with some very minute exceptions (Like Cafe Artigiano) - because here is the thing: You cannot package coffee passion. And unless you are exceptionally passionate, you are not going to be able to deliver the magic in the fashion that Khona does - when you are running a cookie-cutter coffee operation.

Khona coffee has the right stuff; motivated and happy staff and great coffee is a very cosy environment. It is one of the few places in Victoria where you can "put your feet up" - if only figuratively.

The coffee is supplied by Oughtred and it shows - Khona is going to give you as good a coffee experience as any of the top-tier spots in Victoria.

Colin Newell lives and works in Victoria B.C. Canada - Colin can be seen wandering the streets of Victoria with an empty cup and a camera looking for honestly good coffee and espresso. His current brewers include an AeroPress, a NewCo OCS-8, numerous french-presses, and stovetops. Grinder: Rancilio Rocky and Baratza Virtuoso and Vario.