It was a chilly morning and I came to this coffee shop for morning tea. Located at the corner of Arbutus street near Kitsilano, its vintage image catches my attention and eventually I could stop by and have a try of their coffee. Their latte is creamy and rich. I took a sip and felt satisfied. Without the weird herbal aroma, I'm happy with its texture and taste. The lemon loaf has a strong flavour of lemon, more than expected. Slightly more sour but acceptable. The indoor space may get crowded as there are not many tables, it is still comfy to enjoy the coffee and pastry in the patio area. Overall it is a good place to enjoy coffee and chatting with friend in this cozy vintage corner coffee house. read more

See all

Great location with indoor and outdoor seating. Extremely cozy and welcoming atmosphere. Got an iced americano and iced matcha latte. Matcha is definitely not their expertise but was decent for me to get my fix! Lemon load was really think and flavourful. Will return to try more items on the menu read more

Arbutus Coffee - iced americano, iced matcha latte and lemon loaf - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Came by here for some ice tea as it was a hot summer day. I quite enjoyed the friendly neighbourhood vibes of this coffee shop. There is quite a bit of seating outside with it being in the shade which was nice to relax with baby away from the heat. The berry flavor was only okay but it was nice to have a cool drink to sip on. read more

Arbutus Coffee - Berry ice tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I can always count on Arbutus Coffee for a relaxing coffee break. The Berry muffin and coffee are a welcome, satisfying mid day delight. The muffin is full of fresh berries, light and easy to digest. The coffee is always fresh and hot. This cafe is clean, quaint and clutter free. Everyone has been polite and respectful. There are also sandwiches , cookies, and slices of cake. A happy little place to spend some time. read more

See all

Despite driving on Arbutus a gazillion times over the past few years, I'd never before been on this particular stretch of the road (a few blocks south of Kits beach, by 6th Ave.) - until the other day. Passing it by en route to visit a friend, I was struck by the cuteness of this corner café. A wave of nostalgia hit hard, reminding me of all the hippie-dippie small cafes and teahouses of my teenage years (circa late 60's-late 70's). Picture tiny mom-and-pop-like shops with hanging baskets of flowers or ferns, bistro tables and chairs outside, unassuming yet still inviting interiors with display cases chock full of fresh pastries, the aroma of coffees a-brewing, and friendly young adults manning the counters. Local artist posters or art on the walls. Tiny bathroom but clean. Cute menu up on the wall, and cuter sandwich boards outside by the corner. You get the picture! Passing it by, I just knew I had to return. Which I did, the following day, with my kid! We were lucky and got a parking spot right outside (street parking only here) and went in to order our lunch. We shared a piping hot toasted sandwich of brie and turkey with thinly sliced apples. The ciabatta bread was super fresh, with a crunchy exterior and soft interior, perfectly toasted. We both had chai lattés and they were perfect. (Note: this small coffee shop has quite an impressive selection of beverages and pastries, and 3-4 sandwich options). I noticed a plaque on the building's exterior noting this site used to be an old, historic grocery store in Kits. (I'll post a photo I took of the plaque); the historical context definitely adds character to this place, as it truly feels rooted in the community. I also liked how there is a tiny "free library" stand right outside the place on Arbutus (i.e., free books for the taking housed in a cute kiosk on a pole), and also a post where local community events are posted. The result of all this is a feeling that this cozy corner coffee shop is a longstanding fixture of the neighborhood, the kind of place where the employees here would know the names of patrons and their preferred foods and drinks. Very anti-corporate vibes here. A real local gem! read more

See all

Really nice coffee house, old-fashioned in a charming and nostalgic way. Inside is cozy but I enjoyed sitting at one of the tables outside. I stopped for lunch and had a Veggie Love sandwich, a slice of carrot cake, and a tea latte with their Honey Bush rooibos. The sandwich was amazing! The hummus and roasted squash kind of melted together which was a great experience for the senses and tastebuds, the bread was soft and fresh, and even though there was a lot of filling it wasn't messy. The carrot cake was a little underwhelming. It was a little dry for my taste and I would guess that the white chocolate in the white chocolate frosting was not of the highest quality (I don't usually get snobby about these things but I'm pretty sure the distinct taste of cheap chocolate was there). Or maybe the whole cake was just not fresh. I'm being picky, because I still enjoyed the cake, but I'd go for one of their other desserts next time (the date square looked good). Rooibos latte (with almond milk) was less foamy than I like, but otherwise good. I like the tea they use (Bayswater). The portion for the sandwich and cake were about average. It was the perfect size meal for me. I can't remember the breakdown of the prices, but my total for all this came out to about $22, which seemed a little steep for a casual coffee shop lunch. They don't offer reusable tableware here which is very disappointing, because I know they used to, and besides avoiding a lot of waste, it would add a lot to the atmosphere to be able to have food on plates and coffee in real ceramic mugs. They accepted my personal mug for my drink and they have Mugshare, but besides having the stack of Mugshare cups visible next to the stack of disposables (which probably mean nothing to someone who wasn't already familiar with Mugshare), they seem to do nothing to advertise this. When I asked if they had house mugs available, the barista just said no and didn't mention Mugshare, and I didn't see anyone using it. A 3-star review from me usually means I was less than impressed, but I actually liked a lot about this place! I'd recommend checking them if you're looking for something a little off the beaten path and with a more lived-in feel than a lot of Vancouver's super trendy modern coffee shops. read more

Arbutus Coffee - Veggie Love Sandwich, Carrot Cake, Honey Bush Rooibos Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Arbutus is the cutest little cafe in kits! It's the warmest place to go on a cold day and their matcha latte is pretty good! The staff there are so incredibly nice and welcoming and helped me out for suggestions from the menu. I had the mixed berry muffin and Brie sandwich. The food was ok, but truly the ambiance is what makes a cafe and this one has the best music playing! read more

Arbutus Coffee - Matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

One of the oldest coffee shops in Kitsilano! A local recommended we stop by and I don't regret it. It has a welcoming environment, I noticed people were already there the moment they opened at 7am. It's a cozy family owned business. I ordered their breakfast bagel with ham, egg and cream cheese, and it was one of the best bagels I've had. It was heated fresh and had lot of flavour. I ended up coming back the next morning for another. It's located in a lovely neighbourhood in Kitsilano. People from different streets walk over to grab their morning coffee. read more

See all

Great little neighborhood coffee shop! Great coffee and food. My kid loved the apple cider!

Amazing service and atmosphere. My breakfast bagel was also really good. Charlotte was a great barista. High five Charlotte.

What a cute little neighbourhood coffee shop. I was walking down Arbutus from W 12th to W 4th and stumbled upon this little coffee shop. It was as if the universe knew exactly what I needed in that moment because I was juuuust craving a little mid-day pick me up when I walked right by. I walked in and immediately ordered an almond milk vanilla iced latte and a plain bagel with cream cheese, both to go. It was a quick trip in and out, but I really did enjoy the coffee and bagel. The coffee hit the spot perfectly and they were generous with the cream cheese, which I always appreciate. It really bugs me when people aren't generous with the cream cheese portions. The place itself is fairly small. But it wasn't that busy. They also have a few tables outside. The wifi does reach out there because I did see a few people working on their laptops outside. Overall, cute little neighbourhood gem with yummy coffee and pastries. Would definitely come back if I was in the area. read more

Arbutus Coffee - Cute exterior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

We were in the neighbourhood and looked for a coffee shop. We happened to see this one on our way. We ordered a cup of iced latte and asked for less ice. The iced latte tasted great and the barista did pay attention that she put less ice in the latte. This coffee shop is located at a quieter street that people can sit and enjoy their food and coffee. The interior design of this coffee shop is a bit older and more traditional (not like the new and upscale ones). When I stepped into the coffee shop (in the morning), it was a bit darker inside. Will I come back here again? Maybe or maybe not. This coffee shop targets the local people in that neighbourhood. People who live in Burnaby, East Vancouver, and Richmond may probably not come here for a cup of coffee. read more

Lavender coffee was REALLY good here! I found this place on Youtube while searching for lavender coffee and so glad I made the pit stop here. Street parking only and it's near a park so watch out for bikers! It is in a residential neighborhood so expect many cars! You have to order the lavender coffee off-menu and they were kind enough to offer us extra lavender. ;) read more

Very quaint,corner coffee shop on Arbutus and 5th. A very popular hang out that I have walked by many times; seems popular with the hipsters. What caught my eye was the tasty looking sandwiches and quiches. Not time for eats at the moment so I went with one of my usuals, an Americano. I am guilty of of frequenting Starbucks because they are so convenient; Arbutus coffee has better Americano! My small American was $3.50 even (I like that the taxes are included) and was very smooth and flavorful! I will have to come to try some food. FYI they have a few "patio" style seats that probably make for epic people watching. read more

See all

Vancouver really excels at these unique independent coffee shops, tucked away in residential neighborhoods, often occupying house-like structures. I am not a coffee person, but Arbutus Coffee does delicious hot and iced teas, as well as keeps a variety of interesting baked goods on hand (think thick slices of banana bread, date squares, and oversized cookies). Prices are a bit on the higher end for baked goods (everything is $3+), but part of that is par for the course in this quaint Kits locale. Other Yelpers have reported inconsistent counter service, but I've always had decent experiences with the staff. The interior is a bit small for prolonged periods of studying. If the weather is amenable, the prime place to sit and chill is out at one of their picnic tables. read more

See all

I randomly found this place while trying to find parking and WOW. Incredible staff and the coffee was so good. I loved the inside and how cozy they made it look. A lot of people stay and sit down but it's also a great place to grab a coffee and go for a walk. read more

Was in the area for work so I decided to stop in here for lunch. It's a very quaint, small coffee shop but I was super impressed with the sandwich I order. Caprese with tomato and pesto, simple and delicious with these massive cheese chucks. Just black coffee to drink, but honestly I'd come back just for another sandwich. Super nice staff, small seating outside which wasn't busy. If you're in the area I highly recommend this hidden little spot. 8/10. read more

I love this coffee joint! Coffee and scones are awesome and its vibes are so cosy and quaint. Will definitely be back! read more

See all

Arbutus Coffee is probably in one of the nicest old buildings in the city, unfortunately the food component isn't a match. Both inside and out the decor is awesome. Rustic, and quaint. I love little stand alone places like this and I lived 2 blocks away for 4 years and though I never went in except for a few quick cookies or 2,.. just loved having something like that IN my neighborhood to make it feel cozy. However, I just took my girlfriend there after walking or riding by so many times. This place suffers the curse of many in Vancouver: limited seating combined with wifi. Resident apple fanboys and girls sip a single coffee for upwards of 4 hours (I assume there is an app that warms your coffee every 5 minutes). This is a place to be seen by others of your species and that means never giving up a seat. That can't be helped, but what can is crap service and food. Actually the service was "ok", friendly, once they finished their own discussions. It was a cold-sh day and we ordered the soup. Larges the size of smalls elsewhere, for $5+ a piece and all liquid (as in broth) except for 4-5 small bits of celery. I'm not talking about a puree,.. I mean watery "soup" (if you can call it that). I think for $12 we can get actual solid food elsewhere. So disappointing, as was the mediocre cookie we ordered (also overpriced). I do appreciate the small menu style cafes, but make those items outstanding if you are going to serve food at all. I cannot speak to the coffee which I assume must be amazing. I should have never gone in and kept the illusion alive. Why 2 stars?,.. because to me, it is still a landmark. If someone comes near it with a bulldozer,.. I'll lie down in front of it. If someone comes along to buy the business but leave the decor untouched,.. I'll lend them the seed money. read more

It's unfortunate that despite British Columbia having dropped the requirement to wear masks in indoor spaces, there are still some that discriminate against those with medical exemptions and refuse to provide service just because you don't have a face diaper.. Sad read more

Cozy shop as local as one can get. In an older house. Prob not best for business meetings. Relaxing for sure for the outside seating. read more

Quaint cafe that is tucked off of busy busy commercialized 4th -- it's worth the drive to Acton (sorry, Toronto reference). This tiny corner cafe on Arbutus serves great coffee, iced drinks and a nice selection of treats. Outdoor patio and free internet makes this a hipster draw. Enjoy! read more

See all

The best hidden gem in Vancouver. I always get their Italian sodas (so good) & a snack. Especially great during the summer months, as they have lovely benches for sitting. read more

I was in a rush whilst walking past here the other week, and knew I HAD to come back! So dragging my boyfriend, we hopped on our bikes and cycled here for a lovely peaceful, sunny Sunday afternoon :) It's an old building, reflected inside with the old style furniture (to the point of slightly uncomfortable :P). I def wanna sit in that booth at some point, it looks so cozy! I imagine myself 'stranded' there one time, it raining hard outside, curled up in the booth with a coffee and a newspaper! The latte came in a clear glass (always love that), and the lady told me it would be made with 2 shots of espresso, if that's alright, which YES, it is :) See? Starbucks needs to do that. Sat outside, the leaves slowly blowing off the trees, relaxing with a latte, ahhh, what Sundays were made for. Also close by to 4th Avenue/Broadway for some shopping! read more

Arbutus Coffee - Latte! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Living in downtown Vancouver for 8 years now, I really love finding places that make me feel like I'm somehow off the beaten track, in a small town or just supporting a quaint mom & pop type of place. That's why Arbutus Coffee really speaks to me. I rode my bike over the Burrard bridge, took the Cypress bike route up to 6th and went over a couple of streets to find Arbutus Coffee in a lovely heritage building on the corner of two quiet tree lined streets. The floors are creaky wood, the place smells like cinnamon, there's personal photos hung on the wall. I came to use the wifi, do some work and grab lunch. Yes, power outlets are a little hard to find (as well as seating) so it's best to go early morning or during the week. My roasted veggie sandwich was great and they had a good variety of options. read more

Arbutus Coffee - Cute place to do some work - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

It's a quiet and comfortable coffee shop. Their muffins are great and sold out quite easily on weekday mornings (I went there couple of times after 10:30am and missed the muffins) There are couple of seats outside, if the weather is good, it's really nice to sit outside. Since it's a quiet place, there are not a lot of cars, you don't need to worry the emission pollution touching your muffin :P haha read more

Ok just a wuick one cuz im choked a d i hope they see this. I just wanted a bagel to go, with cream cheese. WHY WOULDNT THEY PUT THE GD CREAM CHEESE ON THE FN BAGEL? They toasted it, and left it naked. Thus, i had to fumble with a container of cream chees while walking down the street. Of course, the cream cheese wasnt cold so spreading it a hot toasted bagel while walking was awkward and messy. Stupid. Put the damn cream cheese on pls & thx. read more

Absolute hidden gem! Really happy I passed by and stopped in! Great atmosphere for a rainy day - or any day for that matter! Good coffee, great food, and friendly staff! Just off West 4th makes it a little less busy and a great change from more industrial areas read more

Great lil neighbourhood coffee shop. I got their daily drip coffee: dark Ethiopian, 12oz for 2.60$ which is pretty stellar. Great tasting coffee and friendly service. Would go here again and try other things such as their bakery or other drinks read more

Have passed by this cafe countless times, and I finally got a chance to go inside. Cold brew was nice. Chocolate cake was a little stale. The outside seating was perfect for a hot day. Wouldn't ever make a special trip to come here but it's a great little spot to stop in when in the area. read more

See all

So glad that I found this place on Yelp - its close to work as well as the Arbutus Greenway bike path, and tucked away not too far from Broadway / 4th / Burrard. It is a humble, cute little place with enough seating for about 15 people inside and about 8 people outside. Friendly, fast staff and free parking outside, pretty unheard of in Vancouver and this area in particular. I wished I had read the reviews before I went this morning though - I am always on the hunt for a good German cake, and if it is as good as yelp describes I may stop by more often! This morning though, I had Beaucoups (very close by as well!) salted caramel blondie in my posession, so I ordered an almond milk flat white to accompany it. Microfoam and espresso - I am in love! read more

Came here with my bf on a Sunday afternoon. Cafe was very small but cute. My bf and I both had their cardamom cold brew but he had it with vanilla cream and I had it black. I wished I knew how cardamom tasted like because I couldn't taste it =/ We also had their veggie quiche and lemon loaf to share. Their veggie quiche was so good. They warmed it up for us so the pastry was so flaky and buttery. The veggies were also very tasty and flavorful. As for the lemon loaf, it was very pleasant. The cake itself was tender and moist, and you could taste hints of lemon in it. It wasn't too sweet either except for the glazed icing at the top of the loaf but it was good. Overall, we had a good experience with the exception of the single bathroom that they had and that the building was old so the toilet was old too. Lets just say, not a good place to use their bathroom if you have stomach troubles (not me). read more

Great matcha latte, you could taste it was real matcha and made to my liking (which means unsweetened and extra hot). The place was really busy, but the service was friendly and fast. Well priced as well, a very large size was just over $4. read more

Real wood! Love this place. It's getting harder and harder to find coffeeshops that aren't cookie-cutter, corporate, or just generally unfriendly. A west-side gem. read more

I hate giving a bad review but ugh. Arbutus Coffee has gone downhill so much over the past year or so. I don't know why? The other day I ordered my drink and the person at the till tried to argue with me about the size of my travel mug. She ended up filling it only half-way (so 8 oz out of a 16 oz cup) but still charged me $7 for my drink. When I mentioned it to her, she said she didn't believe for a minute that my cup was only 16 oz and she made it properly. At any rate, I'd normally chalk that up to a one off thing and move on, but our favourite drinks aren't made well anymore and this last drink I ended up having to dump out because it was so bad (I've never done that before, anywhere). They also no longer accept cash, which I know most people don't care about but I like to use cash for my weekly coffee shop stop. I do really love the vibe of this place! It's really cute and cosy and funky. The food is also decent (not as good as it once was). At any rate, after the last visit there, we won't be going back. read more

I always walk past this quaint coffee shop on the street corner to and from work, and always there are people sitting outside having coffee or baked noms, even in the rain! I stopped and chatted with a gentleman sitting outside with a cup of tea, and he had nothing but praise for Arbutus coffee. Today I finally decided to walk in and get something. Now I sort of wish I hadn't. I got a black coffee and zucchini bread. The zucchini bread was okay, it was vegan but it wasn't anything special. I was hoping that the coffee would be better, but it turned out to be really quite sour. The coffee and food was meh, but the service was a different story. There were three ladies behind the counter having a discussion, and they were so into their conversation that they forgot to ring in my purchase and I was left standing there in amazement at their service (or lack of). tl;dr: cute, storybook building and vibe, but don't expect amazing coffee or service. read more

Cute little café but the staff was horrible! The two young girls this morning were loud and giggling and chatting about their boyfriends and friends while they were standing behind the counter. Why do café workers fail to realize they create the atmosphere of the café and what they do and say is heard by all sitting inside? Why does the owner of this cute little café pay the workers to surf on their cell phones and spend time on Facebook and gossip? I won't recommend this café and it's unfortunate cause I believe in supporting independent coffee shops. However, there are lots of other vibrant independent cafés in this hood, so that's a plus!!! read more

Good sandwiches. Strong coffee. Quaint atmosphere. Slow, surly service with nary a care in the world for the consumer. Nice patio seating area with some slanted tables that are not conducive for eating. Good local crowd. Reminiscent of days of yore when Kits was both inexpensive and hippy laden, and long before I was old enough to visit or buy (sigh). Not a go-out-of-your-way coffee shop, but a nice break from the "others" when in the hood. Better in the summer when you can sit outside, but what seems like would be a good place to sit the rest of the year--if you can get a seat. With laptop and here-to-lounge type of patrons, it doesn't seem easy to snag a seat the rest of the time. read more

Arbutus Coffee probably has the Gilmore girls as customers; yes, it looks that perfect it could easily sit in Stars Hollow instead of at Arbutus and 6th. Looks perfect, that is. The service shatters that illusion like a... sorry, I'm fresh out of Gilmore girls comparisons. On my last visit we ordered coffees and a panini. We received the coffees right away and then waited on the food. We listened for the calling of our order, watched where the food was being placed: no sign of the panini. Finally after 10+minutes when the family that arrived after us had been served and there was no one making any more food, we approached the counter to ask where our panini was. (And getting pretty hungry at this point.) "Someone else must have taken it," the girl said. This is a small, not-so-bustling coffee shop. I have confidence I'd notice someone striding off with my breakfast. Or, if someone had taken ours instead of theirs, wouldn't there be an extra panini around? There wasn't. Whatever it was, it was definitely not their fault.* The silver lining was that they gave us the option of a panini or a cash refund. We took the refund and our hunger down to Joe's Grill. *Please note the sarcasm here. I hold the opinion that it was their fault. And my hunger can never forgive this darling-looking coffee shop. So cute and so cruel. read more

I have been going to this coffee house for a few years now and I love the charming old world feel that this heritage building offers. The staff are top notch, I've always been greeted with a smile and made to feel more than welcome. They offer Wifi which is nice when you desperately need a space to work for a few hours while sipping on some of really great coffee. The only thing I'll say is that while the food is good, it's just ok in my opinion. Nothing I've eaten there has really blown me away but it was definitely good. On my most recent visit I had a scone and got it warmed up..perhaps that was my mistake as I think it ruined the texture when they microwaved it. I think what really sets this place aside is it's location, charm and wonderful staff. read more

Arbutus Coffee - Arbutus Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia