Came here specifically for the hot chocolate festival, but also for a sweet treat to pair with the it. The atmosphere is cozy, and the mismatched wooden decor is very home-like. The hot chocolate itself wasn't fabulous, but I'd come back on different terms to try their more regular menu, as I did enjoy the carrot cake. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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just ran in to grab a loaf of the fig walnut but what a cute place that was packed. a contributing factor was probably the vancouver sunrun, and people enjoying some post race treats. i couldn't resist tearing off a corner later in the day and that loaf is all it should be: flavorful, crusty, amazing bake on it. next time i'm in town i'll be stopping by for sure--too many savory breakfast items looked interesting to not try. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Atmosphere is super cute and cozy, and staff were really nice. I came here to order some avocado toast and a mocha. Honestly the mocha was just okay, and the avocado on my toast was pretty brown (see picture). I'm okay with opening a brown avocado at home, but not so much receiving one at a cafe. The avocado tasted super over-ripe and I had to scrape it off. Redeeming quality of this place was the sourdough bread, which was really good. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Avocado on Toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

House made breads. House made jams. Creative and delicious toasts. Beautiful, airy shop with plentiful seating options. I had the peach toast with ricotta and husband went for the PBJ toast made with local peanut butter and house made jelly. Incredible. Great coffee drink options as well. Biggest issue was deciding what to order as everything looked/ sounded amazing . Huge recommendation! We are sitting here trying to figure out how to manage a second trip to this place on our vacation- it's that good. read more

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The most amazing avocado toast you'll ever try. Add the poached egg on top and thank me later. Great service and cozy ambiance too. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Avocado Toast with Poached Egg from Nelson the Seagull - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

The breakfast sandwiches was amazing as was the coffee. Don't leave without picking up a loaf of sourdough as well.

Found this business using the seed oil scout app. Fresh everything and delicious, friendly read more

Nelson the Seagull - Peaches sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Drinks 5 Food 4 Setting 5 Service 5 Wait time 4 (food came pretty quick once we ordered, but waited in line ~30 minutes. You order, get a number, they bring food to table and call out drink orders for you to grab, comes before food) Super cute spot. But windows, high ceilings, mismatched furniture, good mugs, yes! The rooibos honey latte was so good!! Very subtly sweet and you can really taste the rooibos. The food was pretty in presentation, but the soup had practically no flavor and the tomato spread was cold. Bread was good but got hard pretty quickly. I would for sure come back here to grab a coffee and pastry with friends! Just maybe not the food unless I was really hungry. Good spot to socialize and just hang out :) read more

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A super cute cafe that was set up like a dining room. it felt very homey inside with mismatched furniture. I got an Americano which was pretty good. The flavor of the coffee was more fruity which I wasn't expecting but also really enjoyed. We ordered some food and our drinks at the counter then we're given a number to take a seat. We waited a while for the food but not too long. The food was just okay. It was all pretty plain. I got the poached eggs on toast with smashed tomatoes. I will say the bread was super good and fresh. The crust was crunchy, but the eggs were a little too poached. The yolk was not as runny as I wanted it. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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The inside of this cafe is unique and cozy, with various seemingly thrifted dining tables and chairs in a spacious layout. My friends and I came here for a quick bite/breakfast. I got the soup and sourdough, and the soup was carrot ginger! I love a good ginger-y soup. The bread was great and went along well with the soup. read more

Nelson the Seagull - carrot ginger soup and sourdough - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

#hcfphotocontest2024 @nelsontheseagull @hotchocolatefest Funfetti hot chocolate served with a sliced of birthday cake. Despite being a huge fan of birthday cake flavored dessert, this one fell a bit short for me. Everything tasted very sweet without any contrast to balanced the sweetness. That said, Nelson's sourdough is one of the best in Vancouver, so do come by and try their bakery items. read more

Nelson the Seagull - a slice of cake and a cup of coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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What a cool find. Great coffee shop. Right near the end of Gastown in an older historic building. Perfect, and I mean perfect coffee drinks, but the bread...the homemade bakery bread is to die to for. If your allergic to a relaxing chill coffee, this place isn't for you We will be back here when we're in town read more

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Wow! One time and I'm addicted. Funny story - I wish I liked avocados and Avocado Toast in general looks delicious. But I don't. Welcome to my life Peaches on Toast! It's smeared with fresh ricotta studded with crushed walnuts under roasted peaches drizzled with honey, garnished with mint, all set on slices of toasted fig & walnut sourdough bread. It was damn good! I also got to order a loaf of their sourdough which saves me a trip to get fresh bread. The coffee with oat milk was good too. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Peaches on Toast! ricotta studded with crushed walnuts under roasted peaches drizzled with honey, mint - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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If you're looking for an amazing croissant, this is the place to go in Vancouver. We had avocado toast with poached egg. This is the 3rd place so far we've had avocado toast in Vancouver. The bread was tougher than the others, difficult to cut into pieces. The poached egg was cooked perfectly. The cinnamon morning bun was probably the star of the show, a perfect morning dessert. The cappuccino , espresso and latte were good. My cappuccino was a little bland but everyone else like theirs. Overall a good place, I'd come back for the croissant for sure! read more

Nelson the Seagull - Cappuccino and chocolate croissant. Pretty good - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Picnic board, eat your heart out! We came to Nelson the Seagull for brunch like every other hipster in Vancouver and knew we were getting close when we saw the A-frame sign outside the building, indicating that fresh bread is made here. Indeed. We walked in and I immediately smelled the fresh baked bread and loved the aesthetics. It had a chill, laid-back atmosphere with retro furnishings. You order at the counter to get a number for your table where a server will deliver your food. We ordered the picnic board, two poached eggs and oat milk lattes. It did take a bit to get the picnic board, as the bread is literally baked once its ordered. And it's worth the wait. No one wants to love carbs, but you can't help yourself here with the housemade bread that is absolutely perfect. Everything else on the picnic board was fantastic with pastrami, cheese, tomato slices, pickled cucumbers, avocado, blueberries, walnuts, pesto, hummus and an unforgettable mango chutney. The picnic board was also great for the two of to share, trying all of the different combinations that we created with the bread and its accompaniments. Mango chutney was by far our favorite topping with the bread, as it was made with fresh chunky pieces of mango with a tumeric-ish spread. Delicious! We did experience a minor issue where our poached eggs came 20 minutes after our picnic board was delivered, which we found odd, so my boyfriend went to check on the order. Soon after, one of the servers came by to deliver it and apologized profusely for the mix-up and gave us money back for having to wait so long. That was a nice gesture. We enjoyed our brunch here at Nelson the Seagull and found that it's one of those places where you don't want to rush your meal. It has a very welcoming atmosphere where many came here to eat, converse, work, read, and relax. I like that about Nelson the Seagull. Great, simple menu with quality ingredients, strong coffee and the perfect place to bring your crisp Sunday paper for reading. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Oat Milk Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Stopped in for a quick cup of coffee and ended up staying for the ambiance and baked goods. This is a hidden gem! Fabulous regional coffee & even better pastries/bread!! Add this to your list, and we will be back. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Perfect cappuccino! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I would give 3.5 stars. I came here for breakfast before going to work. I saw good reviews about this cozy cafe. It is located in Gastown. Its interior design and ambience are quite cool and it does have its look and feel. I ordered a flat white and carvinore sandwiches (rare roast beef). The portion of the cup of coffee and sandwiches was small in general. It was great that staff at the back of the kitchen made fresh sandwiches. However, the sandwiches cost $12. I could have spent this $12 on something else that would be nicer and better. The quality of the flat white and cappuccino was just average. The mustard made the sandwiches tasted very salty. The rare roast beef itself was not salty though. Also, the bread or sandwiches were cold. The customer service was great that staff were friendly. People who came here usually walked but not driving as it is hard to find parking on the streets. My breakfast cost $16 (sandwiches $12 and flat white $4) and I had it on a weekday. I could have spent $16 on a very delicious brunch on a weekend. read more

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This place is awesome. Cool wide open space with exposed brick and second hand furniture, including those old wood school chairs from when I was young lad. The brews are great but the real winner here is their sourdough bread. It is so delicious, perfect texture, makes a wonderful toast and is absolutely delicious. I've had the avocado toast twice and it is an excellent choice for your breakfast eats. Fresh avocado, a little S&P, all on the the delicious sourdough. The breakfast sandwich is good as well, good portion sizes, fair value and service is always friendly. Don't forget to check out the shelves to the right of the till for little take home items for sale. So good. read more

Never have I ever described a coffee shop as relaxing. They're usually loud, anxiety inducing, and full of impatient people. But this place is so warm and welcoming and the patrons so chill that I felt like I had just went to a yoga class. Listen, I hear it, I sound hyperbolic. But like, prove me wrong, I'll wait. The avocado toast is what dreams and all those millennial jokes are made of. It's INCREDIBLE and will impact your house purchasing power. The coffee is next level. Is it because of those adorable cups? The service is friendly and helpful. This place is hip AF without the affected attitude that is usually in tow. We all know what I mean. Is it nutty to spend $10 on a loaf of bread? Yes. Will I do it again with a smile? ALSO YES. I LOVE THIS PLACE. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I cannot afford to buy a house in Vancouver, so what do I do with my saved money? You guessed it right. I come hear to get my fix for Avocado Toast. One of the best places in 604 to get a decent avo toast. All they do is Slices on avocado on a freshly toasted sourdough (Made in house) with butter, salt and pepper. They don't ruin it by added a shit-fuck ton of stuff like other cafes do. You can add a poached egg for extra charge if you are feeling more hungry. Also the cheesy Croissant here is yum af. The place is well lit with lots of natural light and the service is good. Food : Good Service :Friendly Ambiance : Hipstery with lots of open space Worth the price : Aww yisss read more

One of my favorite cafes in Vancouver! Awesome sourdough bread and baked goods in general, awesome food (the poached eggs plate is to die for), and pretty good coffee. Really nice, open vibe. Tall ceiling. Really great place to sit, eat good food, and drink coffee at whether it's sunny or cloudy or rainy. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Toast and butter w/ jam - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

FANTASTIC lattes, pastries, and avocado toast! We tried a few things, but I'd bet that everything is yummy here.

Love their bread, and the walnut cookie. Secret tip, the Coligny Creek eggs and Foothills butter are fantastic. My go to for both and very fairly pricey. Haven't had their other foods and coffee but they must be good based on the ever present collection of millennials pretending to work but actually just looking at their Tik tok. lol. read more

So we ordered sourdough and croissants through DoorDash and got these. They're burnt to the point they have to go in the trash. What makes you think it's okay to sell these to customers? I called to let them know about this and was put on a long hold then they hung up the phone. I guess the supervisor didn't care to find out more about it. read more

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I've been eyeing this cafe for ages, and I really wish that I could say I liked it, because I love the aesthetic. I finally came here for the Hot Chocolate Festival, but I left feeling pretty disappointed. Feeling Salty (1/5) First of all, the hot chocolate was not hot, which is a major deal breaker for me. It's HOT chocolate, not lukewarm chocolate, guys. Anyway, the drink was way too foamy, tasted like water, and was a waste of $7. The peanut butter cup that came with it was meh - I liked the peanut butter that they used, but not the chocolate, which tasted strange. 5 stars for presentation, 2 for the chocolate, and 0.5 for the hot chocolate itself. African Sunset (1.5/5) We asked for it to be served EXTRA hot, and it was served - lukewarm. Again, there was not much flavour, and you couldn't taste the rooibos tea at all. Another waste of $7. The buttermilk rusk cookie was okay, it tasted like crispy bread. Again, 5 stars for presentation, but 2.5 for the cookie, and 1 for the hot chocolate itself. Cappucino (2.5/5) Loved the presentation - nice latte art and a cute cup. However, the size was a little small, the drink was not hot enough, and it tasted pretty average. Chocolate oat walnut cookie (2.5/5) I liked the addition of the walnuts, which gave it a nice crunch. However, the cookie itself was just okay to me, and left a lot to be desired. Millionaire shortbread (4/5) Easily the best thing that I got. It got a little too sweet at the end, but I liked how there wasn't a lot of caramel (I'm not a big fan of caramel), and that the shortbread was the right amount of buttery and crumbly. Unfortunately, the high prices and the average taste of the food means that I have to give this place a 2 star rating. 5 stars for ambience and presentation though ! I would say that this is one of the most instagrammable places that I've been to. read more

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Really loved the atmosphere of this place -- one of my favourite atmospheres I've experienced in a coffee shop. Super cozy and homey like you want to kick back and relax, but also creates an environment that makes you want to get some work done at the same time if you need to? It's a double functioned-atmosphere if I've ever seen one! The food is yummy, but a little pricey, especially for the quality. Bread was amazing. Avocados were a little brown and muesli was okay, but those are secondary factors. The coffee was good and it's a great environment to chill/be productive, so I'd definitely come back again. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Avocado toast with blueberry jam. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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With all the time I've spent in Vancouver (visiting 7 years in-a-row now) and hearing countless seagulls cawing daily throughout downtown, the waterfront and Kits Beach, I initially thought this cafe was named after the feathered friends of this city. When I finally got a chance to grab breakfast at Nelson the Seagull, and saw the photo of Nelson Mandela as a boxer in the cafe, I realized their name had nothing to do with said seagulls! While I didn't find any info on their website, I did find an article talking about how the name was inspired by an old English folksong and Nelson Mandela. Well there you go! A little 411 on how they got their name. I mean when it's as interesting and unique as this, how could you not want to know why & how? My first visit was good, 4 stars worthy, and that was last year. Just a few weeks ago when my hubby & I were back in town, we couldn't wait to go back, especially because we remembered how they made their bread fresh in the back of the cafe. Unfortunately, our experience this time was not that great. Our Avo on Toast was way over-toasted, practically burnt, and the crust was so hard it could've chipped a tooth! We basically had to break the crust off for it to be edible. The slices of avocado had big brown bruises on most of them, which made it not-so-appetizing, but we were so hungry, we just ate what we could. Both of our almond milk lattes were very bitter/sour/acidic, and not at all rich, creamy and smooth. With all the highly reviewed coffee shops & cafes I had bookmarked to try in Vancouver, I really wished we wouldn't have wasted one of our few morning meals here. It's so sad too, since we enjoyed it so much the other time! One more thing that made me drop a star was that the cafe itself seemed pretty filthy (tables, floors, etc). On a brighter note, you can still see the staff in the back rolling out the dough and baking fresh bread which makes the place smell amazing! read more

Dear Nelson, I had high hopes for you... After all, you had really great reviews and the word on the street is that you were a solid pick / place to hang, eat, get some work done, etc... Unfortunately on the day that I visited, you disappointed me in several ways: *No bread during our visit *No AC and it was really warm during our visit *Dirty utensils with not much of an apology *A filthy restroom I'll now expand on the above: I arrived with a colleague ready for a late lunch . It was a Friday afternoon around 2:30. What did we find? That you were out of bread... such a bummer! We stayed positive and ordered 2 grain salads. We were going to order a muffin or pastry as well, but there wasn't anything super appealing in the case, and my colleague noticed some fruit flies on what was in there. No thank you. The no AC thing is pretty self-explanatory. I understand if you don't have it, but why not get some fans for days like the day we were there. Everyone in there was glistening with sweat from the heat! I went to unwrap my silverware (it came rolled up in a napkin), and there was dried food on it. Unacceptable. I went up and asked for some new silverware and while I did get that, I didn't get much of an apology. Before we headed out, I visited the restroom and it was filthy. I won't go into detail on this one... use your imagination. Nelson, I hear you've gotten pretty popular around town and are now providing bread to some other local businesses... congratulations. But it may be time to do some quality control with your actual location. On the bright side, the wifi worked well, prices are moderate, and the grain salad was tasty. Still, I would have preferred to choose from one of your fabulous sounding boards or sandwiches. Better luck next time I guess. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Grain salad of the day... They ran out of bread. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Nelson the Seagull is good for your mental health. My favourite time to come here is after a yoga class because I am from Vancouver and it clears my chakras but mostly because their fresh Baked Sourdough Bread is delicious, fluffy, and moist and their Carrot Ginger Soup warms my heart. We also ordered The Carnivore. Featuring roast beef, white cheddar cheese, zesty house made cilantro pesto, and grainy mustard on that dreamy sourdough bread, this was the perfect medley of ingredients in just the right proportions. Spacious and well lit with decent prices - NAMASTE RIGHT HERE. read more

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AMAZING! My favorite coffeeshop in Vancouver is hands down, Nelson the Seagull. I visited this place to get coffee with oat milk and their out of the oven croissants. Their pastries are heavenly and the lamination on the croissants are amazing, worth the calories. Overall, loved the way it is decorated which created an ambiance of relaxation while you chat away with your friend, do work, or read. Their coffee is well done and I am glad they offer milk alternatives such as oat milk. Highly recommend this coffee place. Feels like you are in a peaceful yet lively place but you are still in Gastown. Try any of their pastries, breakfast, or coffee drinks, you won't be disappointed. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Oat milk latte! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Loving this place. The quintessential hipster vibe inside: vinyl records, vintage tile floors, a Chinese medicine cabinet, old school tables and chairs. You can watch the Pigeon Park street market in progress outside where people are trying to sell random objects and orphaned clothing. Their Carnivore Sandwich is made with roasted beef, cheese, Dijon mustard and crusty beard. It was a perfect to go with a almond mild latte. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Carnivore sandwich and a almond milk latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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PSA: if you want the best avocado toast in Vancouver, then look no further. Nelson the Seagull has got you covered. This cafe and bakery is one of my fave spots in the city. Between the light, beautiful, airy aesthetic, the freshly baked sourdough and pastries, the friendly and energetic staff, you can't help but love this place. Since I work remotely (even before Covid), I frequently work out of a handful of cafes and coffee shops, with Nelson always being at the top of my list. I usually stick to black pour over coffee, but when I do get something like an americano or latte, it's always been well made. Depending on the day, I'll pair my coffee with a croissant or something more filling. Like I mentioned, their avo toast is delicious. What makes it stand out from others is the sourdough bread. I could eat a whole loaf of this to myself. You can actually pre-order loaves to go as well. On top of the avo toast and sourdough, they have sandwiches, salads, and picnic boards. Their ploughman's sandwich has this house made mango chutney in it, which is divine. I'm also a fan of their herbivore sandwich; the hummus and cilantro in it makes my taste buds tingle with happiness every time I have this. As of right now, they are currently offering take out, so if you're comfortable leaving your house and want to pick up a delicious sourdough loaf and other baked pastries (hello, box of croissants!) , I'd suggest pre-ordering from their website or giving them a call. #SupportLocal read more

Wonderful spot for a coffee with awesome fresh food options! They have an open kitchen, you can see them making breads and things too. I usually go with a coffee and some sort of eggs on toast, add avocado!! You can tell the quality is top notch and the toast is always perfectly crisp. Never been disappointed. Service is always pretty fast and efficient and it's a fairly large open space. Which is nice if you like to sit for a bit on a laptop or reading a book. The washroom here is really big and is well kept. I bring all my friends in town here. Great for brunch, or even an afternoon stop for yourself! read more

Such a gem in Gastown for some fresh breads and baked goods and great coffee! I couldn't resist buying a hot cheesy croissant fresh out of the oven. The cheese was crispy and the croissant to die for. If calories didn't count I could fill up on these for the day. The grilled cheese was topped with slightly roasted sliced tomatoes and the avocado toast was simple, sliced avo with salt and pepper but i enjoyed it. The coffee was also delicious. Only thing to note is that the food does take a lil bit of time so plan for that if you are short on time. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Nelson the Seagull is a great little cafe in Gastown serving fresh bread, hot coffee, and surprisingly good food. Its a pretty large space just off of Cordova, with mostly natural light from the front, and rows of string lights at the back. The atmosphere is warm and cozy and just screams "West Coast" the ambient music is the perfect volume for conversation, making it a great place for meeting up with some friends for coffee, or getting work done. For breakfast there's all-day poached eggs with various toppings like smoked salmon, roast beef, or cheese. At lunch time they serve a number of sandwiches (vegan options available), as well as a board with some of their favourites. The wild smoked salmon here is incredible, and their pesto is out of this world but unfortunately the portion sizes are pretty small and probably won't fill most people up. The coffee is just alright, and being that its Gastown theres a number of better options if thats all you're looking for. Food was really good and i'd like to give 5* but it just wasnt enough value for your money. Overall still a really good experience read more

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They bake their own bread. We had the avocado on toast with poached eggs, and the picnic board. It was a nice simple and healthy meal. This place is not a restaurant, it is more of a coffee shop, that serves some fresh dishes. Brunch here cost us pretty much the same as a brunch at a full-service restaurant. The place attracts a hipster crowd, but right outside their door are people facing some hard times. So you will need to have the strength to ignore the reality outside while you dine. read more

I'm a huge fan of Avocado Toast so I had to hit up Nelson the Seagull since that's what they're known for. I came on Labour Day at around 10am, so there was plenty of parking and it was fairly empty when I got there, but the place filled up around 11 so I definitely recommend getting there early to snag a seat. First off, the layout of the place is really nice! Big space with lots of 4-person tables and two communal tables - you can even see them making the bread and all the meals due to the open layout. I ordered poached eggs with avocado and tomatoes, as well as a cold brew and my order came out to about $20 which is a little steep, but not a huge deal. Our food was brought out in about 15min which was great because brunch time is no time for slow service, and boy was it delicious! The portion was a good amount and it even came with a strawberry side salad which was yummy as well. The only one downside was that the bread, while tasty, was extremely hard to cut through and both my friend and I were struggling with it. We just ended up eating the inside with the toppings and then biting the crust using our hands (super classy, I know). I also didn't particularly like the cold brew that much. Overall a pretty great experience and I would definitely come back for the all-day brunch menu! read more

Nelson the Seagull - Poached eggs w/ roasted tomatoes and avocado - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

The best sourdough bread I've ever had by far. My partner picked it up so I can't speak to the service or ambiance.

I am on the hunt for the perfect chocolate croissant. I would say Nelson the Seagull has one of the better ones in Vancouver. This cafe has the most relaxing vibes. It is the perfect place to settle in with a good book and a great cup of coffee. read more

Nelson the Seagull - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Ordered the avocado toast - it was so good! Ordered the squash soup - not good, it tasted more like a watery tomatoes soup... Ambiance was great. Has wifi and plugs for those that work remotely. The sour dough bread made in house was really good too. read more

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