Canada
A lovely cafe in Downtown Vancouver, right across from the Art Gallery's Hornby entrance. It has the best muffins around, made with maple syrup (of course) and little containers of maple spread are free at the till. Excellent prices too, considering the location. And right next door is a place that sells the best lattes in town.
769 Hornby Street (between Robson and Georgia);
tel: 604-682-6175;
mapledelights.com
A place where you can roll up a doobie and smoke it hassle free. You can't buy any there so don't ask as it is still nominally illegal.
301 West Hastings Street
Coffee place on Commercial Drive. Good coffee, great staff.
1745 Commercial Drive;
tel: 604 253 7017
Parking lot patio, nice staff (sometimes), cozy atmosphere.
1244 Davie Vancouver;
tel: 604 689 5282
A great 24 hour vegetarian restaurant, the Naam has been around for thirty years, and is still going strong. A friendly comfortable atmosphere, hearty, satisfying meals and live music in the evenings. The Naam nourishes the spirit as well as the body. And if there's a lineup, don't be put off, just come back later; it's worth it. During the quieter times, like three in the afternoon, or three in the morning, it's a great place to grab a cup of coffee and some coffee cake, sit back, relax, and start that great novel you've been meaning to read/write.
2724 W. Fourth Avenue, Kitsilano (one block east of MacDonald);
tel: 738 7151;
www.thenaam.com
A special coffee bar in a town full of coffee bars. What makes this place on Granville Island so special is the view of the North Shore mountains and the water of False Creek leading out under Burrard Street bridge. Commercial and pleasure boats are always going by, heading off into Howe Sound and beyond. A truly relaxing way to enjoy a great cup of coffee.
2698 West 4th Avenue (west end of the Granville Island market, close by the water);
tel: 604 688 1173
Great veggie cafe: relaxed atmosphere and child friendly, good value and tasty menu choices. The best of British Columbia's wholefood/veggie cooking is here. Particularly loved the yam dip...
2301 Main Street
Tel: 604-708-0881
Excellent cafe near Sylvia Hotel. Take a walk around Stanley Park early morning and then catch breakfast in Hilary's. The most excellent bagel breakfasts to start the day with.
1184 Denman St (near Sylvia Hotel);
tel: 604-608-6808
After exploring Stanley Park, this is a great place to come and collapse. Sink into one of the big leather sofas and drink your coffee out of a real china mug instead of a paper cup.
785 Denman Street at Robson Street (604/687-3622)
A few blocks south and one east of Broadway and Commercial, John Hendry Park is a little oasis in suburban East Van. A dog-walker's delight, the park is essentially a circuit around Trout Lake, which used to be a peat bog. Nearby is one of my favourite cafes in the city, Libby's, little known to those outside the neighborhood. Work by local artists is usually up on the walls (and changes frequently), the food's decent and the staff have good taste in music. Just don't steal my couch at the back.
Broadway/Commercial skytrain stations are a ten minute walk away. Sits between 13th and 19th n/s, and between Victoria and Garden e/w;
www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/cc/troutlake/
Libby’s Kitchen: 3249 Porter St (Victoria and 18th);
tel: 604 874 5547;
www.libbyskitchen.com
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