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Café Deux Soleils
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants Vegetarian Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Coffee & Tea, Vegetarian, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
2096 Commercial DrVancouver, BC V5N 4B2
Neighbourhoods: Grandview-Woodlands, The Drive
(604) 254-1195
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Bridget C. said: "I love this place! I stumbled in early on a Sunday when I was in Vancouver for a work trip. The staff were so welcoming and generous, it was really nice. I had french toast & sausage, which were superb. They make their coffee with…" read more »
47 reviews for Café Deux Soleils
Review Highlights
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"whenever it's packed at night (poetry slam etc." In 7 reviews -
"Their breakfast teriyaki tofu scramble is delicious." In 6 reviews -
"Their Thursday Open Mic fills up every week and is always a..." In 5 reviews
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47 reviews in English
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Review from Hikaru N.
Vancouver, BC
4/30/2012
I recently went to Cafe Deux Soleil on a Monday night with some friends to catch the ever famous Vancouver Poetry Slam (well, that's probably exaggerating a bit). The main thing which always surprises me when I come here is how packed it gets in the hour prior to the slam and then the inevitable and dreaded lineup which drives me crazy anytime I encounter it in Vancouver.
I cannot speak to the food as it always seems that I come only in the evenings after I have already eaten, but the atmosphere, poetry or whichever artsy, hippie event is going on is always enjoyable. The beer, wine and sangria are very reasonably priced, and its just a great place to hang out, chill and have a blast! The only reason I haven't given it five stars is that I have not tried the food, but here's to hoping next time is different! -
Review from Justinne R.
Richmond, BC
4/29/2012
Likes:
-The live entertainment was truly entertaining.- I went during a live music night when there was jazz music, like you see in the indie films. This was the legit experience, and the performers were amazing!
-The casual atmosphere. - You're a grown-up. You seat yourself, you order your food, you put away your dishes. People were just chillin' out, enjoying the music. People were hipsters--they know the new rules of cool.
-The food. - We had a peanut butter stirfry, tortellini, and greek appy. Although the food wasn't as awesome and creative as The Foundation's, the portion was decent and the food was tasty.
-The price- The usual, 11-15$ entrees.
Dislikes:
-Nothing really. I had a pleasant experience.
Yes, I recommend as I would go back there again! Didn't know the east side had a unique, culture-ish personality. -
Review from Jayna B.
Coquitlam, BC
4/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Sitting at a booth, soaking in my first Deux Soleils experience. Here we go.....
First impression: Am I too boring to eat here? I mean... I'm not wearing a fedora, plaid pants or a grungy tshirt protesting "the man"..... Hmmm... I'm hungry and they serve food so I guess I'll use that as my common ground.
Atmosphere: cool music, a laissez-faire vibe and way too many exposed arm pits in the kitchen.
The menu: written in chalk on the wall, boasts cool breakfast and lunch items such as: "tofu scramble", "pineapple tofu burger", chili and taco salad. There is an assortment of tempting deserts/pastry items that I try to pretend don't exist....but I can hear the mint chocolate chip cookies calling my name no matter how far away I choose to sit.
I ordered the Thai coconut curry (extra veggies) And a house salad. Cha-CHING! $17 dollars later and I'm golden! The house salad was a great portion. It was topped with cucumbers, tomatoes, purple cabbage and a yummy dressing- not bad! The curry was good- the vegetables weren't over cooked and it had a nice level of spice. I got my veggie fix and left super full!
Overall: not bad not bad! I cant say it will be my new favorite restaurant but its a chill place to meet and hang out with friends. Next time I'm in the area and dressed head to toe in vintage/thrift store clothing, I'll be sure to stop in! ;) -
Review from Felicity D.
Vancouver, BC
5/23/2012
i like the space, but not the food. i've never eaten anything here that wow'ed me and find the counter service to be sluggish. i find most of the clientel to be pretentious neo-hippies and hipster/coolsters and can't say i really fit in with that crowd. i'll only come here if someone else suggests it.
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Review from Sarah A.
4/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love the Café. The food here is delicious (love the Quatro Burger) and the beer and sangria are good and decently priced. It has a great friendly neighbourhood vibe and there is always something fun going on in the evening. Very kid friendly during the day as well. The only downside is that it is popular and it fills up fast.
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Review from Bronwen M.
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Vancouver, BC
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I used to love this place. I remember the first time I went, as a young teenager. I couldn't believe how flavourful, crispy, and nuanced the dill and garlic hashbrowns were. They became my benchmark for hashbrowns for years after that.
Then, when I was in university in Montreal, I'd try to go there when I was back in Vancouver for a visit. The tofu scramble was divine - with large chunks of marinated medium-firm tofu, chewy mushrooms, and crisply al dente bell peppers - along with those hashbrowns, and two thick slabs of marble rye toast positively dripping with butter. Eggless vegetarian breakfasts don't get too much better, believe me.
But now! I went for the first time in about three years and couldn't believe how it had gone downhill. First of all, the coffee was undrinkable. Their coffee has never been great, but this tasted like it had been sitting out for five hours. After a couple sips, I just couldn't bring myself to drink any more. My date's was a bit better - he'd gotten his from a fresh pot.
Then, the food arrived. I hadn't been too concerned about the coffee, because I knew the food would be tasty. It looked alright on the plate, so I poured on the hot sauce and ketchup, and dove into the hashbrowns. Mushy! Flavourless! Old! And, the worst sin of all: barely even warm! There wasn't a crisp potato chunk to be found, and they weren't even satisfyingly hot. Ugh. I turned to the two pieces of toast to revive me, but they were nearly dry. Only the tiniest pat of butter had been smushed between them, and no jam or anything to compensate. The tofu scramble itself was okay - good textures, fresh vegetables, sufficiently hot - but nothing to write home about. My companion's french toast was equally mediocre.
By that point, I was so depressed that I didn't even want to do the right thing and complain. I just quietly ate the edible parts of my meal, and we left.
Maybe we got them on a bad day, but I've heard from others that it's not what it once was. I'm afraid I won't be going back after that experience. I'll live with my fond memories of how good it used to be. -
Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
1/13/2012
Oh hell yes. I love Café Deux Soleils. I love the food, the people, the open mic night, the atmosphere.... I guess it's fair to say I love it all.
I haven't been to open mic night at Cafe Deux Soleils in ages, but I have been back frequently for breakfast. They have great vegan options and the food is always delicious. The staff are quite accommodating if you need to change things and I always have a pleasant experience.
It can get quite loud in there so be prepared especially if you're heading for dinner or any of the later in the evening activities, but it's honestly all part of the charm.
This place is a Drive institution and one of my favourites. -
Review from Mike M.
Edmonton, AB
12/23/2011
Man, I actually really want to give this place more than 5 stars.
Full disclosure: I was on enough mdma to cheer up the entire cast of Schindlers List.
I can't really talk about the food, I was pretty full up after grabbing a burrito further up the drive (see my review for Red Burrito), but the beer and water were incredible.
I can't remember which beer I got, I just asked for a pale ale. The server girl was beautiful and she seemed to know whenever I wanted something. I do wish the glass of water she gave me was as big as my pint glass, but she didn't mind filling me up again whenever I asked.
There was some poetry reading going on too. I'm not much of a poetry guy, but it might be something that I could get into even when I'm not high. This one girl doing poetry wasn't as pretty as the server but she had a beautiful soul. I can't remember what she was talking about but I can still recall the emotional impression she made on me. From what I gathered, I guess they host different artistic events pretty regularly.
Would definitely recommend this place to anyone on or not on mdma. At least come by and check out the sick mural out front. -
Review from Stephanie F.
Vancouver, BC
10/22/2011
When there are so many great vegan places on the Drive, I'm not exactly sure why I keep coming here.
I like the style and atmosphere, and the service is pretty good. But they don't know a lot about what they're serving. You get a lot of puzzled faces when you ask what they have that is vegan. Not to mention, the were wrong one time I ordered, giving me a non-vegan bread.
The tofu scramble I got was alright, but not great. Another time I went I got the quinoa bowl, which was saucey with a strange flavour. I got a ginormous vegan chocolate chip cookie there once which is sadly the only thing I can say was great.
As for a spot to meet people for coffee and some food? This place is where I keep heading to. It's a hippie joint, with veggie menu. So if you're just vegetarian, I'm sure this place is pretty fine. As a vegan, I'm not super impressed. -
Review from Sarah D.
10/15/2011
Not to be confused with Cafe DE Soleil, another vegetarian joint down the street. Seriously. A number of years ago, I was going on a date with a guy and he told me (verbally) to meet him at Cafe de/Deux Soleil(s) on Commercial Drive. Being the total n00b that I was, I went to Cafe de Soleil, and when he didn't show up I stormed off thinking that I had been stood up. Whoops! I guess we shouldn't be so quick to rue the transition from verbal to electronic communication. But back to the review...
Cafe Deux Soleils seems to have a permanent posse of hippies in and around it. That's not a bad thing; it makes me smile, actually. They serve up some mean vegetarian fare, and they seem to consistently hold fun events that make the place perma-packed in the evenings. If you're fortunate enough to have a day off during the week (hooray for flex days!), this is a great place to come to enjoy a quiet vegetarian breakfast and read the paper. Their breakfast teriyaki tofu scramble is delicious. Teriyaki at breakfast... who'd ah thought?
Overall, I'd say Cafe Deux Soleils merits closer to 3.5 stars. It's got a wonderful creative energy, and it seems like the type of place where I could park my butt down and start writing that novel I always tell myself I will write. NaNoWriMo is coming up soon; maybe you'll find me here. -
Review from Tessa B.
4/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
As a vegetarian, I often find it difficult to find breakfast food that isn't mushy and bland, or that doesn't consist of boring old hash browns. Here, that's not really the case. Their Teriyaki tofu scramble is super tasty, and comes with DELICIOUS hash browns.
Their coffee is also good, which is key for any breakfast. . . or lunch. . . or dinner.
The staff have always been pretty nice, there's usually lots of space to pick where you want to sit, and the prices are decent. All in all, it gets my support.Listed in: Gluten Free, Happy Me!
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Review from Michael V.
Burnaby, BC
8/9/2011
This place will make you want to puke.
There were many a dirty table when I walked in and it stayed that way throughout my stay. I was sitting near the patio and watched a couple hobo types pick food off the leftover plates outside. That was a disgusting sight. I went to the counter and asked if they could clear the plates from outside before I puke. Her reply?
"Yeah, so? It's not the end of the world." in her best valley girl impersonation. Or was it?
She turned out to be right after all. The sky is still blue and the sun is still shining. Yep, life is going on quite nicely. However, the way she handled a simple request from a customer just reeked of "I don't give a shit." I really don't care if you don't give a shit. At least pretend to care and lie to my face about it. Then go clean it up.
The workers seemed like the dirty lazy hippie types that you see on Commercial with a homemade fishing pole charging a quarter for good karma. Half their tables were dirty and the four of them would disappear out the back door for a couple minutes every so often. Gone Fishing is my guess.
Yuck to your dirty way but your hash browns earned you an extra star.
Save your money and eat at a real eatery. Commercial has a whole lot better options. -
Review from Rheanna F.
Vancouver, BC
4/19/2011
I'd always passed this place by because the paintings on the outside and the hippies i usually see loitering outside of it made it look a little too hacky sacks and granola for me. I probably wouldn't have given it a chance, but a friend of mine crashed on my couch on Thursday night and suggested it for brunch the next day. Considering i had accidentally flung my own vomit down a wall the night before (long story), i thought her judgment was probably better than mine and went with it.
After reading Lex B's review, I'm not sure i'd want to come here at night, but the atmosphere during Friday afternoon for brunch is positively charming. I had the tofu scramble. Well, i thought it was called a scramble, but it more like what i would call a stir fry- tofu, teriyaki, and loads of veggies. It totally hit the spot! It was on the breakfast menu though, and as such, came with hashbrowns and toast! And holy shit, was the toast ever GOOD. Well, the toast was just toast, but it had a generous amount of garlic butter on it! Yum! My friend got a veggie burger and holy shit, did it smell good!
Hangover note: They also have delish fruit smoothies AND liquor, so whether you want a punch of vitamin C or hair of the dog, you're covered! (i went the responsible route and got a smoothie)
I'm not sure if my experience was solid enough to get me back there in the evening when they're crowded, but i definitely found a new brunch spot! -
Review from Shannon B.
Coquitlam, BC
1/8/2011
Many years ago I stopped into this place for a bite to eat and after I realized it was a vegetarian restaurant, I turned right around and walked back out. These days I'm a bit more open minded and decided to give it a real chance before passing judgement.
We went early in the morning so they were still just setting up and the place was empty. I decided to be adventurous and for the first time order a meal with fake meat so I settled on The Steller. Hash browns with eggs and fake ham served on English muffin and covered in holindaise sauce. It was pretty damn good. The fake meat was not even comparable to the real thing but still made a tasty breakfast.
I was kind of embarrassed because I sat in our booth for a good five minutes before realizing that it was a self serve restaurant. I tried to recover by pretending I was reading the menu written on the wall but failed again because I wasn't wearing my glasses and had to actually walk over to it and stand a foot away to be able to read anything.
Overall it was a decent breakfast experience and I would not be opposed to going back again.Listed in: You've got to try it at least…
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Review from Cyndi H.
Vancouver, BC
10/9/2010
I used to be all about coming here on a packed out Thursday night to hear random artists sing about requited/unrequited love, roadtrips to Manitoba, cheese, etc., Lately, though, it takes a lot to bring me back. I fully enjoy their veggie burgers, salads and sangria, but on a packed open mic night the strangest feeling in the world comes over me: I am getting old.
5 years ago when I moved to this 10-horse town, I felt like one of the hippies, but now days it's clear that I could have babysat most of them.
But the music is GOOD. Great even. For the measly cover ($5) you will see such a range of talent and genre's. It's worth feeling old for. seriously. Sometimes I go and just zone out and take in all the amazing tunes (when I can feel ok about the whole 'hanging out with the kids' thing).
So far there's been no Bangs the rapper (so wrong he's right- check him out on YouTube), but know that the music quality is fab. And by fab I mean,the terrible acts are uber entertaining, the stellar acts are uber entertaining... you can't go wrong! : D -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
11/29/2010
Take eccentricities of the Drive's alt characters, music and culture, melt it over a flame with a bent spoon and inject it into your eyeball - and you're about there. Café Deux Soleils is vegetarian eatery with live performances of improv, open mics, slam poetry and music at night and family greasy spoon by day.
I'm not in the hipster/noveau-hippy scene - but if I had to venture a guess, I would bet this would be the most likely place to catch a performance of 'Interior Semiotics'. If you don't know what that is, your life is better without knowing - please don't Google it.
So why is a carnivore like me hanging out in a vegetarian joint with uncomfortable seats? Self-serve only bar with ~$15 pitchers of draft beer and always-entertaining performance (whether good or bad) and crowd. Even though I slink around his place fearing someone will make me for a narc. Packed full of hipsters, yet far less pretentious than your usual Vancouver bar.Listed in: A Compendium of Fine…, East Van Life
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Review from Malloreigh M.
Vancouver, BC
3/5/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Café Deux and I have had some times together. Really. Some real times. I've been going there for about six years now, and coincidentally my favourite cook has been working there for six years. Really, though, it has nothing to do with her great tattoos. Mostly it's the fact that their tofu scramble is one of the best in town, and was definitely the best on the Drive before Bandidas moved in. Now, I'd say they're tied for first.
This place can be very very loud, especially at weekend brunch, when there's a line out the door for their many delicious vegetarian breakfasts and there are children crawling all over and yelling at the top of their lungs. But you deserve it after all that drinking you did last night, don't you? Yes, you do.
If you're vegan, make sure you ask for french bread rather than their non-vegan marble rye. Also, they'll slather it with butter unless you ask them not to. For non-vegans, this is fantastic, of course. The tofu scramble is teriyaki flavoured, with big chunks of veg and roasted potatoes. It's very satisfying.
Coffee is okay, nothing amazing, but you don't care because you're nursing a hangover. If it's caffeinated it's good enough.
Cafe Deux events are great. Their Thursday Open Mic fills up every week and is always a roaring fun good time. Monday Slam Poetry night has a different vibe but is participatory fun. They have lots of hippie or queer bands and other performers who breeze through town, too, which is great.
They also serve beer, wine, and some damn good sangria, and their dinner menu is pretty darn good too. Vegan caesar salad. Yeah, I said it.Listed in: Vegan Vancouver, Coffee & Tea
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Review from Lex B.
9/1/2010
I ate the worst salad ever at a vegetarian restaurant a couple years ago and it made such an impression that I refuse to go ever back.
It was a beautiful sunny day, I was spending time with my beloved friends who for some reason decided to ruin everything by suggesting we go into the hole that is Cafe Deux Soleils. My voice (and patience) obscured by the almost rhythmic gut churning hippie banter that is bongo drums, I ordered a vegan cesar salad. What arrived can only be described as oil drenched lettuce leaves with a hint of garlic. And just when I thought dinner couldn't possibly get worse:
Open Mic Reggae Night:
Possibly the worst combination of any four words in the English or any other language. This particular combination of words makes my hands tremble and my heart fill with fear. If there is a hell, it has a constant open mic reggae night and I am not allowed to close my eyes, cover my ears or - plug my nose.
If you ever see me in Cafe Deux Soleils please rescue me immediately. I am obviously being held against my will. -
Review from Jasmine O.
Vancouver, BC
6/17/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Yes, def a drive staple. Live shows. Delish veg food. and rad employees.
I had the best veggie burger of my life there this weekend and I've eaten a LOT of veggie burgers, let me tell you.The chili is also amazing and they aren't shy when it comes to buttering your bread.. as dirty as that may sound..
Go autograph their washroom. -
Review from Simon R.
BC
12/1/2008 1 photo
Before writing this review, I feel that it is only fair to admit that while I maintain very liberal political viewpoints, I hold a strong disregard for dirty hippies.
Café Deux Soleil is a very popular diner on Commercial Drive that resembles the kind of place where you might go for breakfast at Burning Man. The breakfast is actually pretty good, with delicious tofu scramble and that kind of toast with the darker swirl of rye in the middle. However, since the large plate glass windows allow everyone inside to be seen by passersby's, many eaters will an experience a temporary sense of shame.
The wooden benches fill up quickly with all kinds of dreadlocks and colorful clothing, and the big smiling painting of a sun above the menu board shines down its vegan and vegetarian options. During the day the stage is host to a wide array of children's jamboree toys, and then at night it gets taken by many local bands that are just getting started.
Monday is slam poetry night, in case you like Shatner-esque rants about menopause that rhyme, and Wednesday night they do reggae DUB jams that get really sweaty and make you smell like other people's BO even if you're wearing deodorant. -
Review from Shaun L.
Vancouver, BC
9/24/2011
A Vancouver institution.
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Review from Alex R.
Vancouver, BC
7/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
Quatre Soleils
(Four suns, as opposed to stars)
Full vegetarian (but definitely not vegan) restaurant with diner/cafeteria bench tables off to the side and a huge stage area perfect for open mic nights.
Going there in the evening is best as the sun pitches its light into this bistro pub (it's on the east side of Commercial) but there is more than enough shade on the sides where every one sits. If you're there to drink some beers, sit closer to the stage, preferably in the back to see the whole scene and don't expect servers to fill you up when your glass is empty. -
Review from Dani B.
4/29/2009
Great food, good beer, and what a great space. I first discovered this place when I used to go there for their Reggae nights, but alas they don't have them there anymore.
I have been there many times since and I still love it. The food is all veggie (yay for me) and the space is great for groups and for live shows. They do an awesome "open mike" night on Mondays (may have changed) and in general they host great live acts.
Go here for a nice summer day, a place to meet friends, or just to see what's live on the drive. -
Review from Roanna Z.
4/4/2009 1 photo
A long long time ago, while visiting Vancouver, we discovered Soleils, and even schlepped my sister and her hubby over for brunch on two occasions, and we didn't even live here at the time. Now here's the funny bit. None of us noticed it being a vegg place until years later!! Suddenly it dawned on me, oh ! that's why they don't have bacon. pffft.
This is totally a family place, kids running around enjoying the play stage all set up just for their snotty little selves !
Good time to go is afternoon, to avoid the crowds.Listed in: Gluten Free/ Dairy free eats.
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Review from Kat S.
4/28/2010
It's a staple of the Drive, that's for sure. I popped in here last night to meet a friend for some chat time. I was starved so had their peanut stir fry with rice. It was pretty decent, but nothing to write home about. I cleared my plate, though, since I was famished. The portion size was great, however. I can't believe I ate it all. The menu has some pretty regular sounding veg fare. Maybe I was hoping for something more creative than wraps and stir frys. Supposedly the burgers are good, so perhaps I should have had one of those.
There was a fellow that got up to sing some songs before my friend and I left, and while he was pretty good it was just too loud to be able to hear each other talk. Maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy but for a place like this I would hope to be able to hear my dining companion. Also, I am not a fan of their rundown bathroom. I'm picky about bathrooms, and I like them to be clean and have all the components working properly. I think they can afford to give it a little makeover. So, for now, this place is okay, but not somewhere I would go out of my way to take visitor, but works if you happen to be in the area.Listed in: Bathrooms to Avoid, Count 'em!
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Review from Jenna H.
Vancouver, BC
4/26/2009
Amazing veggie burgers! I get mine with hashbrowns which I cover in hot sauce...you bet I can take the heat!
This cafe is fairly typical of Commercial (or The Drive as the cool kids like to call it). I bit run down, little scuzzy but I think that is part of the charm, right? Great for a quick bit that is reasonably priced and healthy.
I think they must have live music because there is a small stage. Either that or a hipster magic show! Both equally as cool! -
Review from Ingrid D.
Vancouver, BC
9/15/2009
This is one of our favorite place for brunch.
Why ? Because:
- it's on the drive and we love being there :-)
- it's super kids friendly with it's stage where kids can play and draw with chalks on the big black board
- Very nice brunch menu and vegetarian
- Food is always fresh
- Excellent coffees and smoothies
- Staff always nice
So yes, I'm a fan ! :-) -
Review from karen c.
Vancouver, BC
9/7/2010
Interesting!
Came here last night for their poetry slam. Pretty crowded with really nice people.
I give all those that went up on stage last night props for the poems they wrote. I loved the tranny poem - I thought it was well written from the heart.
I never thought I would go in, but thanks to my friend, I kind of want to go again!
Cover charge is $5 and according to my friend, try to go to the washroom before going to Cafe Deux Soleils.
Cheers! -
Review from Vanessa G.
2/19/2011
After waiting 15 minutes behind one person in line to order, i managed to order and pay for my food in 2 minutes, not to sure what the deal was but it was a little annoying. Also the blaring music seemed to make it really hard in one of the far end of the building to have a conversation with the wait staff.
I do get this place, i am vegetarian, part time hippy, but this place seems in real need of a pick me up. It's still busy but i was not wowed to a point of wanting to return. The food was mediocre, and an extra $1 for free range eggs?! This is the drive right? Shouldn't they just be serving free range only? Isn't that the whole point in being a vegetarian? Doing less harm on the animals? I don't get it Cafe Deux Soleils.
The ripped up seats really add to the wholesomeness too. I sat down away from the blaring music by the front doors only to be pummelled by the fans blowing away my napkins and making me unable to take off my winter jacket.
The people beside me were raving about how good there plane jane banana, blueberry smoothie was to their mom who didn't even like her breakfast quiche. It kind felt like a place for non vegetarians to come to make themselves feel better not really knowing that there is a whole world out their of pure vegetarian goodness. -
Review from Erin U.
10/13/2011
I dont care what anyone says, hands down all the food is amazing and theres never a not good time to go here, well the spoken word song thing they do once a month aint my thing but other than that its the best,,,maybe thats your thing. wont know until you go! If you go early or hungover you will have the best breakfast ever! if you go for lunch you will have a zillion options all made fresh and delicious. And if you go anytime after that you will have live music and beer. what else do you need. Great place to just wander on in anytime of day. be warned on weekends brunch can be pretty packed and you may have to wait in a line. good coffee and smoothies are amazing! the special for breakfast is awesome and the best dinner thing is the pesto tortellini, this place is a vegetarian restaraunt so if you want meat, go elsewhere. yum cafe du soleil! Also the staff are amazing and friendly and just ridiculously cute so talk to them and tip the poor kitchen slaves.
Listed in: Good for Groups
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Review from May B.
Vancouver, BC
7/27/2010
I'm mostly here on Mondays during Slam nights when it's super busy, but I've been by a couple times too during the early evening. Service is great, the staff is friendly and food comes out quick and hot.
Gotta say, the veggie burgers are pretty delish. The first time I had a burger there it didn't even register that I wasn't eating meat since it was so good. Definitely go for the pesto burger or the mushroom melt.. mmmm. And the potato wedges that come with the burgers are perfectly seasoned and cooked to that balance between crispy and soft, so good they should offer them on their own. The nachos make for a great snack while taking in some slam poetry too.
As for the washrooms, I always feel a little bit dirtier when I exit, but it makes for some good entertainment reading all the crazy writings on the wall. -
Review from Cameron M.
Toronto, ON
12/1/2008
Cafe Deux Soleils is a place that can be everything from a regular restaurant to a coffee shop to a late night music venue. It's one of those eclectic cafes on commercial that really reverberates the feeling of the street by not being able to be pinned down by anything other than, well community feelings and patchouli. So it ought to be noted when I review it, I'm only looking at it from the perspective of brunch.
Vancouver is, if nothing else, brunch city. Never before have I seen a city so obsessed with that midday meal. I think it's due to all the scammers, hustlers and weird-jobbers we have here but everyone seems to demand eggs benny starting at about 11am. If you're looking on Commercial, I'd definitely suggest heading here. The food is great. The options are fresh and change with the season and crops. I had one of the best Benny's along commercial here and would gladly go back.
It can be a total pain finding seats, especially if you are in groups of more than two. I will say though that if you're patient, the crowds tend to rotate, and without any pushiness from the servers since everything is pretty self-serve.
The other thing that knocks this place down a few pegs is the atmosphere. It's a huge place usually full of loud people and often children as well. add to that constant calling out of orders and music and it's one of the loudest breakfast I've ever attended. I usually only demand brunch when hungover and this is not the place to head with a headache.
Also, if you're coming here don't confuse it with it's name-cousin Cafe Du Soleil, a little down the drive. just a heads up. -
Review from Natalie B.
8/29/2010
Ended up here on poetry slam night. Great fun. I don't usually order a veggie burger---but I was well-rewarded for it! Possibly the best veggie burger ever.
Service sufficient. Poetry fun. -
Review from Luke L.
3/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food is okay, counter service, and the place smells like patchouli, but you look at where you are, what you're getting, and it all kinda just fits.
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Review from Jenny Y.
11/24/2008
After staying in the West End neighborhood for a few days and being deluged by groups of underage male jailbait hoping to slip into the gay bars, I wondered to myself where all the hipsters were in Vancouver. Apparently they congregate around Commercial Drive and park their fixies in front of Cafe Deux Soleils. There was some kind of soccer match on that morning so every place on the drive was packed with people. I managed to grab a seat at a communal picnic-like table away from the big screens and admired the array of people around me.
The menu had loads of terrific sounding vegetarian options, the coffee was strong, breakfast was good (eggs benedict and potatoes), and the servers were cute and managed to stay friendly and attentive even though the place was a zoo. Most dishes were around $9 and were quite filling. They also sell pitchers so if you want a beer to go with your eggs benedict (kind of sounds gross doesn't it?) this is the right place to go to. -
Review from Eliza W.
Vancouver, BC
1/6/2010
I did go, I do go and I will go again. That being said, Café Deux Soliel treats you like the popular kid in grade school that was forced by his mom to invite you to his birthday party and really would rather your lame ass stay home. Or the self-important princess at the bar who is affronted that the likes of you felt worthy to offer to buy her a drink.
Luckily, I know I'm rad, so this isn't a problem. If you're a little more fragile you might want to stay away. There's no crying at breakfast. Don't you let them upset you! You're a quality human being even if you don't own a single pair of skinny jeans or any plaid. They're just jealous. The food is ok. It isn't bad and it isn't fabulous. It's ok. There aren't any benny's on the menu but there's a healthy range of options and their veggie sausage is pretty tasty.
Pros: hot sauce and ketchup on the table, lots and lots of veggie options, big open space with lots of boothy room and local art on the walls, moderately priced, open kitchen and arguably cute cooks, milk alternatives, breakfast all day baby!
Cons: Dude, you have to pay 50 cents for each coffee refill which is just outrageous, only veggie options, they overcooked the life out of my eggs and drowned my toast in butter, occasionally self-righteous, bitchy staff.
Seriously though, I give the whole joing overall a solid B/B-
Location: Commercial Drive @ East 5th Ave
Mister Coffee's rating
egg: C
sauce: N/A
muffin: B-
toppings: B
Potatoes: B+
Princess Pancake's rating
egg: B
sauce: N/A
muffin: B
toppings: A-
Potatoes: A- -
Review from Mina B.
2/11/2010
i love this place. i love the drive. i love the veriety of people that come there. i love it for being a vegetarian place and that i always run into someone i know.
whenever it's packed at night (poetry slam etc.) the line up for drinks is ridiculous. so make sure to get a pitcher for yourself once you're at the bar.Listed in: Great Breakfast (Vancouver)
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Review from Kent H.
11/3/2008
The breakfast dish was pretty good. I'd say it would have been fantastic if I didn't get sick. I think it had to do with the plain water. They have plastic cups and pitchers in the open. Makes it susceptible to germs and bacteria. My friend didn't get sick and maybe I just have a weak stomach. The breakfast omelet dish that I had was great.
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Review from Mark H.
1/3/2010
My good friend from Sweden is vegetarian so I thought we'd try this place out. I had their veggie burger was was spectacular! Inside it had tofu steaks, the veggie 'meat', alfalfa sprouts, pineapple and maybe i missed something. The taste was unreal. As much as I love meat, this was probably the best burger I ever had. Great service, cheap prices. You can't go wrong.
Listed in: Best Cheap Eats, Unique Places
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Review from chantal m.
Vancouver, BC
9/9/2011
good food, but a bit slow on service and could be cleaner.
MORE importantly. for the dyslexics and the creatures of solid reason-- what is the difference between cafe du soleil and cafe deux soleils, both on the drive?
