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Real People. Real Reviews.®
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
590 W BroadwayMon-Sun 7 am - 7 pm
This review is not about any of their coffee products. I'll leave that to the coffee aficionados, which I am not because I don't drink it.
Seriously the best macaroons are at Elysian. They're half-dipped in chocolate and are the perfect mixture of sugar and coconut shreds for a moist bite of YUM.
Their other desserts and sandwiches are pretty good too and the selection here is better than their 5th ave. locale. I suggest the greens, veggies with goat cheese and the chocolate torte.
Sometimes it gets a bit crowded and stuffy but they do break out the industrial fans to get the air circulating, or you can go out to the patios when the weather is good.
Oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my!!!!
I happened to walk by this place today and saw a bunch of happy, shiny people inside so I decided to see what the fuss was about. I don't usually leave my West End bubble so this was a surprise and a treat! I ordered a mocha to go and it was fantastic! It was bitter and chocolately (my favourite combination). It was sooooooooo smooth. Simply delicious. The barista was really friendly (actually quite flirty) and the finished product was like a cup of magic in mouth.
Ambiance-wise, Elysian feels more like a bar/lounge than a cafe. It's sleek and hip, and also busy and noisy. Not the kind of place where you can readily relax and get some reading or work done, but a good place if you want to do a little people watching, either inside or out.
I wasn't as impressed by the coffee as others have been. I ordered a decaf Americano (slightly pricey at $2.75 for an 8-oz cup), and found that it had an unpleasant aftertaste. Perhaps the regular Americano is smoother; I'll try it next time...
The best coffee in Vancouver in my opinion (yes, better than 49th Parallel, JJ Bean and Artigiano) They make great single-origin coffee on the Clover and perfect espresso drinks, the shorter of which are served with a glass of sparkling water (a nice touch). They also bring in 3 coffees per week from Intelligensia and/or 49th Parallel, which are well chosen and have their own espresso blend (roasted by 49th Parallel) as well as Intelligensia's BlackCat espresso. The attention to quality and detail sets this place apart. I hope it helps raise the bar for other indie coffee shops
Here is the best coffee in van~ in my opinion:)
Plus free wifi and sparkling water XD
I came in to kill time before an interview across the street that I was super nervous about. I didn't order a coffee because I didn't want to be on a caffeine kick during the interview, but I had a chocolate cookie dusted with icing sugar and sat for a moment by the window just watching the city go by. It helped, I think -- I was offered the job!
This place ended up my favorite coffee stop during my recent Vancouver visit. Good espresso drinks, a great atmosphere, free WiFi and seating outside (perfect for people watching while sipping coffee and doing work remotely). The fact that my hotel was within walking distance from here made me a regular for the weekend.
It's been well over a year since my bean-dar spotted Elysian. After all this time, I FINALLY had the opportunity to check it out.
My report:
It's everything I expected and more.
This cafe is a TEMPLE to coffee!!
Excellent coffee prep's and choices, well informed and helpful employees.
One who saw my disappointment over the lack of seating when the four of us arrived. Suddenly a table became available. She made it happen. I said to my friend, "do we have VIP stamped to our foreheads?"
One bonus star added for complimentary bubbly water served to customers while they wait for their orders.
One more for a well noted Wheat and Dairy free item in the showcase.
LONG LIVE ELYSIAN!!!!
Hip hip HAZZZAHH!
Kickass! 2 Clover coffee machines. Fresh fresh fresh. Knowledgeable staff who love and understand coffee.
This place is the reason I fell in love with coffee all over again. I was shocked back to my senses after one sip of their coffee.
I had resigned myself to two types of coffee in Vancouver. The good stuff that comes from my Melitta and that bitter burnt, smokey, charred stuff from the big chains.
I occasionally take a bus from my office downtown just to get a real cup of coffee here.
Nice decor, helpful staff.
Hands-down my favorite coffeeshop in Vancouver so far. Why does it close so early?
Elysian Coffee Does Coffee Right. The milk is impeccably textured and the baristas work the Synesso machines masterfully. The beans are roasted specially by the gurus at 49th Parallel. Brewed coffee is made-to-order on a dual-head Clover machine and served out of a glass carafe. Service is friendly and efficient, and customers in the store are treated to a glass of soda water to help prepare the palate. Heaven.
The cafe's also lovely. It's new and sharply appointed with plush leather seats along the eastern wall and a bar looking out on the street. All this with WiFi and power outlets? You bet! The pastry selection is small, though, and my piece of cranberry loaf was forgettable.
Advice for Starbucks refugees: The Elysian cappuccino is exceptionally good, but it's a traditional cappuccino, which is small. If you want to stretch it further, try the latte.
I haven't stopped in their little sister Elysian Room at 5th & Burrard yet, but I'm looking forward to it!
Vancouver's 101 Best Finds (I can't say Eat - this is a drink!)
Item: Cappuccino at Elysian
Price: $3.25
Size: 6oz
Alternative sizes: Not allowed (unless you want a latte)
Taste: Strong and frothy
Appearance: Beautifully presented, decorated and foamy
Food Options Available: Quiches, cookies, and pastries
... So I had to try this place..... look at it everyone is giving it 5 stars. I feel like the bad guy giving it 3.5... but my cappacino was so small, it's even smaller than a starbucks tall coffee (8oz), which wasn't able to be enlarged. Maybe I am still on a caffiene high as I cannot go to sleep at 2am, having drank my cup........................................about 10 hours ago.
The place is quaint, wooden chairs, simple and clean. The prices are a little higher than others, but I think it's worth it once in a while. The chai (words from my food pervert) smelled strong, but didn't taste that way. The amaretti however was tasty, gluten and wheat free, with strong flavours of cranberry and orange.
Bonus about this place is that they serve you water....that is CARBONATED, how nice was that!
If you like to people watch, you can sit at the front bar to watch the strollers on West Broadway.
Big negative for me - they kept the door opened in the back although the draft really left an uneasy feeling in my body.. BBRBRRRRRR
I Sooo agree with Rachel T. I had heard about this place from others and was told the coffee and ambience was fantastic. After a couple to visits (first impressions can't always be trusted), I have to say that my overall impression was... meh.
The coffee was, indeed, good - what there was of it. The ambience? I found it a tad sterile and a lot snobby. The wait staff was, imo, quite rude both times, eyes rolling when we asked if there was a bigger cappuccino available and otherwise uninviting it their demeanor when we attempted to make light conversation. Perhaps we weren't hipster enough. I'm not sure.
Don't give me attitude, coffeeshops. Give me great coffee and a relaxed atmosphere and I'll be yours for life.
I went here for an informal business meeting and although this place is small, its warm and cozy and the drinks ain't bad either (although a bit pricey). I don't drink coffee so maybe I shouldn't be one to talk, but I was impressed with their hot chocolate complete with a cute design on top.
Seating is limited but if you can grab one you won't want to leave. This place is a nice getaway from the cold outside.
As my regular coffee joint on Broadway, Thomas Hass, is closed on Sundays, we ventured further east to Elysian. Had my regular vanilla Latte to go and my wife had her cappuccino. Went with the usual just over 3/4 full, so we could compare apples to apples. Overall the coffee was pretty smooth. Could have been a bit hotter and a bit stronger, but would definitely re-visit.
I love coffee, but I wouldn't consider myself a full "coffee snob". I.e., I'm picky about good versus bad coffee, but I can't necessarily describe a given one in terms of "fullness of body" or "fruitiness".
That said, Elysian served good coffee, but I wasn't as blown away as I'd hoped I'd be by the Clover machines (my first time). The main problem, I think, was that they were all light roasts to bring out the flavors, whereas I usually like dark roasts and espresso. So the coffee I had tasted rather watery and thin to me. My cappuccino was great, though.
The atmosphere was very open and minimalist, and full of hipsters. That's great if you're into that kind of thing, but it felt just a little too snobby for me. The person who took my order seemed very knowledgeable, though, even if I felt a little intimidated by his questions about the specific type of coffee I liked. But I understand he was just trying to be helpful to get me exactly what I wanted.
Overall, I'd recommend it if you're a coffee snob; otherwise, it's probably a little too far out of the way for coffee that's not incredibly better than usual.
Yelp actually helped me finding this awesome coffee place, and the guys reviewing this bar before me were absolutely right.
Great atmosphere and minimalistic interior design, with a bar table, a single-table seating area at the side, and of course you have a long table plus bar chairs facing Broadway to make people watching enjoyable. And, free wifi and GREAT dub/reggae tunes the three times I visited. Next time I'm in Vancouver, the first thing I will do is getting my Guatemala drip there.
Elysian offers all different sorts of coffee (mocha, drip, cappuccino...) but I tried the black coffee from Guatemala (CAN $2.75) and Ethiopian (CAN $3.75) beans. They serve it in a cup with a little bit of coffee in it to have a taste, the rest comes in a large pot. And yes, the beans are ground freshly for each drink. These guys really love coffee!!
However, the drinks got a little bit more expensive in the end... add $38 to the coffee prices because I got a ticket for parking my car on Ash. I blame Elysian for making me spending so much time there, and the stupid guy who was on patrol at 8 on a Sunday morning. Or was it me being careless?
I like this place - very nice coffee, very nice home-made baked goods, nice sandwiches. Service not bad- some folks have attitude. Free bubbly water!
I don' t sip java any longer, I have only managed to reduce my former massive caffeine intake to a cup of green tea in the morning, allowing me to function without all the hand-shaking psychosis. Regardless, I found myself in Elysian for a casual business meeting on another hot, beautiful day in Vancouver. The fellows were delightfully friendly and didn't even look at me funny when I said I wanted my green tea over ice. Sound complicated? Tell that to Blenzbuckstars and Co.
Cheers Elysian staff for being uber-efficient, highly functional human beings and doing so in a lovely environment.
Incredibly friendly and chatty staff (but not in an over-wired coffee-helped-me-break-my-meth-addiction way).
I am the child of hippies and still use an at home Chemex drip system ... which they sell ... no more need to get things shipped from the States. Happy day!
Great place for a morning meeting.
Come for the Chai. And again. And again. But the place itself is too... practical. Not my ideal coffee place to spend some time.
Elysian Coffee measures up quite well on coffee, wireless, and ambiance.
49th parallel roasts for these guys. The espresso roast is sensible, not too dark and overpowering, but rounder like chocolate. This is nice if you appreciate your canadiano simple.
The wireless has been reliable and easy. Tables are a good size if you need to roll up 'em sleeves to poke on facebook. There's been plenty of room, though it has only opened and the natural laws of coffee should result in high traffic here.
Elysian keeps it classy by combining simplicity with nowrthwest cabin paneling to create a modern ambiance reminiscent of our dear friends down in portland, stumptown.
Overall, a welcome addition to vancouver's cafe circuit.
I've been here a couple of times and absolutely love the coffee!
The place is small and cozy, in a great location. Service is good. It's never got ridiculous lines like Cafe Artigiano.
I highly recommend a cappuccino, I don't drink them anywhere but here.
I stumbled in here by accident to grab a coffee and spend some time because i was early for a meeting. What a pleasant surprise! Impeccable service! Great chai tea and unique, tasty snacks like shortbread. Sparkling water! Awesome music and a wonderfully designed space. It feels like a cafe for purists. I'll definitely be back here again. Down side is that it closes everyday at 7pm.
love it. Great espresso. Friendly Staff.
We're from San Francisco and hopped a plane to seattle and then drove to Vancouver--- so I'm going to yelp a couple of terrific places. The coffee here is terrific! It's hit or miss with the Vancouver coffee but Elysian is one of the best I've had. It's comparable to LUXE in Los Angeles, Blue Bottle in SF (possibly better and less snobbier baristas) the people in Vancouver are soooo nice. The capuccino is strong and dreamy. If you're in Vancouver for the first time this is the place to go.
We also found good cappucinos at the Crepe Cafe in Granville in Vancouver but the service is sort of boring. Elysian is terrific.
Elysian boasts two Clover coffee machines, a testament to their dedication to the bean. The secret adjoining patio is perfect for a sunny morning sip, complete with their own fizzy water they graciously offer for free.
Some of the best coffee in Vancouver! Not speedy service but I've never had a big line either so the wait for quality java is no problem. Wifi is reliable, fast and hassle-free as it's unlocked. You'll have to sit on the bar stools in the window if you want power for your laptop, which is a reasonable restriction, but I've never had an issue getting a seat. There are some nice tables both inside and outside in a little garden patio if you've come to socialize with friends or whatever. Baked goods look very yummy but are a little on the pricey side, especially when compared to the coffee which is very reasonably priced.
This might be my new favourite coffee shop in Vancouver. Just one block off the Broadway - City Hall Station -- this it a really nice gem. The space is efficient, colours warm and cozy, decor minimalistic but there are several pictures of coffee related imaginary on the walls. I had a really nice soy latte. I liked it so much, I asked a barista to help me pick a bag of beans for a french press - Ethiopian Adem Bedane is a top choice. Also there is free wifi, a major plus for me while traveling.
gorgeous place, tasty tea, and a delicious muffin. perfect way to start a sunday, much recommended, and cheaper prices than the rest of the conglomerate coffee opening up in this neighbourhood.
Very good coffee - a nice discovery. A little on the warm side inside when it's warm outside, but the free WiFi is great and the espresso macchiato is excellent.
Some of the best coffee in town. Great decor with an eccentric patio in the gap between the buildings.
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