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Habit
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
20 reviews for Habit
Review Highlights
"We don't do drip," one said, "Want to try french press."
(in 4 reviews)
"Baristas know what they're doing and were nice."
(in 10 reviews)
"Hailing from Portland, I am always thankful to stumble..."
(in 3 reviews)
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20 reviews in English
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Review from L S.
Victoria, BC
12/3/2011
I do love Habit. I work at Goodfellas Cigar Shop and I have tried all the coffee shops in the area. Habit makes the best Americanos and almost all of our cigar shop customers are regulars at Habit too!
The atmosphere inside Habit is minimalistic and different than most coffee shops! -
Review from K S.
11/29/2011
Good coffee. It looks exactly like a Stumptown. Baristas know what they're doing and were nice. The drip is french press. Good place to sit, read and sip.
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Review from Nancy M.
8/8/2011
Great mochas, chai lattes and hot chocolate!
Very friendly baristas too!
Glad I did my homework and Yelped coffee houses
before arriving in beautiful Victoria!
My husband and I are a little spoiled when it comes
to good coffee [and beer, for that matter] as we live
in Seattle and Portland. Habit did not let us down.
We stopped by all three mornings we were in town.
Habit will be first on our list for coffee next time we
are in this wonderful city! -
Review from Derek W.
8/8/2010 1 photo
When I peeked into the minimalist expanse that is Habit, I felt ready for a bolts of disdain and boredom to shoot from the too-cool gaze of the hipster baristas, who look like they listen to bands that the bands you'll be listening to in five years are listening to now.
Not so.
After the striking interior (which looks like it was designed by a claustrophobe), the next impression I got was a warm welcome by a couple of baristas. When they heard I was from out of town, they gave me a cute little hand-drawn, photocopied card with local businesses that the shop recommends. When they heard I avoid gluten, they were happy to show me around their gluten-free options. When they heard I liked BBQ, they gave me very specific directions to a BBQ joint in town.
Not only were the Habit baristas informative, they were also well-read. Along one wall is about 25 options for magazines to buy, or "HABIT COPY"-labeled copies to peruse. They ran the gamut from foreign affairs to interior design, but they were all interesting.
The drinks themselves were scrumptious. The baristas had saved their disdain, and emptied it on the very thought of drip coffee. "We don't do drip," one said, "Want to try french press?" French press is all I do at home, and they do it fairly well here, though a little weak for my taste. The cappuccino I ordered was just right, as was the rice triangle with a hint of cardamon. -
Review from Dave D.
Victoria, BC
6/25/2011
Their coffee is excellent and their snacks are even better (as long as you have a sweet tooth - which I do).
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Review from Josh W.
Vancouver, BC
10/14/2009 1 photo
Great vibe and authentic feel in an area so close to the main tourist hub. The baristas are friendly, the coffee bean quality great, and beverage preparation is top notch.
I liked perching at the window with a good book, and intermittently people watching the trendy clientelle in and out of the store.
There's an intriguing photograph series throughout the cafe, and a handy chalk board with recommended community events.
Definitely check this place out. -
Review from Sara W.
Victoria, BC
4/17/2009
If I was rating Habit strictly on the quality of its espresso, I would have given it five stars. Habit has become my must-visit source of quality caffeine every time I'm downtown. The baristas are really friendly, and I love perusing a magazine or two as I down my latté.
So why only four stars? As someone who spends an almost excessive amount of time in coffee shops (I'm a freelancer, so coffeeshop = office), I tend to place a pretty high value on the availability of comfortable seating and overall ambiance. Since Habit's seating is mainly high bar stools or benches along the wall, it's not exactly the perfect setting for working or for lengthy conversations with friends. That's okay though -- Habit's quality espresso will still have me returning again and again. -
Review from frank m.
9/7/2009
I'm a Seattle coffee snob. That said, Habit met and exceeded the bar for high taste quality coffee, made and poured correctly, served in an aesthetically pleasing environment. Good pastries and local rags were a bonus.
We visited during the Fringe Festival. -
Review from Brad W.
Victoria, BC
2/16/2009
Habit is all about coffee and style. They are pretty good at both, but Victoria sets a pretty high bar for coffee culture. I think that they should concentrate less on the style and more on the coffee. The pastries / cookies aren't worth eating for their own sake but good enough to accompany one's coffee.
All in all, with Discovery Coffee so close by I don't end up at Habit that much, but if you happen by and want a break they are the best for a half-dozen blocks around. -
Review from Mike L.
3/28/2009
I recently visited Victoria with my girlfriend, and the first place we wandered into was Habit -- a cute looking place to get a coffee and a sense of the town.
We were absolutely blown away by the fantastically friendly and helpful service, the great coffee, and the wonderful snacks.
The place was wonderfully friendly, and Shane not only poured us some fantastic drinks (the cappuccino was excellent and the french press coffee was very well done) but he also took the time to give us some insight into the town and the area. I really appreciated the friendliness and attentiveness.
We also tried an oatmeal cookie covered in dried fruits and nuts and a little sesame concoction, both were delicious. All the food seemed creative and well thought out.
And to top it all off, there's fantastic artwork, a bright airy feel, and an excellent selection of alternative magazines for sale, with Habit copies for people to read while they're caffienating.
I highly recommend this place to anyone and everyone. -
Review from Elaine L.
11/14/2010
This is an easy one: Perfect. YUM! (and the fresh made goodies to go with it.)
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Review from Jess E.
5/27/2009
Hailing from Portland, I am always thankful to stumble across a great coffee dig. Places like Habit are committed to excellence. Discerning, rather than snobby. The friendly baristas I ran into were not full of attitude, rather, they were full of good spirits. The environment is clean and modern, totally youthful. Complete with a full complement of magazines (meaningful ones not "US" or "People") and bad, hip art. It may take 6 or 7 minutes to get a cup of french press, but it arrives perfect and only seconds old when it hits your lips.
go here. -
Review from E E.
12/29/2010
LOVE IT! The espresso drinks are amazing and beautifully presented. I love the atmosphere -- a nice balance between a quiet place for working/thinking and a relaxing hangout spot to chill with friends. Also a great place to grab a coffee while waiting for a table for brunch at Mo:Le nextdoor.
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Review from Amy D.
3/19/2010
We had just taken the ferry over from Vancouver and we had been carrying our luggage and we were looking for a coffee bar where we could refuel and just chill a little. The West coast makes the best lattes, ie Seattle, Vancouver, and San Fran, so i was really not surprised at the quality that Habit produces. We ordered to lattes, and usually Lattes come in porcelain mugs but these came in glass, so u could really see the textured milk. The space is so open and minimal and the baristas were so nice. I am not a big fan of Victoria but i would go back just for their lattes.
Listed in: Most Legit Coffee
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Review from Walter A.
8/31/2009
What a pleasant surprise on my latest trip to Canada with the folks and my girlfriend. Coming from Portland, where coffee shops of all sorts of look-n-feels, vibes and sizes are abundant, it was refreshing to find something that was set up for serious coffee in such a robust shopping district of Victoria. The baristas were well trained, they were very informative about there standards and practices. The business lit was very upfront about where the beans were sourced from, co-op, etc...and the turnaround was on point. My parents, who aren't coffee folk at all, loved it and we all enjoyed a very pleasant sun drenched cup-a-joe out in front on their slatted wood benches. Well done!
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Review from Dan B.
Abbotsford, BC
8/9/2009 1 Check-in Here
Good atmosphere. Friendly baristas. Above average espresso.
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Review from Ryan N.
Vancouver, BC
2/7/2010
I love coffee, but I wouldn't say I'm a coffee connoisseur. I can tell a good cup of coffee from a bad one, but I don't know that I can tell a great cup of coffee from a good one, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, this place has great coffee. But to me, what really makes me like this spot is the space. It's got a really nice open layout and classic Victoria brick walls.
If a tourist stopped me downtown to ask where to go for coffee, this is where I'd send them. -
Review from David H.
1/9/2009 1 photo
Excellent coffee shop. Recommended on our visit by the people at Ditch Records. Besides coffee they have all sorts of vegan brownies, muffins, etc. The decor is very modern with those high barstool height chairs. Great place to work. I bought a book by a local artist off a rack there and the guy behind the counter, for some reason thinking that I personally knew the artist, told me about a birthday party the artist was going to be having later that day. I didn't end up going, but it really made me feel welcome in a town that I just happened to be visiting. So...five stars definitely!
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Review from Casey K.
Victoria, BC
7/28/2009
If you're OK with being in an intensely trendy environment you might like it They have good coffee and everything but it's just very exclusive.
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Review from Kuyler N.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 5/14/2010
This is the best in Victoria, for sure. My first shot here was sub-par; but everything since has been fantastic.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/4/2009
I've revised my review after taking some of their beans home. To my surprise, I think I've figured… Read more »
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