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Mink - A Chocolate Café
Categories: Food Specialty Food Chocolatiers and Shops Food Coffee & Tea Chocolatiers and Shops, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
863 Hastings St WVancouver, BC V6C 3N9
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 633-2451
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:30 am - 6 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
71 reviews for Mink - A Chocolate Café
Review Highlights
"Next time I'll bring a friend to share a fondue."
(in 23 reviews)
"The 70% dark chocolate hot chocolate is amazing."
(in 5 reviews)
"Food, tried their Belgian Monkey."
(in 2 reviews)
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71 reviews in English
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Review from Mark D.
10/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Found Mink A Chocolate Café by accident and OMG I am so glad we tried the hot chocolate. Mink A Chocolate Café is a small café located in an alley way off one of the main roads downtown. If you like hot chocolate you have to add Mink A Chocolate Café to your vacation must do list. I didn't purchase the chocolate but they have some interesting bars with strange flavors. There is loads of available seating to enjoy your hot chocolate.
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Review from Theresa W.
Vancouver, BC
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
ChocoLOVE!! I passed here a few days ago, and absolutely had to try their hot chocolate for the HC Festival 2012. Between the two options, I went with the salted caramel over the pistachio (the girl behind the register said the pistachio one is extremely mellow for flavouring). I secretly wanted the drinking chocolate, but I was getting it to go and was worried it'd turn gross quickly once I stepped out into the Vancouver winter. For $7, the large HC was fabulous! The flavouring was great and the dark hot cocoa make it deliciously rich.
I was on a choco high the whole way home. And to top it off, I found the dark chocolate wafer (complimentary with my hot cocoa) a few days later, so I was re-blissed while I nibbled on it. Mmmmm.... happiness is finding lost chocolate.
I've also tried the chocolate waffles here, and they're a great snack to go with your chocolate fix. Next time I'm back I'll try the s'mores, I've been eying them forever!! -
Review from Herman E.
Updated - 2/3/2012
Update for the hot chocolate.
That was a pretty good cuppa hot chocolate! Not overly sweet, creamy, and chocolatey! I ordered a dark chocolate hot chocolate, with pistachio.
Definitely good, not sure whether it is worth the steep price though.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/29/2012
This is one of the many chocolate places in town. I have only bought chocolate from here and have… Read more »
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Review from Wendy Y.
1/24/2012
I heard Mink makes really good hot chocolate but nah... I can't help it but shake my head based on 3 consecutive visits I paid over the past 10 months.
The first two visits at Mink took place in summer 2011. The hot chocolate was alright. It was thinner than I expected. You can taste the chocolate and the milk but they were both pretty watered down. The waffle was good ONLY if it was toasted long enough otherwise it would taste doughy. Their chocolate bars and coffee were meh. I gave my final benefit of the doubt over the past week when Mink participated in the Hot Chocolate Festival. I am saddened to say, nothing has improved. The pistachio and rosemary hot chocolates were not memorable. I've been disappointed time and time again and I don't think I'll go back unless there is an improvement.
Other than the food and beverages the location is fantastic. The cafe is clean, inviting, and slick. This is a great place to people watch and enjoy the breathe-taking mountain views. If you needed a redemption hot chocolate, just walk over to Bella Gelateria, which is only a block or two away.Listed in: Baked Goods/Sweets
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Review from Kristina C.
Vancouver, BC
1/17/2012
Stopped by for a cup of hot chocolate on a snowy day, and it was the perfect pick-me-up! I opted for the hot chocolate made with milk chocolate while my friend got dark chocolate. A 12 oz is pretty pricy, coming out to be $5.50, but it was probably the best hot chocolate I have ever had. It was so smooth, with just the right amount of sweetness. I love that they give a piece of wrapped chocolate with your drink, even though I'm not a big chocolate eater.
The decor was great, modern yet inviting. I loved the packaging of the chocolate bars, and I bet they would make great gifts. The cashier was not the friendliest guy but he didn't do anything to offend me so it didn't bother me too much.
I will definitely have to indulge at Mink again! -
Review from Charly S.
Vancouver, BC
2/7/2012
We really enjoyed this cafe of chocolate! Three of us went and shared 2 "personal" chocolate fondues, we thought it was quite good. We prefer a thicker fondue, but it was still very tasty with a nice assortment of dipping items (mandarin oranges, sponge cake, bananas, apple). We also thought the coffee was very good. It's a tad pricey, but I would guess their rent is as well, prime downtown location.
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Review from Ramon V.
Updated - 1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Yet another update and the stars continue to tumble away:
For Christmas this year I received a box of Mink chocolates from a relative visiting from out of town. So I know it wasn't a re-gift. The chocolates were all a little grainy and not at all special. They all tasted remarkably similar and apart from the one with coconut shreds in it, it was hard to determine anything differentiating one from another. I am not always a fan of the mass onslaught of Purdy's gift boxes passed from one person to another as Christmas gifts, but those are hands down MUCH better than these ones from Mink.Listed in: Vancouver Americanos
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/20/2011
Ok, chocolate aside, this is also a coffee shop. More and more, after repeat visits, I'm realizing… Read more »
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Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
1/17/2012
outer self: MOCHA!!!!!!
inner self: did you seriously just spend almost $6 on a mocha????
outer self: uh
inner self: really???
outer self: uh
inner self: what possessed you!??!
outer self: i wanted a mocha
inner self: did you not notice the HUGE discrepancy between latte ($3 and change) and mocha ($5.88) at this place?!
outer self: well ya, but somehow i still ordered it
inner self: as i screamed in horror!!!
outer self: clearly not loud enough to stop me
inner self: so, how was it?
outer self: it was a mocha
inner self: and are you proud of yourself?
outer self: not particularly, but they gave me a mini dark chocolate!
inner self: and where is said chocolate?
outer self: in my coat pocket
inner self: after how long!?
outer self: 2 days
inner self: so what have you learned
outer self: no mocha is worth $6
inner self: ...and!??!
outer self: i annoy myself -
Review from Jeff F.
Vancouver, BC
The fiance has been bugging me to come here for SOOOOooooo long. What is it with girls and chocolate? ;)
We had some hot chocolate there... she had the 38% cocoa chocolate, and I had the 70+% one... like really... at 38% it was like candy... where mine had a touch of the bitterness and richness of chocolate with the smooth creaminess of the milk. It was pretty darn good.... I may have to come back. But don't tell her. ;) -
Review from Sebastian P.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 7/22/2011 1 photo
Yummm I just had another one of these sinful & delicious Chocolate Fondues.
After coming here every now and then I am happy to say that this place still delivers the same quality and satisfaction as on day one.
I'm not as big on the waffles anymore... those would really be MUCH better if baked fresh. Just toasted from the shelf they are quiet stale.
After all: I'm a fan! :)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/30/2010
Attn Chocolate Lovers !! You found your heaven !
A little secluded on the side you will find Mink,… Read more »
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Review from Raza M.
10/31/2011
I came here with a few friends after wandering in Gastown for a while, looking for place to have Coffee. It was late afternoon, and they were about to close. But they still let us in. It's nice place, with lots of chocolate. Practically everything has chocolate in it, just like the name suggests. The chocolate fondues here are delicious. The drinks were really good, and come with a little bite-size chocolate bar on the side. Price-wise the place is slightly on the up side, but good place all over. I really liked it.
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Review from Trudi C.
I did a double-take as I walked past this place the first time. Wha? Chocolate-whaaaaa? And in I walked.
I'm notorious for umming and ahhing over making a decision when it comes to things, and for the life of me, I couldn't decide whether to have a milk or dark hot chocolate. So I asked the guy serving which he thought was better and he instantly replied the dark chocolate. "DARK CHOCOLATE PLEASE!" I replied. Settled :) Even better, when they hand you the drink, they also include a tiny chunk of *more* chocolate. What's not to like? And it was very nice! I was going to say it was a bit of an overdose of chocolate, but that would be a flat out lie ;)
Go! -
Review from Abi B.
3/11/2011
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE CHOCOLATE.
Mink is one of the best places in town to get quality handmade chocolate with high cocoa content. I love their ganache filled chocolate bars; I swear you'll never look at a Hershey bar the same way again.
Today I had a craving for something sweet so I headed over to Mink to get my fix. I had a milk chocolate mocha and a Belgian monkey waffle (a warm Belgian waffle with your choice of milk or dark chocolate, banana, and whipped cream). I also got a small square of 72% extra dark chocolate which is complimentary with every drink order.
To say that it really hit the spot would be an understatement. I loved everything. I don't claim to be a coffee connoisseur but I know what I like. To me, the mocha was the perfect balance of bitter and sweet (I didn't feel the need to add any sugar to it) and it paired very well with my Belgian monkey waffle. The waffle's sweetness was perfectly offset by the dark chocolate and banana. It was pleasant to nibble on the dark chocolate square while I sipped on my drink.
It was also enjoyable to sit at a table by the window and people watch while I savoured my food and drink.
Next time I'll bring a friend to share a fondue. Can't go wrong with s'mores and really... who doesn't love playing with fire. -
Review from Yogini L.
11/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I visit Mink every time I'm in Vancouver but this time it let me down - I find the drinking chocolate overly sweet for my liking; dumped after a few sips....
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Review from Bec R.
Scarborough, ON
6/6/2011
After reading the reviews on Yelp I wanted to try this place out. I was super excited and ordered the fruit waffles and a hot chocolate, my boyfriend got the banana waffles and a coffee.
Firstly when they say a selection of fruit I would assume it would be more then just 4 pieces of bitter tasting tangerine???? The waffle was somewhat bland and I really didn't enjoy it. The hot chocolate was ok, nothing spectacular like everyone says, I have had better! My boyfriends waffles were the same but just had a few pieces of banana. He said his coffee was pretty average also. I really didn't like the tacky silver plates they bring it out on as well, also getting up to get your own beverages? Shouldn't the waiters bring that to you?
I was pretty disappointed in this place and would not recommend it to anyone....not sure why the ratings are so high? -
Review from Kailyn C.
Coquitlam, BC
8/7/2011 3 photos
I had my first visit to Mink yesterday, and I will be back for s'MORE!
For about $10 with tax, I was able to order a milk chocolate fondue that came on a silver platter. It came with pound cake, apple slices, banana and strawberries for dipping. My initial thought upon tasting it was that
the chocolate wasn't as rich as I wanted and I wish it came bubbly hot instead of taking time to warm up, but it was still good chocolate that was smooth and milky. Next time, I will definitely be trying the dark chocolate to see if there's a difference in the taste and richness.
Moving along, for about the same price, my friend ordered the S'Mores fondue which looked like a lot of fun to play with. It came with it's own grill and the usual graham crackers and marshmallow. Now, the funny part was watching her struggle to incorporate the fondue into the system. After melting the marshmallow with this really cool powerful tiny grill, she dipped into the fondue and smothered it with the cracker. 5 minutes later, I couldn't help but laugh at her because she had chocolate sauce dripping down her fingers, hands and all over the plate. She also set several marshmallows on fire -I did too, so the grill is really powerful. She said it was a messy job, but fully enjoyable.
Her only tip, ladies and gents, avoid ordering the S'Mores fondue on your first date unless your date likes you covered in chocolate. *wink wink* ;)
Overall, I think it's a fun and chic cafe, terribly enjoyable and I will be back for a dark hot chocolate and marzipan bar. Yum!
PS For translink lovers, the cafe is really easy to get too. Just take the train to waterfront and it's only a block away! -
Review from fred e.
West Vancouver, BC
5/13/2011
After reading all the reviews I was hoping to get some great dark chocolate and an espresso.
The espresso was pretty disappointing and extremely bitter. They have the typical fare for coffee and personally was not very thrilled with all they offer for coffee.
Bought a couple chocolate bars because I heard great things and the packaging was nice. The chocolates were pretty average at best. Does not compare at all to Thomas Haas or Chocolat on Burrard.
This place seems to be all looks with very little substance or identity. -
Review from Dan J.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 1/1/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Okay I tried really I did. Went back two more times but I'm still disappointed by the coffee.
Ever get the feeling that the owners of a shop read your review on Yelp? When I showed up the next time the woman said that I had tried the Brazil last time not the Ethiopia. So I asked for the lightest beans they had available this time. She brewed me a cup of Ethiopia. It too was bitter and burnt tasting.
The third time I went back she asked if I liked the Ethiopia. She seemed to care. I said hesitantly "Honestly? It was a bit bitter for me personally." I ordered up the Mexican. Again dark and bitter but a bit sweeter.
I am starting to wonder if their coffees aren't deliberately over-roasted. Maybe bitter is better when it comes to pairing coffee with chocolate. I dunno.
Had the chocolate and the lemon madeleines. But again the chocolate was stale crunchy & crumbly. The lemon was nice though.
Gonna stick with three stars. The service got better & better each time I went and they really do seem to care about the quality of their product. Maybe I'm too hard to please. Such a nice place. I'm rooting for them but, for now, I'm not going to go out of my way for their coffee.Listed in: Coffee. The Good, The Brewed &…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/28/2010
You know what makes for a lousy first impression? Asking a question at a coffee shop and the guy… Read more »
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Review from Angela L.
11/23/2010
Mink is the type of place I know I would have LOVED when I was like, 14, and thought I was really sophisticated and big city when I visited places like this and ordered hyper-sweetened coffee-flavoured milk in a to-go cup (I grew up in suburbs and small towns, okay...cut me some slack). Surprisingly, as a "full-blown adult," Mink still tickles my fancy. I guess I haven't changed that much.
Mink covers all the bases with its beverage list...espresso drinks, hot chocolates, teas, cold blended drinks, etc. It's a tad more expensive than may be considered the norm, but I would say that the quality makes up for it. Their espresso drinks are not mind-blowing, for all the coffee ultra-snobs, but are definitely sufficient. The hot chocolates are gorgeously rich, and I love the chocolate chai drink option. You can even customize your beverage of choice with mint (Peppermink) or chili (Cinnamink) flavours. I haven't tried these flavourings though, because I haven't found a way to order it without sounding totally lame...yes, I've been told I think too much, why do you ask?
I've tried one chocolate bar here that I thought was delicious, and have also indulged in the chocolate fondue, which was a nice spoily little treat served up on a silver platter. Speaking of chocolate, as others have mentioned, you get a complimentary square of dark chocolate with your drink order, which is really nice.
Also, Mink is beautiful inside, and I really appreciate their outdoor seating in warmer (and even sometimes in cooler) weather. I also appreciate their fancy European low-flow toilets...and the fact that the employees donate their tips to charity! Sweet!Listed in: Dates are Great, Liquid Lunch
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Review from Donna J.
Vancouver, BC
9/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Decadently delicious. The place to take any chocolate lover. Or to go by yourself as a treat. A bit too rich to eat too often without my insides being extremely unhappy, though!
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Review from Siri W.
6/12/2011
Okay, so I know all girls say they love chocolate. I get that, that's cool, what's not to love? But I am a lady who LOVES my chocolate. As in, every morning there is chocolate before any other food. As in, I am the proud owner of a chocolate scented candle that induces scrumtreslescent smores-filled dreams.
So imagine my delight when I stumble upon this little gem. This sleek, modern cafe isn't far from the Waterfront skytrain station (or Burrard for that matter) and it really is lovely. The bonbons are yummy, the chocolate bars are too and the hot chocolate is indescribable. It's SO thick and SO rich that, I swear to you it is as filling as an entire meal. On my anniversary my boyfriend took me by here on our way to dinner and I grabbed a hot chocolate and was stuffed before we even hit the restaurant!
I have seen their Smores Fondue and am greatly intrigued. The one star missing is because I haven't had the opportunity to try everything I want to yet...so who knows, perhaps another is yet to come. But if you're walking by or even in the area, pop in and try the hot chocolate - you won't find a better one in the city. -
Review from Vincent N.
Vancouver, BC
I've ran my own coffee shop for over 5 years now and what really excites me as a coffee enthusiast is that Mink is a Clover user of coffee.
To most people this won't mean much at first until I explain what makes Mink awesome for using Clover. Traditionally how most coffee houses make coffee is that they use drip coffee methods. That can mean coffee staying on a warmer up to an hour (or some shops, notoriously more) at time. If you're lucky you get the coffee at the very beginning which is when it's most flavourful and its best.
However if you're unlucky, you get the end of it, and the coffee loses a lot of the flavours and aromas that are supposed to be there. They usually become incredibly citrusy and actually age (in a bad way.)
Mink makes every coffee fresh. They use whole beans, grind it on the spot and produce a great cup of coffee that is truly fresh. Made on the spot. And the taste you get right then and there, is the taste of the actual coffee, and what the coffee should taste like.
The staff overall are very friendly and courteous. I've met Marc the owner, and he was gracious and polite, and runs an awesome chocolate cafe. I'll definitely be dropping more often to try out different goodies.
And as a side note: The washroom was impeccable. I'm truly impressed how clean it was to use.
Only Read on if you really want detailed information about the flavours.
Coffees Tasted: Ethiopia Sidamo
Has a great floral aroma. This is a medium bodied coffee with great citrus notes. It's clean crisp and bright.. It will jump at you. To get the true flavour of this coffee (if you're a purist), I wouldn't suggest you put milk and sugar inside for your first few sips.
Mexico Oaxaca:
Has smells of milk chocolate and some hints of nuttiness behind the chocolate smell. This blend is smooth, and has citrus notes that are not as dominant as the Ethiopia Sidamo. It's a light body, and I would not advise that people get this coffee if you like Dark Earthy Roasts.
Pastry:
I haven't had the waffles, but I've had the Ondi, and I can tell you this shortbread cookie is delicious. Especially if you take a bite out of the chocolate covered side. It's creamy and the sweetness becomes heightened when dipped in hot coffee. -
Review from Wilfred W.
11/21/2010 5 photos
The location was good, it was in a courtyard sort of thing. It felt good, and it looked better inside. Tables with literature on it, so you can read it instead of trying to talk to the person across from you. Hanging lights, simple and spacious layout.
Service was good, the employees was nice and the owner explained to me the difference between the chocolate bars.
Food, tried their Belgian Monkey.... I wasn't impress by it, at least.. i didn't think it was anything really special. (6 out of 10)
Drinks, Ordered the hot chocolate.... OMG!!!!!! that ___ was good! My sister isn't as much of a chocoholic as I am, infact she said it was not sweet enough for a cup of hot chocolate. However, for me it was a heavenly drink. Unfortunately, starbucks and other cafe (and those instant hot chocolate) has set a standard for hot chocolate that I cannot agree with. A sweet, milky, and powdery drink..... ew ==. BUT!!! Mink's.... My goodness, start with smelling it... the aroma of the coco butter is very arousing. Then drink it, there is barely any powderish feeling to it, it was really smooth... and as you shallow it.... the coco butter kicks in with a POW. "Now that my friend is a good cup of hot chocolate" (imitation of bruce lee) 10 out of 10... for sure!
but I must say... they are pretty pricy.... but was the hot chocolate worth it? Yes, yes it is. (NOT THE BELGIAN MONKEY THO) -
Review from Trevor J.
Vancouver, BC
9/9/2010
I was invited to Mink for a meeting and have to say, it's on my list of places to go back to and check out more thoroughly.
The place had a warm and modern decor that I liked immediately. Often 'modern' can be cold and alienating to me but I loved the dark chocolate walls and floor-to-ceiling windows to keep the place bright.
Now this was for a meeting so I didn't go with the S'mores Fondue, which is what I really wanted. Somehow I didn't think it would go over well with chocolate and gram cracker crumbs caked into marshmallow all over my face :)
Nevertheless, I was very happy with my chai tea, which came on a silvered tray and a small piece of dark chocolate - very classy. I'll have to make my way back here for sure. -
Review from Dani C.
Port Coquitlam, BC
7/19/2011
I've been here a few times before, but the last time I was there was a while ago.
I got a hot (milk) chocolate with a plain waffle to dip into said hot chocolate, as well as one of the many different kinds of chocolate bar. I got the, well...hot chocolate one! I had been waiting for this particular one since I never tried it and I believe the person who was handling at the cashier mentioned they ran out of stock since February, so I got lucky to get one today. The hot chocolate was really good and the quality hasn't changed at all during the other times I've been there and even though it is a bit pricey for a hot chocolate, it is worth it. The waffle however, as good as it was, I think it wasn't worth the price. As for the hot chocolate chocolate bar, it definitely was worth the wait. But, for $7 it is expensive and I'd probably just buy another one or any of the other chocolate bars for special occasion. I paid for about $15-something, so it is really expensive considering what I bought, so do note the priceyness of it.Listed in: Food!
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Review from Jill D.
Vancouver, BC
3/14/2011
Amazing! This place has totally figured it out.
I'll make this quick:
The best hot chocolate in the city. The best frozen chocolate drink in the city and the best mocha in the city. On top of that they make their own chocolate. You can order belgian waffles and fresh fruit for dessert and they have super friendly staff. We love it and seriously try to stop in every Sunday afternoon. -
Review from Tania Y.
Vancouver, BC
5/30/2010
This place is DELICIOUS! Imagine sipping on a drink and being able to distinctively TASTE the chocolate in it. It's pure delight.
I was introduced to Mink Chocolates a week ago and ended up making 3 visits within a week because I couldn't get that delicious rich chocolate taste out of my mouth and out of my head! (I literally begged my boyfriend to take me there.)
I've tried their mocha, hot chocolate and chocolate london fog - equally delicious. With other coffee shops, I find that I'm adding sugar, honey, chocolate powder etc. to make my drink taste the way I like. At Mink, it comes out perfect. Oh, the white chocolate Belgium waffles? Also perfect. This is definitely a little treasure you have to try, especially if you love sweet indulgences.
On a side note - during one of my visits there, we were unfortunate to encounter management scolding one of the employees out in the open -- not something we wanted to see or hear. It made us uncomfortable, it was unprofessional and it turned the experience into a more negative one. Let's hope I don't have to see that again.
Other than that, I think I'm in la la la love with their drinks! -
Review from Novaira M.
Vancouver, BC
8/7/2010
Went here today after reading the reviews on yelp, this place lives up to its reputation ! I tried the chocolate fondue with fruit and it was delicious ! The chocolate was good quality and the quantity was enough as dessert for 2 people after lunch. too bad this place isn't open after 6 on weekdays.
The fondue costs about 10 with taxes, the chocolate drinks looked great too, they even have a chai with chcolate ! will try those next time. The drinks looked a little on the pricey side as compared to other coffee shops. -
Review from Terry Y.
Vancouver, BC
8/20/2011
This place is horrible! I went here with my wife to buy chocolates for a friends anniversary. I am not a chocolate expert, so I had a few questions to ask when buying these type of gourmet chocolates.
The owner was extremely rude! He made racial comments towards me being of asian decent and degraded me intellectually. I felt humiliated and left the store immediately. I would not go here.
I also know people who bought chocolates here and found hairs in his product. Someone needs to report him the ministry of health. -
Review from Karin F.
North Vancouver, BC
1/21/2011
A perfect place to hang out with your girl friends in the winter!
First, the staff is really friendly and helpful. They allowed me to use their phone even though I was not a customer at the time! Second, the decor and food presentation is really elegant and classy: worthy of a gourmet restaurant. But the thing that really got me hooked is that it was the first time since I've left Europe that I got to eat a real Belgian waffle with real melted Belgian chocolate on top. What a delight! I am salivating just writing about it now! -
Review from Kevin T.
Mink is known for their fine Belgian chocolate, so I took my girlfriend here on our holiday in Vancouver since she's a chocolate fiend.
She had the Belgian waffle with banana & whipped cream & dark chocolate of course. She also had the dark hot chocolate. The waffle didn't taste like it was freshly made, but was still very good. The hot chocolate is not as sweet as other hot chocolate mainly because of the 70% dark chocolate that it comprised of. In other words, very good, high quality hot chocolate.
The staff was quite friendly as well. I only wished that I had time to try their chocolate fondue. -
Review from Wing M.
7/12/2010
When my friends and I went into Mink they immediately mobbed the chocolate displays and started gathering flavors they were in love with while going ooo and aah at the pretty truffles and sniffed at the baked goods and coffee. Thankfully, I was a little more level headed and actually read their menu and discovered that they serve chocolate fondues.
For less than $10 you can get a wonderful smores chocolate fondue for two where you get a tub of tasty chocolate along with marshmallows and graham crackers. They also have a little additional toasty thing that you can use to roast the marshmallows before dipping them in chocolate and devouring them. There's also regular fruit fondue which was tasty but less exciting.
Needless to say I was extremely happy afterwards. -
Review from Johnny W.
11/9/2010
Dropped in on Mink after spotting it during our last visit up to Vancouver (over half a year ago now), but didn't stay long since it was too early to imbibe liquid chocolate, and just checked out their chocolate offerings instead. They have a hefty collection of ganache-filled chocolate bars (like pecans in maple syrup, or port fillings), as well as more traditional solid chocolate bars and other treats.
Unfortunately, they don't have much in the way of sampling, but when asked, the guy working the counter did give us a couple of their individually packaged 74% dark chocolate squares, which were amazing. And of the two aforementioned flavors I picked up, the port (Tawny & Ruby Are Friends) is one I'd pass on, while the maple one (Canada) is one I'd recommend trying out. A few notes are that the ganache fillings are more textured than liquid, as one might usually expect, and that prices are also a tad high - but that's almost to be expected from small chocolatiers like these. -
Review from Sheryl D.
9/8/2010
My usually directionally-challenged self had no problems today walking towards West Hastings to meet a friend for lunch. I was entertaining myself by counting how many frazzled office people were crossing at each intersection (from Waterfront station) during lunch hour when I eyed the Mink sign to my right. I've heard awesome reviews from you gorgeous Yelpers that I decided to step in to survey their chocolates.
To cut the babbling, I walked out with two bars: The Mermaid's Choice (burnt caramel, fleur de sel and rosemary) and Peace in Provence (French lavender, grand marnier). The MC bar tasted like somebody's basting you with caramel as you're swimming in a chocolate bath (if this sounds gross, there's something seriously wrong with you). The PiP bar made me feel like I was rolling in lush, chocolate meadow with happy, playing elves. My only regret is not having more time to order the fondue or just a drink! Excellent quality chocolate. I was more impressed not with the flavour concoctions (pretty imaginative) but with the way they delivered on the flavour.
The only con is that I've had equally good chocolate at less the very steep $6.25 price tag. It's almost a declaration of uber-yuppiness to be paying this much for a 50g chocolate bar! However, I will admit to being a reluctant yuppie and go back for more! -
Review from Vanessa D.
Vancouver, BC
6/2/2010
The sipping-chocolate battle continues!
I definitely need to go back, being that all I got this visit was the drinking chocolate to go. It was very good; thick, sweet, just the right temp and certainly a high quality choco base. They give you a very large cup, almost too much (not that I am complaining!). The staff was super friendly and very prompt. The cafe was clean and modern looking, felt almost like a cross between Ikea and Blenz.
I may be crazy, but the texture was a bit too smooth, and left a bit of a film in my mouth. From all the zillions of chocolates I have tried and researched (I even took a fancypants chocolate seminar in university), this means there is extra emulsifier. And as it cooled, the texture stayed consistent, which also means extra emulsifier. Hrmmmm.....
I need to go back to sample their other offerings, but I think my heart (and tummy) may belong to Dulcinea. -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
8/8/2009 2 photos
Drinks that knock my socks off - THIS IS ONE OF THEM!
A cup of hot chocolate with non fat milk mixed with half dark and half milk ganache is like slurping on a chocolate fondue fountain where you dip fruit in... you cannot even taste the "light skim milk" because it was so creamy and rich... heaven in the mouth....... MMMMMMMM... and you can a little piece of dark mink chocolate too... MMM dark chocolate :)
That was just PART A - ... part B is a blended mocha with added peppermink - smart advertising gimmick. It was sooo flavourful and bursting with mintyness... like a morning after eight.
I don't think it's something that you can have all the time because it is rich.. but trust me... if you need something to blow your mind.. this is it! -
Review from Peter S.
3/7/2010
The Dark Chocolate Latte is heavenly.
Too bad I felt like a dork ordering it. Duh! It's called a Mocha!
Oh well. I will still order it wrong, and nibble away at the mini chocolate. Oh so heavenly indeed. -
Review from Es T.
Vancouver, BC
5/21/2009
Not to be a nay sayer in the garden of "oh yahs!!!", but gosh darn it, I was underwhelmed. Me! A confessed chocoholic.
I was first introduced to to Mink A Chocolate at a corporate Christmas soiree where wines and chocolates were paired with delightful results. Needless to say, my vows to get to the source of the chocolate and eat my way through the Cafe were made on the spot. I finally made time for a journey to the source a few weeks ago.
It was a lovely day filled with fresh pink blossoms drifting in a light breeze. The courtyard that Mink faces was bright green with spring. I loved the clean lines of the cafe and the outlook, but the Cafe experience was mediocre in spite of that.
The servers were disengaged and slow, the coffee was a 4 out of 10 and the mocha was overly sweet. Also, the selection of fresh chocolates was limited and I felt that the flavor combinations lacked imagination.
Granted, my top chocolate experiences include Kees Chocolates in NY, Recchiuti in San Francisco and Ernest in Cannes. That is stiff competition, but Vancouver is home to a lot of peak food experiences so my hopes were high.
Never a quitter, I will return to see if it was just an off day. I did come away with some chocolate bars to send off to friends and family for some independent reviews :-) -
Review from Victoria R.
Vancouver, BC
4/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
Since I love chocolate and had great success with Dulcinea (read my other review), Mink was a no-brainer.
The CinnaMinkMocha is amazing - I don't like chili/spicy but it's just a warm little hint that fills your mouth after you've taken a sip. The 70% dark chocolate hot chocolate is amazing.
The atmosphere in the little cafe is warm and welcoming, and they have a great collection of chocolate bars with strange mixes (caramel, salt and a hint of rosemary) that taste surprising and amazing all at once. -
Review from Shen S.
7/8/2011
cute coffee shop w/ lots of yummy chocolates and the best hot chocolate i've had in a long time! =)
I also tried their peace in provence chocolate, which is a bit pricey ($7) for a tiny chocolate bar...it was decent, but I think w/ $7 they can do better
It also took almost 20 minutes for me to get my drink, which was just a simple regular hot chocolate...but it was definitely worth the wait! They give u a little piece of dark chocolate to go w/ all your hot drinks as well, which is cute!
