By: Yasmin Hassan, staff writer
Ambit Cafe
6552 Hastings St, Burnaby
Everyday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Nestled in Kensington Square, just down the mountain from the Burnaby campus, sits Ambit Cafe. Quaint, unassuming, but filled with wonders to excite. I recommend their assortment of dacquoises if you’re in the mood for a decadent French pastry. From sandwiches to salad bowls, there’s something here for everyone! Their freshly-made drinks suit any palate, whether you’d like something fresh and tart like tea or something smooth and creamy like a latte. You’ll find a place in Ambit’s orbit with ample seating inside and outside.
Little Cafe on Robson
1258 Robson St, Vancouver
Monday–Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Love croissants? Mosey on down to Little Cafe on Robson. Their Supreme Croissants come in a few different flavours such as their chestnutty Mont Blanc. Feeling bold? Try one of their specialty drinks like the Pineapple Oat Latte. Their cafe is small and has seating, but I don’t think you’d want to be cooped up indoors when it’s blistering hot out. It is about a 10-minute walk, but Coal Harbour and Harbour Green Park are just down the way. Grab a seat, study, and enjoy a Supreme Croissant.
Peaked Pies (Burnaby Location)
4114 Hastings St, Burnaby
Sunday–Wednesday, 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Thursday–Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
If you haven’t already discovered this Australian bakery, what’s keeping you? Peaked pies are, by definition, meat pies with creamy mashed potatoes, mushy green peas, and gravy all stacked in one. Their wide variety of savoury options include the traditional Aussie or even the daring Hopper (that’s ground kangaroo meat in a cabernet merlot balsamic reduction). Don’t skip out on their sponge-y lamington cake (my favourite) or lemon meringue tarts. If you’re doing some early morning studying, you can grab their breakfast combo with your choice of breakfast pie/quiche served with a Milano coffee or Silk Road Tea. There’s lots of seating indoors and a cute little patio outside!
Papparoti
1196 Pinetree Wy #100, Coquitlam
Monday–Friday 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
This popular Malaysian coffee chain has made its way to Coquitlam bearing tasty gifts! This place is known for its hot-out-the-oven coffee caramel buns, coming in a variety of flavours such as Strawberry Fields, Nutty Bun, and Rise & Shine. Since it’s summer, you probably want to cool down. Papparoti has just the thing: ice cream buns! This location has lots of indoor seating, but Lafarge Lake is just a short walk away if you want to sit outdoors and get that fresh summer air!
Kaffi
2624B St Johns St, Port Moody
Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
The name “Kaffi” originates from the northern Icelandic word for “coffee,” emphasizing how seriously they take coffee here. With a selection of high-quality coffee and non-coffee drinks, they promise to “brew for coffee lovers and convert those who are not.” Try out their mushroom and brie croissant or a freshly made shakshuka to start your day’s study session. Desserts are perpetually changing, so why don’t you go in and discover for yourself? Kaffi offers lots of comfy seating inside the cafe and lots of outdoor seating. If you want a more scenic view, take a short walk down to Rocky Point and smell the crisp salt of the ocean.
C Market Coffee (Coquitlam Location)
#111-100 Schoolhouse St, Coquitlam
Everyday, 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
When I think of a modern cafe, I see C Market Coffee. It is the perfect blend of everything you could possibly need: drinks, food, desserts, and ambience to accommodate. I could go on about their delicious blends of coffee, all high-quality and unique in their own way, or their enticing array of desserts and pastries. They have many different food options, from brunch, to wraps, to pasta, and more.
Indigo Cafe
3388 Rosemary Heights Crescent #148, Surrey
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Feeling breakfast, brunch, or baked pastries? Indigo Cafe is the place for you. It offers a great selection of drinks, pastries, bennies, and many other delights to fuel your studies. Something that caught my eye was the South Surrey Special Bacon Benny; you could say it’s dedicated to our hard-working Surrey campus students! If you’re not keen on getting coffee, try one of their smoothies or milkshakes to keep cool in the heat. This place offers cozy seating inside and relaxing outdoor seating for those who want to get some sun.
“Something that caught my eye was the South Surrey Special Bacon Benny; you could say it’s dedicated to our hard-working Surrey campus students!”
Flourist Bakery
3433 Commercial St, Vancouver
Saturday–Wednesday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Thursday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
This unique bakery mills its own flour sourced from Canadian family farms to create a variety of baked goods, all made fresh in-house. There’s no shortage of savoury kicks, from pizza to savoury pastries. Don’t even get me started on the sweet options; do yourself a favour and try a hazelnut jam cookie. Not your thing? Try their blueberry lemon muffins or one of their parfaits. Wash your choice of goodies down with high-quality coffee, tea, or (if you need a buzz to get studious) their Hibiscus Gin Fizz! They have cozy seating indoors and out as well as a selection of baking needs on sale (in case you feel inspired to bake after cramming for your finals)!
Find the full list on our website.
