Check out Vancouver's new surreal cafe before it opens (PHOTOS)
We know what you’re thinking, and yes – this place is even cooler in person.
The Laurence & Chico Café, located at 833 Bute Street, oozes that bizarrely-wonderful Alice in Wonderland charm that’s hard to come by these days, and you can see for yourself once it opens on June 29.
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Created and designed by dynamic design duo Laurence Li and Chico Wang, the pair has taken their intricate, detailed, and eccentric womenswear and accessories brand and applied it to a cafe format.
This finished product? A fashion-meets-food feast for the eyes located in Downtown Vancouver.
Stepping in and gazing around it’s easy to forget that the 2,082 sq. ft. space used to be the West End home of Jethro’s Fine Grub before it shuttered in January 2017. The wallpaper, tiles, chandeliers, and bar were all designed by Li and Wang, bringing the clothing and space full circle.
Laurence & Chico Café (Photo: Leila Kwok)
The cafe will have a grab-and-go counter for tea, coffee, and light bites, and eventually, a tea service (by reservation) will be offered in the eccentric parlour room behind the counter.
Patrons who head here can expect coffee from local favourite 49th Parallel, tea by Theodor Tea, juice by Up Jus, ice cream by La Glace, and canelés and bostocks by French Made.
On top of that, there will be baked goods at the takeaway counter too. Expect viennoiseries and croissants by Temper Pastry to name a few.
To-Go tea set from Laurence & Chico Café (Photo: Leila Kwok)
Along with the food and beverages up for order, customers can browse Laurence and Chico’s accessories like books, scarves, and phone cases. Be sure to check out the two bathrooms at the back of the space, one is rubber ducky themed – need we say more?
Just like the fashion world changes, the aesthetic in the Laurence & Chico Café will evolve with the seasons – slipcovers for stools, interchangeable furniture legs, and chandelier shades will be swapped to reinvent the look and feel of the space.
Laurence & Chico Café (Photo: Leila Kwok)
“We wanted to provide a surreal opportunity for people to explore the Laurence & Chico world, not only through fashion but through a space that combines elements of design, furniture and home décor with a culinary experience,” says Chico Wang, Creative Director of Laurence & Chico. “With this concept café we are able to offer our brand experience at lower price points, through culinary options and takeaway items that evoke our whimsical narrative.”
The Laurence & Chico Café will be open Monday through Sunday from 11 am to 11 pm, and a once the Afternoon Tea Service is up and running later this summer it will be offered from noon to 6 pm for $46 a person.
For now, though, we urge you to head to this new West End gem, grab a quality cup of Joe, and take a seat in a ‘Monster Chair’ (and get a photo in it, obviously).
Laurence & Chico Café
Address: 833 Bute Street, Vancouver
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