12 great Vancouver coffee shops for when you need to get stuff done

You need coffee and a place to connect – either to the internet or with some people.

Vancouver may be one of the best places in the world for sipping on a cup of slow-brewed java made with organic, fair-trade, and locally-roasted beans. But where do you go when you’ve got a meeting, a paper due, or a pile of emails to send?

Here are our picks for some great Vancouver cafes to hit up when you need WiFi or a meeting place.

Calhoun’s Bakery Cafe

If you went to UBC, getting work done at Calhoun’s might be an old familiar routine. You’re not here for the food, though; you’re here to sit down, crack open the laptop, and crank your work out at any hour – they’re open ’round the clock.

Address: 3035 West Broadway, Kitsilano
Phone: 604-731-7062

Kafka’s Coffee and Tea

Pour over coffee, conversation-stirring art, and plenty of seats are a draw for Kafka’s. If you’re hoping to score an outlet though, this isn’t a place. Bring your device fully charged to take advantage of the available work spaces.

Address: 2525 Main Street, Mount Pleasant
Phone: 604-569-2967

Blenz

Vancouver’s Blenz coffee house chain is a good bet for a seat and access to the Internet.

Address: Locations all over Metro Vancouver

Aperture Coffee Bar

Bright, welcoming, and with WiFi and plugs to boot, Aperture is a great place to get some work done. They brew Intelligentsia coffee, and also have tasty sandwiches and baked goods. Lots of tables suitable for groups, including a large communal table.

Address: 243 West Broadway, Mount Pleasant
Phone: 604-620-8065

Allegro Café

Allegro Café is located inside Whole Foods Market Cambie, but with its own entrance, and an opening time an hour ahead of the store. It’s a great place to get a coffee, bite to eat, and they’ve got WiFi and seating with tables for the crucial laptop setup. Bonus: They serve beer and wine (after 9 a.m.).

Address: 510 West 8th Avenue, Mount Pleasant
Phone: 778-370-4210

Waves Coffee

Waves Coffee was born (and brewed) in Vancouver, and they remain a reliable go-to for locals for coffee and a good spot for firing up the laptop. They’re even, as their origin story goes, the first coffee shop in the area to have offered their customers free WiFi. Take them up on it!

Address: Locations all around Vancouver

Matchstick Coffee Roasters

Bright, spacious, and very hip, both Matchstick Coffee Roasters locations are ideal for snagging a seat and getting wrapped up in some work while enjoying a fantastic cup of coffee. Seating is ideal if you’re working solo, but you may not find a plug, so take charge of your own charge before you get there.

Address: 639 E 15th Ave, Mount Pleasant and 213 E Georgia Street, Chinatown
Phone: 604-558-0639 (Mount Pleasant) and 604-336-0213 (Chinatown)

Our Town Café

Our Town has cozy on lock. Ideal for small groups (don’t be that guy hogging the four-top for yourself and your laptop!) and an inviting space with good food and drink to enjoy while you toil at the keyboard. Bonus: They serve beer!

Address: 245 E Broadway, Mount Pleasant
Phone: 604-879-1924

Breka Bakery and Cafe

There’s much to love about Breka, since they’re affordable and open around the clock. Fans of their three locations know and love them for their baked goods, seating, old school bakery vibe, and free WiFi.

Address/Phone:
Sunset: 6533 Fraser Street/604-325-6612
West End: 812 Bute Street/604-620-8200
Downtown: 855 Davie Street/ 604-428-8080

Momento Coffeehouse

Serious coffee lovers love Momento, since here they can get their coffee by French Press, siphon, or pour over, along with less common espresso drinks like the Flat White. It’s a nice space for meeting up with someone, or getting work done (though you may run into WiFi time limits, if you’re there for a longer haul).

Address: 2766 W 4th Avenue, Kitsilano
Phone: 604-736-9900

Milano Coffee Roasters – Gastown

Milano Coffee Roasters has multiple locations, but it’s the one in Gastown where scoring a table and getting some work done (with tasty coffee in hand) is best.

Address: 36 Powell Street, Gastown
Phone: 604-558-0999

Mink – A Chocolate Café

Mink is a great place to go if you need to satisfy a sweet tooth, thanks to their delicious chocolate to eat and drink. But they’ve also got a bright café with free WiFi that’s perfect for getting some work done or taking a meeting. They also offer free WiFi at their South Surrey location (at Morgan Crossing) if you find yourself out that way.

Address: 863 West Hastings Street, Downtown
Phone: 604-633-2451

See also

• 24-hour places in Vancouver for late night studying
• Best coffee shops in Vancouver
• 13 Vancouver indie coffee shops open at night