Off-Grid Camper Cafe serves hand-pressed espresso out of a van
Van life became popular as an aspirational lifestyle a few years ago, especially among those who were tired of paying expensive rent and sought alternative ways of living.
And while many folks dream of quitting the rat race and turning to a more nomadic lifestyle, only some actually do.
Among those who have taken the leap includes the intrepid Jacob and Ella of the Off-Grid Camper Cafe – a vintage camper van that the couple has transformed into both a portable cafe space and their home on wheels.
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The camper cafe has a semi-permanent location on Vancouver Island’s Port Alberni, at the Clutesi Haven Marina, but you’ll also catch it popping up at festivals, farmers markets, gigs, and private festivals all over the province.
Just recently, the Off-Grid Camper Cafe spent a busy BC Day weekend at the Filberg Festival in Comox, and the following weekend could be found serving its hand-pressed espresso drinks at three separate events.
Courtesy Off-Grid Camper Cafe
Dished recently had the chance to chat with the couple behind the camper cafe to get the scoop on the motivation behind the van and what makes hand-pressed espresso stand out when it comes to quality.
“The motivation behind creating Off-Grid Camper Cafe was of a practical nature – a place to live, a place to work, and a place to enjoy a good cup of coffee, just like what I am used to back home,” said Jacob, who is originally from Australia.
“It wasn’t until my first visit to North America that I realized how consistently great the coffee was in Australia. This was something that I did not want to part with upon settling down in Canada,” he added.
Ella, Jacob’s girlfriend and business partner, also fell in love with Australia’s coffee during a visit, and the two decided that if they were going to live in Canada, they’d need to bring some of the quality coffee back with them.
Courtesy Off-Grid Camper Cafe
Fast-forward to their move to Vancouver Island and a dream that involved turning a camper into a home and a business.
For the cafe, they chose to use a hand-pressed espresso machine because of the control over the entire process it affords the barista and the super high quality that comes as a result.
Hand-pressed espresso is a labour-intensive act, Jacob shares, but its hand-levered mechanical system and analogue process also allow them to be “off the grid” and as portable as possible.
“Part of our mission is to not only make specialty coffee but to take it to the next level,” he shared, admitting that the Off-Grid Camper Cafe is definitely inspired by the coffee culture in Melbourne.
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Not only is running a cafe out of a camper a very romantic notion, it’s also a financially viable one, especially compared to the costs of opening a brick-and-mortar space. “Starting a mobile cafe that doubled up as our home was our best shot,” Jacob said, adding that the vintage camper also allows them to travel as much as they want.
Jacob says he had some experience working in trades previous to this endeavor, but the camper conversion “turned out to be a much bigger job than expected.”
There have certainly been other challenges along the way, too: “Learning carpentry, electrics, plumbing, and mechanics; downsizing our life to fit in a space just a few feet wide and a few feet long so that we could move somewhere completely new and foreign to us – all while figuring out how to make a really good cup of coffee.”
Courtesy Off-Grid Camper Cafe
Turning the vision of the camper cafe into a legitimate business that could earn them a living was perhaps the biggest challenge of all, but being able to work on the project alongside his girlfriend Ella remained a motivating factor in finishing the project, he says.
The Off-Grid Camper Cafe can usually be found in its spot enroute to Tofino, making it a great stop to stretch your legs on a long drive and grab a really good cup of coffee. The cafe also recently added non-espresso-based drinks to its offerings as well, including matcha, chai, and golden lattes.
As for the future of the van?
“We have recently partnered with a renewable energy company that will help us fulfill our vision of being 100% renewable energy powered. This has been our goal since day one and we are excited to bring it to fruition,” Jacob said.
Serving amazing coffee and living out of a camper van while also opting out of petro-culture?
The van life dream is alive and well on Vancouver Island.
Off-Grid Camper Cafe
Address: Various locations around BC; Clutesi Haven Marina, Port Alberni
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