During the time between my last blog post & now, something wonderful happened to the Vancouver coffee scene, particularly the one along the famed Main Street in Vancouver. 49th Parallel Coffee, which is known for their coffee beans & west 4th location in Kitsilano, opened up a location on Main Street. Nestled on the southeast corner of 13th & Main at 2902 Main Street, 49th Parallel took over the space where Pinky's Drycleaners once existed. The news of the cafe opening was released early last month & didn't take too long to open.
Some people go to restaurants on opening day. Others check out the grand opening of nightclubs and lounges. I, however, enjoy going to coffee shops and cafes on the first official day of business. I was especially excited about this one, as I've been a long time fan of 49th Parallel Coffee & also, having to shorten my travel time was a bonus as well.
As soon as I entered the cafe, I was left in complete and utter awe. Never have I seen such beautiful architecture and design. It was extremely spacious, with lots of generous seating scattered around the cafe. It was a welcome change compared to the tiny location on west 4th & also, other tiny cafes where you are forced to take your coffee to go instead of being able to sit down to enjoy it. Lots of cafes place importance on their coffee but lots of space is important too. Towards the back, a cute little booth was tucked in. If you're looking to take someone on a date, I highly recommend taking the person to the booth. Sitting there gives off a different ambiance. However, no matter where you sit, you are guaranteed to enjoy your experience. The ambiance felt very welcoming. I have been to cafes where it felt like I was not welcomed, like I had to just order my coffee and go. That was not the case for here. In fact, it felt strange to not have your coffee here. I felt invited, like I was having coffee at a friends house. However, it might be able before you get to finishing your coffee as you'll likely be taken away by the breath-taking layout, design and overall architecture of the cafe. The washrooms were just as stunning as the interior. Most people just see a cafe washroom as a place to go after drinking too much coffee but it's importantly that a washroom is clean & looks inviting. Nobody wants to go to a washroom where used paper towels decorate the floor was water is splashed all over the mirror, floor & sink.
These days, most cafes are seem to be overrun by baristas who would rather give you attitude instead of good coffee. However, that was not the case here. The servers smile was as warm as a summer evening in July. They were welcoming & friendly without being overbearing. They made sure all my inquires were met with an answer & also, that my order was taking smoothly. The barista making my latte was just as friendly. They made eye contact, made small talk & served my latte with a smile. That attitude was surely welcomed, as I have gotten use to baristas giving me my coffee with a side of attitude topped off with a snarl. Customer service is key & to me, if a barista just throws your coffee onto the bar without a word escaping their lips, it seems that they are not satisfied with the coffee they just made for you. If you truly like something you just made, you would be proud to share it instead of being sulky and sullen. I was extremely pleased with the treatment I received with, starting with the person who took my order to the person who gave my order to me. Sometimes, you can get a feel of the personality of the person who is making you your coffee just by watching them make it. A mouth talks, but so does body language. I don't expect baristas to treat me like we're best buddies but eye contact & a simple smile goes a long way.
Normally, I review cappuccino's but this time, I ordered an iced latte with a shot of vanilla syrup. And wow, was I ever glad I did. As soon as I took the first sip, I could feel my taste-buds do a happy dance. They were just as pleased as I was. It was full of flavour & coffee awesomeness. Sometimes, when you order flavoured coffee, the taste of the added syrup overwhelms the taste of coffee & all your taste-buds are left with are the remnants of sugar ladden, artificial syrup. That was not the case with my iced vanilla latte. The mixture of vanilla syrup & iced latte blended perfectly in my mouth, like a margarita on a sultry, sweaty summer evening. It was like a firework full of flavour explored all over my taste-buds. The sweet vanilla syrup was the perfect compliment to the iced latte. It was like a match made in coffee heaven. It was perfection in the form of iced latte.
As you can tell, I highly, highly recommend the main street location of 49th Parallel Coffee. It was just was the Vancouver coffee scene, especially main street, needed. Come for the ambiance and service & stay for the top class coffee. Oh, and if you happen to enjoy donuts with your coffee, than make sure to pick one up from Lucky's Donuts, which is located in the cafe. Always fresh & always delicious, different varieties of donuts, such as apple bacon fritter, peanut butter & jam, salted caramel & many more are made in the back, ready for you to enjoy. You can get a coffee and donut for $4, which is great if you're looking to expand your food risings. And with the arrival of summer, sunshine and warmth, I can guarantee that this will be the cafe to be.
