I just found out about this great wiki of places with free wireless access in Vancouver. So if you can get away from your cube for a coffee break now you know where you can go read your favourite blog.

Melriches Coffeehouse
Arieanna gives it *** (3/4 stars)

Coffee 70%
Atmosphere 77%
Service 70%

It was an ugly and rainy day here in Vancouver. My mom is visiting from Toronto for only a short time, so we decided to go out anyway. After doing some shopping at Urban Fare and around Yaletown, we headed to Melriches for coffee and a nice lunch.

At first, I was very pleased. It was a nice place with good seating, nice servers, and even a little bar area. I stuck with the drip coffee today, having a nice dark Cuban drip. I am not sure of their supplier, but I did enjoy the brew, saying something nice about their machines.

For lunch, we both had omelettes. I opted for the “healty” option listed, which was grilled veggies. Nice spinach, peppers and stuff. My mom had ham & cheese. One of the best omlettes I’ve had - I didn’t even need to ruin it with ketchup.

So, I walked out quite happy and pleased with my experience at Melriches. Until about a half hour later when my “fat-o-meter” stomach told me I had done something bad. After a couple hours of suffering, that “yummy” omelette had become my enemy. I am not sure of the source of the fat - maybe oil in grilling the veggies and some cream &/or butter in the eggs (hence its yumminess), but it’s not an experience I plan on again. So, if I venture back to Melriches I will stick to coffee and pastries.
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So, I went today for breakfast at Epicurean.

First note, they really need to open earlier. I got up all nice and early to go to breakfast with my mom, who is still on Toronto time. But, alas, NOTHING in Kits was open. Our first stop was Epicurean, as I had previously indicated, and then we tried Sophies. Closed also. Getting desperate and a little hungry, we headed for the standby of De Dutch. Not only was the one on Main not open, it had been closed… permanently. Having wasted most of the half hour we could have waited at Epicurean, we headed back and were the first customers in the door.

I had a great Americano. First off the machine. Mmmm. Topped it off with a lovely couple of very fine and very fluffly panckaes with ricotta spread and blueberry syrup. Really makes you think twice about “simple” pancakes. If you want a breakfast out of the ordinary, I would consider Epicurean. Just don’t go early. :)

For the rest of my review, click here.

A week ago I took my cousins to Seymour Mountain to play in the snow and afterwards we all felt like drinking something warm so we all decided to go to Starbucks. I saw the big add for their new hot chocolate, Chantico, and decided to give it a try.
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Epicurean Delicatessen Caffé
Arieanna gives it ****(4/4 stars)

Coffee 79%
Atmosphere 86%
Service 81%

This is up there with my favourites. The coffee is all espresso based on a very lovely machine that creates a true crema. I have gone a few times for their Americanos and today tried one of their pastries, the Apple Bundle. I think the coffee is very smooth with just a little punch. What I love about Epicurean, though, has got to be the atmosphere. It is a hot spot here in Kitsilano, always bustling with people. The decor is fabulous and the food is highly rated, especially their paninis.

I will post an update later in the week on their breakfasts: I hear they are very good.
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Trees Organic Coffee
Arieanna gives it **** (4/4 stars)

Coffee 80%
Atmosphere 85%
Service 90%

Update: I have revised my overall rating here from 4/4 stars to 3/4 stars. Why? I still love Trees, don’t get me wrong. I still buy it exclusively for my home brew. But I am convinced that, although Trees has THE best drip coffee in town and is hard to outdo on bean quality, they don’t pull the world’s smoothest or most consistent espresso. I am fairly sure this is due to the barista training (love that the owner hires what appears to be travellers, but it makes for inconsistency in the brew). So… still think you must go to Trees. But it’s for those of you who love a good drip coffee.

This is my all-time favourite coffee shop. I discovered it about 3 years ago when I first started drinking coffee. I was a late coffee-lover from some bad grocery bought coffee experiences, but this was my awakening.
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I have to admit I am becoming more of a coffee lover every day. And this might just push me even further into the coffee craze. Faux fur coffee cozies. I want one! I don’t think I want to foot the bill for one from the UK, maybe I’ll check ebay. I wonder if it would fit around my Nissan Thermos…