Blog Summary and Reflection Part 1
Blog Summary and Reflection Part 2
Iron Works Cafe and Creperie
64 Station St. Duncan, BC
This weekend I went up island to Duncan and found this amazing crepe cafe Iron Works Cafe and Creperie. I went with my friends and I got a strawberry and Nutella crepe, it was one of the best crepes I had ever had! It was super sweet and chocolaty and the strawberries were so fresh, the crepe itself was very soft and so good. I also got a caramel iced coffee and that was very good, it had the perfect amount of sweetness and you could taste the caramel flavour and it had a strong coffee taste which I love! I also tried some of my friends strawberry Italian soda and it was not the best, it was flat and lacking in flavour and only had a mild taste of strawberry. The cafe was very clean and nice, and the staff were very kind. I would recommend coming in and trying their crepes especially there sweet crepes!
Strawberry Nutella Crepe: 9/10
Caramel Iced Coffee: 7.5/10
Strawberry Italian Soda: 4/10
Mosi Bakery Cafe and Gelateria
5303 West Saanich Rd Victoria, BC
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSfYaHLFd
I tried out a bakery called Mosi Bakery Cafe and Gelateria that came highly recommended from TikTok. TikTok is typically where I find a lot of new cafes or restaurants around town as it shows the food and reviews it. I got an iced matcha and a lemon berry cream cheese danish. The matcha was pretty decent but lacked matcha flavor and sweetness, more or so tasted like milk with a hint of matcha. A way I would improve this would be to add more matcha powder and add more syrup and less milk. The danish was one of the best danishes I have ever had and would get again, it was very sweet and dense in the middle and fluffy on the sides which is how i like my danishes. The filling was super fresh and had the perfect sweetness and tanginess. The cafe was very busy and constantly had a long line, I would not recommend this cafe as a study spot due to the constant foot traffic coming in and out the door but the cafe was beautifully decorated and resembled a bakery in Italy which fits on their theme. The staff were friendly and the service was fast. In reflecting through all the different matcha drinks I’ve had at different cafes it has made me realize that not all matcha is the same and even if it more expensive than other places does not guarantee it to be better or higher quality. A downside to this cafe would be the parking situation as it is near impossible to find any open spots as parking is extremely limited and there are not many places to park close by especially during peak hours. Overall, I would try Mosi again but would consider trying their gelato or sandwiches as that is what they are known for.
The Nest Cafe
132-2311 Watkiss Way Victoria, BC
This cafe was by far my favorite one. The Nest cafe is located near Highland Pacific golf course and has such a cozy and comfortable vibe. I found this cafe through google maps and decided to give it a try as it had raving reviews. I got an autumn fog and an apple cake that was both on the seasonal menu. The autumn fog was very delicious and sweet and had a cinnamon taste that reminded me of fall. The apple cake was sweet and moist, and had a great apple taste, the texture reminded me of a dense banana bread. I came to this cafe with a friend and I have to say it is a great place to either study or catch up with friends as the environment was very calm. The staff were so incredibly kind and welcoming and created an atmosphere that makes people want to return. One downside is that parking is limited and can get quite busy during prime time. Through my journey this semester in searching for the best cafe I have learned the best ones are the calm hidden locally owned ones rather than the flashy trendy ones. Overall, I would definitely recommend this cafe to everyone that appreciates a calm neighborhood friendly environment and a good seasonal menu.
Autumn fog: 9/10
Apple cake: 10/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Caffe Levant
550 6th Ave SW Calgary, AB
During reading break I went to Calgary and we found this amazing cafe spot for breakfast called Caffe Levant. First impressions it was super cute and aesthetic and felt very modern and cozy. The pastries looked delicious and the staff were super friendly and welcoming. I ordered a cookie butter Bischoff latte as well as a chicken panini sandwich. It was decently priced with the total coming to around $20. The latte was so delicious and had the perfect amount of sweetness and creaminess, I could taste the Bischoff and was definitely worth it to try. The chicken panini was pretty good and had a bunch of flavor it was grilled to perfection, the chicken was a bit dry but other than that it was great, it had lettuce, tomatoes, and chicken. I would definitely try this cafe again if I ever visit Calgary again!
Cookie butter Bischoff latte: 10/10
Chicken panini: 7/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Rhino Coffee House
2840 Peatt Rd Langford, BC
This weekend I tried out a highly recommended coffee shop in Langford called Rhino Coffee House. When I first walked in the vibe was very calm and you could see people in groups talking, so it is definitely a good place to meet with friends and chat. I got a gingerbread latte which was on the seasonal menu and it was amazing! The foam on top was so creamy and delicious and the drink itself was the perfect sweetness and had a good amount of espresso taste and flavor! The coffee shop itself was very clean and chill and had a dark vibe, the staff were very friendly and kind and I would definitely recommend this place for others and would find myself calling it a regular go to spot. As I progress through this blog it helps me learn more about myself and my preferences, especially in how I like my drinks with sweetness, flavors, strongness, and foaminess. This drink particularly made me realize that I prefer cappuccinos over lattes as it contains more foam. I would definitely try other drinks on their menu.
Gingerbread Latte: 8.5/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Meadowcure Pharmacy + Coffee
215-1331 Westhills Dr. Langford BC
Went to a new coffee shop that just opened near my local YMCA called Meadowcure Pharmacy + Coffee. Funny enough it is combined with a pharmacy as it says in the name. First impressions it felt very clean and sterile, understandable as it is also a pharmacy. Right when you walk in you are greeted with a small area of the coffee shop and the rest is the pharmacy side. Decided to try their specialty latte, a hot cookie butter latte as it is fall time and wanted to fit the theme. The latte had a hint of cookie butter taste but was not very sweet, it was a pretty good latte none the less, but would consider adding more sweetness. The drink on the right was my friends drink and she got an iced strawberry matcha, this matcha was hands down one of the best matcha’s I have ever drank! It had a strong matcha taste as well as fresh strawberry sauce that sweetened the drink to perfection. The flavors were incorporated very nicely and I enjoyed it so much I went back another day and got my own strawberry matcha! I also got a gingersnap cookie which was so soft and chewy and had a strong ginger taste which was very nice and was a very large cookie so definitely worth your money. The drink and cookie were fairly priced and was not overly expensive at all. I would highly recommend trying this coffee shop, although I would not consider it to be a study spot as it has limited tables and a small area that may feel crowded.
Atmosphere: 6.5/10
Cookie butter latte: 6.5/10
Iced strawberry matcha latte: 10/10
Ginger snap cookie: 8/10
Grays Cafe
2526 Bevan Ave. Sidney BC
I am trying yet another strawberry matcha! I found this spot through a TikTok video and decided to give it a try called Grays Cafe. The staff were super friendly and very energetic. The look itself is very aesthetically pleasing, and the taste had a strong matcha taste but lacked strawberry flavor. The drink itself was not very sweet so if I were to go again I would add an extra pump of vanilla syrup to give it more flavor. The atmosphere was very nice and open, the place was clean and would be a cute spot to grab coffee and chat with friends, as that is what I did. The place was packed and the food looked delicious, I would definitely go again and try the food options!
Atmosphere: 8/10
Matcha: 6/10
Hey Happy Coffee
122-560 Johnson St. Victoria BC
Tried a highly recommended coffee shop in downtown Victoria called Hey Happy. The atmosphere at Hey Happy felt very clean and modern, although I like my coffee shops to have a more rustic homier feel I still enjoyed the atmosphere. The drink on the left was my friend’s and she got the lavender flavored matcha alongside a chocolate chip cookie. On the right side was my drink which was a strawberry matcha, the taste can be described as like a strawberry milk with matcha. Although it was very sweet I still very much enjoyed it, but it lacked a bit of the matcha taste as the strawberry taste took over the entirety of the drink! I also decided to try an oatmeal raisin cookie they had and it was one of the best cookies I have ever had. It was soft and chewy and just sweet enough. I would definitely try this place again!
Atmosphere: 6.5/10
Matcha drink: 7/10
Oatmeal raisin cookie: 10/10
