Scoring good caffeine - Vancouver Davies

[tobyglynn]

Hello fellow chowhounds

I've just started working at Davie / Burrard and am in desperate (shaky hand, unable to concentrate style desperate) need of a good short proper coffee. I don't want to assault / insult my senses with a litre of hazelnut infused sweet fatty brown water. Is an inch of good macchiato an unreasonable request?

I thought I'd just wander around and try a few places until i found a good one. However they seem to either reach down for a huge cup and start steaming up a litre of milk or they say 'a what? we don't serve that Starbucks rubbish here'. I just quietly leave at this point normally!

Free coffee to the first person to point me to a good short macchiato (god listen to me, I've been staring into the eyes of monsters for too long; how can a mach be anything but short!) Help!!!!!!!!

[jfharvey]

Melriches Coffee House, 1244 Davie (between Bute and Jervis)

[peter.v]

Wicked Cafe has a 2nd location on Hornby at Smithe that will serve you quite well.

[tobyglynn]

Thank god for chowhound and thank you chowhounds. I dont know if anyone remembers the Thundercats cartoon? They'd shine a light up into the sky when they were in trouble and the other Thundercats would come to their rescue. I always feel like that when I recieve Chowhound assistance :) -

[peter.v]

Glad to be of service. Let us know what you thought of the cafes!

[John Manzo]

Also try Cafe O in the Opus Hotel.

Any barista who can't make a proper macchiato deserves to lose his/her job.

[peter.v]

Hey John, I'm not sure when you were last at O, but I know it switched ownership from a third party to the hotel last year. Things might not be what they once were. Might be still worth a try though.

[John Manzo]

Last visit to Van in Feb when I saw you at Wicked- and Cafe O had all the right ingredients (FB-80, 49th beans) but the espresso I got was terrible- the place was clearly impacted by the Canada Line construction so it was really slow, and when the barista made me my espresso she just dosed stale grounds- the result wasn't as bad as Blenz but still terrible.

Much, MUCH better and a little bit closer to tobyglynn's area (and I can't believe I recommended Cafe O before these more obvious suggestions) are the JJ Bean on Davie (Yaletown) at 1207 Hamilton is a nice little caffe with Synesso, Clover and their own beans called AgroCafe.

[grayelf]

Re Agro, if the OP has a craving for something sweet OUTSIDE the coffee cup, they do great cheesecake that as a bonus happens to be organic.

[John Manzo]

Hmmm , I can't edit my post for some reason- meant to write "JJ Bean on Davie, AND at 1207 Hamilton is AgroCafe."

[23skidoo]

You have nothing to lose by explaining what macchiato really means to the "we don't serve Starbucks" jerks!
Alternatively you can order a latte with only 1oz of steamed milk.

[fmed]

>>You have nothing to lose by explaining what macchiato really means to the "we don't serve Starbucks" jerks!

LOL. Agree. Too many know-it-all-but-not-really baristas with attitude here.

I've learned that a proper macchiato is often called an "espresso macchiato" here. If you order a "macchiato" many baristas will make you a Starbucks style sweet thing.

[sophie.]

I would disagree. I don't feel comfortable at a place where I have to explain what a macchiato is. All of those interactions have turned out badly.

[tobyglynn]

:) I know what you mean Sophie. There is the rare occasion where you explain the drink and they say something like 'ohhhh, i know it. We call it an espress machiato' , but normally , if you have to explain it's a bad omen aye!

[fmed]

JJ Bean in Yaletown or Artigiano on Hornby (Hotel Vancouver) both serve a proper macchiato - both are a bit of a trek, though.