Downtown Specialty

Small Victory encourages patrons to elevate their morning coffee ritual into something celebratory: Serving breakfast items and coffee in a serene space, their scones, jam, and clotted cream—in unusual flavors like pear and lemon, or strawberry balsamic—make it hard to just grab and go. Take a seat, order a rich cup of coffee, and linger over the paper with a decadent breakfast croissant—a smooth start to any day, which is the idea.

Patrons can pick from two different rooms at Revolver—one with a long community table, ideal for a solo cup or for a caffeine-saturated catch-up with friends, while the alternative with smaller tables is more appropriate for one-on-ones. Each blend, sourced from world-class roasters in North America, is blind taste-tested weekly for quality control. Interior-wise, Revolver manages to feel urban, yet cozy, with wooden seats that appear to be suspended from the ceiling and exposed brick walls covered in maps.

With several locations dotted throughout Vancouver, Matchstick seeks to elevate the often rushed habit of grabbing a coffee and racing out the door (we’re all guilty) to an enjoyable ritual—a moment to slow down and enjoy the perfect cup. Aside from their smooth, rich coffee, there are delicious toast options (ricotta and honey, walnut-butter and jam), sandwiches (slow-cooked pork, ratatouille) and healthy muesli. Matchstick bakes all their own bread in-house daily (the scent alone will draw you in) and each loaf is the product of a few day's work due to time-consuming—but better tasting—ancient baking and leavening methods.