Cafe Algarve is not a cafe is in the sense of a North American coffeehouse nor one of the fabled cafes in the big cities in Portugal, such as the Cafes A Brasileira, Suiza, Nicola, or Majestic. It is, as others have said, a neighborhood grocery store / cafe that is unmistakably and authentically Portuguese.
Its name, Cafe Algarve, refers to the beachy area in the south of Portugal. However, a poster map of Baixa Pombalina, the Baixa district of Lisbon rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake under the direction of the Marques de Pombal, will be looking at you from the cash register.
Locals coming from Portugal definitely frequent this business, close to the intersection of Broadway and Commercial Drive, and many speak in their native language. The owners and the patrons are very friendly. One should stop by to try a pastry and some coffee ... or tea. Also, if you've ever tried, and liked, Sumol, the Portuguese soft drink which comes in orange, pineapple, and passion fruit, you can buy it here. You can also buy other groceries.
I recommend coming in the morning for the pastry and coffee. The pastries are pasteis de nata, the traditional Portuguese custard tarts "born" in Lisbon's Belem district, and it's impossible to eat just one. So, for an inexpensive pastry and coffee, meeting some nice folks from across the Atlantic, and doing something atypical while in Vancity, check this place out. read more