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By far one of my favorite spots for matcha whenever I'm visiting Vancouver! Cowdog offers both coffee and matcha and has a laid back interior with couch/minimal table seating options for those who want to study or do work inside the cafe. Everytime we visit though we opt for takeout since the cafe is always packed when we come. Ive visited both during weekdays and weekends but to avoid lines or any wait time, go right when they open or on a random week day! Even on weekends when the lines are long, the line goes by fast. My friends and I ordered both off the seasonal/non seasonal menu. My favorite by far is the strawberry matcha latte. It is so creamy and smooth and the strawberry syrup they use complements the umami of the matcha very well. My friends also enjoyed their earl grey matcha lattes from the seasonal menu when we had visited back in December as well. If you want high quality ceremonial grade matcha, and enjoy a creamy matcha latte, this is your spot!
The drink sizes are smaller than expected but delicious! The cowdog coffee was great with the nutty flavour of the hojicha mixing with the bitterness of the espresso. The interior gave a nice cosy vibe with records and books to browse through and it was neat to see a shelf devoted to goods made by their team!
Came here with my friend and loved it! I got an iced earl grey matcha and a cowdog cookie (hojicha cookie with white chocolate and walnuts). The matcha was really good. The matcha itself had a pure taste and was just the right strength. I could taste the earl grey essence but it didn't take away from the matcha. The cookie was also delicious with slightly caramelized edges but soft and chewy inside. I like the shop design. It's kind of minimalist, but they have a few interesting decorations like a record player and plants. It's a little narrow so it was crowded by the register. No problem grabbing a seat, even though we visited on Saturday, which I would guess is a busy day. The barista that took our order was friendly, and it didn't take long for us to get our drinks.
Ive been watching Joe on tiktok since he was doing the half time shop at their first place. I never got a chance to go over there to try. I finally had to drive to kits for something and decided to try their 2nd branch. I like the aesthetics inside. Im also in full support of their business model of paying a living wage and no tipping. However, I think my expectations were too high from all the hype videos about their strawberry matcha. Don't get me wrong, it's good and is on par with many others. I just had in my head that it was going to blow my mind from all the reviews haha.
I was very underwhelmed with Cowdog. Matcha had no flavor; barely any strawberry puree/flavor.
Love the vibes of this place--it's very cozy and I love the aesthetic they have going on. The drinks itself were ok. The matcha was a nice vibrant green, but I felt like it lacked a strong matcha flavor. The cookie butter latte was good, but not amazing.
This is the matcha ube slush I love Cowdog so when I heard they had an exclusive ube matcha for only one day I had to try it out. Unfortunately this was a miss because the ube was really strong and also left a bitter aftertaste. It would have been great if it had more sweetness.
It was a bright, but rainy Saturday morning. My partner and I were having brunch nearby at Their There, but we wanted to grab matchas from cowdog, before our table, so we went over and ordered two drinks. They were solid but nothing spectacular. I do regret not getting the strawberry matcha latte as it smelt like they were making fresh jam there. Regardless, matcha was pretty solid and the cafe is very aesthetic.
Perhaps I'm being influenced by the hype, but I really like the concept of this place. It is expensive, but the fact that they pay liveable wages, they don't accept tips and don't charge for oat milk is a different model that most (if not all) of the cafes I've been to in Vancouver. Got a: Frozen matcha (9.5$): My favourite thing. Loved the texture. It was creamy, yet I believe dairy-free (I think it has an oat-milk base). It seemed to have a hint of vanilla. But it wasn't watered down at all, and had a strong matcha flavour. It was also the perfect amount of sweetness (it was significantly sweeter than the matcha with milk). Would 100% recommend this, and may even go back for it. Matcha with milk (sub oat milk) (8.5$): Perfect for matcha purists. Definitely not on the sweeter side (which I can appreciate depending on what mood I'm in, but I think for personal preference I would want it a tiny bit sweeter). Espresso with water (4$): Tasted a bit acrid. Would personally probably stick to tea options. Cowdog cookie (6): Made with White chocolate, hojicha roasted tea, walnut. Not my favourite (thought it was a bit too sweet, and the flavours were all quite subtle, so they sort of blended together into just one buttery flavour). I appreciate the creativity of it though. Not many spots to sit, and the way it's laid out seems to promote conversation rather than studying (which is fair), so I wouldn't recommend it as a study spot, but rather somewhere to go with friends. Additionally, I wish the menu weren't only located next to the till. It makes it so when there's a line, you have to wait until the front and ordering to see the menu (or you could pull it up on your phone). TLDR; would go back again for the frozen matcha slushy.
I finally got to try this cafe after seeing it all over tiktok! I really like their cute cow dog design and inside is so simple but still very well put together with modern decors. I didn't know that they had more than one location because it turned out we were at their newer one. Anyways, the staff is friendly and actually took their time to have a conversation with you. I know it's not a big deal, but I find that interaction to be very friendly. Not a coffee person, so I got the matcha sub with oat milk, and my friend got their hojicha. I really like both our drinks. They didn't skimp on the matcha, so you can really taste it in your drink. It's subtly creamy. Although, I do think the hojicha oat was too strong and overpowered the hojicha taste, and she just wishes she could taste the hojicha more. That's all. There wasn't a line when I went, but it was still pretty busy, with people hanging out both inside and outside. Overall, I really like the vibe here. No tipping, no oat charge, and is a living wage cafe. What's not to love!!
Before visiting this location, I had only been to Cowdog when they were still a pop-up at Dear Gus Snackbar. I was impressed by their matcha and wanted to check out their other locations (also seeing how popular they are on social media)! This time, I ordered one of the drinks from the soft opening menu, the Vanilla Cold Foam Iced Hojicha. The vanilla cold foam was absolutely delicious. However, the drink as a whole was a bit too sweet for my taste. I also anticipated to sip my drink rather than using a straw because of the layers, however, the cups are NOT equipped for sipping and it ended up being awkward. So I gave up and got a straw. This is definitely not on the cafe but just an observation I had I will definitely come back to try their other drinks in the future! I really love the idea of the no tipping culture and paying the workers a fair wage so I will gladly keep supporting in the future!
Really nice vibe Friendly staff Original and delicious drink I look forward to trying more from them. Be forewarned there will probably be a line.
I'm so sorry yall but I did not like this coffee shop at all, to me it was very over hyped. I liked that it's in a decent place where there's parking close by. The line goes by quick. It is a small shop so it's hard to find a place to sit, their cardamom bun was amazing. I was surprised that there are no specialty syrups except for their vanilla. They have their special which is the strawberry matcha but even that I didn't like the matcha flavor. I was looking forward to a latte but since there were no new syrups to pair with espresso I opted for the matcha. Overall was a little disappointed, a lot of people love it but it was definitely not for me.
3 months ago
Finally got to try this hyped up spot! The interior is minimally decorated with a modern vibe. There aren't many seats and I feel that the cafe layout encourages you to take your drinks to go. I waited about 10 minutes to order on a sunny autumn weekend, but got my frozen matcha slush ($9.75) pretty quickly right after. I was lucky that the slush came from a machine so it was fast, but I could see many customers waiting at least another 10 minutes for the espressos or matcha lattes. The service and interaction with staff was minimal and neutral. I definitely appreciate that this cafe does not ask for tips and pays their employees a fair living wage, which explains the higher prices. The frozen matcha slush was delicious though. I loved the strong earthy matcha flavour and though I found it to be on the sweeter side, it wasn't overly sweet. This is a nice treat every once in a while! read more
2 months ago
After the huge success of their Cambie location, cowdog have expanded to West 4th. But tbh I'm disappointed. Their drinks are on the pricier side, even by Vancouver standards. A regular Hojicha Latte is around $8, a Matcha Latte is $9. I ordered their signature Cowdog Coffee ($9.50), which combines espresso with hojicha and vanilla. The flavour is quite unique--the roasted aroma of hojicha pairs surprisingly well with espresso, and the vanilla adds a subtle sweetness that ties everything together. It's an enjoyable drink, but at $9.50, it does feel a little overpriced. The West 4th location itself is fairly minimal. Compared to many trendy cafés in the city, it doesn't really have that aesthetic, photo-worthy atmosphere. One thing to note is that they clearly state there's no Wi-Fi and no power outlets, so it's definitely not a place to work or spend hours on your laptop. One thing I really appreciated, though, is their no-tipping policy, which is refreshing to see. I have a feeling a lot of people come here mainly for the branded to-go cups--they've become quite iconic. If you're drinking in, however, the drinks are simply served in standard glassware, so the experience isn't quite the same. I will probably come to try one of their matcha drinks, since that's what they're also known for. Overall, it's a solid café with an interesting signature drink, but between the premium prices and limited amenities, I don't think it's a place I'd visit regularly. read more
By far one of my favorite spots for matcha whenever I'm visiting Vancouver! Cowdog offers both coffee and matcha and has a laid back interior with couch/minimal table seating options for those who want to study or do work inside the cafe. Everytime we visit though we opt for takeout since the cafe is always packed when we come. Ive visited both during weekdays and weekends but to avoid lines or any wait time, go right when they open or on a random week day! Even on weekends when the lines are long, the line goes by fast. My friends and I ordered both off the seasonal/non seasonal menu. My favorite by far is the strawberry matcha latte. It is so creamy and smooth and the strawberry syrup they use complements the umami of the matcha very well. My friends also enjoyed their earl grey matcha lattes from the seasonal menu when we had visited back in December as well. If you want high quality ceremonial grade matcha, and enjoy a creamy matcha latte, this is your spot! read more
The drink sizes are smaller than expected but delicious! The cowdog coffee was great with the nutty flavour of the hojicha mixing with the bitterness of the espresso. The interior gave a nice cosy vibe with records and books to browse through and it was neat to see a shelf devoted to goods made by their team! read more
Came here with my friend and loved it! I got an iced earl grey matcha and a cowdog cookie (hojicha cookie with white chocolate and walnuts). The matcha was really good. The matcha itself had a pure taste and was just the right strength. I could taste the earl grey essence but it didn't take away from the matcha. The cookie was also delicious with slightly caramelized edges but soft and chewy inside. I like the shop design. It's kind of minimalist, but they have a few interesting decorations like a record player and plants. It's a little narrow so it was crowded by the register. No problem grabbing a seat, even though we visited on Saturday, which I would guess is a busy day. The barista that took our order was friendly, and it didn't take long for us to get our drinks. read more
Ive been watching Joe on tiktok since he was doing the half time shop at their first place. I never got a chance to go over there to try. I finally had to drive to kits for something and decided to try their 2nd branch. I like the aesthetics inside. Im also in full support of their business model of paying a living wage and no tipping. However, I think my expectations were too high from all the hype videos about their strawberry matcha. Don't get me wrong, it's good and is on par with many others. I just had in my head that it was going to blow my mind from all the reviews haha. read more
6 months ago
Love the vibes of this place--it's very cozy and I love the aesthetic they have going on. The drinks itself were ok. The matcha was a nice vibrant green, but I felt like it lacked a strong matcha flavor. The cookie butter latte was good, but not amazing. read more
7 months ago
This is the matcha ube slush I love Cowdog so when I heard they had an exclusive ube matcha for only one day I had to try it out. Unfortunately this was a miss because the ube was really strong and also left a bitter aftertaste. It would have been great if it had more sweetness. read more
9 months ago
It was a bright, but rainy Saturday morning. My partner and I were having brunch nearby at Their There, but we wanted to grab matchas from cowdog, before our table, so we went over and ordered two drinks. They were solid but nothing spectacular. I do regret not getting the strawberry matcha latte as it smelt like they were making fresh jam there. Regardless, matcha was pretty solid and the cafe is very aesthetic. read more
Perhaps I'm being influenced by the hype, but I really like the concept of this place. It is expensive, but the fact that they pay liveable wages, they don't accept tips and don't charge for oat milk is a different model that most (if not all) of the cafes I've been to in Vancouver. Got a: Frozen matcha (9.5$): My favourite thing. Loved the texture. It was creamy, yet I believe dairy-free (I think it has an oat-milk base). It seemed to have a hint of vanilla. But it wasn't watered down at all, and had a strong matcha flavour. It was also the perfect amount of sweetness (it was significantly sweeter than the matcha with milk). Would 100% recommend this, and may even go back for it. Matcha with milk (sub oat milk) (8.5$): Perfect for matcha purists. Definitely not on the sweeter side (which I can appreciate depending on what mood I'm in, but I think for personal preference I would want it a tiny bit sweeter). Espresso with water (4$): Tasted a bit acrid. Would personally probably stick to tea options. Cowdog cookie (6): Made with White chocolate, hojicha roasted tea, walnut. Not my favourite (thought it was a bit too sweet, and the flavours were all quite subtle, so they sort of blended together into just one buttery flavour). I appreciate the creativity of it though. Not many spots to sit, and the way it's laid out seems to promote conversation rather than studying (which is fair), so I wouldn't recommend it as a study spot, but rather somewhere to go with friends. Additionally, I wish the menu weren't only located next to the till. It makes it so when there's a line, you have to wait until the front and ordering to see the menu (or you could pull it up on your phone). TLDR; would go back again for the frozen matcha slushy. read more
I finally got to try this cafe after seeing it all over tiktok! I really like their cute cow dog design and inside is so simple but still very well put together with modern decors. I didn't know that they had more than one location because it turned out we were at their newer one. Anyways, the staff is friendly and actually took their time to have a conversation with you. I know it's not a big deal, but I find that interaction to be very friendly. Not a coffee person, so I got the matcha sub with oat milk, and my friend got their hojicha. I really like both our drinks. They didn't skimp on the matcha, so you can really taste it in your drink. It's subtly creamy. Although, I do think the hojicha oat was too strong and overpowered the hojicha taste, and she just wishes she could taste the hojicha more. That's all. There wasn't a line when I went, but it was still pretty busy, with people hanging out both inside and outside. Overall, I really like the vibe here. No tipping, no oat charge, and is a living wage cafe. What's not to love!! read more
Before visiting this location, I had only been to Cowdog when they were still a pop-up at Dear Gus Snackbar. I was impressed by their matcha and wanted to check out their other locations (also seeing how popular they are on social media)! This time, I ordered one of the drinks from the soft opening menu, the Vanilla Cold Foam Iced Hojicha. The vanilla cold foam was absolutely delicious. However, the drink as a whole was a bit too sweet for my taste. I also anticipated to sip my drink rather than using a straw because of the layers, however, the cups are NOT equipped for sipping and it ended up being awkward. So I gave up and got a straw. This is definitely not on the cafe but just an observation I had I will definitely come back to try their other drinks in the future! I really love the idea of the no tipping culture and paying the workers a fair wage so I will gladly keep supporting in the future! read more
I'm so sorry yall but I did not like this coffee shop at all, to me it was very over hyped. I liked that it's in a decent place where there's parking close by. The line goes by quick. It is a small shop so it's hard to find a place to sit, their cardamom bun was amazing. I was surprised that there are no specialty syrups except for their vanilla. They have their special which is the strawberry matcha but even that I didn't like the matcha flavor. I was looking forward to a latte but since there were no new syrups to pair with espresso I opted for the matcha. Overall was a little disappointed, a lot of people love it but it was definitely not for me. read more
finally made it to cowdog after seeing it pop up all over social media, and yes, it absolutely lives up to the hype. this particular location on west 4th nails the hipster coffee shop aesthetic: raw concrete floors, clean lines, exposed ducts, and that ideal blend of industrial and mid century modern. textured walls, a vintage console with speakers and a record player, dried floral arrangement, potted plants, and neatly curated merch all add to the carefully considered (but casual) vibe. dropped by around 2:16 pm on a tuesday. the line wasn't bad, the crowd here skews young, the a/c was blessedly strong, and the staff, including the barista were friendly. i ordered the strawberry matcha with oat milk, and it was pretty good. the lightly sweet strawberry purée paired beautifully with the earthy matcha and creamy oat milk. the ratio was spot on, making it easy to sip without feeling weighed down. no baked goods at this location, at least none that i noticed. what's unique is that cowdog has a no tipping policy, doesn't charge extra for oat milk, baristas are paid a living wage ($26.50/hour), and they have plenty of support from the community. sunlight pours through the front windows, casting a soft glow over the front lounge, an inviting spot to settle in, catch up, enjoy the ac, and/or people watch. nelly furtado's "i'm like a bird" can be heard in the background. this is the kind of place you want to linger, especially if you're into good vibes and even better drinks. read more
7 months ago
came for the $5 frozen matcha special! usually this drink is $9.50 which is lowkey kinda crazy. we added strawberry in it and it definitely overpowered the matcha. maybe we didn't mix it enough but it just tasted like the smuckers strawberry jam, with matcha as a lingering aftertaste. i think halfway through we drank all the strawberry so it was just matcha and i liked it so much more! they use some fine matcha there read more
Popped in to try this highly anticipated 2nd location! It was actually my first visit to Cowdog, I got their classic iced matcha latte and a cookie (i believe it was hojicha with white chocolate chips and sea salt). The iced matcha latte was amazing and one of the best in the Kits neighbourhood. The cookie was massive and I shared it with my partner within 2 days. The staff are extremely kind and friendly and make an effort to get to know you. Beautiful interiors and super cozy space. Overall a great place that I will frequent again! read more
7 months ago
The coffee and match here are absolutely unreal! The coffee is so good and the vibe in here is so nice. I definitely would recommend checking this place out if you're into good coffee or match. The frozen matcha slushi is 10/10! read more
3 months ago
1 year ago
Great place good baked goods. The matcha looked really yummy. Place was full with a really nice vibe. But No WiFi??? Good to hang out but not a place to stop and get your bearings. read more
1 year ago
The service was quick and the cafe was cute! Unfortunately, the strawberry matcha was just ok. The strawberry syrup tasted fresh but was a bit hard to stir in, and despite getting the drink with whole milk, the rest of the drink was watery with less matcha flavor than I would have wanted. read more
1 year ago
