the sky had that washed out, endless grey, the kind that presses down on the city. the trees were…read morestill vibrant, their leaves scattered thick across the sidewalk. puddles gathered along the curbs, slick with light from passing cars. i tried to sidestep the biggest puddles, thankful for my boots and umbrella. typical vancouver weather. by the time i reached west 4th and trafalgar, 3:06 pm, i was ready for another caffeine break. i slipped into café lokal and was greeted warmly, the kind of place that feels like someone forgot to tell it the world outside is wet and miserable. inside: mismatched chairs, repurposed wood, the faint scent of coffee and something sweet. eclectic charm everywhere, nothing quite matches, but it just works. the fireplace in the corner wasn't turned on, though it didn't need to be, the place was warm and dry. gaetz and gilberto played soothingly and quietly in the background. the baristas moved with calm, unhurried ease, the kind of rhythm that only slow afternoons know. i ordered another matcha latte with oat milk, my second of the day. it came out too hot, the matcha powder scorched, the taste lost. but i didn't mind. through the window, the rain kept falling, steady and unrelenting. outside, the city moved on through the rain, people passed by, shoulders hunched, heads down. inside, it felt like time had decided to rest for a while.

Love the vibe in this cozy cafe! The food and coffee are high quality and fresh. I had the…read morebutternut squash soup and flat white while my friend enjoyed an Americano and avocado salad. They gave each of us a piece of truffle with our coffee. We really enjoyed the atmosphere. Lots of parking on the street. We were lucky to get a table on Saturday noon. Busy place but so welcoming!

We came on a Saturday and the place quite full. We got the waffle garden and the ice cream latte…read more The waffle garden waffles weren't as crispy as I would have liked but they went well with the ice cream The ice cream lattes were made with strawberry ice cream. Nothing much to write home about here. Very standard ice cream on ice latte Overall good place to chill with friends. Good range of items on their menu

A nice place for brunch in the Burnaby Metrotown area. It does get quite busy, in particular on the…read moreweekends. Lots of choices for food but it's definitely their waffles that were unique. The taste of the food was okay but didn't think it was outstanding. However I really liked the decorations inside, and it was a great place to get together with friends.

Low key coffee place near the middle of Burnaby Heights. So low key I didn't notice them for years…read more Parking is available on the side streets. The interior is a bit of old meets new. Old style armchairs and chairs, but new style tables. Staff were friendly. No complaints. Coffee was pretty decent. I also tried their chocolate bun. Looked like a long thin swirly pile of, um, poop. It was tasty though. I liked that it wasn't ridiculously sweet. Went well with the coffee. The place is nice and quiet, and is great for chatting. I'd come back at some point.

Incredibly comfortable and sweet place with spectacular pastries, cakes, sandwiches and drinks…read more The young person who took our order was so sweet and helpful. We shared an open faced caprese sandwich that was delicious! I had the fruit blend iced tea off of their summer menu and my companion had a latte. We were both delighted. Planning to come here again during this short trip to British Columbia.

This place seems to be run by Persian people as they offer a mix of traditional Western style food,…read morealong with some Persian options as well. (eg.Persian Omelette) It's got a nice vibe to it. Love the decor. Featured here: Egg Bacon Sandwich Ham and Cheese Panini sandwich Classic Avocado Toast Earl Grey Tea Iced Mocha Rooibos Cherry Rose My daughter said she couldn't really taste the cheese much in her sandwich, but still enjoyed the sandwich all the same. Her Iced Mocha was very nicely done. I found my Avocado Toast a bit on the salty side, and wasn't impressed with the egg that sat upon it. Runny yolk is what I like to see, but the yolk in this egg was very dry. They have a nice selection of cakes in their display case. I might come back here again to have some tea and dessert but don't think I'll bother with their savoury foods again. Service: Good Parking: Free parking on the street

Brunching through life, one delicious bite at a time!…read more We Ordered: Echo Special Plate $19.99 (BACON CHICKEN CHEESE ROLL, EGGS, AVOCADO, WHOLE WHEAT, GREEN SALAD, BAKED CHEESE POTATO & ITALIAN SEASONING) English Breakfast $19.99 (EGGS, BEEF SAUSAGE, CHERRY TOMATO, MUSHROOM, POTATO, BEANS STEW & WHOLE WHEAT) Lonsdale Classic Breakfast $17.99 (EGGS, POTATO, AVOCADO, BACON SAUSAGE ROLL, GREEN SALAD & WHOLE WHEAT) Large Latte $5.30 They have plenty of indoor seating and a few small outdoor tables. The breakfast dishes were delicious and filling. When you visit Echo Cafe expect to see lots of health care workers because it's beside Lionsgate hospital and it's a favourite of the staff there. I can't wait to go back and try their good looking pastries Ambiance 5/5 Food 5/5 Parking Service 4/5

Met some friends here for a quickie lunch today…read more How refreshing to go to a place in Van where there is ample free street parking. Right off the bat, I was impressed. This tiny café reminded me of the boho-esque holes in the wall that I used to frequent when I attended McGill in the early '80's. Small, hippie-ish, fresh pastries, good coffees, unpretentious vibe, small bistro tables and chairs outside. Nothing fancy, but clean and reliable. All that was missing were the op art posters on the walls. Service was quick. The two young adults behind the counter were efficient but not talkative. (I was surprised to read past reviews mentioning the friendly service. I don't think the guy or the girl behind the counter said two words to me). Oh well. I ordered a chicken ciabatta and a canned soda. I found the prices on a the higher side for what you get (my sandwich was $12.50). That said, the sandwich was fantastic: the bread was perfect, and the chicken and melted cheese were great, with a good ratio to the Dijon and other condiments, too. Just a fresh, delicious sandwich. Bathroom is small but clean and well stocked. Good little local go-to joint for a fast meal or coffee break.

Great local place for food and good coffee. Perfect vibes for wfh day trip. Staff are super cool…read moreand very friendly.

Got off work early which gave me time to drop by and visit my mom. We went out for brunch at…read moreCindy's. On the table: Brunch Waffle Crepe du Matin Sunny Dish Even though I wasn't the one who ordered a crepe, I am still delighted to know that they offer crepe at this restaurant. I feel there is a shortage of crepes and wish there were more places that served crepe. I will definitely order a crepe on one of my future visits. I went with the Sunny Dish this time in an effort to go low carb and have more room for dinner in the evening. It was a great option and I think my favourite part of the dish is the avocado. It's just always so satisfying to see lovely, green avocado on my plate as avocado tends to go brown quite easily when we have them at home in our kitchen. It's also tasty, healthy and filling...The filling part matters when avoiding filler foods such as pancakes, bread, potatoes...etc. This is such a great place for brunch and really becoming quite a favourite for us now!

You know what pisses me off more than disappointment? Laziness…read more Their menu states they serve Persian "Sangak" bread. They don't. What is irritatingly stupefying here is that there is a Persian Bakery right across the street from them. With their approximately 10 seater dining table and 5 staff on hand someone could've done what?.....Yes!...jumped across the street to the bakery and stocked up on the bread they promised the customer on their menu before opening....Or am I just crazy? Well...I guess if they had done that....they wouldn't have had the time to giggle about it in the back like little school girls. Moving on...... The French Toast - Undercooked & doughy in the middle. Way too bare and unimpressively lacking in presentation. I mean you're paying for these dishes. I've had my 10 year old nephew make better French Toast. The bacon was tasty and the coffee was decent....even came in a cute little cup. So, that's something.... Breakfast Burrito - Good for an appetizer...Oh wait...it was an entree dish....enough said. Fancy Benedict - No, it wasn't fancy...that's the name of the dish ironically. It was cold, the salmon lacking and clearly someone's first attempt at making a Benny. The Service - We had to ask for everything. There was an underlying impatience with our server....like we were keeping her from something. Finally someone else came by with more coffee. Not the end of the world, but not charming either. This place reminded me of a first year medical student trying to do brain surgery. Education, Experience, Commitment. Then open your doors.

This place is spacious and has a relaxing atmosphere, with a great view. We came for lunch as we…read morewere in the area. If you can, I recommend the patio. We ordered the shrimp rose linguine and chasu benedict. The linguine was delicious as it was rich and plenty of shrimp. The chasu was super tender and melts in your mouth. The service was great and they were friendly.

A little bit of a wait for brunch time…read more I love the space it is very open, bright and well decorated. Huge selection in menu for drinks , brunch and lunch. I tried an eggs Benedict.

great recommendation from a friend. the three of us stopped in for brunch after a moderate hike…read morenearby, which felt like a well deserved reward after working up an appetite. we arrived around 12:30 pm on a monday and were pleasantly surprised that there was no wait. we were seated right away and had plenty of time to settle in, catch up, and enjoy the slower pace of the afternoon. i was told this place used to be a tiny little shop, and it's nice to see how much they've grown. they've taken over the space next door and expanded the seating area, which makes a huge difference. you can actually relax, enjoy your meal, and have a proper conversation without feeling like you need to rush out the door so the next group can sit down. that extra breathing room really changes the experience. i was also happy to see they offer a matcha lavender latte with oat milk, which immediately caught my attention. unfortunately, we arrived too late for their early bird special, and i'm still a little disappointed about missing it. twelve dollars for a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich with a hashbrown patty and coffee or tea is hard to beat, and honestly, it gives me a good reason to wake up earlier next time. i decided on the vegetarian benny, and it absolutely hit the spot. two perfectly soft poached eggs, fresh avocado, oven roasted tomatoes, chimichurri, arugula, hollandaise, and cornbread, with three hashbrown patties on the side. every component worked together beautifully. the dish was seasoned really well, full of fresh flavours, and beautifully presented. the bright colours from the avocado, tomatoes, and greens made it look as good as it tasted. the chimichurri added a wonderful freshness, the hollandaise was rich without being overwhelming, and the cornbread brought a subtle sweetness that balanced everything nicely. it was so good that i practically inhaled the entire plate. definitely a place i'd come back to. next time, though, i'm setting an alarm and making sure i arrive early enough to finally try that early bird special.

Great place with great food. Love their Bennie's and their chicken & waffles. They are so…read moreflavourful! Great service as well. Try to arrive earlier or you will wait in line. Cheers