DISCLOSURE! this rating is based entirely on their coconut macaroons which I think could end wars, distract the US from its endless debt problems and maybe even lure the Kardashians away from tv cameras for a second. they are crazy good. i mean hooked on crack good. it was a good thing i saved my precious loverly macaroon for a mid-hike snack because if i had tasted its goodness on site i would have cleared them out and then sat down to draw up plans for a conveyor belt from their kitchen to my Vancouver home. don't question me! yes, they are that good. read more

Pure Vanilla is incredible! It's an amazing café, bakery, and confectionery. They have the best cakes, cookies, and pastries, along with delicious paninis. There are plenty of small tables inside, perfect for enjoying your coffee and treats, plus the cutest little back patio. The staff here is wonderful--so friendly and welcoming. Their baked goods are truly top-notch, and they also make a fantastic chai latte, honey bee, and other fun, creative drinks, along with great classic lattes and coffee options. They sell cute bagged goodies that are perfect for gifts, special occasions, or just treating yourself. I absolutely love Pure Vanilla--it's the best artisan, homey, earthy café. Located in Estevan Village, it's super easy to get to and great for a walk around the area. read more

Pure Vanilla Bakery & Cafe - Chai Latte, Honey Bee, Pumpkin Scone Cookies - Bakeries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Chai was okay and the ginger cookie was a tad too sweet with no ginger flavor. Cute cafe in Oak Bay area. read more

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The young lady working at the counter asked what I wanted when it became my turn, While I was saying "I'd like a decaf coffee and a lemon slice", she rudely started talking to someone else beside me! She had no idea what I'd asked for and didn't really care. She messed up my order on two points, and when I saw it was wrong and asked for a correction, there was not even the slightest bit of remorse or an apology!! It was as if I was the pain in the butt and she didn't really need to get my order right. Why wouldn't someone hired for a service position act like this? She exhibited a shocking lack of training and manners. I won't be going back anytime soon. read more

The service was sh**ts and for coffee - at a coffee shop, no less - they only have dark roast, always have a reason why there isn't any medium roast. The manager/owner is very rude! read more

Only had the coffee and did not try any of the food. Coffee was ok but I have had better elsewhere. Would suggest exploring other options in the area. Staff not very welcoming. read more

The best croissants in Victoria. Their espresso is acceptable but considering the generally high level of coffee culture in Victoria this an area where they should improve. Pure Vanilla makes the best cakes I have found. If one wants an excellent dessert for a special dinner this is the place to get it in Victoria. I particularly recommend the Amelie Cake (although they don't seem to make it that often so call ahead). read more

My husband ordered a cake on Wednesday morning for Friday pickup. I had to call and cancel it only 5 minutes later (it was way overpriced) and was informed that a Visa credit was not possible, but that we would have to drive 45 minutes to the store to pick up a cash refund, which they keep in the safe. I have never encountered this before, not even in the tiniest little stores. What is going on? Are they hoping we can't come by so they can keep the money? Or are they punishing us for having to cancel our order? I will be buying from Patisserie Danielle, in the future. Better food, better service, better people. read more

A great coffee shop with excellent bakery goods. The service here never fails to impress- staff are very friendly, cheerful, and always smiling. The coffees are a bit on the pricier side, but the price of their baked goods is so worth it that it'll neutralize your bill out. It can get pretty busy here, so if you see an open table, snatch it up quickly! Amazing place for coffee dates, catch ups, and excellent local treats. The back of the shop has a more intimate, dimmed lighting feel to it which is great for having more private conversations. They also open their outdoor back patio during the summer, which is very spacious and wonderful for a casual coffee! read more

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I found this place by accident when I got lost going to Oak Bay (who knew the street that goes east west would suddenly start going north south -_- ) Anyway, popped in for a break and their displays of cakes, cookies, and tarts are sooooo tempting! Despite that, I haven't really tried their treats much, but I've come back for their paninis several times. Agree with the others that their baked goods are quite pricey... thankful cuz that prevents me from indulging :D The actual seating area is quite SMALL and squishy to accomodate all the customers they have... it gets hard to find a place to eat. read more

Amazing muffins and fruit pastries. They do light fluffy pastries just as well as their complex muffins. I bought a cheese roll to eat on the ferry and it was the highlight of my soup meal that afternoon. Well worth going out of your way for! read more

Pure Vanilla Bakery & Cafe - Sailboat Cookies - Bakeries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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I love this place. Great soups, delicious salads and their mezza sandwich is to die for. Their treats are great too. Staff is mostly awesome! read more

This is a good patisserie and coffee/lunch spot in Oak Bay. Their baked goods are on the pricy side and the food isn't as healthy/creative as their other restaurants, Cascadia and ReBar. Still it's a nice spot to hang out, especially if it's not raining (which does happen - I promise.) read more

I had a really negative experience there on Mother's day, with the staff selling stuff out from under me (after I waited 20 minutes for it) and not checking up on my son after an autistic man physically pushed him and then cussed him out (I was not on site at the time). Generally a crappy time. BUT... When I went back later that day to complain, the manager was very gracious and understanding. She comped us some cinnies for the following weekend, and later that week the owner also gave us a gift card for the problems. I was not impressed with the staff on the till that Sunday morning, but the management and ownership more than made up for it. When I went in to grab the buns this morning, the young woman who helped me out was terrific (another one, who had been there the week before, was still kind of snotty). Over all, I liked that they took ownership of the problems, and felt for them in having to try to find ways to deal with a customer who is non-neurotypical and may sometimes be aggressive too. It's a tough gig. The bottom line, though, is that the buns are worth the trouble -- like most of the stuff in there. All in all, an A+ to the team; we'll be back. read more

We got the apple tart & wheat free fruit crumble, and some coffee and they were delicious!! Definitely coming back and recommending it to everybody I know, glad I tried out this place, one of the best bakeries in Victoria. read more

Pure Vanilla Bakery & Cafe - Apple tart, wheat-free fruit crumble. - Bakeries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

I am writing this somewhat negative review out of love for this cafe and my previous visits...however today was a MAJOR disappointment. We specifically chose the cafe after a somewhat rainy damp stroll at Willows Beach. Hot chocolates and hot cider were our choices - along with a cookie to share. It was fairly busy but settled at our table to await our treats. HOT chocolate arrived with a lovely dollop of fresh whipped cream....first sip....barely warm chocolate...told the waiter and received a rather dismissive look who took it to the barrista who also gave a rather dismissive look to our table....really? It was returned to us....only slightly warmer than previous. My 3 year old granddaughter drank hers in two sips. A lady customer waiting for her order looked to us and shook her head acknowledging that we had been treated terribly. We drank the presented barely reheated chocolate and were further disappointed with the quality and taste. Is it made from syrup...no taste of chocolate! My question and the reason for this review is WHY would an otherwise wonderful place that prides itself on quality and care enough to use real whipped cream even think to serve this disappointing drink. The barista was obviously poorly trained and had a tad too much attitude to properly represent the cafe. I have been here countless times....have recommended it to others and was completely disappointed today in both product, lack of quality control and customer service! read more

While some of the treats are on the pricey side, I still find Pure Vanilla a delightful place to go for lunch with friends or to pick up a cookie and coffee on my way to class. Unlike what *some* of you have said, I find that most of the staff are incredibly helpful, especially if you come early or after the lunch rush. I might want to point out to DK that their "mini cakes" are 12.95$ and 4'' in diameter. For 50$ you get a 10'' cake, which should feed about 15 guests and isn't exactly "mini". Also, most people don't eat off the floor, so I'm not sure why that should affect your dining experience! If they're too busy to sweep up after every messy toddler I'd say that's a good sign the business is doing well. My favorites: Kitchen Sink, Ultimate Oatmeal, and Pumpkin Spice cookies, Lemon Charlotte Cake, Strawberry Mango Fruit Gallettes. Remember to order your special occasion cakes a day or two in advance for the best selection and custom decorations! read more

This is a real little gem of a bakery you should definitely definitely visit. BF and I stopped by on our usual Sat morning cycle for coffee. The Americano was one of the ever I've ever had. The place was absolutely packed too so shows it's popular. They had a nice healthy menu with quiches and salads and a ton of baked goods. Will be back for more. read more

In town for a quick visit and feeling very lucky to have found an amazing place for coffee and pastries. The scones were flaky, the muffins amazing, and the coffee was exceptionally tasty. What a treat! Definitely recommend! read more

This is a nice little cafe. We dropped by for lunch. I got the grilled cheese sandwich with tomato fennel soup. It was nice and crunchy in the outside and cheesy goodness in the inside! We got a few sweet pastries to go after! read more

Always has delicious pastries and other baked goods and has a great selection of gluten free & vegan options! I brought my mom there for some treats and she loved it! read more

I needed a cake last minute! I phoned Pure Vanilla, they made one for me and I was able to pick it up a few hours later, and they personalized it as well. I felt I got special service and that they went above and beyond. They saved the day for me. Thumbs up to them for superior customer service. Oh, and by the way the cake was AWESOME!!!! read more

I'm not a fan of pasteries, but my wife says 'they're great!". Otherwise, a seemingly ordinary cafe - unless you order the pannini. Killer pannini, I get crazy just thinking about it. read more

Exceptional service and mind-blowing confectionary! This is our new local. Cafe im is espresso beans Free first refill on your cuppa joe is always nice, especially for a sleep-deprived new mum! read more

Great food. My go to bakery for birthday cakes but was disappointed they started charging extra to write something on the cakes

I pop into this place pretty regularly during the week, usually just to pick up treats rather than sit and eat. I always find the staff friendly and pleasent and their muffins are fantastic. The bran muffin with coconut and raspberry is a serious must have. Their pre-made salads are also really tasty but I wish there was more variety in the dressing. I over did it on the salads awhile ago and haven't been able to enjoy the dressing since. You can definitely have too much of a good thing. read more

I've always felt that going in is an inconvenience to the staff. Not friendly, hard to find space to put anything in your not very good coffee. It's close to my house, but I will never go again. read more

I love this place, the treats are always creative and delicious and the staff is always friendly. They even whipped up a cute message for a cake for my brother after he got stung by a bee. read more

by far a grimy place. I walked in and the staff are stuck up snobs that aren't very friendly. I took one look at the floor and almost puked. I had restrain myself because could the floor be any dirtier? The food is too pricey. 50$ for a mini cake? I mean seriously!! read more

Ordered a strawberry cheesecake for a friends birthday, by gosh! That's as good as it gets! They did the order up for me with 24 hours notice, when no other bakery in Victoria would. This is now my "go to" place for birthday cakes, never again will I go anywhere else. (It was beautiful and affordable too!) read more

It's actually mostly YELP that gets a poor rating. I drove 30 minutes to buy Pure Vanilla's biscotti and at 5:15 they were closed. They answered the phone and refused to sell me anything because their tills were closed. Really. So take cash and deal with the record keeping tomorrow. read more

I always like visiting this wonderful bakery - cafe. I love the Ultimate Oatmeal cookie along with all their chocolate cakes. I buy them now for birthdays for family and friends. They have a few different kinds of shortbread cookies but I love the chocolate dipped ones. There are daily specials for soups, salads etc. and I've enjoyed many of them. The only downside is how challenging it can be to get a seat during the winter when there is no outside seating. Great job everyone! read more

I was in Victoria this past weekend and on Sunday my daughter, her two children and I attended Pure Vanilla for lunch. Have to say the soup was very good as were the baked goodies so one would think that my review would be a good one...my issue was that of the staff and overall crowding of the cafe. We purchased a drink for each of the children and had them sit at the window bar beside the table that we were sitting at. During the course of our visit, my daughter took the children back to the desert area and they were picking up another goodie. One of your staff members was busy clearing the area of dirty dishes when she came upon the window bar with the two glasses both of which had beverages in them. She quickly scooped up the glasses to which I promptly said - "excuse me, the children are still sitting there". I had to repeat myself a couple of times and at that point she turned to me with a scowl and put the glasses back on the bar in a huff, two other customers as well as myself stared in disbelief to her rudeness. My daughter and children returned and we continued to eat during which a group of people moved to the table behind us and promptly started to move chairs from our table to their table to accomodate a party of 6. They moved two chairs right overtop of our meals and very rudely continued back and forth, bumping us around even though we did everything in our power to squeeze in to give them clear passage. Indeed, we were very disappointed with our overall experience. Your product is great but one staff member (tiny gal with longer brown hair) can most certainly put a bad taste in your mouth and ruin the experience. Might I suggest that rather than cramming customers in, a few less tables would prevent disappointment in the experiences of customers. Disappointed from Kelowna read more

This is one of the best bakery's in town! Not only are their baked good to die for, they have the most amazing soups and salads! I buy their dressings to make a "mock salad" at home but it just doesn't get better than the real deal. Their employees are always efficient and smiling, great atmosphere! read more

A super fan! It has the best coffee, pastries, scones, muffins you name it all excellent! Large outside seating front and back when weather permits. Staff is friendly and welcoming. A true neighborhood kinda place. Doesn't get any better. read more

Great lunches and desserts. Their cheese cakes are awesome. Bought some muffins however and then were exceptionally crumbly and not nearly as tasty as other things we've bought. read more

Pure Vanilla Bakery made all nine of our wedding cakes for our cake buffet - they helped me select different flavours - and picked ones I never would have that the crowd absolutely hoovered. They were beautiful and delicious. Thanks! read more

I was a very big fan of this establishment, in fact I would buy all my cakes for special occassions there. I live in Royal Oak and this past Sunday drove all the way especially for one of their cakes for my mother in law and her twin's birthday. I paid for a 6" lemon charlotte. When we went to present the cake later that night. It was a 4". How dissappointing for us, as we all couldn't have a piece of cake. It was also embarrassing. I called the next day. They advised me that I could come and pick up a 6" no problem. So I drove all the way there to find that they had sold out of cakes. You think the girl would have mention that possiblity and put one aside for me. Oh well no such luck. So I ordered one especially, they would include the writing,'Happy Birthday Carla and Karen." Okay great. It will be a few days late, but whatever we are finally all going to enjoy a piece of birthday cake. The next day I get a call and the girl let's me know that I can't have a 6" unless I pay for the difference. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I said, cancel my order don't worry about it, I will not be making another trip. As it stands I had already wasted the difference in gas money going back and forth. I own a business, and this is definitely not they way you keep customers. They aren't out anything. They were overpaid in fact for a 4" cake. I am out, my time, gas and mileage, the dissappointment, plus overpayment. It is a shame as it was a place I really enjoyed. But I can not support a business you doesn't care about their customers. read more

lovely baked goods. very good salads. great coconut cream pie. worth a visit. pleasant staff.