Beard Papa’s

I find it very hard to believe that this location closed. I had a craving for some puffs. This is a chain that I assumed was successful and now this is closed? seriously? thankfully there was some other things in the hood but I really had a craving for those green tea puffs. So sad.

beard papa’s is a famous chain in Japan, and for a while they were extremely popular here.
Denman was my favorite location, and I really am sorry they’re gone, though watashi no okusan ga choux crème mo oishii desu.
(My wife also makes good choux cremes)

MMMMMMMM cream puffs. I love the vanilla puffs… and the green tea puffs are also my favourite… just give me a box of them. It’s great that it’s next to an ice cream store and close to the beach. Let’s rename Denman Street to Dessert Street. SOOOOO GOOD!

Vanilla beard papas are amazing. They have consistently been amazing ever since I had one in NYC 5 years ago. That alone gets them 3 stars. Their prices, which are completely reasonable at $ 1.75 a puff or $ 2.50 for that drool-​worthy chocolate cake, grants them another star. But we all love a discount. So when one of those groupon-​y things came out with a fantastic deal, I couldn’t pass it up! Not knowing when I’d ever buy $ 12 worth of cream puffs, I waited until a birthday occasion came along, and then played my hand.
Except I played it at the wrong store.
That’s right, my coupon was for the Beard Papa on 12^th. This was completely my fault, since I didn’t re-​read the deal. Welps, I thought, I might as well get some since I’m here and said I was going to bring cream puffs.
And this is where the fifth star comes in. The girl behind the counter said she’d give me an additional 3 cream puffs if I picked up 6. Fer reals. And not the regular vanilla cream puffs, but the fancy ones — caramel, green tea, and chocolate. How awesome is that! I gladly took her up on her offer, and ended up bringing 9 cream puffs to a birthday dinner for 4 people. A little excessive, yes, but no one complained!
Thanks Beard Papas for the fantastic service! I can’t wait until it’s warmer so I can visit you guys again (I’m sorry I’m such a wimp with winter rain).

Just writing this review brings back horrible memories and a gag reflex.
Craving something sweet, I opted for a matcha green tea cream puff. It sounded good, boy was I was wrong. The shell was stale and the filling was disgusting. It was warm and runny. Not cold and creamy like a custard should be.
Totally disappointed. I could have saved all those extra calories for something yummy like ice cream.

I LOVE these cream puffs, we have one in Seattle but it tastes like poop. This location is delicious. Took my mom here from CT and she loved it, she took a whole box home and ate them all in one sitting! If you love cream puffs, you’ll love this place!

I am a huge fan of Beard Papa’s, but this place was meh.
Something about the cream puff here just didn’t stand out. Usually, the filling is full of vanilla goodness and just oh so subtle, yet complex in flavor. Here it tasted grocery-​store like and the shell wasn’t as fresh & melt-​in-​my-​mouth as others I’ve had.
The location is nice. I rented a bike, rode around Stanley Park, and then got a cream puff. Fun thing to do on a nice day, but don’t judge other Beard Papa’s by this one.

I always stop myself at having four or so at a time. Delish, just like my mom used to make.
And I’m a traditionalist. I don’t go for all the fancy flavors and stuff. I am plain, and love it. I just need one in my neighborhood.

* Renovation finally *
So what used to be the most confusing Beard Papa location I have seen anyplace in the world has re-​opened and streamlined! Hooray!
They dumped the St. Germaine’s Bakery part of the store, which was just confusing and not very busy and now focus entirely on Beard Papa. So they have a bigger Beard Papa counter, and no more running of staff between 2 counters.
Today they had a full selection of traditional vanilla, green tea, and coffee custards.
Beard Papa — you are such a tempting devil! And now easy to deal with at this location!

There is very little that makes me as happy as a cream puff from Beard Papas. Cool, gooey filling in a light fluffy pastry– cute and compact, and apparently only around 200 calories per puff. I love the different flavours, and have tried the strawberry and chocolate. Haven’t been convinced to try green tea yet, and would like to see some new flavours added to the rotation. Do they do banana? coconut? Oh the endless possibilities.
Definitely worth a stop by if you’re in the area. Perfect for dessert and to take on an evening stroll on the seawall. Just don’t forget a napkin.

Decadent, rich cream puffs in a variety of flavors — it’s hard to only eat one! The cream puff has a unique flaky pastry component which makes it different than most cream puffs found elsewhere.
I’ve visited this location several times and will admit that I’m confused by the store. The counter is for Beard Papa’s but if you step down into the back it’s an asian bakery. I guess they run both (?). This review is for Beard Papa’s only as I haven’t used the bakery in the back.
The cream puff quality varies a little at this location, so be warned. My experience has run the spectrum from extremely fresh and delicious, to stale and mushy, barely edible.
If you go during the late hours before they close, you’ll notice that the staff has a tray of cream puffs already filled with cream (be cautious). It’s a sign that they’ve already cleaned up the shop for closing and who knows how long those puffs have been sitting there with cream filling. I bought a half dozen from the tray and they were mushy with a total loss of the unique Beard Papa’s texture.
If you go while they are busy, you’ll see the staff freshly filling cream puffs as you order them. This is the time to strike! But, don’t buy so many that you can’t eat them quickly. They do not store well and I would never recommend storing them overnight. Yuck. You’ll have mushy puffs in the morning.
My favorite are the original flavor (vanilla cream) but I’ve also tried chocolate (good) and green tea (an acquired taste, one that I have not yet acquired).

Sweet melt-​in-​your mouth cream puffs, what else can you ask for???
I had a mango one and wify had a green tea puff and they both tasted fabulous.
For about $ 2 a cream puff, it’s a little expensive; but for the experience, I think it’s worth it. (Think about this, people pay how much for a box of donuts from Tim’s, and imo, why would people even eat that stuff).

Beard Papa’s cream puffs are amaaaaaazing. No, they aren’t cheap, but they are like a little bit of heaven in your mouth. I miss them dearly.

Japanese + cream puff = ?
This was the question I considered when I went to Beard Papa’s. After dinner at Vera’s, I came over here to experience the yum. It’s a teeny storefront with workers dressed in over-​the-​top chef’s outfits with crazy hats. As a n00b, I decided to snag a regular cream puff, though there are other varieties like green tea that sound good. The price isn’t bad – it’s under $ 2, but it’s not cheap either.
I evaluated after I dug in. The pastry itself was interesting. It had a little bit more of a crunch and harder texture than I was expecting from a regular pastry, and the filling was more of a custard, which I liked. But on the whole, with all the interesting choices in Van-​city, I really wasn’t that impressed. Not bad but not compelling either.
I’m glad I went, though, for the sheer fact that I can say «I went to Beard Papa’s» and then check out the puzzled looks on my friend’s faces as they try to figure out what a place like Beard Papa’s would sell.

I wonder if any of my fellow Unilocalers that have given bad reviews below even like cream puffs, to begin with. I mean, come on. Criticizing a store that sells pastry puffs filled with pudding for being too high on carbs and calories is like criticizing The Keg for having too much meat on their menu. Take it for what it is. And, if you do, I don’t see how anyone could make the comparison to Safeway pastry items, even remotely.
At other bakeries, I’ve hardly ever had a cream puff that wasn’t at least marginally soggy. That’s to be expected, of course, when you fill the pastry with the cream and then have it sitting around for hours (or sometimes days, at places like Safeway). Beard Papa’s shells are always fresh (most of the ones I’ve bought were actually still warm) and only pipe-​filled upon ordering. As a result, they are crispier and fluffier than any other cream puff I’ve ever tasted. And, as far as the filling goes: Tastes differ, of course. But I fancy myself somewhat of an intermediate-​level hobby pastry chef and I can tell you: Anyone who can make better vanilla custard (which is what the «cream» inside really is) than they do, I’d like you to show me how. It’s always super silky, not too sweet and doesn’t have any of the artificial taste that, for example, Safeway eclairs always had for me.
Bottom line: For me, Beard Papa’s are quite possibly the best cream puffs I’ve ever had. And, if you happen to like cream puffs yourself, I’d say there is at least a good chance you might feel the same, once you try them.

It’s a cream puff place — get a cream puff here. Not a macaroon, not a donut, not a cupcake. The cream is like nothing else out there, light and smooth, refreshing in a way you never expect cream to be.
Admittedly, the one in Richmond is better. Their pastries are hot & fresh, whereas they’re sometimes kinda stale at the Denman location. But you know what? Who wants to drive to Richmond for a cream puff?

Dear Canadians,
I feel sorry for you. The pastries you have are way below average than your neighbors down south.
Come visit us.

MACAROON REVIEW ONLY
So I’m not a big fan of the crème puffs here but my SO spotted some other bakery items in the back and I was tempted by the macaroons. They had a bunch of flavors but chocolate is my favorite so I thought, why not?
Well, this macaroon happened to be hard as a rock. ok not that hard, but you catch my drift, right? C’mon, don’t sell those things after they’ve been sitting out for god knows how long.

My first brush with these sugar-​sprinkled wonders was in New York. My godmother, a fellow foodie, insisted on making the forty minute journey from her Brooklyn apartment to the Upper West Side so we could scour the sidewalk book stalls and feast on Beard Papa’s. I was reluctant at first. It was ten in the morning! I really didn’t feel like making the journey for stall cream puffs! Such foolish and misguided sentiments.
It was honestly like a little bit of heaven. Okay, fine, maybe that’s a bit cheesy but they were bloody good. After returning from Osaka, JP, Beard Papa’s homeland, I was overjoyed to see that they had opened several shops in Vancouver – one a mere fifteen minutes away!
The puffy pastry bits are made several times a day guaranteeing a crisp exterior shell. The chou creams are filled to order so they always taste fresh. Despite what their website states, I wouldn’t say these are the healthiest snacks but they are bloody good.

I feel like a crème puff after I’m finished at this place. It also doesn’t help that it’s right beside Cupcakes, gelato, Marble Creamery and a bakery! Can anyone say low-​carb, what? So apparently this cake/​donut is Japan’s biggest export since Toyota. It is two puff shells with crème inside. Very delicious and boast only 250 calories, as opposed to a Tim Horton’s glazed one which is — erm, 400 or so? Does it really matter at this point? No, I think if you’re going to indulge, go for a cup of ice cream or a gelato or Tim Horton’s. The service is very friendly though.