Bonchaz Bakery Café

A coffe shop with above average food for, you know, coffee shops.
Coffee shops are a dime-​a-​dozen so any differencism is welcome. Bonchaz has a great range of soups, sandwiches/​wraps, buns. Defo one of the best spots on Main and Broadway to stop for a quick lunch.
The location, literally on the intersection, also provides for entertaining people watching. Excellent to hit up on weekdays as it tends to be pretty quiet.
There’s a Vegan wrap which is surprisingly good for anyone who’s so inclined.

I bought this Bonchaz wrap at my local café and it has too much lettuce and too little chicken. However, the folks at Bonchaz assured me this is not to their standards and they offered me a refund. Great customer service! I appreciate it and I will try their wraps again.

We’ve stopped more than a few times for a quick and inexpensive lunch and never been disappointed. The food is always decent and excellent value and the staff are unfailingly friendly. The view of Main & Broadway can also be entertaining.
A recent menu change has replaced sandwiches with wraps. We had wraps this time but will have to see if bread can be substituted on the next visit as a the house-​made bread is better and likely healthier!

The business owner has updated their smoothie menu and has acknowledged their foible in the past. He offered a reimbursement and coupons as well, which I have yet to redeem.

I’m used to go at the location on W Hasting downtown.
But this location is even more quiet… During da week-​end…
So I kind of prefer this one despite the location (lil bit more far for me).
Three words: Banana walnut Bonchaz=WHAMMY…
Soooo good… This is brilliant…
The place is clean and they got free Wifi (always a plus).
Also they offered a super combo deal.
Any 2 for 7.57 $.
For sandwich, soup, salad, pasta.
Yes! Two different items and vegan options available!
This place is a gem on Main and Broadway.
I wish them all the best!

Good food and so many healthy options. I have been back many times as a result. Michael from Bön Chaz is very accommodating when it comes to catering orders. My guests always leave pleased with the food and happy with the many different options they have.

This is actually on Main @ Broadway, however, the entrance closer faces Main street. The downfall to this place is that it closes way to early on the weekends. The buns are great. Crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Organized with limited seating inside. Very friendly staff.

Nice little café on Broadway. It’s close to my work so I go frequently and they never fail to disappoint. The turkey sandwich is amazing, and all of the ingredients are always so fresh. Their chocolate buns are a MUST (get them heated – they’re even better!). The place has a nice relaxed atmosphere and the baristas are super friendly. Definitely the gem of mount pleasant!

lunch special!
ok 8 $. solid! sure u could goto tim hortons across the road but the soup sandwich combo here is BOSS!
baguette bread sliced twice and filled w fresh DELISH! and guess wha? SOUP TOO!
over all it’s a super deal. also a buddy of mine says they make a great chai — I don’t drink that do I dunno.
yeah and the staff is pretty cool and chill.

I’m updating my review because shortly after I wrote my original one, the owner contacted me via Unilocal and tried to make things right. He sent me a gift card and invited me to try the café again. He also refunded me the cost of my smoothie, which was $ 6. Such a nice gesture! And really unexpected.
I’m a fan and when I’m in the area again I will stop by for coffee/​tea/​food because I am extremely pleased with the customer service.
This is a company that cares about it’s customers. That’s something I can appreciate.

I don’t drink coffee, so can’t rate that. And I don’t really like their «bonchaz buns»…
BUT they make exceptional sandwiches. They use bread that’s made fresh daily, in house, and it’s delicious. Kicks the shit out of the Subway across the street. If you haven’t tried one, you should! You will not be disappointed.

When you’ve arrived in a new city, your ‘go tos’ are crucial. If that’s a Marlboro Red or a diet coke, it won’t be long before you’re satisfied, but if you’re gagging for a decent coffee, it might take a while. Bonchaz has the exact image to match their coffee. A cool comfy café with plenty of seats and light, without having to pay Brooklyn prices that we’ve become accustomed to just for the novelty of having a cuppa. Service was friendly and efficient. The price for a small, medium or large tea is the same which I always respect. It’s less than two bucks for something sweet to go with your drink, and you can grab a piece of fruit for a dollar, I’m sold. Highly reccomended.

As mentioned in my other review, this one is a lot nicer, and definitely date-​worthy for a casual 1^st date; does have comfortable lounge seating. Clean (er) washrooms too!
Parking can be challenging here, as it’s right by a bus loop (DT as well lol).
Buns are quite deleesh if right out of the oven.
Modern décor, lots of light at this corner location.
they deliver too but more from its DT.
friendly service.

To be completely honest, I have had a really bad smoothie experience here (steep price for sugar and ice.) I wont go into detail but pretty much a first and last time kind of deal with that.
HOWEVER I grab lunch from here often, it is quick and close to where I work. Their sandwiches are good, fresh and made on the spot in less than two minutes. And for that I return.
Skip the drink but have a snack!

Bonchaz is really cute! Stopped in here for a quick bite and got a soup and sandwich. The sandwich (ham and cheese) was pretty standard, but fresh. The soup was really nice! It was a sausage and cheddar chowder, very tasty.
I’ve seen some reviews on here about disliking the smoothies, but I absolutely enjoyed my mango smoothie! It was a great size and really not that pricey. Maybe they’ve changed since the former reviews? Regardless, it was a nice experience and I would go back.

I like Bonchaz a lot. It’s a good place to stop and grab a bite when you wind up at the intersection of Main and Broadway (which I do often). There’s a cluster of restaurants around here, but most of them are either fast food or a sit down place/​bar. Bonchaz is a nice in between. I like their sandwiches with a side of soup or pasta salad. Tasty pasta salad (which I usually don’t care for, anything that’s called salad that doesn’t involve a green usually puts me off). I had a carrot ginger soup here once I really liked too! They also make this lemon lavender loaf that my boo likes, so sometimes I bring him a slice. :) The baked goods are discounted at some point in the later evening, so it’s a very good deal.

Mmm it was okay. The bun was not freshly baked and the raspberry smoothie tasted artificial. Maybe because I visited this place at around afternoon):

Sometimes they have specials! I came in today after 5pm and the buns were half off.
I recommend the chocolate truffle bun and ask to get it warmed up!

Very excited for this new location. It sure is great for people watching — Broadway and Main after all, whole host of characters walking around. I used to visit the Gastown one often when I worked in the area, always felt like such a treat!
So you can imagine my disappointment when I go in at 11 on a Saturday morning, and there are no Bön Chaz available… I think my face must have transformed into a disappointed storm cloud ;) The lady serving informed me I had a 10 minute wait which was fine as I was staying there anyway. Spacious area, clean, not too loud, and a view of the area wherever you sit.
Aaaand they forgot my Bonchaz. Ahh well, not open long after all, am sure they’ll be more organized next time!

Really, I wanted to fall in love with Bonchaz. Especially because of this new location within walking distance of home.
Lukewarm coffee, slightly stale croissant. A grubby sheen on the tables. Mid-​afternoon, perfect timing for my coffee break, but a major disappointment here.

Positively jazzed about Bonchaz 2.0!
It’s not just a carbon copy of the original location:
a touch retro, a bit sleeker, a whole lot brighter, it’s a refreshing addition to the corner of Main & Broadway.
I double dare you to resist the siren call of their signature buns while waiting for the bus.
Tell me it isn’t the most futile exercise in self-​control.
For those in the dark, Bonchaz is an inspired mash-​up of Mexican pastry and Chinese buns.
Crusty caramelized crumble topping + milk-​based fluffy (filled) bun = MASSIVELY ADDICTIVE.
What I’ve tried:
Original Bonchaz ($ 1.50)
— butter was all up in this bun & all over my fingers
— kinda plain Jane in flavour and crunch
Banana & Walnut Bonchaz ($ 1.75)
— this redeemed my many, walnuts-​gone-​bad experiences. On point!
— banana filling: mildly sweet & VERY ripe. think mashed red beans.
Cranberry White Chocolate Walnut Muffin ($ 2.35)
— a moment of silence for generic coffee shop muffins. Because they are dead to me.
— what a STUDmuffin. Literally. Fully & skillfully loaded to hit just the right trifecta of sweet /​tart /​nutty.
— smooth, pillowy crumb verges into cake territory. Unorthodox but decadent.
Their current promotion: $ 2 off for their soup + sandwich combos.
Psyched to find a one-​stop shop for pastry indulgences and quick bites!