East Van Roasters

This review is going to be completely biased as my mother used to work here. She was a resident of the Ranier Hotel and had a great sense of pride that she was able to work again. I love that there is a place to help the women of the downtown east-​side to gain valuable skills to build their resume to seek future employment. Plus they’re so delightful to visit, I always enjoy stopping by!
As for their coffee, I like to buy their espresso beans by the pound to make my coffee at home. It’s roasted to perfection, no ashy, burnt, bitter taste like some other those corporate coffee shops. I would also recommend their little honey caramels, they’re perfect when you want to treat yourself to something sweet.

I am a coffee snob and I like their coffee a lot, it is good.
I don’t like chocolate but I like their chocolate a lot so it must be good.
The fact that they are a social enterprise founded by the PHS giving back to the community they are located in is a bonus, but even if you don’t care about that part, the coffee and the chocolate are still among the best in the city.

I enjoy exploring different coffee shops but this one is by far the most unique. I ordered the mayan spiced drinking chocolate and I was blown away. I usually don’t order hot chocolates but this spicy chilli drink is beyond my expectations.
I also ordered the chocolate tasting flight which had 3 squares of 75% dark chocolate sourced from cocoa beans from the Dominican, Madagascar and Peru. I enjoyed the Peru chocolate the most because I picked up the perfect balance of bitter, sweet and sour. The chocolates were creamy even though they were 75% dark chocolate.
The bill came down to $ 5.50 which is an extremely reasonable price. There are limited seats but I enjoy the single booths in the hallway

Best mocha in the city. In fact, best a lot of things. There’s always room to have a quiet cup in the back, room for about a dozen people. Benefits nearby women’s shelters. Their chocolate is to die for delicious, make sure you get a few bars to go.

Needed an espresso (ok — needed to taste their chocolate)… Staff is The perfect blend of knowledgeable and friendly. The place is also a perfect blend of quaint and modern. I love businesses run by young people who are really excited about what they’re doing.

As a frequent coffee goer, I’m always on the look out for new cozy spots to sip good coffee and draw. As of now, this is my favorite place in Vancouver. My past favorite, Our Town, though still good, has become so busy I often find myself going to a different spot just so I can have a spot to sit. To be expected though.
Even through busy spurts, however, I am more than willing to wait for this place. The americano (my go-​to test drink) is the best I’ve had (apart from the ones in Italy), and their chocolate is amazing! Quickest way to my heart? Good chocolate. So the fact that you can see them making it in house is beyond amazing. Not only that, but they have dairy free options as well (heck yes!).
Breakdown:
COFFEE/​CHOCOLATE/​FOODSTUFFS: ⁵⁄₅
Chocolate, espresso drinks, tea; all top notch. Everything is made with care, and they even have a community hot chocolate option for those who don’t have the money. Pay what you will, and allow others less fortunate to have a cup!
ATMOSPHERE: ⁴⁄₅
Warm, comfortable, clean, friendly, though a little cramped. They do what they can to make the space work, and it’s very cute how it is. I do suggest going early to snag a seat though, it can fill up easily.
SERVICE: ⁵⁄₅
Very friendly and helpful staff. I’ve never had a bad experience. I think once they gave me the wrong chocolate I ordered with my coffee, but it was very busy, and after mentioning it to them they immediately swapped it out for me.

«East Van Roasters is the newest social enterprise to come out of the PHS Community Services Society. Designed to provide training and employment to the women residents of the Rainier Hotel and other downtown Eastside housing initiatives»
Wow.that’s a quote from their website which is extremely respectable and impressive.
The area that East Van Roasters is in might scare people away BUT it actually seems to be a spot where a lot of little businesses are opening so if it’s not out of your way I’d suggest checking out this little shop. It’s really small, cute, clean and comforting with a few seats inside to enjoy your drinks and sweets.
I sent them a facebook message asking about some products before checking the store out and they were very helpful, along with the polite cashier I had a nice experience. They have coffees, teas, drinking chocolates, little sweet treats and even specially made chocolates. You can see them making everything behind the counter through the glass walls, which I love.
Okay.now if you read my profile you’ll see that I LOVE brownies… and I mean LOVE!!! So the one thing that’s still on my mind is the gluten free almond brownie, not that I really care about the whole gluten craze like so many others seem to these days but my lord was this brownie amazing. It’s pretty simple but the texture and taste made this one of the best I’ve had in the city… ever! and at $ 2 it’s something I’ll get again for sure.

Love the chocolate
Love their seats
Love being able to see what happens in the kitchen as one makes chocolate over the glass
They are usually pretty quiet, so bring a book and enjoy a cup of coffee/​tea

I enjoyed their salted chocolate chip cookie as it was very chewy and satisfying, and I loved how it wasn’t overly sweet. It was just a bit dry but a cold glass of milk went extremely well with the dessert!
As for their hand-​rolled truffles, I really don’t know how to judge because for some strange reason, I found my truffle a bit sour? I’m not sure if they’re supposed to be sour but the chocolate itself was of extremely high quality and there was no unpleasant cheap chocolate taste lingering in my mouth after.
The café itself is small and quaint so I’ll probably come back to try their baked goods and a hot drink someday!

Great coffee shop… even has a «pay what you can»…community coffee… great to see businesses that support the community… great environment to just hang out in… retro music from the big band era…

I’m really fond of this place. Love the open concept, and love the staff. There are a lot of great, determined women working here, and the chocolate is great!
There are gluten-​free and dairy free options. Since I don’t drink coffee, I generally get the single origin hot chocolate with almond milk. There is generally a gluten-​free brownie, and if memory serves, it’s amazing. Often, I will try the chocolate bars, or whatever other little delectable treats they have on display. The space is small but there is lots of natural light. It’s a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. As you enter, you’re able to see a large portion of the kitchen and it’s really neat to see what’s happening any given day.

Used to work on water st, and I would walk there every days for coffee (sometimes twice a day)… The office has moved and now I’m working even farther on Granville St. There are closer coffee shops around, but this place has such good coffee, I enjoy walking the extra 5 blocks to get there.
Their chocolate is amazing too!

Would have gotten 5 stars but they’re closed on Mondays! Mondays, really?
Handmade chocolates are quite pricey.

Some of the finest coffee in Gastown. A relaxed, take your jacket off, open your notebook, write about the intricacies of life, sip coffee slowly kinda atmosphere. For all the times I have gone, have only been a couple other people here at most.
I was asked what way I wanted my coffee to be made. When I inquired if they used the pour-​over method, the woman said no therefore I picked the French press way. A few minutes later, my coffee was finished. I drink it black so I hoped that it wouldn’t be burnt/​sour and everything in between… and it wasn’t!
They roast their own beans and the cookies are well-​executed. I dislike chocolate (yes, I did just say that) but this cookie had a great (not overpowering) chocolate flavour.

The concept of this shop is creative and intriguing. The open kitchen concept lets you see step-​by-​step the process of crafting chocolate, starting with the husking of a cacao. I went in on a whim to check it out, and the woman I spoke with walked me through everything about the shop. She was so knowledgable and passionate, and you can see this in all the staff.
You can buy chocolate by the piece, bar, or as gifts. They also have a great collection of whole beans to take home. The size of the packaging is great to ensure your beans don’t go stale.
You can also enjoy a cup of coffee and some chocolate, or other deliciously baked treats in-​store. The space is small, but cozy. Beautiful exposed brick, and what looks like reclaimed pews from a church or school that make an excellent bench.
If you are looking for fine crafted, fresh chocolate this is a great start. They also practice direct trade, which means that they are buying directly from producers and able to by-​pass middle-​men and give farmers are fair price, while building connections with the community.

I had never noticed or even heard of East Van Roasters before the Hot Chocolate Festival this year. It’s a tiny little place without much seating but the staff are very friendly and welcoming. It’s great that you can actually see the beans being roasted on site and I love that they are a non-​profit enterprise — very cool!
I also had the High Society, which was Earl Grey drinking chocolate served with a brownie topped with candied orange. Both the drink and brownie were delicious! I think the Earl Grey and orange flavours really complimented each other. I would definitely like to come back to this place.

I bought a package of the Bodum Blend beans and made a pot this morning. So delicious. My new favourite coffee. And I love their business model as an ethical social enterprise.
Great place.

Hidden away in one of the most unassuming part of Gastown this tiny shop is part chocolate shop and part coffee house. You walk down a very narrow pathway before hitting the seating area hidden around the corner. The combined smell of coffee and chocolate is a sensory wet dream. The chocolate selections are minimal, however, of great quality. The minute you walk in you’re greeted with a great smile. I had the «HIGH SOCIETY» Earl Grey drinking chocolate. Served with East Van Roasters’ signature gluten-​free brownie and candied orange. The drink wasn’t overly sweet. Both flavor notes although strong, we’re detected and appreciated in an excellent balance combination. The drink cost was $ 5.50 (taxes included).

This review is based on my chocolate tasting experience, not on the hot chocolate nor coffee because I didn’t try either. So here we go.
My partner and I were slugging around Gastown. We walked passed by this tiny place which I thought was an extension of Nelson the Seagull because they are practically adjacent to each other. But once I looked more closely I saw a good chunk of space is allocated to making and tempering chocolates so I figured they may not be related after all.
We walked in, and was greeted warmly. I saw chocolate tasting flight for $ 2.00. Yes, $ 2.00! Then the questions just flew out of my mouth. How many pieces are included in the tasting? 3. How long have you guys been in operation. 4 months. Here, take my money.
We got to try Dominican, Madagascar, and shame on me, I forgot the last one. Coming with the three squares of chocolate, were two whole cocoa nibs. The chocolates were amazing smooth with minimal acidity. There weren’t a lot of strong fruit notes in the Dominican and the last one, but the Madagascar definitely had some cherry undertone. Having the cocoa nibs to end off our tasting flight was a smart idea. The slight bitterness acted as a pallet cleanser.
Well played.
I can’t wait to try their coffee and drinking chocolate. Knowing they use ethical beans, organic cream, and humanity honey makes me feel great in being a patron here.

I made a quick stop in to try the coffee at this new place. I did not realize from the outside that it was also a specialty chocolate artisan, and that was a nice surprise upon seeing the treats on offer.
I had a sampling of a truffle. It was delicious and very unique.
On to the coffee. They roast their own. The beans are organic, fair trade. That all sounds good. The Americano though… not so good. It could be the machine, but it was a little bitter, weak, and only a slight hint of crema. It wasn’t terrible, but there are far better options close by, and I lost interest in it halfway through.