Renzo’s Coffee

Their carrot cake is the best I have ever had. Wish I lived closer!

I love it here, and have spent a fair amount of time writing and working here. The tea is local and lovely, the view over the park amazing, the staff friendly, WiFi reliable if a bit slow… It’s a busy place, so I get it.
Why not the 5^th star? Not enough plugs, a bit pricey ($ 3.00 for a cup of tea?), the food often sits a bit too long, and they put strawberries in their free water. This is a huge problem for someone (like me) with an allergy to strawberries. Still a nice touch, but… :)

Moved to the neighbourhood in the summer this place is super close to my home. Went in there a handful of times. The coffee is unmemorable. I had a Nanaimo bar from there and it tasted awful like it had been in the fridge too long. Totally disappointed. But it is in a great location and has a cute patio for the summer.
I would never go back there. Too many other places to go to.

Poor attitude from the girl & 3 $ for a average cup of coffee. Won’t be back. Tired of being treated like dirt and paying for it.

This place has come a long way. When it opened, I thought for sure it was doomed because they skimped on nice chairs. What do I know?! The service has improved a lot over the years — current employees are friendly and efficient. Coffee is a bit on the bitter side, but it does the trick.

Nice enough coffee. Water is great. Good vibe in the café because of the patrons (although waitstaff could be less hispter-​snobby).

Really good espresso and all but the service could be better. When I come in the morning I don’t want to see a I am to cool to be working here working there. I ordered a espresso and was sitting 4 ft from where she was making the coffee. When she was done she just put it out and couldn’t walk couple feet to give it to me at the bar. If it was busy sure but I was only one there. Customer service is key to a business so come on smile and make me feel special.

I am torn.
Neat little coffee shop on The Drive, great vibe but holy crap $ 6.50 for a slice of carrot cake! It looked delicious on display but unfortunately, I was kind of disappointed. It was a carrot cake with a big slab of cheese cake in the middle. Didn’t work for me. Didn’t think it was worth $ 6.50.
On the other hand, the $ 4.00 latte I had was solid. There was a bit too much foam at the top, but not a big deal.
Would I come back? For a carrot cake or any other cake, no. For a latte, yes.

Of all the gelato/​coffee houses here on the Drive, this is probably the biggest, natural light being on the corner near the park.
Like the openness & friendly service.
Recommend their lemon chiffon cake, looks llke lemon meringue but more cake like inside, a bit sour but the sweet white chocolate flakes more than make up for it. Comes w/​whipped cream, and the great berries: raspberry, blueberry and blackberry.
for $ 5.50, not too shabby at all!

There is no ambiance to this place, very white in color. There isn’t much selection outside cakes in regards to pastries, however, they do shine in their selection of beverages and their alternative names for their drinks. The cakes are shy high at $ 6.50 per slice and is almost a meal in itself. They plate it nicely for you. The prices are fair and the customer service is very friendly.

Carrot cake with layer of cheesecake! What?!

When I think fun coffee shop this is what I like. Renzo’s fits all my bills for a café. Hello, darling.
Renzo’s has great tea, awesome service, and a nice atmosphere. Local art hangs on the walls, some of it for sale. Tables aren’t huge for drawing but a decent enough size that 2 – 3 people can draw at table. Also it’s not too loud, it’s just right.
I got an Egyptian Licorice Tea here. If you love licorice you’ll like this tea. It smells amazing and tastes pretty good especially since it was only $ 2.50. Some of their other stuff seems expensive but, that’s alright since I wasn’t there to eat anyway.
Just a note it’s cash only so no debit or visa here.

Do you know what Commercial Drive needs?
A coffee shop.
Eastvannernites, your prayers have been answered, because Commercial Drive now has one! This formerly bleak, coffeeless wasteland has undergone some sort of renaissance in the form of Renzo’s. It’s unfortunate that an old-​style Italian tailor had to make way, but frankly, those are dime-​a-​dozen all over town. Bring a coffee shop to the area, and who knows, perhaps a pizza joint or produce stand might follow suit. It’s tme our shy Italian friends took over this neighbourhood. We’re ready. The Drive deserves it.
**When you enter, the display counter greets you with a «TA-​DA!». Sweet fancy Moses, how do they get those cakes to defy gravity like that? The carrot cake and meringue pies are stunning to look at. Inside, you’ll find a nice clean café, cash-​only, with good espresso drinks, a great view of the park across the street, and free wi-​fi.**
With any luck, maybe someone with a MacBook will appear one day and take advantage of it for hours. Cross fingers, Renzo’s.
You can sit here, gaze across the street and daydream that maybe, just maybe, a small group of neatly dressed, clean shaven friends will have the courage to show up in the park and play a nice quiet beat on their objects of drumming.
The end.
ps. The bit between the ** and ** is the serious bit.
²⁰⁄₃₀: 30DaysOfYelp

I passed this place the other day and made a note to try it out on the weekend. It looks really modern and has a great location, perched on the corner of Grandview Park.
That said, I was pretty disappointed by the coffee. I got a latte and it tasted bland. The «gluten free» dessert was not very good either, just a giant block of peanutty puffed rice with cheap chocolate on top of it.

Favourite new commercial drive café. Cold lemon, mint, and strawberry water DELICIOIUS, just like the ESPRESSO, (dry rather than sweet: Italian style), and double layered carrot cake (yes, there is a 1″ wide slab of cheesecake in the middle). Delicious enough to quickly forget the $ 6.50 cost of the slice. Market prices for coffee, espresso 2.50 & up for specialties.
Rainy day? No problem. The big windows overlooking grandview park are perfect for contemplating a journal entry or classic literary work solo, or a much needed catch up session for friends. Lovely modern art, chic interior. Fun staff who remembered me. Will return, again and again, as long as there is a seat open.

While Commercial Drive is not in short supply of cafes, Renzo’s is a great spot for people watching and a cappuccino. The woman behind the bar was friendly and made a great cup of coffee.
This place is cash only!

This is a great addition to the ever expanding coffee shop region that is called «The Drive.» I went there with 3 friends yesterday and we each had an espresso drink of some sort. My classic cappuccino had the perfect amount of foam and thus was delicious. The woman knew how to pull the drink to perfection. She told me they are currently using continental coffee beans for their espresso drinks.
The corner location is really ideal and I think the place was packed for this very reason. They have the perfect large wide windows that are ideal for afternoon people watching.
It does lacks some differing snacks other than the standard coffee shop fare but that could change I suppose.
I say check it out for the view and stay because it’s lovely.

Enjoyed a well-​crafted macchiato here and found the place to be a welcome addition to The Drive. They use Continental Coffee beans and know how to pull a shot. Didn’t get a chance to eat anything but they had some nice smelling soup on offer.
I heard a rumor that drip coffee, ice cream and a liquor license are upcoming (not neccesarily in that order). A great spot for people watching that feels warm and welcoming. Can’t wait to have a coffee outside once the patio tables are available.

A brand new place on the Drive that once again proves I should spend more time here checking out the unique cafes in the area.
Forget about the «old Italian guys sitting around playing bocci ball» stereotype… this place is run by their offspring and is well on its way to being hip and cool yet welcoming to everyone.
But most importantly, the coffee is excellent. I love how they have started from that premise and will let the rest happen as the business settles into the neighbourhood and attracts what I’m sure will be a loyal clientele. For example, the décor at the moment is somewhat sparse, but they clearly have top noch equipment to serve excellent cappucinos and machiatos.
I was very impressed and have been informed by those more knowledgeable than I in the ways of caffeine purveying that this ranks as a new destination spot for great coffee in the city. Will definitely stop by next time I’m on the drive for a return visit.

*My 800^th review… holy sh*
For about a month now I’ve been spying out this corner shop beside the bakery next to the park. I had peeked in through the large sliding windows and seen the Victoria Arduino Espresso machine. All lit up with a come hither in her eye and twinkle in her chrome and then, with little fan fare, Renzo’s Coffee has opened on Commercial Drive where the old Taylor shop used to be. In fact the very name is the same, and you will see Renzo himself.
André is the proprietor of the shiny new shop that offers the Commercial Drive’s iconic Continental Coffee roast, in keeping with the tradition of the true and trusted local Italian culture. The pastries are from Black Rook Bakehouse in the VanEastVillage.
This shop is bright with plenty of natural light, and an open floor plan that gives it a spacious feeling.
Plenty of seating, wireless, tasty coffee and some light nibbles just to wet our whistle for things to come.