Duncan Garage Café & Bakery

I finally got to check out Duncan Garage Café & Bakery and wow — what a vibe! The place has so much character with its historic building, cozy corners, and tons of seating. It feels welcoming the moment you walk in, like a space where people actually want to hang out, chat, or just enjoy their coffee in peace. The crowd adds to the charm — a mix of locals, travelers, and just genuinely beautiful people inside and out. It’s one of those spots where the energy feels light and positive, almost like a community hub. Food-wise, everything feels fresh and wholesome. I love that they focus on organic and vegetarian options, and the baked goods are definitely worth a try (don’t skip them with your coffee!). The coffee itself is decent, though I’d say the atmosphere and food are what really shine here. Service was friendly and relaxed, which fits the overall feel. It does get busy, but it never felt rushed — more like everyone’s on “garage café time.” What makes it even better is the location — it’s right close to the totem tours in downtown Duncan, so it’s a perfect stop before or after exploring the city’s famous totem poles. All in all, I’d call this place a little gem in Duncan. If you’re looking for good food, good people, and a space that just radiates good energy, this is the spot.

I have been to this cafe bakery many times in the past; the food was healthy, attractive and yummy; and today was no exception. They have prepackaged frozen goods, freshly made meals and gluten free meals. Healthy healthy food, not over salted and not over cooked veggies. For some people used to salty fast foood this will not be what you are accustomed to. However I like my food perfectly cooked and not overly salted since I need a low Sodium diet.

Such a cozy gem in the heart of Duncan. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. I love how the walls are decorated with local paintings and art, which gives the space a creative and vibrant touch. The food is fresh, hearty, and full of flavor, with lots of thoughtful options for different diets. Their baked goods are simply amazing—perfect with a cup of their rich, smooth coffee. The staff are friendly and welcoming, making the whole experience even more enjoyable. A wonderful place to relax, soak in the atmosphere, and enjoy delicious food.

I came across Garage & Café while walking around Duncan, and it turned out to be such a lovely surprise! From the outside, I didn’t expect much, but inside the café was beautiful, lively, and full of tasty looking drinks and food. The staff were also super friendly. I ordered a matcha latte and a few slices of pizza. The latte was made so pretty, not too sweet, and I loved the soft green color while drinking it. The pizza was honestly way better than I expected I would definitely recommend it! Next time, I’m excited to try more items on their menu.

Great little bakery and cafe. Vegan, gluten-free. We are not into the vegan lifestyle but were looking for Gluten free options. The Quesadilla was really good. The rice noodle bowl was ok and could have had heartier vegetables added. The Nanaimo bar was good. The crimson tea was delicious. Overall a decent choice.

There must be new owners because the usual “granola type staff” have vanished. The ones who believed the motto of “food into your body should be healthy and uplifting” are gone. Replaced by a baseball hat wearing manager and new staff who make drinks wrong. The portions are smaller while the prices are higher. It used to be a favorite stop when I travelled up island. Now I will be avoiding it! Booo new owners!! Goodbye goodwill

Super cute spot, and there frozen to go goods are always delightful! Definitely recommend the frozen Dhal soup! The hot food is often very large, and I always feel I could have shared! The drinks are great! And don’t forget to stop into the cute bookshop while waiting for your food!

I love this place. I always visit here when I am in town. The food is so delicious, and the place has a such a good vibe.

They have some really good salad dressing. I highly recommend trying it. The place is also a restaurant but offers to go items along with dressings.

I had a squash sandwich (picked it up before a hike) it was very delicious. Would definitely return. Be sure to check out the cute book store in the same building.

Original and very tasty. Service is counter, menus on easel at entry. Ambiance is local eclectic. There was a street fair outside on Monday, across the Rainbow cross walk. We had creamy herbed mushroom soup, and a grilled veggie quesidilla, soup was great, quesadilla was stellar. Many items are available to go in the self serv cold cases and the pastry case was tempting. Really enjoyed our visit. .

The chalk menu listed the 'Garage Skillet', but the cashier had no idea how to ring it up. After some consultation we landed on the 'potato skillet.'. We ordered, and sat by the delivery window so as not to miss our order. Going on a hour later, we heard a truculent voice over a the speaker 'order for Mimi - it's been sitting here for ten minutes'. We didn't miss it - it simply had not been called. Needless to say it was ice cold. we handed the food and asked him to throw in the trash bin and left to find a good restaurant.

Not for everyone myself I don't personally like the food here but others might love it. They are vegan so you won't get any meat products witch is fine for the right crowd just no me personally.

Great place, besides the fact that both of my parents got food poisoning from the eggplant stack they had for lunch. Unfortunately, this makes me think twice about how they handle and store their food.

Fabulous baked goods, coffee, and books under one roof. What's not to love? There is music under the trees to listen to, and very nice servers inside. Terrific establishment.

Fresh, made-to-order dishes from a wide variety of choices. Cheerfully served. Coffee good as well. Hard to imagine not finding something to your satisfaction.

The food was fresh and good! I took home several of their frozen entrees. We are US tourists do can't come back often, but would if I could!

Fantastic food without any carcasses. Delicious bagels and granola. Can be crowded and noisy.

Must eat here. All good for you and delicious. Great space to hang out, connect and/or work.

The staff are always friendly and very helpful with all the things I need.. there always fast and never screw up my orders! I give them five stars and I definitely recommend this lovely cafe to everyone

Perhaps I got the wrong things, but what I ordered was extremely underwhelming. The vegan roll (1.5/5) was quite bland in flavour, and unfortunately it was not very flaky. It could also use a little more filling. What was really disappointing was the drinks. The matcha lemon tea and green goddess smoothie that my family got were simply not good, and we couldn't manage more than a few sips.

Awesome service. Awesome people. The prices were reasonable. The location is easily accessible. I also trust the stuff and people here

Great place to meet with friend for vegetarian/vegan lunches, snacks and coffee. Awesome atmosphere too!

Visited The Garage Cafe in Duncan for lunch today. It was our second visit but the first time we just got drinks. It has more of a market style atmosphere rather than a cafe/restaurant, although they do serve breakfast and lunch. There's also another shop inside the building with lots of vegan and vegetarian goods. For lunch I ordered the vegan pizza with an almond milk iced chai latte. My husband got their rice bowl with a strawberry smoothie. The pizza was kind of sad, both in presentation and taste. It was completely covered in what I believe was daiya cheese. It would have been better with less daiya (it's not that good anyway), and with the toppings on top rather than buried under the cheese. That said my husband's rice bowl was delicious - it had rice, tofu, broccoli, kale, carrots, cauliflower etc, and a really yummy "Buddha sauce". The drinks were both delicious as well. I just don't particularly recommend the pizza. The girl at the counter was helpful, and answered my questions, explaining the menu to me, even though it was busy.

So great- healthy food, gluten-free options, a lovely bookstore. This is a must go in Duncan for a delicious meal. Also you can learn everything that is going on in the community by looking on the community board. Have fun!

What took us so long to come here? Many people suggested we stop ar The Garage in Duncan. My husband resisted because the menu is vegetarian with great vegan options. No meat at The Garage, but great options. With items like spelt crust pizza and vegan options, I appreciate the menu. Although I steer clear of sweet bakery items, I noticed some excellent looking cakes, cookies, and tarts. A selection of these items are gluten free. The Garage is an eclectic cafe with tables both inside and outside. With today being my second time here, I noticed some "regulars" who seem to be a part of the daily background. The locals seem to make this a central meeting place for coffee and neighborly meetings. By the way, the coffee and lattes good. My biggest desire would be to give The Garage in Duncan a five-star rating. Unfortunately, I am going to just give a four-star for dining area mess. This is a bus-your-own-table place. Food debris builds up under the tables and frolicking toddlers leave messes of crumbs on the floor, chairs and finger smudges on everything. In my opinion, a staff person could be utilized to do an hourly, routine follow up of these occasions. Even though I have complaints about cleanliness in the dining areas, overall, The Garage in Duncan is a winning spot on VancouverIsland. Maybe the more I visit The Garage, I will learn to overlook and even appreciate my idea of the flaw with a messy cafe seating area. Don't let my review keep you away. This place is really awesome.

We stopped by on our way to Tofino and they had lots of healthy and delicious food! There's plenty of seating towards the back of the bakery/cafe. The quiche and the rice bowl were both heated/ cooked after we ordered and were delicious. There's a little organic store in the same building with a good variety of things but quite pricy as organic things usually are.

Best deserts and food is all organic!! The people are so nice and friendly too I keep going back every week and my personal favorite is the cinnamon roll iI think it is easily the best I've tried so far. The lunch and meal menus are warm and delicious also.

Great stop! Almond latte, pumpkin latte, and one vegan samosa. Everything was delicious, so grateful for the organic & vegan selections! You will love this iconic cornerstone of a local business in the heart of downtown Duncan. Can't wait to get back and try some more bakery items.

Good place to stop off for a quick lunch. Other interesting places to visit in the same building. Parking and tables at a premium during lunch hour.

Visited for breakfast on a Sunday morning and was pleased to see all the vegan options they had. Ordered a tofu scramble, which was delicious, and came with potatoes and a very nice salad. Decent prices, and the food comes out very quickly. Very cool place. Recommended.

This place was quaint and had a cool factor. Kinda funky people in there and the baking was great. Loved the cinnamon bun, husband thought the cranberry orange muffin was good, the two peanut butter bars were devoured by our kids! Lots of options and we're all really good. Will go back some day.

Oh wow. This is worth taking a pilgrimage to visit. If you love fresh made food with quality ingredients, be sure to stop by.

Definitely fresh and tasty. If you're looking for lunch, a go to place for sure. Good atmosphere as well though can be a little noisy and crammed.

I am from NY this place is excellent. Great service. Amazing food. White Choc Rasp Scones are incredible, I don't even like scones. The soups are out of this world..had the white bean Quesadilla, how do they get it so full of flavor?? Considering becoming a vegetarian..sure wish they would write a cookbook..

A worthwhile stop for some lunch while around Duncan, BC. Soooo many vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free healthy options, and a very grassroots vibe. The wrap is excellent and packed with flavour. The rice bowl provides protein power from the beans and had a nom-tastic miso sauce and plenty of veg with brown rice. Super friendly staff made this place welcoming, and they craft a mean iced matcha! Great hang-out spot, too, as I saw some people working on some writing, or working on their laptops, or reading novels. Speaking of books, there is also a lovely book store located in the same building, as well as a healthy grocery market store. Only note would be that there is limited seating at teeny tables, so best to go with a small group or solo. What a lovely little healthy haven :)

Hippy dippy earthy goodness! In Duncan! What a surprise to find this neat vegetarian cafe off the beaten path-big box store-bypass of Duncan. Just turn off the hustle bustle highway and it's a different world. Located on Duncan St in a quaint part of town full of historic character beside the railway station, tiny museum and totem poles. I thought I was on Hornby Island or little town of Nelson. Inside this old building is a market store, used book shop and the funky Garage Cafe. A very eclectic bustling place on a Saturday afternoon with all types of people from locals to tourists. Lots of fresh, healthy options on lunch board (they also serve breakfast). The menu changes according to seasonal availability - everything is made in-house with organic ingredients from local surrounding farms. I tried the beet burger with white bean vegetable soup. Two thumbs up! Moist flavour-filled ruby pink patty on baked flat bread with all the usual fixings like sprouts, tomatoes and pickles. It tasted quality homemade and delicious. My partner who is a die-hard carni was very impressed and said he's getting one next time (if it's available!) Service was quick and efficient; Garage is obviously a well-run business. Just place your order at the counter then wait for pick up around the corner beside the kitchen. Coffee is locally sourced with a big selection. Baked case goods look amazing - I'll be back to taste test the veggie "sausage" rolls, cinnamon sticky buns, vegan brownies and hiker granola bars... I have found a new soul-nourishing pitstop in Duncan as we adventure-hunt up/down the island. Can't wait to go back. Happy happy hippy ki yay!

The food is fresh and creative, prepared with attention and hearty servings. I've eaten here twice and will be a regular. Brunch (burrito) and lunch quiche and soup were both excellent, lots of choices served by a very friendly staff. There is often a line, so don't come in a rush; informal seating. Bus your own table, find a spot in or out.

This place is uber cool. The concept of this place is so amazing, open for artists and musicians to show off their wares, DC has a beyond excellent bakery and lunch counter too. Healthy vegan and gluten free options, great coffee and the freshest of ingredients. A very natural, hippy ambiance electrifies the entire store. The Garage was packed on a Saturday morning with all kinds of townspeople supporting the place. There was a library which also sold local items like jewelry and bags, and a health food store. I didn't get to look around the entire place, but I saw the second floor was having a garage sale to help support keeping the Garage open. According to their website, they have live music almost every night. This place is definitely worth a stop if you are in town.

Cozy comfort vegetarian food in a great atmosphere. The food, coffee and staff are awesome. Best decaf coffee beans we've found so far in Duncan!

We were driving thru duncan looking for a good coffee shop and found one ! Coffee was great, pastries were a bit basic and not that great but ok.

An absolute favorite. The Duncan Garage is a unique combination of restaurant/cafe, bakery, natural foods market, and bookstore all on one floor of (you guessed it) a converted commercial garage. The meals I habe had here have consistently been excellent over the years. Their entrees, snacks, baked goods, desserts... all in all I habe never had something I did not like. There is a wide variety, daily specials, seasonal items. Nice location downtown if you want to walk around before/after. Prices are reasonable and service is friendly and quick (bearing in mind there is sometimes a wait because good food takes time to prepare and during busy periods such as weekend lunch rush it can get quite crowded)

Neat place, friendly service, good coffee and great breakfast. Didn't have a baked good but they were very enticing. Also one of the few places we could find that was open early.

Great coffee, great service, amazing vegetarian food, and an awesome environment to hang out in!

Duncan Garage is by far the busiest building in town, guaranteed to have 1/4th of Duncan's population inside at all times. I highly recommend going with friends so they can spot-hunt while you stand in line, it's not uncommon for it to be backed up out the sidewalk. Amazing food, good drinks and decent prepackaged/ready-to-eat foods. Their coffee is smooth and bold, almost a bit harsh but good.

Excellent cinnamon rolls and coffee...organic love it. Health food store. Inside the building and bookstore... wonderful surprise why is this place not showing up when you search for it...hmm

Came here with my little sisters and apparently it's one of my dad's favourite places. The food is unbelievably healthy, "clean" and delicious. I eat very well and have lived in Van, Vic, New York, London and now Toronto and this is as good as it gets (for healthy, fresh lunchtime food). Also lots of gluten-free options including cinnamon buns!!

Great place for hippies and yuppies. Very authentic and healthy. Twigs and berries all day.

This place has super fresh and tasty vegetarian and vegan food that's also reasonably priced. I had a delicious gluten free and sugar free blueberry bran muffin here -- I swear it's true! It was sweetened with honey and so dang good. Another visit I had the quinoa cakes and veggies. Also, very good. The only thing that was slightly disappointing was the vegan cookie, which was a bit dry and bland, but I loved the other stuff so much I'm not gonna hold it against them.

A place full of personality and great food. One of a kind bakery cafe! We didn't sample anything overly adventurous, but sneaked in under the wire to get egg dishes for breakfast and were well satisfied. Fun to browse through the book shop and try on clothing as well.

This is a terrific organic bakery/coffee stop...delicious foodie items, very eclectic space, adjacent to organic fruit/veggie location, and second hand bookstore, plus display and gallery space above...across from the Duncan Train Station and the main town streets. A bit of a time tunnel to a more alternative/retro moment in the Valley...definitely should be on your grazing list. Yes, to those cinnamon buns.....

Awesome funky, friendly place to eat goid healthy food, meet friends and connect with people!

The food was great, I had the quiche and it was one of the most favorable meal I have ever had. Good prices, nice spot to eat lunch! Staff was helpful and very nice. I would eat there again!

Everything I've had from the cafe is delicious and I love how vegan friendly it is. It's so cool that there is a used bookstore and natural grocery market inside the building as well! I love the whole concept of this place. I visit Duncan Garage every time I go home to visit family (I live in California now)!

good coffee, the best granola around and the apple sticky buns? Amazing. Cool hippy ambience.

A trendy little shop with organic grocery store in back. Has traditionally had very good food in the cafe and bakery. This is still the case. What has changed is the abysmal customer service, and sky high prices. These two have combined to make the Duncan Cafe & Bakery a sad shell of its former self. There are lots of better alternatives in the area with good prices and staff eager to please their customers.