Kafiex Roasters - Coffee Lab

One of my favorite places for coffee drinks and business meetings. The roasts are excellent and the selection is great, however the mixed drinks are phenomenal. Creative and flavorful. I usually drink black coffee or espresso but here I always indulge. Today, a nitro cold brew with cherry blossom foam.

One of my favorite coffee spots in downtown Vancouver! Employees are always super friendly and efficient. But the star of the show is the coffee! It’s the stuff dreams are made of!

Tried the iced caramel latte to go, and it was excellent. The caramel was perfectly balanced—not overly sweet—and let the rich flavor of the coffee shine through. You can really taste the quality of the beans. The staff were warm and friendly, and the atmosphere makes it a great spot for a casual meetup or getting some work done. Definitely planning to stop by again next time I’m in Vancouver.

Had a coffee here recently. The staff was super helpful regarding describing their coffee flavor profiles. My Americano was very smooth, expertly prepared. The muffins we tried were both dry and not very tasty. Really appreciated the staff making an effort to find a bean that I would enjoy.

This place breaks the mold in elegance and simplicity. A third wave feel with first wave service, this place does not fall short on standards of service, but even more pointedly, quality. It was a pleasure to have had the privilege of enjoying their atmosphere, aroma and standards.

Right before we walked in, we were just finishing up our ice cream and need some drinks..I bought some bottled water and a Horchata coffee on ice. When the young lady brought it out to us, she said we couldn’t have our ice cream there and had to leave. I told her that we bought 2 drinks from them. She said, either toss the ice cream or leave. My wife said we’d just take it out to the patio. I literally had half a scoop of ice cream left. She said that wasn’t allowed either. It’s safe to say we won’t be coming back.

In-house roaster with fairly spartan seating. Espresso was alright, although I think the roasting style is more aimed at milky and sugary drinks. Disappointed that, although they have a nice range of ceramic cups and coloured glass, my coffee and water were served in paper cups. Staff member who served me was friendly, polite and efficient. Fresh baked goods looked very nice.

Came across Kafiex while attending the Vancouver farmers market. The shop is a large space with ample seating that would be especially suitable for use as a workspace. The baristas were friendly and knowledgeable. I got a V60 brew of their Ethiopia. It had some nice notes of chocolate and graham cracker. I personally would have preferred an Ethiopia to be a touch more bright and fruity, but that’s all a matter of preference. The shop also has a viewing window into the roasting space. There wasn’t any roasting happening while I was there, but I love that concept and I think it’d be cool to watch when there is roasting going on.

This was a good coffee across from convention hotel. It was fast and delish. I would come here again.

This place isn't bad. I had a breve and a lemon poppy seed muffin. The breve was fine. The flavor of the coffee they used didn't wow me. It was by no means bad, but I prefer other local coffee roasters. The muffin was dense and a little dry. Again, not terrible but would I get it again? Nope. All in all, if you're on the area (I walked over on a break from jury duty since it's a few blocks away from the court house) and need coffee, go for it. Would I go out of my way? No. Maybe you'll love it, so try it for yourself.

Best coffee in Vancouver, yummy pastries and quality ingredients. Nice spot to go and hang out too

I love the interior decor and the service was great. Not to mention how great the espresso and latte was. Will come back next time I visit Vancouver

Kafiex is a coffee shop local to Vancouver. They have this location on Esther St right next to the weekend farmers market, as well as another spot on the waterfront. This store is cute, very bright with lots of windows. Fun mural behind the counter. A long table in the middle and a few smaller two/four person tables. Service has been good. Pastries have been just okay. I've enjoyed the coffees I've had here, though I wish they had bigger sizes for less cost (which is similar to most independent shops these days). I've just gotten the regular drip with half and half. I know their roasting has gotten them some awards so bigger coffee connoisseurs than me may appreciate it more!

I like the ambience of this place, smells so good as you walk in. Didn't have to wait long for our drinks.

I gave Kafiex 2 tries, and unfortunately it's an overall miss for me. I first went during the Farmers Market (so fairly busy inside) and then went today when it was nearly dead inside. Both times all the baristas were not friendly, and the milk was left sitting on the counter. A main reason for going is that the coffee is organic and fair trade and the shop itself is very aesthetically pleasing. However $15 for an almond milk decaf cappuccino and oat milk latte is a lot, and we even brought our own cups. I'd expect at least some friendlier vibes. ‍

Picked up two bags of coffee from two different places in Vancouver, one is Kalifex. When I get home, I notice the two bags weigh noticeably different with the bag of Kalifex being the lighter of the two. Both bags are 12oz/340g bags. The Kalifex bag, sealed, weighs 300g. Either Kalifex has created a new bag that actually reduces the overall weight on the product, or they shorted me a few ounces of coffee. Edit: Apparently, according to Matt. S w/Kafiex they are now selling 10oz bags and due to a misprint, the bags say 12oz. I was supposed to be informed at the register, but was not. Beware and ask before you buy.

Service was fast and friendly. Cafe was clean. Hot chocolate tasted great. Only downside I felt $5.70 for an average size of hot chocolate was way too much. Parking is metered street parking.

Kafiex has two locations in downtown Vancouver -- a Coffee Lab by Esther Short Park and a Gastro Cafe on the Waterfront. They have similar vibes and quality of offerings. This review is specifically for the original location on the corner of Esther St and 8th. This location seems to be regularly short-staffed with only one or two people working at a time. This causes a backup on orders as each drink is completed before taking the next order. If you're meeting someone for coffee and order before they do, you may lose up to ten minutes of your meeting time waiting for them to get through the line to place an order, which is what happened to me today. Also if you're staying for a meeting, note that the chairs here are flimsy plastic. They are not very sturdy and creak when you shift in them. Uncomfortable seating is one way to keep customers moving along! The golden turmeric latte with whole milk was good but the experience was just so-so especially when there are so many other options around.

Updated review: I went back twice before editing review because things happen. Drinks were not good, zero flavor to the food, my drink sat for 20 min. (I didn't see it was made or I would have retrieved it- gave grace for a busy time) and they were annoyed we had to ask for it after waiting so long.. They stated they didn't have ingredients for the dirty chai but offered espresso martini but menu showed it was basically the same.. it wasn't made well either. I'm willing to pay for quality but $80+ two and such poor service along with poor quality.. highly disappointed

We stopped in here with some friends for a quick breakfast and coffee while we were walking along the pier. I ordered a cortado and I shared the breakfast burrito with my husband. The cortado was delicious! It had a perfect amount of foam and the coffee was very smooth and not bitter at all. The breakfast burrito was good too. The coffee shop had a nice ambience as well.

A nice spot along the Vancouver Waterfront, but on a busy Memorial Day Monday, they had people stacked-up waiting for coffee. One espresso machine, one barista. Absolutely not adequate. They have space for a second machine and they should put that in use. A little pricey and trying to be very high end. Not reading "the room" in our estimation. People want their coffee and they want it fairly quickly. The double-shot of Espresso was pretty bitter and the sparkling water to "cleanse the palate" really wasn't needed and is an added option that probably raises their costs. Should be optional. I'd say they need to bring it down a notch and focus on the basics of good coffee, full staffing and quick service. Not sure we'd stop in again, especially on a busy weekend.

LOVE Kaifex. The owner is a nationally renowned coffee competitor, and she knows everything about coffee. The coffee both on espresso and alternate brewing methods is spectacular and the ambiance of the shop is clean and professional. I really enjoy stopping in on my days off. :)

I am very, very picky about my coffee. If you're in Vancouver and you appreciate craft coffee this is the place to go. Service was top notch as well, chill atmosphere.

Let me start by saying there are several coffee spots in this area but what drew me in was the Farmers Market! I stopped in on a Saturday morning. Between the market & the local coffee it was like a 2 for 1. Coffee was great and definitely strong. I was intrigued by their "blue matcha latte" (love matcha) but was informed it does NOT contain caffeine. I craved caffeine so I went with the cajeta latte (Mexican Carmel) instead. The only thing I was crazy about was the almost $7 latte I paid for. Yes, I got almond milk but this was a 12 oz hot latte. Everything you would think a local coffee shop in. Vancouver would be like...this is it. Baristas were very friendly and helpful explaining the menu. I'd come back to this location if the farmers market was going on, if not I'd check somewhere new off the "local coffee shop" list!

Adorable clean and happy place in downtown Vancouver. Met some friends here. Only downside was you had to pay for street parking but that's not the fault of the cafe. The coffee was rich but so smooth, with the beautiful decorations you only get with hand pulled espressos. The breakfast sandwich though was divine. Egg and a delectable cream cheese on a fluffy soft pretzel roll. Come for the coffee, stay for the breakfast sandwich!

Another excellent cappuccino in a line of Portland coffee shops that make excellent coffee. Again, exceptional...

First time coming here. Heard about this place from an article announcing that a barista from Kafiex was competing at the US Coffee Champioship. After later finding out that a Latina co-owns the coffee shop, it made me want to go and check it out even more. The place is very inviting with huge windows towards Esther Park, has a nice mural of the world map towards the counter, and several plants in lab glassware, which add a nice touch. I wanted to try the mexican mocha, but they were out, so I'll have to try it next time. I did have the vanilla latte with lavender, and it was delicious. The lavender oil is locally made from lavender from Castle Rock. It is always good to find these types of flourishing businesses that bring something different to the table. I want to try the Waterfront location as well.

I love the vanilla lattes here. One of my favorite coffee shops. I'm picky with my lattes and these are 10/10.

My favorite coffee shop is Kafiex Roasters! Their iced lattes are so delicious. I drink decaf so I love that they do the Swiss Water decaf process that is chemical free. It's the only place I can get a good cup of decaf coffee and not have a huge headache afterwards!

Great little coffee roaster with a small cafe. Not a ton of room to sit and chill, but very cute inside. I ordered a latte and alfajore cookie. They were both excellent. The espresso in the latte was a little bitter but not overly so. I tend to prefer smoother blends, so it's probably a preference thing. It was still very good. The service was fantastic. The staff were super friendly and genuinely positive. I'd definitely return.

Cold brew is superb! This was the first time I had a nitro cold brew that did not have ice in it and to my surprise, it was cold and delicious. Strong but not over powering. The place itself is very clean with ample indoor and outdoor sitting. The barista was friendly and informative. My fiancé could not decide between 2 drinks and the barista offered to blend them together for her so she can have them both. Wow! We will definitely be back and recommend it to everyone.

I have tried both locations because I work in the area and have found that convenience is definitely not always worth it. coffee was not that great and definitely overpriced for what you get. I would not recommend to fellow coffee nuts. There are plenty of other great shops near by.

Saturday market day crowded streets the shop was busy service was fast and friendly. I don't know if they use arabica or robusta beans I think a robusta ,coffee was dark and delicious, maybe French roast arabica is usually a lighter sweeter flavor even if French roast I will visit again for sure

Yes! Super cute place that offers delicious drinks. Besides coffee and teas they also offer alcoholic drinks and pastries. We tried the raspberry cheesecake slice (check out the photos) and it was delicious but overpriced. I think $12 was too much to pay. Was it good? Yes. But not so good that I would pay that price again. If I was ever in the area again I think I'd come to this place, but maybe just stick to the drinks.

Cute little coffee shop located in the heart of downtown Vancouver. The staff were friendly, and the place felt clean. A great little pit stop if you're shopping the farmers market as it is right in the middle of it.

Delicious nitro cold brew and super friendly service. Clean establishment, great decor.

Possibly my new go-to coffee spot in vancouver! We got our coffees to go with a blueberry muffin and headed to the farmers market. We'll be back for brunch since the menu looked pretty amazing. I got an oat milk latte and my boyfriend got a regular whole milk latte. He's a coffee snob and raved about the beans, so take that for what it's worth :).

Love this place! Very authentic coffee, and great customer service. I also love their design/style. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for great coffee with a cool atmosphere! And they have pretty awesome diner mugs

Overpriced, low-quality coffee paired with a handful of equally sub-standard and over priced pastries. Service is bleak, slow and soulless.

We tried their regular latte. Like the ambience. Great coffee.. would also try the cajeta the next time!

Stopped in for a breakfast sandwich before work. I have to say the breakfast sandwich was delicious, although the pretzel bun was very salty! But I was surprised that it took around 10 minutes to make, and it was a mess of grease and dripping mozzarella.

Came in here randomly at the end of a walk with my family. The place is so nicely decorated and has a great modern charm to it! My family is local to Vancouver so they recommended me the cajeta latte which I ordered, but I was also eyeing the Mexican mocha which looked delicious too! I will disclaimer by saying I am not a coffee drinker, I am often peer pressured by others to get coffee and I love trying new things. The latte was not too sweet and had a good balance of milk to coffee ratio for me. I actually really enjoyed it and that the coffee taste wasn't super strong. I ended up buying 2 bags of coffee for my family back in Seattle and the staff was so helpful in recommending me a couple bags for a non coffee drinker when I knew nothing about what coffee they drink. I got the Esther shore and the Ethiopia types. 10/10 would return next time I am in Portland.

Chill and cozy place with excellent coffee and a delicious breakfast sandwich. Limited food menu (just a couple choices), but that's ok. Not too crowded so that's a plus for me.

Five stars for the food and coffee. I refuse to comment on the atmosphere beyond saying that I don't dress fancy enough to feel comfortable eating inside in the future.

Cute coffee shop in downtown Vancouver. The interior is esthetically pleasing. Found it shocking that they charge for water. The barista told a customer not to get mad at her for not having free water and that the owner was cracking down on free water. Not sure I've ever seen a coffee shop without free water. Inflation must have hit this place harder than other coffee shops. But what they do win in is the ugliest latte art contest! Not sure what the barista was trying to create anything, but it wasn't like anything I've seen before. If you are going to over charge for a latte, at least make it pretty. Probably not worth coming to downtown Vancouver for, but if you are already in the area, give it a shot!

I cannot get enough of this amazing new coffee spot at the Waterfront! Everything about this restaurant screams perfection. The atmosphere is hip and casual with a high level of professionalism. Beautiful wood accents throughout with a pop of color on the back wall. The coffee counter brings a South African vibe that is carried out through the entire restaurant. Very friendly staff. The coffee is top notch, they have a very unique brew style that makes the coffee bold and pure. Don't forget to grab lemon loaf to eat with your coffee! My new favorite coffee spot in Vancouver.

Service was terrible, the espresso was burnt and bitter. Not impressed. I won't be going back that's for sure

The best cold brew!!! so creamy all of their coffee is fair trade & roasted in house, baristas are super friendly, and i love the natural light and ambience of the cafe. definitely will be back to get some work done here with more cold brew and one of the delicious looking pastries!

This review is only for their masala chai latte tea and breakfast sandwich. I tried their masala chai latte hoping it would be spicy and not sweet but it really didn't meet my expectation. An authentic masala chai is supposed to be spicy and full of flavor. My drink was very sweet and the only thing I enjoyed about it was the cardamom and cinnamon flavors. It lacked any spice. It was also very watered down with the milk. My review would have been a 3/5 if it weren't for their extremely delicious breakfast sandwich. It was the best I've ever had! The sandwich consisted of a juicy scrambled egg patty cooked beautifully topped with mozzarella cheese and their own green aioli sauce. Best thing ever! Now, if only the price was cheaper, I would go and eat it every single day.

When I go here I feel like I'm in my living room! The management and staff are so friendly and committed to high quality coffee, tasty local treats (+ vegan and gluten options), and now brunch! You can even watch the coffee roasters at work! Great location as it's right next to the Esther Short Park! We buy our coffee for the house and love to stop by on the weekends for a treat. It's a family favorite to be sure and as my nephew would say "producer of good memories" Gracias Kafiex!

So insanely close to being the best coffee/breakfast sandwich I've ever gotten in addition to actually being worth $15. Coffee was fantastic. Cajeta latte had a great toasted caramel flavor and was just slightly sweet. My "issue" this morning was with the breakfast sandwich, but not for lack of flavor or quality. A breakfast sandwich typically has four components (bread, egg, meat, and cheese). That's what I assume I'm going to receive if I order the ambiguously listed "breakfast sandwich" from a menu. Now if the sandwich is vegetarian it's typically labeled as such. Never in my life have I had to order a carnivorous breakfast sandwich. The meat is always implied unless stated otherwise. If there isn't a meat option that's fine but the sandwich should be labeled as vegetarian. If there is a meat option great, it wasn't offered to me and there is zero description of it on the menu. The bun was honestly one of the best buns I've ever had so tip of the hat to whoever makes it/wherever you source it from. Egg was perfect, cheese was tasty and melted. Aioli was spot on. Like I said, so close to being the best I've ever had. Would most certainly recommend this cafe.

Kafiex Coffee Lab is a great coffee shop to visit in the Vancouver area. I have gotten the batch brew coffee and vanilla latte in the past - both great! At my most recent visit, I got the peppermint mocha that is made with in house peppermint syrup and chocolate sauce! It was delicious! I also tried the blue matcha -- it was so pretty to look at and it tasted great as well.

Cold brew is amazing and there's no ice so you know you get a lot of bang for your buck. If you want to eat, there isn't many options. However, the breakfast sandwich is amazing.

Amazing customer service and exquisite food, the decor is extravagant and creative. (Maya)

Every time I go in here they only have Mexican coffee brewed. I tried their Mexican Mocha, because that's my favorite drink, and it tasted NOTHING like a Mexican Mocha. Also their whole bean coffee is usually more than 10 days old. It seems like they don't care about the freshness of the coffee they sell. I won't be back. Too many other good coffee shops around.

The coffee was not only visually appealing it was delicious. The food was amazing. Service was fast even during the busy morning rush. Great spot.

Awesome cafe and great ambiance. Got a latte that tasted great after a huge amount of coffee earlier in the morning. Other reviewer described place perfectly.