The Great North

One climbs the sacred mountain, struggles upward towards the muse, the ultimate goal. This ascent is a deep part of humanity, the striving upwards to wisdom. The path towards enlightenment describes who we are, the search for an ultimate revelation. What if, in that iconic striving towards the top of the mountain, one arrives and there is no wise teacher, no sword in a stone, no meat in the hamburger? It is a breakdown in the hero’s tale, a movie with no ending. The Great North has some great things going for it. The barista was kind, the atmosphere welcoming and the noise a rumble of conversation and espresso machine, present, but not obtrusive. It was clean and I liked the white washed counter and the open layout. Even the price was on point. But here we have the place where the path veers off, the empty cave. Here is the problem. It is a dark day outside, one of the early winter days, cold and rainy that pulls down the spirits and chills the hands. Here we have the actual product. The coffee mocha. It was ready quick, but as I placed my hands on the cup, I felt my heart sink a little. It was lukewarm, just this side of cold. It did not give succor to my cold old hands, it did not warm my ancient and arthritic bones. It was I think, the coldest mocha I have had among the many coffee shops I have wandered into as I search for the legendary answer to those cosmic questions and remote mountain tops. Well I think, I’m sure the coffee will be good, but alas, another disappointment, another cave with no holy man. It tastes thin and watery. It sits on the table like a testament of mediocrity. It is the un-popped kernels of corn left at the bottom of the bowl. I realized it is a chain, perhaps I had set my expectations too high. When places are reflections of each other in a funhouse of service, each image can be a little more washed out. Everything here is ready, it has all the elements of a home away from home, except for that one thing. A serious cup. A statement of care.

I’m surprised at all the negative reviews… just popped in last week for the first time and it’s such a cute space, perfect for meeting up with a friend or coworker. They had a variety of tasty-looking pastries and unique drinks. I got the blackberry vanilla matcha and not only was it gorgeous, it was the perfect blend of sweet + matcha. They also have bags of their coffee for sale. It’s a little on the pricey side but honestly I don’t think it’s much different from other local coffee shops. Would definitely return if I was in the area!

Great coffee, lattes are strong but wonderfully made. Very nice staff. Outdoor and indoor seating.

Such a cute and cozy coffee shop! Gluten free and vegan pastries are set aside from the others and the ingredients in the drinks are simple and clear. Loved it!

Our neighborhood coffee shop serves the best coffee. We go there often with our dog for training. He’s a nervous boy so sitting outs with a cup of coffee and some dog treats helps get him used to all the sights and sounds.

I ordered a dirty chai and was charged over $7.88 for it. I was in a hurry, in a brain fog and needed the caffeine. I didn’t think to change my order. I foolishly paid the ridiculous price. I was told that in addition to a chai tea, there was the charge for the shot. It was the worst dirty chai I had ever had. When I looked at my receipt later, I saw that the girl ordered oat milk and, therefore, the extra charge for that. I don’t like oat milk and would never order it. If lattes are made with two shots, why am I being charged for a shot of espresso in my chai tea? I will not go back. Overpriced!!

Everyone who works at the Vancouver location is delightful. I’ve been coming for quite a few years. The drinks are great, and the limited food menu is quite good. Sometimes I’ll stop by even if I don’t really need a drink, the people are so nice.

My go-to shop for several years now. Amazing coffee and food. Great environment. Incredibly friendly and welcoming baristas. Hands down the best coffee shop in Vancouver.

Coffee place that has later hours which is awesome. Place is located in a small strip with parking. Has a bar counter area, tables inside and out. Decor is minimalist but very nice. Great ambiance to drink and/or work. We ordered a Matcha Latte, Cortado and a Cappuccino. Excelent coffee and Matcha quality used. They have a lot of gluten free and vegan options for pastries which was excellent for us. We did order a Gluten Free Lemon Loaf and a Danish. Fresh pastries.

This is a cool little coffee shop. The staff was super helpful and the coffee was ready pretty fast. There were some great baked goods options too. I had a great oatmilk latte. It was smooth and flavorful. There was a fun event going on with some vendors in the shop too, it made the visit even more fun! Great service, good coffee!

Little cafe hidden in Vancouver that focuses on a neighborhood/community vibe. The inside is well decorated on one side (with service counter) and the other (with restroom) was not. There were boxes under the benches on the later. I will say that of the cafes I've visited in Vancouver, this one is my favorite for studying so far. It is not very crowded, and there are large enough tables. Lots of natural light with the windows and music is not too loud. There is free parking and service is fast and friendly as well. Coffee was not bad but nothing particularly special. Would be interested to try their pastries sometime!

This was one of the best coffee spots I've tried in a while! I went OUTTTTT of my way for this place, but it's been on my list for a while! It's a wholesome, local spot, for locals! Dog and people friendly. That Sammie was soooo good, and made fresh! The ham is made in house (oven and everything) and slice by them! I mean idk who does this, but I was there for it! The coffee, I can still taste it, but the main manager, wow, he was sooo amazing! Best personality ever! He was open, kind, friendly and super apologetic! I'll be back around the Fourth of July, this is my new local spot!

Wanted to try a new coffee spot and this is one of more popular ones in the area. It had parking in front which is nice and was decorated really cute and all of the people were super nice. Seems like a cute and night place to do some work or chat. The iced vanilla latte was really sweet for me and I didn't drink very much of it, id give the place another try tho for a diff drink or maybe just ask for less sweet.

I went pretty early and there was one customer there but the place is very cute inside and has a nice feel to it. I got the cardigan latte iced and the Olympia breakfast sandwich came out to 16.55. Before tip. Both things were very tasty and I will definitely be going back

This is a nice cozy coffee house located just off of McArthur Blvd. I've been here before, and I will definitely be back! The latte and matcha drinks were delicious and the pastry and sandwiches were fresh and yummy. There is also several variety of coffee beans for purchase. There are plenty of seats inside with airy, yet good ambiance. Seating outside is available (some under a tent). Electric outlets throughout make this a good place for those who want to chill and work on their laptops while enjoying their drinks/meals. Free parking is right out front and their service is fast and super friendly.

I ordered an 8 oz dirty chai. What a shock to see the cost was $7.88. I was in a hurry, needed my caffeine so foolishly paid the exorbitant price. I was told the price of a shot is added to the cost of a chai tea. Looking more closely at the receipt when I got home, this is how it read: 8 ox, to go, hot, add a double shot ($2.00), Oat Milk (default). Total: $7.25 + $.63 tax. Now I know why it was the lousiest dirty chai I've ever had. I did not order oat milk. I will NEVER go back to Great North. I used to go frequently, ordered dirty chai's in the past & paying a little over $5. I know prices have gone up since but that is ridiculous!!! Now I know why I bring my business elsewhere!!!

The Great North has become one of our go-to coffee shops in Vancouver, WA. We drive over from East Vancouver regularly for the ambiance, pastries, and coffee. Delicious pastries (several gluten free & vegan options available), food menu, and coffee! Ample indoor and outdoor seating. Clean environment and friendly staff. Music is typically feel-good oldies for a nostalgic and welcoming vibe. Vancouver needs more coffee shops with personality like The Great North!

Coffee here is great, but I feel like it ran a little watery.I ordered the oat Milk latte and I can taste the coffee in my cup, and it's so delicious. I would recommend anyone to come here. I came on a Wednesday afternoon and it was pleasantly quiet and comfortable. I very much enjoyed myself; I bought some beans to share it with my family back home. Parking is small, however during the time I came, it was easy to find parking.

Their partnership with Dos Hermanos gives 'em huge props. I love that ham, cheese, jalapeño, with a hint of sweetness, pastry. The "soup bowl" sized coffee mugs are a big hit, but I'm not particularly a fan. That said, the cappuccino in an appropriate-sized cup was good. Service was friendly albeit somewhat slow. Inside vibe is welcoming and charming, but outside not so much.

First time visitor. Plenty if parking and seating at this East Vancouver location. Friendly staff, tasty beverages, and small but tasty selection of pastries. Enjoyed a mocha and a chocolate croissant that was heated perfectly. Nice latte art! This location featured several nice PNW themed Abel Arts prints (https://www.abelarts.com/collections/pnw-art). Counter person acknowledged and thanked us for coming as we were leaving. Haven't been to any of The Great North's Portland locations but will next time I am in their vicinity!

Cozy third wave with good coffee and great pastry options (vegan and gluten free)! A bit out of the way to get to but always quiet, a great place to get some remote work done or meet a friend. I love the chai and americanos here. my only note is that the decaf espresso comes out pretty sour here so I would probably stick to normal espresso.

The food was so good I got the vegqn sandwich, chia parfait and a matcha. The vibes are great in here service was kind and fast. I will be back!

What a special coffee place! It is hidden in a small shopping center and easy to miss if you haven't heard of it before. I was told about this place by a friend and was not disappointed! I got an oat milk dulce de leche latte which was creamy and delicious. I always get half sweet because I like to still taste that coffee - and they knocked this one out of there park. Super tasty coffee and creamy oat milk. I also got the ham, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich which was to die for!!! Sooo tasty. Warm and crispy English muffin with a flavorful pesto on top. Definitely try this if you end up visiting. Good atmosphere and environment :) highly recommend trying this spot.

This has been one of my favorite spots in Vancouver for a while now. I stopped coming after getting kicked out for not wearing a mask during Covid lol sometimes we get it wrong, but their coffee is always right. Perfect traditional 6oz cappuccino and always delicious house flavors.

Excellent Latte and service. Worth coming back pastry options plentiful. The blueberry muffin was good also.

My new favorite coffee spot in Vancouver! I had no idea this place existed. It's such a cute cafe, with plenty of workspace if I wanted to work here. Let's talk about the coffee. I didn't think I would find a coffee place I was seriously impressed about in Vancouver. I opted for the cardamom iced latte and man, that was some serious stuff. Needless to say, I'll be back to try other flavors. I have no idea when they opened, but I am sad I only found out about this gem today. Service was quick. Barista was friendly. Parking is easy.

Very inviting and warm customer service. It is an excellent place to meet up and chat with friends. Experience exceptional and friendly customer service that makes you feel completely at ease. It's the perfect atmosphere for catching up and enjoying meaningful conversations with friends.

The staff is so friendly here and I love the coffee! Also they actually make their breakfast sandwiches in house and they're phenomenal.

What a cute little coffee shop, tucked in an unlikely tiny corner shopping center. I've driven by this place many times and never noticed it, so thank you Yelp for bringing it to my attention! The barista was very nice and had my latte ready in a flash. I enjoyed my beverage there and I appreciated the hip, fun and inviting decor along with some excellent tunes playing in the background. They have a good amount of seating both inside and outside, though outside is in the parking lot, so maybe not such an ideal patio situation, but I appreciated they had that option. They have some food options as well, including breakfast-type sammies, but I was just there for an afternoon coffee and didn't try the food. My latte was very good, and I tried it with their honey-ginger syrup, which which added just a touch of sweetness and a bit of spice, but not too strong. My only disappointment was the latte was just warm and not hot. I think perhaps heating up the mugs with some hot water first would be nice, but this is a common issue at most coffee shops I've visited where I have my beverage there. Next time I will try asking for it extra-hot and see how that goes.

Incredible hidden gem! This place is making incredible coffee with so much care and pride. They make their own oat milk and syrups in house....and the staff is so friendly. Also, great local pastries. Check them out!

The girl working was very overwhelmed with orders and she was working alone. There was a nonstop line. However, she handled it very well. She needs a giant raise! :-) My chai was really good and the place is really cute. I am new to towns and I look forward to nice day bike rides over there. Thank you so much for having vegan options!

Great spot to catch up with a friend or hide away and get some work done. Friendly staff. Lots of menu options. I enjoyed my time here.

HIDDEN GEM! I work close by and stumbled across this coffee shop one morning and instantly fell in love with it! It gives homey and local vibes! What I love the most about this gem is that almost EVERYTHING is made in house! Starting from the coffee/matcha syrups to the pastries, to everything that they make for their sandwiches and parfaits. I have had their Vanilla latte hot and iced, their seasonal blackberry vanilla matcha (SOOOO DELICIOUS!). My favorite pastry is the raspberry cream Cruffin. Its so fluffy creamy and just YUUUMMMMYYYY! If you are driving by, definitely check this awesome coffee shop out!

Great place for working. Good coffee. Friendly baristas. Good music (most of the time). I prefer the slow, indie music to the heavy metal. I enjoy coming here to get some work done! It's generally quiet. Sometimes it gets busy and a bit loud but it dies down eventually. I ordered their ham sandwich once and it was pretty amazing. I really enjoyed the chimichurri sauce in the sandwich, it imparted a very unique, fresh flavor. Nothing bad to say about The Great North. It's a lovely coffee shop!

Lovely coffee shop! Very friendly, tasty coffee with perfect foam, yummy sandwiches (gluten free bread available. Made from scratch syrups and milk alternatives. I'd visit again!

Was visiting family in Vancouver and looked up "best coffee". I can't say it's the best because I didn't go anywhere else for the rest of my trip. Coffee was too good to worry about trying any other place. had an Americano with an extra shot, excellent! Second day I had a Latte with an extra shot, excellent again! My wife had a decaf Americano and it was great as well. I'm a novice home roaster, so kind of picky on my coffee. Baristas were quick and know how to pull a shot.

Well.... Idk where to start. Me and a few of my friends are down in the Vancouver area for the weekend and wanted coffee besides Starbucks or Dutch bros (we are from the Seattle area). Hence we found The Great North and seen the amazing reviews this place has and decided to try it out. Upon arriving to the establishment, we were greeted by a cute and cozy cafe and a beautiful La Marzocco and had great expectations of the coffee. Once ordered, we watched the barista tamp the shot and pull the shot and........ we also, watched the shot get left all alone and die while the barista went to another customer to get another order which took 4-5min. That shot was completely dead and the drink was still made with that dead shot. All 4 of our drinks were horrible!!! I'm a barista myself and that's a no no at all. All I'm saying is that Starbucks would have been a better option to go to. Sadly. Please retrain your baristas and not let this simple mistake happen.

I stop by whenever I'm nearby. This place always delivers with great drinks and friendly service

Respect from California. Had a nice chat with Borista. the coffee and pastries were very tasty

This is my new go to spot for Chai tea, a breakfast sandwich and catching up w my friend. It's right next to my yoga studio so super convenient. Friendly staff, fast service and the most amazing vegan breakfast sandwich w pickled onions and delicious bread. It's also very roomy and perfect for conversation.

I love The Great North. Their coffee is wonderful! Their breakfast sandwiches are the best! The baristas are friendly, and greet you with a smile. I really enjoy going there to get a latte. I would highly recommend it

Just came into this establishment because I am driving up state and decided to stop by. I'm not sure what was going on, but I ordered an iced mocha with oat milk, and it tasted sour. Almost like an under extracted espresso, couldn't taste the mocha or the oat, just an over powering sour taste.

Cute little coffee shop in Vancouver. We love walking here for a weekend cup of coffee and breakfast sandwich

Food was tasty although the sandwich was a little too dry the "kick step coffee was nice and had a decent caramel flavor and a little chocolate with a bit of cherry seemed a little bit too watery for my taste and the coffee itself tasted like it had been roasted too much with the flavoring kind of masking what subtleties that may have been there we will have to try this again another time

Best breakfast sandwiches! The coffee is also incredible and a fantastic place to work if you're a remote employee looking for a cute spot to park for a few hours. I brought my dog and sat outside with him while we enjoyed a few hours of fresh air, good coffee and a breakfast sandwich (the ham one). They also have yogurt bowls that looked good and I plan to get one of those next time. I do wish they had sugar free syrup so I could get a sugar free latte, but not the biggest deal

I love the coffee here! The staff I've run into have been friendly and knowledgeable. The vibe here is great especially if you want good ambiance for working on projects or school. The parking lot is a little rough but it's worth the trip!

A three star because it is an average. A nice quiet location to come to by yourself or with a friend if you want that kind of place. Staff were friendly and personable and made us feel comfortable. We ordered and found a table but that's when it changed. Although the coffee was exceptional, the food was next to awful. I don't think it would be possible to make a worse breakfast sandwich. Three quarters bread, an overcooked egg and dried ham. Not good at all. The cost for one sandwich and a cup of black coffee was $14.00+. I'd go back for coffee but that's it.

I gave this place 2nd chance and regretted it; People here don't know how to make coffee. I ordered 2 separate espressos for $7 total, double checked with the kid do they come as double shots, then I got 2 cups of 1oz espresso. $3.50 for only one single shot, $7 for a regular espresso? No thanks. Too bad the Caffe Vita in Portland is replaced this by place

They make their own flavorings, so the options are super limited. Although I really wanted a raspberry mocha, I settled for lavender. Cute establishment with a lot of light and plants.

Excellent service. Very good coffee and chai. Delicious breakfast sandwich. Convenient parking. Clean and well spaced for social distance. Outdoor seating available.

Great coffee, comfortable tables, WIFI, delicious gluten-free pastries, good service. A little loud at times.

Delicious carefully-made lattes and tasty breakfast sandwiches. Nice people! Will go there again. We had the veggie breakfast sandwich. Yum!

Best place for amazing coffee and hot chocolate. The lady serving us was very courteous and friendly (in addition to being a terrific barista). We went back for another serving of hot latte and hot chocolate. Do t forget to pick up some nice coffee beans as well.

Homemade syrups! Homemade chai! Homemade oat milk! Parfaits made in house! Sweet baristas! Mellow mood! It's a perfect coffee shop in my opinion. 10/10 would recommend.

Awesome coffee and food. Glad to have a good coffee shop in the neighborhood again! Love that they serve Coava! Definitely going to be visiting quite often.

This place has amazing coffee! I also highly recommend the Olympia Provisions Ham breakfast sandwich. It has homemade chimichurri sauce on it and it's so good!

Great tasting Coava Coffee with perfect foam in a latte, amazing Provision Sandwich with real ham, delicious croissants and great service! My new favorite coffee shop :D