Mini Coffee Series || The Birds and the Beets
As an avid coffee lover and a former barista, the Birds and the Beets has always been on my list of Vancouver’s top cafes with its characteristic ambiance and delicious food and coffee.
It was 9am when we arrived on a Sunday morning. To our surprise, the cafe was already abuzz with activity as cafe goers enjoyed a laid-back Sunday morning with local fares and conversation.
Front entrance of the cafe on Powell Street.
The cafe opened its doors in the hip Gastown District in 2015, nestled in a quieter section of Gastown with a front entrance to Powell Street and the back entrance to Alexander Street. It soon became a local favourite, drawing attention from coffee enthusiasts and local foodies with their inviting space, locally sourced food and sublime coffee program by Vancouver Island based coffee roasters Bow and Arrow.
Cafe goers dining at the back section of the cafe.
It has became a habit of ours to visit the ever-changing floral display upon entering the cafe. The picturesque collection of seasonal plants and floral arrangements are curated by local florist “The Wild Bunch” and can be purchased.
The floral display at the front entrance of the cafe.
The open concept kitchen and coffee bar elongates through the length of the cafe and puts you in action with the cafe staff. We watched as cafe owner Matt Senecal-Junkeer plated food orders for the cafe patrons. As you walk further into the back side of the cafe, the property transforms into a quieter and more spacious seating area, lined with rustic brick walls and hanging plants.
Fresh house made baked goods on display.
Owner Matt prepared a couple popular menu items for us to try. The first was their avocado and slow-poached egg brioche sandwich topped with sliced beets and pickled onions. We loved the soft, house baked brioche bread as it soaks up the runny yolk of the soft poached egg nicely.
Avocado and slow poached egg brioche sandwich.
Our second dish was a miso barley bowl topped with mashed avocado, spiced seeds, carrots, beets and ramen egg. The wholesome dish hit all the right notes and we especially enjoyed the slight chewiness of the barley. The ramen egg was perfectly cooked and well marinated, complimenting the sweetness of the miso dressing.
Miso barley bowl topped with Ramen egg.
Despite the healthy and delicious menu items, it was the their coffee that stole my heart in the first place. They have been using Victoria based Bows and Arrows coffee roaster since the beginning, a family-run coffee roastery roasting top quality single-origin specialty coffees since 2011. The barista carefully crafted a cappuccino for us, a combination of beautiful latte art and optimally texturized milk. It was nice to see other great local micro-roasters join their cue of using carefully curated single origin coffee, as we observed bags of the newly launched “Luna Coffee Roaster” amongst their retail coffee display.
The inviting atmosphere, friendly staff and quality food is what we feel sets the Birds and the Beets apart from the rest. It was always a phenomenal experience for us, even if just a casual weekday coffee run from the office. We definitely recommend a visit to the cafe whether it is to gather with friends or to wind down alone with a book whilst enjoy an aromatic cup of coffee.
Alexander Street entrance to the cafe