Our first Cafe stop is to Union Pacific Coffee Shop. You can find them located on Herald Street, in downtown Victoria – China Town. Like much of China Town, they have a rustic concept with an exposed brick building. Being close to many work spaces and construction sites, they have a high influx of workers coming in for their morning caffeine fix and lunch breaks. Not only do they have delicious coffee, they also have a great selection of baked goods and lunch options (all made in house). One of their best features is the backyard patio, covered and with great lighting to enjoy year round! Google Reviews rates them a 4.7 stars and I can definitely see why! 

The Coffee

Ok, before I can even start you must know that they do TWO DOLLAR LATTE TUESDAYS!! This is no longer advertised but if you show up on Tuesday, ensure you order a latte because this is probably one of the only times you’ll ever be paying $2 for a latte…. so BRAVO Union Pacific. That being said, the latte I ordered was also delicious. Much like many locals, I got mine with oat milk and it was still just as thick and creamy as you’d hope with no seperation. Their JJ Bean espresso shined through, although, I would hope it to be a little less bitter (but this was minor) and the latte art made up for it. Overall, I give their coffee a 4.5/5 stars.

Food

If you are looking for a delicious baked good, breakfast, or even lunch they have you covered. Again, everything is made in house and I was pleasantly surprised by their reasonable prices. You can get lunch for an average of about $10 and a baked treat for under $5. Another great touch is that they provide table service for your food and the staff are beyond friendly. Overall, I give their food 5/5.

Atmosphere & Location

One of the great things about Union Pacific is their location. They are in the heart of downtown/China Town. So if you are looking to spend a day downtown or live in the area it is quite convenient. However, one downside is that if you are driving you will have to pay for parking.

Depending on what you are looking for, the atmosphere at Union pacific offers a variety of options for you. When you walk in, it smells of delicious baked goods and has warm lighting with exposed brick. They have a 4 large tables that offer people the opportunity to sit with a large group or have two groups side by side. They also have smaller tables at the back and best of all their back yard patio. The back yard patio offers you the full Victoria China Town experience as you are in the alley between many of the buildings.

I would argue that Union offers its guests a mixture of rustic and modern and over all I give their atmosphere a 4/5.