Our next Stop

In the heart of Fernwood, Little June sits on the corner of Gladstone and Fernwood st. It was one of my very first regular coffee shop visits when I moved to Victoria. It is small, but cozy and has great coffee for one of the best prices of all the cafes I have reviewed. I dont go there as often since I moved across town, but I’m always happy to stop in when I can.

The Coffee

The coffee here never disappoints me and they use a local blend from Fernwood Coffee Company. You can get a latte or a Africano for the most reasonable price in town – even if you want your alternative milk options. My go to is their oat milk africano, it is creamy and delicious! I give their coffee 4/5.

The Food

The food here is definitely a highlight! They are serving locally sourced food all day and afternoon. They have all sorts of baked goods and breakfast sandwiches. If you want to stop in for lunch they have a variety of soups and sandwiches that are farm inspired each day. If you are looking for a happy hour spot you can stop in as well as they serve a rotating variety of local beer and wine. Truly you cannot go wrong! I give their food 5/5

The Atmosphere

I love stopping into Little June because the atmosphere is so…. Fernwood. If you have been to Fernwood then this requires little elaboration, if you havent, think laid back, Vancouver island, with a dash of hippy. One of my favourite parts is even 3 years after moving there, there is a gentleman that is always dressed up in colourful clothes, walking around blowing bubbles outside ! Sounds weird, but somehow it fits the atmosphere perfectly. It is cozy, it is cute and it is perfect for your next cafe date. I give it 4.5/5

Our Next Stop

OOOOOOoo, I am excited for our next stop. I haven’t been back here in a while but when I was doing this inquiry blog I knew I had to go back. Bear and Joey has got to be one of the most beautiful cafe/restaurants in Victoria. Now, I recognize that this is a little less cafe and a little more restaurant, however, they have a full coffee shop on one side fo their location. It is unique, inspired by Sydney Australia as the owners are Australian. It is absolutely worth a visit if you are in the Cook st. area. So lets get into it!

The Coffee

The coffee, delicious. I know I say that a lot, but Victoria’s coffee scene is so delish. Their espresso is definitely a more mild flavour but it is easy drinking. Their latte art and astethic is their WHEEL HOUSE. I guarantee that you are going to want to take pictures of your fancy drink if that is what you order. Overall, I give their coffee 3.5/5 stars.

The Food

Bear and Joeys food… is unique. Personally I have only tried their granola bowl and their breakfast sandwich and I was not a fan of either (and they are very expensive). I find that they’re really trying to make their food unique, colourful and different. They accomplish this. However, for someone like myself, I prefer the classics. This may just be a preference of mine, as they are never lacking customers. You can be sure to get a cool instagram photo and a burst of unique flavours and if that is what you’re looking for than this will be your place. Overall, I give their food a 3/5.

The Atmopshere

By and large, Bear and Joey is one of the most aesthetically pleasing cafe in Victoria. Hands down, no question. You walk in and you do feel like you are in a beach town – apparently Australia- I have just never been to Australia. You walk in and the staff are friendly, the music is good, the decor is bright and unique. This experience is what you come here for. The owner is so personable and takes the time to get to know his customers. I hadn’t been in for months and when I came in he remembered my name and that I was in school. Talk about customer service. I also love how you walk in and you can choose to go to just the cafe, where they have delicious baked good and to-go coffee or sit and stay where you can get food or still just do coffee and a baked good. Hands down one of the coolest places to go for a coffee date in Victoria. 6/5!!

Our Next Stop

Esquimalt Roasting Company is a relatively new booming café in Esquimalt. They started as a tiny location off Esquimalt Road where they roast their own beans and brew their own coffee. I live in Esquimalt and found them on an afternoon walk and could not believe how delicious their coffee was… I was instantly hooked! However, their location was so small and not somewhere I could sit and work while enjoying a coffee. Their owner Greg, an Australian Immigrant whose now lived in Esquimalt for over twenty years now would proudly tell me about their new location that was in the works. In 2021, they opened their brand-new location which is attached to the new Esquimalt library and art gallery. It is absolutely gorgeous and definitely worth a visit!!

This Week

This week I learned a lot about accessibility and assistive technology. On this post Ive ensure that I used the headings properly and provided alt-text for each of the images. Each week Im learning and will keep trying to make it better.

The Coffee

When I say that the first time I had their coffee I was hooked, I was not exaggerating. Greg’s love for coffee shines through in the delicious flavours of his roasts and blends. To keep my reviews consistent I got an oat milk latte (unlike the last it was not two dollars). Nevertheless, it was delicious. I would argue that it was creamier than Union Pacific’s, but I do prefer my usual order of an oat milk Africano or even a regular americano. All that to be said, their coffee is DELSIH and I appreciate that its locally brewed in my own neighbourhood. I give it 5/5!

The Food

Ok, the food. Over the last two years they have had a variety of food options to choose from. An insider secret is that they bring in Empire Donuts on Sundays! Some things are baked and cooked in store and some are brought in from other local locations. They have breakfast options such as egg sandwiches and danishes and lunch options such as sausage and veggie rolls. Finally, they have baked goods such as muffins, cookies, croissants and cinnamon rolls. Personally, I love their croissants and don’t love their muffins as they are too sweet. Elizabeth, my friend in the program LOVES the cinnamon rolls and rates them 10/5. Overall I give their food 3.5/5.

The Atmosphere

I would argue that their location and atmosphere are the best in the city but I know I have more reviews ahead of me. I am a bit biased as it is also a 5 minute walk from my house and I appreciate that I feel a part of the community here. I know the owner personally and most of the staff by name, however, from what I see this is common for many of their guests. They really got out of their way to be a part of their community and become friends with their guests. Moreover, it is planned well as there is lots of free parking, walkable to the community centre and attached to the new art gallery and library. An amazing feature is the glass sliding doors that open up the store to be entirely inside/outside in the summer. Its bright, new, clean and fresh looking and has lots of seating options. Overall I give their atmosphere 5/5.

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.