Let's drink some lattes and eat a croissant! We dropped by C Market Coffee's new location to try their drinks and a treat at their Main St. location. With long lines surrounding its grand opening, is it worth it? C Market Coffee is a Korean styled cafe and coffee shop with multiple locations in the Tri-Cities They have locations in Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, and Coquitlam, making the Vancouver location one of the first expansions in Metro Vancouver.
C Market Coffee Vancouver's location is kind of in an interesting area; there's lots of construction and development going on, and there's not a lot of transit options (other than the 3 Main Bus). The advantage is that they're the only food establishment for a few blocks, which gives them a positioning advantage. Their store location is also huge, with plenty of seating making the cafe an inviting place to be with multiple drink and food options.
I really liked the clean, simple aesthetic of the place. It's modern, inviting, and a good place to just chill or enjoy company. With 5,000 sq ft of space, there's all sorts of seating available, from stools to tables and chairs. If I lived in the area, this would be a good place to study or hangout. Based on prior reviews, we ordered three of their most popular items: Melon Cloud Latte, Tiramisu Latte, and Dubai Chocolate croissant.
Ordering was pretty smooth, but also challenging. Luckily I didn't have to line up for a long time as we waited a few weeks after their grand opening in early March. However, while queueing, I had some challenges deciding what to order - a bit of menu decision paralysis. I went with their popular choices after doing a quick mobile search. Usually I like to have an idea of what I'd like to eat or drink before ordering, but I had to navigate multiple display cases leading to decision paralysis. Some items didn't have prices or weren't clearly labelled. They should consider putting their menu options earlier in the queue to speed up ordering.
Cost wise, C Market Coffee is slightly more expensive than your typical cafe but there are a lot of items that are quite affordable. They have croissants, scones, macarons, and a wide selection of other cafe products like sandwiches that appeal to a wider demographic. The tiramisu latte was about $7.25, the Melon Cloud latte was $7 and the Dubai chocolate croissant was around $9 (prices weren't visible for the bakery items).
The wait time was quick and around 5-7 minutes. Between the two drinks, we preferred the tiramisu latte. Both drinks looked great and were made well. The cold melon latte was refreshing, but a bit too strong on the melon flavour. If you like melon, you'd probably like this drink. The tiramisu latte was your standard latte with a bit of a subtle creamy, chocolatey texture.
By far the favourite item on the order was the Dubai chocolate croissant. I've had Dubai chocolate creations at different establishments like Starbucks, but they taste off. Maybe it's the hype and virality, but sometimes the pistachio flavour's too strong, or there's too much sesame flavour, but this croissant was near perfection. Balanced with the cream and with the right amount of nuts, this was a hit. The proportion was done well and nothing felt overpowered.
Overall, C Market Coffee is a welcome addition to this neighbourhood and is a great place to study, relax, or reconnect with friends / family. Their biggest asset has to be their store location - I highly recommend dining in to enjoy the treats. However, if you want quick grab-and-go coffee, you'd best find a different establishment. I might want to try their hot food and bulgogi bowls.
Hits:
- Lots of parking nearby
- Aesthetic designs and layout, inviting store
- Stands out for its plentiful size and seating options
- Pastries looked and tasted delicious, as well as the drinks
- Lots of items to pick and choose from
Misses:
- Melon Cloud Latte a bit too strong on the melon flavour, needed more balance
- Ordering was a little challenging; should have prices more visible and transparent
- Only worth going if you don't have to wait for over an hour
- Prices are slightly higher than a normal cafe; premium paid for the experience
Rating: 4.25/5 - I hear their bulgogi bowls are also a must try; I'll definitely be back to try some of their other items with family. What's next in the food adventures?
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