Review #1 - The Well Cafe
3271 Dunbar Street (17th and Dunbar)
www.thewellcafe.ca
Open 6:30am-6pm M-F
7:30am-5pm Sat
Closed Sunday
Well here is my first review. I'm starting off easy because I work here. But I also think I have a lot of knowledge of this place.
Atmosphere
It's a little small. Only 18 seats and a little narrow. The visuals can range from "leaves something to be desired" to "peaceful and calming", depending on your tastes. All music played is instrumental, 2 comfy chairs.
Wi-fi & Plugins
No Wi-fi but there are plugins next to the Well (a powerbar) and behind the bench seats on your right as you enter the store.
Espresso Drinks and Coffee
It has improved greatly in the 18 months I've worked there. The new Mazzer Grinder is the biggest reason that the espresso is at its best right now. Good barista training is also a big reason. The drip coffee is good as well. It's very consistent because they have only one dark and one medium roast and it never changes. My favorite drink Medium Americano. Caramello is their signature drink, basically a mocha with caramel substituted for chocolate, topped off with a chocolate.
Food
Good selection. New sandwiches look good and are tasty. Baked goods are fresh, but not decadent. The Cranberry Apricot Oatmeal Bar is a nice snack, but get one with a lot of cranberries. The lemon loaf is also really good. Soups are fantastic!!! Cinnamon buns come from Grounds For Coffee, because nobody does it better.
Service
I guess that would DEFINITELY be a conflict of interest if I commented on that!
BOTTOM LINE
I believe that The Well Cafe is a hidden gem. It's a cafe that caters to it's locality and doesn't have the trendy feel of some (most) other Vancouver cafes but their product is good. A good place for lunch or a snack. A great place to read with a big cup of coffee if you get the good chairs.
posted by Paul & Wanda Moores at 10:29 PM
4 Comments:
I think that "The Well Cafe" has potential, I really do, however I do not think it has met it's potential and of course places can always do better. The Caffe Umbria coffee that you can find at The Well is a great product but the brewing of it is inconsistent and I think can be better. I think that drip coffee should be consistent when you go to the same place everyday but hoenstly I can be quite disappointed at times as I drink at least one cup a day from there. I know that some of the staff who work there are quite passionate about coffee and really care about making a quality drink but there are some who do not even like coffee so it is much harder for them to care and to really be passionate about it. Other than that, the food is decent yet overpriced and the Thomas Kincade has got to go. :)
Paul, we should go into the cafe reviewing business together, do you think someone would pay us to sit in coffee shops all day long?!
I wish.
I WOULD be interested in you doing reviews as well. I can add you as a member of the blog. Let me know if you're interested.
As far a your critique of the Well, it's fair. I haven't see the variations in the drip coffee that you have but I know some people don't car as much about the quality of the drink as I do (or you did).
Let me know if you're interested in being part of this blog. I'd be really into it. E
Sweet! If you trust what I have to say and my opinions I would be happy to be part of the blog. That would be neat. Let me know what I gotta do. I'm in! Gives me a good excuse to go back and rediscover some coffee shops and also check out some new ones. Thanks!
Trust..... more like Respect. You'd be way more a hard ass on the reviews than I would and that's good. Kinda like a Siskel and Ebert thing (whoever the new guy is now).
I'll send you the info.
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