REVIEW | After-School Sips: The Best Cafes for Cozy Warm Drinks
Photo Credit: Starbucks
After a long, cold winter day stuck at school — praying for the snow day that will never come — nothing feels better than cozying up at a nice cafe, sipping a hot drink, and nibbling on a good snack. I reviewed the best coffee shops near Hamber, to curate the ultimate cozy cafe guide, hopefully helping Hamberites unlock aesthetic study vibes and unwind after school.
Starbucks (Cambie and 19th & Cambie and 39th):
Starbucks has and always will be a classic hangout spot. The Starbucks locations on Cambie and 19th or Cambie and 39th are both within a 10–20 minute walk from Hamber, and usually have open tables. Their new menu features items such as Maple Mini Pancakes, Belgian Liège Waffles, Valentine Cake Pops, and two new drinks — Blackberry Sage Refresher and the Midnight Drink. The Maple Mini Pancakes are light, sweet, and go perfectly with coffee. However, they are not filling! Make sure to try these along with something else.
Similarly, the Belgian Liège Waffle goes very nicely with a cup of coffee. However, if you’re looking for a true Belgian waffle experience, you won’t find it at Starbucks! Their waffles lack the thickness and crunchiness of authentic Belgian waffles. The Valentine Cake Pop is also a must — you can never go wrong with a Starbucks cake pop. It’s festive, chocolatey, and fun to eat.
As for the new drinks, the Blackberry Sage Refresher and the Midnight Drink both contain the perfect amount of sweetness and tartness, with freeze-dried blackberries to add a hint of extra flavour. The Midnight Drink is essentially the same thing as the Blackberry Sage Refresher, except with shaken with ice, coconut milk, and blackberry infusions, which give it a deep purple, creamy colour.
Paragon Tea Room:
The Paragon Tea Room is located on Cambie and 17th, relatively close to Hamber. Their specialty is matcha! Paragon has a unique selection of various Japanese teas, including iced/hot matcha, hojicha, and genmaicha. Paragon’s Classic Oat Matcha is a warm cup of sweet flavour and caffeine. It’s a perfect after school treat. Although their drinks are more expensive than other cafes, they’re definitely worth the investment.
Unfortunately, the Paragon Tea Room on Cambie is closing on Feb. 28 (run and grab your last Matcha today!), but there are two other locations — one at YVR Airport and the other near Aberdeen Centre Richmond.
The Classic Matcha, the Jujube Oat Matcha, Hojicha, and Genmaicha, are all worthwhile drinks to try.
The Classic Matcha is just that — a classic. It’s made with ceremonial-grade matcha, which gives it a great flavour with a perfect amount of sweetness. The Jujube Oat Matcha is made with red date syrup and mixed with ceremonial matcha for a drink slightly sweeter than the classic. Paragon’s Hojicha — a Japanese green tea roasted in a porcelain pot, usually over charcoal — is rich, nutty, and naturally decaffeinated, making it the perfect drink for winding down after school. Paragon’s Genmaicha is made with powder made of Japanese green tea and roasted brown rice, giving it a lower caffeine content than Matcha. It’s a great option for those who don’t enjoy super sweet drinks. Additionally, Paragon offers the option to add pearls to your drinks — an exceptionally unique drink option .
JJ Bean:
JJ Bean, located on the corner of Cambie and 18th is approximately a 20 minute walk from Hamber. Known for their coffee, JJ Bean has a variety of options, including espressos, lattes, and americanos. They also have hot chocolate and other warm drinks, if you’re looking for something caffeine-free for evening study sessions, and don't want to worry about not being able to fall asleep!
Hot Cha:
Hot Cha — located on Cambie and 17th — sells bubble teas, bubble waffles, and other treats. They’re affordable and delicious, with a diverse spread of flavours, jellies, and boba. Hot Bubble Tea is a unique menu item, and it’s great during cold weather. The Hot Brown Sugar Milk Tea is warm, but not too sweet. If you prefer sweeter drinks, this might not be for you, but it’s still worth trying. Additionally, Hot Cha has weekly specials with reduced prices, which can be found ahead of time on their Instagram.
Simple Love Coffee:
Simple Love Coffee is a hidden gem only a 5-minute walk from Hamber! Tucked away near the corner of Cambie and 33rd, Simple Love Coffee has an assortment of warm coffees, teas and baked goods. Their signature hot Maple Latte is a foamy and sweet after-school treat that tastes especially good with their Jumbo Butter Croissant. Although a little expensive, it’s a convenient place to visit after school or during lunch.
Truffles at Van Dusen:
Truffles is the small cafe found inside Van Dusen Gardens, right next to Hamber on Oak St. They sell a variety of hot and iced drinks, along with baked goods and sandwiches/wraps. Their prices range from $3.95 for Chocolate Croissants to $8 for wraps. A Mocha, iced or hot, is $6 worth of chocolate-and-coffee goodness. Another amazing drink is the Caramel Macchiato, which is $4.85 served hot or $6 iced. Truffles is also very close to school, so it’s a great spot to grab a warm drink during lunch or FIT.