Little did we know that Elysian Coffee would be the last place we ventured to before Corona Virus took over the world. We visited Elysian Coffee in Mt Pleasant as a well earned break after walking the first half of the Vancouver Sea Wall. It coincided with me needing to exchange a ski pole after mine snapped up the mountain a week prior (although RIP to the rest of the ski season) and we had only heard good things about Elysian.

It wasn’t actually the first time I’d tried the coffee. At an Australia Day gather about two months ago, we had Elysian coffee with our homemade brunch and it was so incredibly tasty I just kept going back for more. We noted the brand and flavour for later. Elysian Coffee popped up again when a group of friends was having a conversation about the ‘best cookies in Vancouver’. Elysian’s chocolate and walnut coffee made the cut – again, noted.

Elysian Coffee cafe in Mt Pleasant is airy, spacious and has a yummy selection of treats – for eating and drinking. We each tried a different ‘daily brew’ and ordered the esteemed chocolate and walnut cookie as well as a cheddar scone. The cookie positively hit the mark: the balance was just right and it really made the walnut shine. The scone was only okay. It passed: it was decent, but it was neither toasted nor buttered – two things which I consider crucial in the execution of a perfect scone. Obviously, my standards are probably higher than most considered – I lived in Wellington for 5 years after all.

Elysian Coffee offered some pretty sweet (but pricey) merch, as well as an array of other products for the picking. There is also a tasting room and when I visited the bathroom, on the way it was possible to see the warehouse where they must do some of their roasting and sorting. There is an Elysian Coffee not too far from our house, so once we are no longer quarantined that might be an adventure we embark on.