Five recommendations from a good date spot to your next Tinder picture background
Photo by Chloe Latour.
I know that the perfect coffee shop can be hard to come by. Which is why I gathered a list of the five best cafés suited to any needs.
Habit
Are you trying to find the best coffee shop for a date with that cute classmate you’ve been crushing on? I recommend Habit. With the brick interiors, local art hanging around, and killer playlists, it’s a hip and cool place to meet your potential soulmate.
Habit has a wide range of drink options that are safe even for non-coffee drinkers, but never fails to create a great cup of coffee that will impress your coffee snob friends. Habit sources as much as they can from local businesses in Victoria, from their coffee beans to pastries, and prides itself on having ethically-sourced beans, meaning Habit grows a personal relationship with coffee farmers and producers. This is made possible by Habit’s local roasting partner Bows, which strives to be a sustainable part of the coffee industry by ethically engaging in our changing climate.
Having two locations downtown makes them central meeting spots for all! I just recommend not going to Habit for a study date as the outlets are hard to come by at both locations.
Your date will not be disappointed — at least in your choice of café.
Asking out your date: 4/5 stars
The date itself: up to you!
Routine
As a student, sometimes you need an excuse to step away from your studies and breathe some fresh air. Routine is that excuse. Founded by Garrett Olson, Routine is a converted mini ‘90’s Suzuki truck decked out with café-grade espresso equipment, making it one of Victoria’s only coffee shops on the go. Being a multi-roaster café, meaning it uses coffee roasters from all over the world, you can expect a different, quality coffee every visit and if you’re lucky enough you might be able to try the mangonada, an espresso drink made with mango nectar and a homemade strawberry chamoy sauce.
Being a pop-up truck, you can catch Olson slinging coffee at some of the coolest events in the city, such as local markets or outdoor movie nights. For Routine’s next pop up, check out their Instagram @routinecoffeeandsupply.
Studying: 0/5
Finally getting a fresh of breath air: 5/5
Torch Song
Is your taste in music exquisite? Or maybe you relate to the scene in Barbie where the Kens sing to the Barbies? If you answered yes to any of these, then this coffee shop is for you.
From the same owners of Bows roaster, Torch Song is the perfect spot for book and vinyl nerds. Being one third café, one third record store, and one third book store, Torch Song offers a unique café experience. Like Habit, you can expect ethically-sourced and sustainable coffee, made by the owners themselves. If you’re feeling hungry, Torch Song has a fresh selection of food and pastries to choose from.
This may not be the best option for studying due to limited space, but Torch Song is a great place to flex your impeccable music knowledge on a first date. Just avoid singing to them and you’re in the clear.
“Push” by Matchbox Twenty: 1/5
I am Kennough: 5/5
Hey Happy
Are you an Instagram influencer or do you just want an aesthetically-pleasing Tinder picture? Hey Happy might just be the place for you. Located in the Market Square downtown, this colourful, multi-roaster café has brought in some of the best coffee from various roasters around the world, like award-winning roaster Tim Wendelboe, so each visit you can experience a new, unique coffee.
At Hey Happy, everything from the food to the oat milk is made in-house, so it does lack a few classics like vanilla syrup. This is more than made up for with their unique homemade drinks such as the popular coconut milk iced latte.
With its bright, open windows and cute interior, posing with your latte will guarantee a bunch of likes on your Instagram post. My only warning is watch out for the endless jazz records they play.
Coconut milk iced latte: 5/5
Jazz: 2/5
Saint Cecilia
Being arguably one of the best places to grab a specialty coffee in Victoria, you’re definitely in to have your coffee life changed for the better at Saint Cecila. Like Hey Happy, this is a multi-roaster café that prides itself on serving some of the best roasters in the world. For example, Sey, which was named the Best Coffee Shop in America by Food & Wine magazine in 2019.
Unlike Hey Happy, Saint Cecila’s coffee menu is limited to three different brew options, espresso, espresso with milk (like a latte), and made to order pour over, making it not a place for the caramel macchiato lovers.
Hidden inside of an office building on lower Yates St., this quiet, multi-level coffee shop was designed for customers to have a place to stay and enjoy their drink, whether that’s alone or with friends. If you’re looking for your next go-to café to study or wanting to expand your coffee palate, Saint Cecilia is the place.
Amazing coffee: 5/5
Overall vibes: 5/5
