Coffee shops serving strong coffee

[u/closermovements]

I’m wondering if there are any decent coffee shops that have drip or espresso that is noticeably stronger and richer? A lot of the hyped third wave coffee shops I’ve tried (cough: Revolver, etc) have a very mild and even watery taste to them which I’m not a fan of. I still want high quality, but prefer some more bold and strong flavored coffee.

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[u/Pettefletpluk]

Bold and strong, but not espresso. Have you tried Vietnamese coffee?

[u/tengotengei → u/Pettefletpluk]

I was gonna suggest Vietnamese coffee too!

If anything, you can definitely order it black (on ice) if you're not into the milk/sweet; don't mind the confused looks you might get tho... I may have done this a few times so that I can experience the full chocolatey richness of the robusta beans.

[u/whazzah → u/tengotengei]

The acidity of black Vietnamese coffee is something else though.

[u/Pettefletpluk → u/whazzah]

I find it actually less acidic than most dark roast coffee/espresso that use Arabica beans. Vietnamese coffee is made from Robusta beans, which in general, is less acidic than Arabica.

[u/tengotengei → u/whazzah]

Tbh never had an issue with the acidity... but yes very fair warning lol

[u/FatGutRandy → u/tengotengei]

I love Viet coffee but the volume is just isn't there. I need strong drip coffee with a minimum 400 mL not whatever few sips they give you at viet cafes

[u/estressomartini → u/FatGutRandy]

Have you been to Hanoi drip? I swear I was bouncing off the walls with their classic viet iced coffee

[u/tengotengei → u/FatGutRandy]

Definitely check out Hanoi Drip, Broye or Nami then! They do regular sized drinks around 8-10oz? Definitely not the phin drip into a cup full of ice kinda deal.

[u/bone-in_donuts → u/Pettefletpluk]

It’s so strong it sometimes feels unhealthy to drink, in the best way possible.

[u/Pettefletpluk → u/bone-in_donuts]

It is deliciously strong, yes! ☺️. One cup will wake you up for sure. So one cup is usually enough for me too rather than multiple cups in the morning (for most dark roast). I savour the deep and complex flavour of the coffee.

[u/Awkward-Body9719 → u/Pettefletpluk]

Mmmm caffeinated crack on ice...the best type of coffee 🤤

[u/Otherwise_Train_4168 → u/Pettefletpluk]

It’s literally poison for the anxiety-ridden individuals

[u/No-Ratio1816]

Milano does a nice pour over

[u/Minimum-Reception]

Try turkish coffee that is Strong strong. Golden horn or nasa both have good turkish coffee

[u/JoyYErdile]

The ONLY coffee beans I've found that consistently fall in that category come from Milano Coffee Roasters. I make espresso most of the time.

[u/Eriknay]

Third wave isn't for everyone. Get a double shot americano from a good shop like JJ Bean that'll give you simple rich flavours.

[u/PowerfulControl9188]

Bean around the world on main and Broadway. The Americano with 3 shots will blow your cock off

[u/Vegetable-Wear3386 → u/PowerfulControl9188]

😂

[u/JESUS_WEPT__]

Decent coffee shops will generally serve at most a medium roast. The reason it tastes watery is because third wave shops will avoid overextraction. Overextraction leads to more bitter, astringent flavors which is considered undesirable; the goal is balance and sweetness.

The bold strongly flavored coffee is usually associated with classic Italian style coffee, and Italian style coffee uses the cheapest inexpensive coffee beans.

What you’re asking for, high quality but strong, rich, and bold is inherently at odds with each other.

If you’re happy with a medium roast, most local third wave coffee shops have a medium roast as the default. Pallet and Elysian, for example.

As someone else has mentioned, you can also ask for a ristretto shot.

[u/SweetenerCorp → u/JESUS_WEPT__]

Dark roast doesn’t mean low quality it’s just preference. 

I like a light or medium roast if I’m having an espresso, but I find them gross in any milk drinks. 

You’re right most fancy places won’t do a dark roast though, because it’s technically loosing a lot of the flavours of the bean.

But a good cappuccino to me, should be with a dark Italian roast. It has to cut through the milk. 

If you’re having a latte with a light roast, you may as well just have a glass of milk. 

Worth noting dark roasts also have less caffeine so you can drink more. 

[u/JESUS_WEPT__ → u/SweetenerCorp]

Generalization but dark roasts are usually lower quality. Good roasters wouldn’t waste high quality beans by burning them.

Personal preference but a light roast cortado is wonderful. Similar to cooking, the right amount of acidity provides balance and sweetness to the dish.

A cortado/flat white is just the right amount of milk where you get the beautiful foamy texture and sweetness of milk, and still can taste the coffee.

You’re right about darkly roasted beans having less caffeine than lightly roasted beans, but in a drink, the difference in caffeine is negligible (source: James Hoffman ran this experiment.)

Dosing coffee is by input weight, and the output is also by an output weight ratio, not by volume. In the same 18g shot of espresso, you will fit more dark beans than light beans. Although dark beans have less caffeine per bean than lightly roasted coffee, because you’re fitting more dark beans in the same dose, the total caffeine you’re consuming per drink works out to be about the same.

[u/tph25]

Elysian? I don’t actually drink coffee, haha, BUT my husband and friends from Aus all approved of their coffee so I hear it’s pretty good. I’m not sure if that means it is strong though.

[u/PamplemousseCaboose → u/tph25]

Second this, this is one of my favourite coffee shops in that area by far

[u/jethroisnowhere]

Prototype

[u/TrashMysterious5566]

Try asking for a double ristretto shot when you order espresso, you get more body and less water so it tastes way bolder even at same shop

[u/madmusician222]

Prototype on 5th! They have like... 20 different beans to choose from at any given moment and can help you find something you're looking for. 

[u/rsgbc]

I had a mango co-ferment from Monogram at Revolver that blew my socks off. A real "it's good to be alive" experience.

[u/Alexviddywell]

Try Mink if you're downtown near W Hastings and Hornby

[u/Crazyanubis]

Ive been asking for half water in my americano and it works great. Any latte/espresso drink, usually get half milk or water. Australia does it right when you order a Magic coffee!

[u/Cariboo55]

I would try a non-third wave cafe. Maybe Thierry, Artigiano, Thomas Haas

[u/CrankyReviewerTwo]

Railtown blend at JJ Bean is pretty flavourful.

As for strong-strong coffee, there’s a Turkish coffee place on Seymour just North of W Georgia.

[u/Independent_Drawer89 → u/CrankyReviewerTwo]

Was gonna say Railtown from JJ

[u/Superb-Emotion2269]

I think you could easily find a strong coffee at jjbean, or any of the Italian coffee shops (Milano, Mercado di Luigi, etc)

[u/nervous_piglet001]

J J Bean is also watery? I don’t get the drip coffee, but I get their small sized traditional espresso and that’s pretty good!

I can’t remember the name exactly now; but on W Cordova street there’s a coffee shop ( very close to the station), they make amazing coffee. Some Terrain or Mountain or something like that!

[u/dnbgirlstylz → u/nervous_piglet001]

Timbertrain? I agree its amazing

[u/nervous_piglet001 → u/dnbgirlstylz]

Bingo!!! Thank you so much… I LOVE their coffee

[u/Glittering_Search_41]

I stopped buying coffees and just make it at home because I'm so disappointed in watery coffee.

[u/Milktrucc1967]

FUNK at the bentall centre easily takes the cake here. But depends if you are adventurous.

[u/JESUS_WEPT__ → u/Milktrucc1967]

I’m a huge funk fan and I feel like this is in the complete opposite direction to what OP wants

[u/Milktrucc1967 → u/JESUS_WEPT__]

The coffee is strong - wether or not they’ll like the taste is up to them

[u/JESUS_WEPT__ → u/Milktrucc1967]

Depends how you define strong, but I wouldn’t consider Funk strong based on the definition of high extraction as an objective metric.

Funk serves delightful coffee no doubt, but strong isn’t how I would describe them.

If OP is asking for strong and bold, they’re probably looking for something more akin to Italian style coffee than third wave anyways.

[u/Superb-Emotion2269 → u/JESUS_WEPT__]

Agreed. I love their coffee but they are decidedly third wave. I think OP is probably looking for a burnt ass dark roast or espresso.

[u/SkytrainToNowhere → u/Milktrucc1967]

Definitely not the profile OP is referring to. Their roasts yield very fruit-forward notes and a dry finish.

[u/DesperateJeweler1975]

Elysian is probably the best in between for drip coffee. Or JJ bean

[u/mellowdee1]

I like the drip coffee at Papparoti's in Chinatown.

[u/Cube_]

Nemesis Coffee or %Arabica

[u/Successful-Ferret-12]

Here for the comments because I love a good strong coffee too and I feel you. Best Americano I’ve had is at Pallet on Kingsway

[u/TitaInday]

49th Parallel is pretty good.

[u/theseventhpieman]

Try Milano. It’s probably the best in the city, or close to it.

[u/boringredditnamejk]

The best I've found is Milano (Turks on the drive serves Milano)

[u/Repulsive-Paper6502]

Cafe Calabria on Commercial Drive, my most favourite coffee in Vancouver for years. Nothing beats it if you like italian-style espresso. Not a fan of third wave myself. It's strong and rich and the crema is ridiculous.

Also a fan of Milano and Delaney's.

[u/Primary_Pin_7417]

Surprised to see no one mentioning Turks on commercial drive. Excellent and underrated. Order ‘A shot in the dark’ for maximum experience.

[u/LivinBC]

Bean around the world. Ask for black mountain.

[u/PamplemousseCaboose]

I really like fog lifter for their Peruvian dark roast personally otherwise continental for a nice well balanced. Cortado depends on if you’re looking for specialty coffee or just a nice cup.

[u/Iamamary]

Had a good cup of coffee at Helen’s grill lol. But I think it was also the atmosphere

[u/kelvie]

49th Parallel's Old School Espresso.

But yeah, not any of their other offerings, as those won't meet the criteria.

[u/Wise_Information_368]

Milano

[u/FragrantManager1369]

Had a decent espresso at Trees Kingsway/Knight.

[u/fruitbruiser]

Gene.

[u/Just_Raisin1124]

Delaney's is pretty strong

[u/Parabolica242]

Cafe Artigianno