A beautiful store front looks like it’s stripped from another century.
The next stop on this mocha ride is in Vancouver, BC at my new favorite spot: Platform 7. This cafe, located near UBC and roughly south of the downtown heart of Vancouver, is probably as close to perfect as you can get in this highly populated, overpriced city. Space in this city is expensive, and the somewhat affordable retail spaces are in small, old, unappealing buildings, so it takes special care to make your business hospitable and stand out.
The small space has the most efficient use of space possible, being able to impressively sit 40 people without feeling cramped – a feat that no other coffee shop I have yet visited has been able to nail. Previous locals either lack seating or lack personal space. Platform 7 also boasts welcoming, train-themed decor, and upbeat but calming music to drown out the little other noise there would otherwise be. Platform 7 is hitting every single mark in terms of space, aesthetics and comfort so well, that even if the coffee was mediocre I would still be impressed.
Yet, Platform 7 is does not hide a subpar product behind a pretty facade. The espresso beverages are the smoothest that I have had the pleasure to drink in any venue. The Mocha specifically has the most full-bodied espresso flavor complimented by the perfect hint of cocoa. The barista’s here do not overpower the mocha with an overwhelming amount of sugar or chocolate flavor.
Small, beautiful interior that can get busy, but there’s plenty of seating fit up to 40 people comfortably.
In the world of Mochas, this is, in my opinion, the highest praise I can give any cafe. I feel like I’m drinking a soothing espresso drink, instead of a hot chocolate that I know will perk me up with some caffeine. I drink espresso beverages because I love the flavor of coffee, not because I need a quick dose of caffeine. If I wanted caffeine, I would drink regular coffee. If I wanted a hot chocolate, I would drink hot chocolate. So, although it is not a location I can frequently on the daily grind, I appreciate that somewhere in the world, someone serves an espresso/cocoa blended beverage. This is what a Mocha is supposed to be – a blend – not a caffeinated hot chocolate.
