Bonchaz Bakery Cafe

I LOVE Bonchaz. I used to get catering from there for work, great service and delicious food (with vegan options) I've mainly ordered their pastries. Now I grab one of their muffins almost every morning (They're vegan, and some of the most delicious muffins ive ever had). They're baked fresh, still warm, and everything is very affordable! Which is really nice when you work downtown.

Used to work at Bonchaz back in 2014. Mr. Lui is a great guy (best boss ever), as well as all the staff. Food is great too. I miss this place, my first job in Vancouver.

Certifiable hidden gem in Vancouver's kitsch coffee culture.

The Americano is always fresh.always.and is an expertly selected roast, so as to not ever taste burnt or overly accrid. Wonderful.

Their pastries, however, are their strong suit. You want flaky? They've got the corner on the market. Try the real jam filled danishes.omg indeed!

The staff are amazingly friendly, almost to fault. Even going as far as to email me the playlist they had going on the stereo whilst I was waiting for my London Fog (also they make a damned fine London Fog). Truly above and beyond for an everyday Coffee stop. Or are they?

Maybe not. As everything they offer could very legitamately be considered 'specialty'. Sandwiches, wraps, soup, smoothies. All mentionable. The proverbial 'a little something for everyone'.

Which is perfect for a casual lunch with office-mates. Or making time in our busy body lives to have a quiet breakfast with our better halves before the hell-rush of a downtown day. It's the little things.nes pas?

Oh, and not to worry if you don't have time on your break (or just dont take breaks) to get down to 426 W. Hastings; they also offer free delivery when catering your small business power brunch, brainstorm luncheon, or early afternoone-deadline-scramble-team-power-snack-and-caffeine-recharge. Or if you wanted to nail that first shareholder meeting before you officially go public. Or you're the new manager looking to not get a dook on your desk the first week.

Whatever.

These cats have got you covered.

Bonchaz is loosely translated as 'to have a good time'.

The name speaks for itself.

See you all there!

Love the sandwiches and the their soft Bonchaz Bun. Everything here is made with quality ingredients! Try one of their sandwiches; it won't disappoint you!

Bonchaz was always my go to when I was in university and it still is one of my favorite joints each time I visit the city these days. The buns are always delicious, no matter warm or cold. And they pair well with coffee. Their sandwiches and other pastries are really great too, but still, nothing beats the chocolate truffle bonchaz and americano combo.

Staff was really friendly and the music was good when I was in picking up.

Ordered a roast beef sandwich, kale beet salad, and a chocolate something "bonchaz". Took it all to go.

The guy informed me that they were low on sourdough and if I could take an alternate bread that would be awesome. No worries, baguette was perfect. The sandwich was good with a nice horseradish sauce and a reasonable amount of beef.

Opened the salad package and mixed the salad up a bit. Took a bite and the beets were rubbery and "old-tasting", not off or bad, just not fresh. Took a closer look and they were all wrinkled and dried out a bit, not good eats at all. Luckily nobody was around because I spat the salad back into the package and emptied it into the compost shortly thereafter. A sticker on the package said that it was good until over a week from now (10-5-2018) and I'd be really interested to see what those beets look like by then.

The bun (called a "bonchaz" for whatever reason) was a slightly sweet bun with some nice chocolate filling. This was good, nothing mind-blowing, but good, and really nice with coffee.

I'd probably have gone 4 stars if the salad hadn't been dodgy. The sandwich was nothing special, but the sauce was good and it was better than average, and the prices are cheap enough (especially considering the area can be really pricey) that you'll accept a couple flaws.

Quiet part of town, and very quiet inside when we went during lunch hour. Soups are quite flavorful. Tried the vegan chili and it tasted pretty darn good with lots of seasoned veggies. The prices are really affordable for this part of town, but I really wasn't impressed with the sandwiches. The roast beef sandwich was the blandest thing I ever ate. The bread was flat/slightly soggy, no taste whatsoever to the cheese, and there were no sauces (mustard, mayo, butter, pick one!) which made the sandwich both very dry and very sad. Didn't finish it. Anyone could make a better sandwich at home. The Chicken wrap tasted a little better when you could find the tiny bits of chicken hiding amongst the dry undressed salad. Overall it won't be my first choice for soup and sandwich. I'd be fine with paying a little more if they could improve on flavors.

Bonchaz was famous for their soft butter bun topped with a baked cookie swirl. Since then they have expanded their menu and offerings from just pastries to include cafe, sandwhiches, smoothies, sandwhiches, snacks and more. They make their buns on site in an impressive kitchen. The selection and menu items are wholesome (real fruit smoothies, hand made sandwhiches, homemade spiced nuts) and should satisfy a variety of eaters from quick bite, study session, cafe, lunch and breakfast. There's 4 lounge chair seats, 4 seats x 2 round tables, 1 big long table, and window seating. I liked their decorated white wall. Additionally, I enjoyed the friendly service and reasonable pricing. I hope this place stays a staple to the local community as well as their catered fans.

Details:
I went during a not as busy time (around 4: 10pm?).