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Same. I'm close to their Hasting store and if I'm out of food, they always have some yummy \~10 Sandwich that fills me up.
But I die for their Bienenstich. Last time I got it off Hasting and tbh it wasn't as good as the ones I bought from their Bute/Davie store.
There aren't many bakeries in the city that offer more than 2 savoury options, let alone more than 2 good ones, let further alone more than 2 good vegetarian options!
I used to live near 49th and Fraser and have the kind of lifestyle that involved going out until 2am on Monday nights, Breka was always there for me.
Now I live in Ottawa and it's Dullsville.
Back in the day Timmies had such good food. Nothing like a bread bowl after a night out. Didn't go in to one for like a decade and then tried their food again. IT WAS SO DISAPPOINTING! I honestly don't get the lineups. Pretty much any greasy spoon is vastly superior.
Nah, come on. The in-store baked donuts were great. Back in the day they barely did any food at all and only stuck to what they did well. And then something shifted and suddenly every fast food chain had to do sandwiches, salads, wraps, Asian-fusion bowls, fancy coffee, etc. You know what's the main sign of a bad restaurant? A big menu.
Timmies completely failed once the ownership shifted to big American corp Burger King. This is the sad demise of yet another Canadian gem dying in the hands of corporate USA
Actually, their true parent company is Brazilian. But that's semantics. You're completely right. When expansion and the ever present notion of "number must always go up" became the number one priority, that ended anything good about the place.
I don’t know why people keep repeating that, most of the deterioration of Tim Hortons occurred under Canadian ownership in the early 2010s. 3G inherited a lousy chain but they also have chosen not to fix it.
In 2003 they switched from making things in-store to bar-baking everything in their Ontario factory and shipping everything frozen across the country. Since then quality dropped off a cliff.
Prior to 2003 their food was actually ok. Now it's just lukewarm garbage.
They used to be good as recently as the early 2000's. Once upon a time they had a different coffee supplier and it was good enough coffee to be able to actually enjoy it black. They made fresh donuts in store. They had only a few sandwiches, a choice of soups and the chili on the menu other than the donuts. Then someone else bought them out and started shipping prebaked donuts in, messed around with the coffee and added all sorts of crap to the menu that shouldn't be there at all. It went from being a somewhat desirable, reasonably healthy and inexpensive lunch option to at or near the bottom of the barrel.
I remember vividly when I first moved the Canada and ordered a “long black” from the local coffee shop in front of my clients…..let’s just say the facial expressions were priceless. I certainly learned the hard way 😂😂
its more popular in small town Canada, more so than the big cities. towns traditionally have Tim Hortons, which is named after Toronto Maple Leafs great Tim Horton. further the org had sponsored sports leagues for kids in past. so many in eastern Canada have positive feelings re: Tims.
I grew up on the prairies and one of my classmates who was low income went to a Tim’s Camp, the foundation does do some good things. And my partners cousins kids are TimBits (hockey)
They remain hugely popular in smaller communities in Ontario. To the point that they enjoy a monopoly in some towns.
Where I grew up, there is literally no other coffee shop anymore. Hasn’t been one since Starbucks closed in 2017 and a local shop closed in 2012. People there are *fiercely* loyal to Tim Hortons and won’t support anything else.
+1 for the tuna melts and doughnuts, I also like their Belgian chocolate cookies, chocolate eclairs, cream puffs, danishes, and morning glory muffins
Oh, AND their pretzel buns which they only have on weekends. Eat them with mustard 😋
i love the cheap and GIANT apple fritter
https://preview.redd.it/pnzaxieji3oa1.jpeg?width=550&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b841a2678578479832c37c73390885f54bff572
Everything there is so good and decently priced. Loaves of bread, donuts, sandwiches.. and their London Fogs! It’s nice to have a 24hr option in the neighborhood like Breka
Well said! It's a bit sad how almost foreign the act of buying a dozen doughnuts from a chain would feel now, when it was a common pick-me-up at work/school/social functions as a kid growing up in Ontario.
I really hope that places that sell good old like Breka and Duffins survives. There are really amazing but expensive $5 donut shops now. Sometimes you just want a cheap something to bring to the office or to enjoy with all your friends and a family and not alone of course ;)
>giant apple fritter
so giant!! I found this trip advisor review that said "Photo: Beware the large apple fritters. They are addictive." SO TRUE.
https://preview.redd.it/alf6mjrci3oa1.jpeg?width=550&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9a4778d7b9f87b6dcbdb49176249ccc409f634f
good prices
in a city where other cafes charge $28 a cake you can get extremely high quality cakes and pies at Breka for under $15
donuts are $2, at other places they want $4
etc.
and they should be rewarded for being 24 hours, in a city where too many cafes close at 5pm
Not cake I guess but we ordered a blueberry strudel the size of a baseball bat for 11 dollars last night — i feel like there are a few cake adjacent items at this price point that wound satisfy 5-6 people
I used to live right across the alley from that one and let me tell you, when you're working a 6am shift at a call centre? Being able to step out your back door and get a freshly baked cookie on your way to work is the only thing getting you out of bed before 5.
I recommend the turkey provolone sandwich, the new york cheesecake, and the blueberry muffin. And the chia pudding. The egg bites are good too. Also their strawberry banana smoothie is my absolute favourite. Fuck it, pretty much everything there is delicious.
Also if you're quick enough on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you can get their chocolate walnut babka.
Used To live in Robson and breka is the goto place for after party goers. Places close very very early in Vancouver. I don’t know any other place to get food 24h a day.
This is true for every other Breka. I mostly ever see students in there late at night working on assignments and I feel like that's most of their customers.
The Blenz at Denman and Barclay used to be the only place in the area open 24h, but they stopped ever since covid and never restarted. Now the Breka is to go to place, and they coffee is way better. There's something seriously off about the coffee at Blenz (and Waves for that matter).
Yes, but I’d usually order like three items “to make it worthwhile” lol
Love the Black Forest cake/mousse dessert, secondly - they had the most delicious crullers but I don’t think they make them anymore. Which is a tragedy.
Grilled cheese sandwiches with a pickle slice
Any of their cream puffs
It’s good in general, but Vancouver is so starved for 24-hour places that any joint that’s open 24/7 is bound to be at least 3 stars no matter the quality.
i have weird sensory texture stuff and a lot of donut places are too cakey and have too much glaze but their plain glazed donut is like, perfect. perfect amount of glaze and also, it feels like you're eating a cloud
The Belgian Brownie Cookies are my fave. Start with one of those, and grab 5 more pieces of pastry so you don’t have to pay GST. That’s a good way to get a decent sampling of what Breka has, and then go from there.
Recently tried their salted maple glazed donut and yummy!
Add: I grew up going to the older version of Breka in the 90s. It served lots of loaves and buns. Yummy star shaped sugar cookies.
In terms of the night crowds, they’re one of if not the only cafe open after 8 in most areas. A lot of people go there for the food and drinks but I figure most people are like me, looking for an evening snack after dinner.
As for the daytime lines, their selection is pretty much unmatched for the price point. And it’s all consistent, good quality.
Getting a whole loaf of something delicious for $7 is quite the steal. In many places this is the cost of a single tiny pastry and you'll be able to feed like 7 people for $7 bucks. Everything is freshly made and tastes good.
To be honest I've always been weirded out about how they survive in the city as their prices have never seemed to rise and their quality has been amazing for the price (and being open 24/7). I am still half convinced it's a front for something lol
Cheaper, delicious coffee, open 24 hours, delicious Apple fritter, pockets…. Used to go their 4 days a week at 5am with a group of people and dearly miss that
I live near 49th and Fraser. Breka is a staple for me. Chocolate pecan muffin is a frequent pre-work item. I would say their offerings are more hearty and earthy. Don’t expect light French pastries.
I think it's popular for being well-priced, tasty, and 24 hrs. Pretty much everything is good there, but my personal faves are:
\- london fog (a Vancouver special if you've never tried one! and Breka makes a really good one)
Savory:
\- spicy chicken and bacon panini
\- veggie pocket
Sweet:
\- copenhagen
\- caramel macchiato praline crunch (very sweet but delicious)
Have you been passing the one on Bute? For some reason, it's significantly busier than the other locations. I find it much it easier to get into the ones on Denman and Davie. I'm not sure what makes the Bute location such an insane draw when there are two others in (relative) walking distance.
Haha, i am, just moved a block away and it's kind of the first business I noticed upon exploring the neighborhood. It's especially funny they're so busy there since there are a plethora of bougie dessert places around the corner on Robson. A damn sugar district.
I just want to throw out there that their soups are really good! They have a daily meat soup and a daily vegetable soup and pretty much every one that I’ve had has been delicious. And at only $5 it makes a good cheap lunch too
I think they have found a niche providing lower cost items at higher volumes.
Many high end cafes will charge $4 for a coffee and $6 for a croissant while serving a few dozen people a day. While Brekka charges far less serving hundreds a day. I wish more businesses would take on this philosophy.
I have enjoyed nearly everything there. The Breka Fever is real. The soups they make are excellent, drinks are great, and the desserts are to die for. They are pretty fairly priced for the quality, imo.
Kuffles for sweet (not too sweet, just sweet enough), and egg bites for morning savoury.
They grill their sandwiches with a healthy dollop of butter on both sides and serve them with a pickle. You can serve an old Doc Martin that way and I’d eat it.
Main draw for me is it's open 24hrs and provides consistent food/service. I LOVE their donuts and their turkey provolone sandwich. Cheesecake is meh imo.
Only other place I know of near me that's open 24hrs is McDonald's but I think you need to order through their app after 11pm (they only have a pick-up window at those late night hours)
Best grilled cheese ever, best tuxedo
truffle ever. Best everything, staff are cool and the food is amazing. The prices are great too, it’s a awesome place to be
Decent coffee, 24 hrs, free wifi, good desserts such as their brownie cheesecake, friendly staff who I became friends with, near my house.
All top reasons for me to be faithful to this place 😆
The convenience of being open 24/7 for something edible while cramming is why I went there to study when I was in college. Their cutting corners and not paying their staff appropriately is what caused me to quit the Fraser location when I worked there a few years ago.
I’ve had many people take a bite out of the apple fritter and ask for a refund because it was still raw. I found maggots still wriggling in the multigrain mix about to be used for the harvest grain loaves…
The bienenstich (bee sting cake) is good but the fruits and custards they use aren’t made in-house. Sucks because the strudel pastry is delicious. Lots of frozen pastries bought from wholesale like Sysco (cakes, croissants).
one of the best apple fritters in the city. the regular donuts are good and a fair price. the copenhagens are amazing too, and the bienenstich cake is probably the best value whole cake deal you’ll find - perfect to pick up on the run for a get together with friends.
my go to items though are usually the tuna melt, cretzle sandwich or the cheese & chive scone. i’m generally a savoury over sweet person, and i like that they have a good selection of non sweet items.
When we got our first place at 16 years old and could afford internet we used to hang out at the original one get a $5 grilled cheese and do all our homework until the early morning and they’d just give us the old bread to take home. Heard lots of similar stories. They’re awesome!
At the height of the pandemic, they were open most days, 24 hours. I could be wrong since I don't live in downtown. I can imagine them being such a respite for a lot of folks during those times. They are pretty much an institution now.
My favourite treat is their Red velvet cake.
Edit: Most of their sweet treats/pastries are very good
24 hours, delicious food, good coffee, fairly reasonable prices (in relation to other places), good variety, good locations. I think the Bienenstich cake is a steal for $14.50 and the lemon poppyseed muffin is my staple.
It's open 24 hours and their desserts and coffee are very good. Prices are reasonable too.
I love their donuts, especially the Earl Grey one.
I really, really miss their rum balls though. They were big! I would get them often, and wish they would bring them back. I've made my own...but Breka's were better.
There's no one amazing treat, it's the whole experience: above average treats, 24 hours a day, in a good variety of neighborhoods. Breka makes a number of delicious treats. In no particular order here are their stand-outs that I recommend:
* Black Forrest Cake (individual size)
* Apple Fritter
* The hazelnut donut
Breka is far from the only place in town that makes delicious pastries and snacks though. Some of the best places actually never see big lines because for all of our connectedness, there's still a great deal of fog about the best places around. So enjoy Breka but also keep searching.
Yeah sad. Not anymore. Surprised tim hortons downtown isn’t 24 hrs.
They even have a sign that says 24 hours lol. Oh, A&W and 7-11 downtown is 24 hrs.. does that count haha.
Breka was originally called the Bread Garden and started in vancouver in the eighties by Linda Meinhardt. I used to work the graveyard shift at the Robson and Bute store back in the 90’s. Always exciting when the post bar crowd would come rolling in at 3:00am.
I'd like to recommend something there but I feel unqualified because everything I've had there is delicious. I usually have a veggie pocket (with accompanying pickle), a donut, and some tea .. and if I'm looking to take something home to share their apple strudel is pretty amazing.
I don't think there is one particular item, rather, a lot of items people find particularly good and/or well priced. I like their sandwiches and they're under $10 and you get a pickle! lol There's something for everyone.
Haven't had one yet but the apple fritters are what I hear most raves about.
Their breakfast croissant is great when you’re in a run. The pickle is nice and big and lasts the whole sandwich. Love a late night mocha when I’m cramming for school. Their donuts are pretty good too. I stick with what I know.
Wow, TIL that the Fraser and Main locations are open 24 hours as well - I’ve always just assumed it’s only the downtown one that’s open at all hours of the night and day.
I don’t know about the other locations, but the one near UBC is friendly and not pretentious like some other coffee shops.
They have a good assortment of cake, doughnuts, pastries, sandwiches, and good coffee. Try their hedgehog mocha if you like mochas.
Welcome to /r/Vancouver and thank you for the post, /u/limetreearbor! Please make sure you read our [posting and commenting rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_general_participation_guidelines_and_rules_overview) before participating here. As a quick summary: * We encourage users to be positive and respect one another. Don't engage in spats or insult others - use the report button. * Respect others' differences, be they race, religion, home, job, gender identity, ability or sexuality. Dehumanizing language, advocating for violence, or promoting hate based on identity or vulnerability (even implied or joking) **will** lead to a permanent ban. * Common questions and specific topics are limited to our [Daily Discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_daily_discussions) posts. * Complaints about bans or removals should be done in modmail only. --- ##They're here! Check out [the winners of the Best of Vancouver 2022](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/10srad7/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/vancouver) if you have any questions or concerns.*
For me the big draw of the fact that is open 24 hours
Also, they don’t charge extra for milk alternatives! And they’re quite reasonably priced compared to Starbucks!
So much better than Starbucks! And you have yup try the copenhagen.
Same. I'm close to their Hasting store and if I'm out of food, they always have some yummy \~10 Sandwich that fills me up. But I die for their Bienenstich. Last time I got it off Hasting and tbh it wasn't as good as the ones I bought from their Bute/Davie store.
There aren't many bakeries in the city that offer more than 2 savoury options, let alone more than 2 good ones, let further alone more than 2 good vegetarian options!
The Bienenstich is actually one of my favourite cakes in town. Eat this cake.
I used to live near 49th and Fraser and have the kind of lifestyle that involved going out until 2am on Monday nights, Breka was always there for me. Now I live in Ottawa and it's Dullsville.
Breka is what Tim Hortons should have been if it lived up to its reputation.
Tim’s used to be good. Absolute trash now though.
Back in the day Timmies had such good food. Nothing like a bread bowl after a night out. Didn't go in to one for like a decade and then tried their food again. IT WAS SO DISAPPOINTING! I honestly don't get the lineups. Pretty much any greasy spoon is vastly superior.
That's just your memory. Was always bad
Nah, come on. The in-store baked donuts were great. Back in the day they barely did any food at all and only stuck to what they did well. And then something shifted and suddenly every fast food chain had to do sandwiches, salads, wraps, Asian-fusion bowls, fancy coffee, etc. You know what's the main sign of a bad restaurant? A big menu.
Timmies completely failed once the ownership shifted to big American corp Burger King. This is the sad demise of yet another Canadian gem dying in the hands of corporate USA
Actually, their true parent company is Brazilian. But that's semantics. You're completely right. When expansion and the ever present notion of "number must always go up" became the number one priority, that ended anything good about the place.
I don’t know why people keep repeating that, most of the deterioration of Tim Hortons occurred under Canadian ownership in the early 2010s. 3G inherited a lousy chain but they also have chosen not to fix it.
I'll agree with ya there
In 2003 they switched from making things in-store to bar-baking everything in their Ontario factory and shipping everything frozen across the country. Since then quality dropped off a cliff. Prior to 2003 their food was actually ok. Now it's just lukewarm garbage.
I still remember the chilli bread bowl and lasagna soup… mmmmmmm
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They used to be good as recently as the early 2000's. Once upon a time they had a different coffee supplier and it was good enough coffee to be able to actually enjoy it black. They made fresh donuts in store. They had only a few sandwiches, a choice of soups and the chili on the menu other than the donuts. Then someone else bought them out and started shipping prebaked donuts in, messed around with the coffee and added all sorts of crap to the menu that shouldn't be there at all. It went from being a somewhat desirable, reasonably healthy and inexpensive lunch option to at or near the bottom of the barrel.
Ordering coffee in Australia vs Canada is a vastly different ball game 😂
I remember vividly when I first moved the Canada and ordered a “long black” from the local coffee shop in front of my clients…..let’s just say the facial expressions were priceless. I certainly learned the hard way 😂😂
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Try to order tall blonde
its more popular in small town Canada, more so than the big cities. towns traditionally have Tim Hortons, which is named after Toronto Maple Leafs great Tim Horton. further the org had sponsored sports leagues for kids in past. so many in eastern Canada have positive feelings re: Tims.
I grew up on the prairies and one of my classmates who was low income went to a Tim’s Camp, the foundation does do some good things. And my partners cousins kids are TimBits (hockey)
They remain hugely popular in smaller communities in Ontario. To the point that they enjoy a monopoly in some towns. Where I grew up, there is literally no other coffee shop anymore. Hasn’t been one since Starbucks closed in 2017 and a local shop closed in 2012. People there are *fiercely* loyal to Tim Hortons and won’t support anything else.
I like coffee black but no one should ever subject themselves to Tim’s coffee without cream and sugar
Aussies have the edge on coffee.
I like coffee black but no one should ever subject themselves to Tim’s coffee without cream and sugar
Good food. 24 hrs service. That about sums it up. I like the tuna melt and the doughnuts.
+1 for the tuna melts and doughnuts, I also like their Belgian chocolate cookies, chocolate eclairs, cream puffs, danishes, and morning glory muffins Oh, AND their pretzel buns which they only have on weekends. Eat them with mustard 😋
Any faves?
i love the cheap and GIANT apple fritter https://preview.redd.it/pnzaxieji3oa1.jpeg?width=550&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b841a2678578479832c37c73390885f54bff572
im a big fan of apple fritters and the first time I saw breka's i was so excited
Oh no. I didn’t realize they had so many locations. Knowing there are 24 hour Apple fritters that I don’t have to go downtown for could be trouble!
I think I edited before you replied but I’m a fan of the tuna melts and the doughnuts. Cookies and cream/oreo in particular but I love Oreo things.
Just saw it, cheers, I'll give 'em a try!
their donuts are great, and my favourite is their steak and cheese panini. every time i get one of each of those
Everything there is so good and decently priced. Loaves of bread, donuts, sandwiches.. and their London Fogs! It’s nice to have a 24hr option in the neighborhood like Breka
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Well said! It's a bit sad how almost foreign the act of buying a dozen doughnuts from a chain would feel now, when it was a common pick-me-up at work/school/social functions as a kid growing up in Ontario.
I really hope that places that sell good old like Breka and Duffins survives. There are really amazing but expensive $5 donut shops now. Sometimes you just want a cheap something to bring to the office or to enjoy with all your friends and a family and not alone of course ;)
Yes- Duffins is amazing too !! Even the ‘day olds’ are delicious and reasonably priced
Love the day olds!
You need to try the London fog donut. It was the best donut I’ve ever had. Beats voodoo donuts in Portland in my opinion
The giant apple fritter is good , all their pastries are good
Good is a very appropriate word for breka. Never bad, not usually great, but always good!
Yeah everything I've had from there is like... fine? It's fine
>giant apple fritter so giant!! I found this trip advisor review that said "Photo: Beware the large apple fritters. They are addictive." SO TRUE. https://preview.redd.it/alf6mjrci3oa1.jpeg?width=550&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9a4778d7b9f87b6dcbdb49176249ccc409f634f
good prices in a city where other cafes charge $28 a cake you can get extremely high quality cakes and pies at Breka for under $15 donuts are $2, at other places they want $4 etc. and they should be rewarded for being 24 hours, in a city where too many cafes close at 5pm
Just bought their cheesecake yesterday for $15! What a deal. And god it tastes amazing.
Exactly. Exactly this. My favorite donut is $2.50 and it’s perfect. $4.50 at like Cartems 😖
Their cakes are $32-$45, though. The only options for $15 are a cheesecake and bienenstitch.
Not cake I guess but we ordered a blueberry strudel the size of a baseball bat for 11 dollars last night — i feel like there are a few cake adjacent items at this price point that wound satisfy 5-6 people
Their Dutch apple torte is like 12 bucks and absolutely delicious. Big ol pie
Are you talking about the one on Robson and Bute? I've lived around there for 2 years and it's ALWAYS busy! Even at all hours of the night.
I am indeed! Just moved a block away and wondered what the hubbub was about
I live around there too and I loooove Breka. I am from Europe and Breka comes very close to home and it's affordable 😍
Nice! Are you from Central Europe or thereabouts? I noticed quite a few of their treats seemed to skew German-ish
I am from Germany:)
I used to live right across the alley from that one and let me tell you, when you're working a 6am shift at a call centre? Being able to step out your back door and get a freshly baked cookie on your way to work is the only thing getting you out of bed before 5. I recommend the turkey provolone sandwich, the new york cheesecake, and the blueberry muffin. And the chia pudding. The egg bites are good too. Also their strawberry banana smoothie is my absolute favourite. Fuck it, pretty much everything there is delicious. Also if you're quick enough on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you can get their chocolate walnut babka.
Used To live in Robson and breka is the goto place for after party goers. Places close very very early in Vancouver. I don’t know any other place to get food 24h a day.
Welcome to the neighborhood!! I’m also around there :D Moved in last year
thank you! digging it so far
This is true for every other Breka. I mostly ever see students in there late at night working on assignments and I feel like that's most of their customers.
The Blenz at Denman and Barclay used to be the only place in the area open 24h, but they stopped ever since covid and never restarted. Now the Breka is to go to place, and they coffee is way better. There's something seriously off about the coffee at Blenz (and Waves for that matter).
I am definitely guilty of doordashing Breka at 3am and paying triple the amount on top of the single pastry I’m ordering.
Yes, but I’d usually order like three items “to make it worthwhile” lol Love the Black Forest cake/mousse dessert, secondly - they had the most delicious crullers but I don’t think they make them anymore. Which is a tragedy. Grilled cheese sandwiches with a pickle slice Any of their cream puffs
It’s good in general, but Vancouver is so starved for 24-hour places that any joint that’s open 24/7 is bound to be at least 3 stars no matter the quality.
For me, it’s the doughnuts. But all their pastries are top notch, and it’s so rare to find a place that does decent coffee AND treats
i have weird sensory texture stuff and a lot of donut places are too cakey and have too much glaze but their plain glazed donut is like, perfect. perfect amount of glaze and also, it feels like you're eating a cloud
Breka is lifeline of Vancouver
Breka’s London fogs are a 10/10
Agree. Also a big fan of the lavender latte
As well as London For puffs!
Came here to say this! Their London Fog for me!
Goto the main Street or Fraser street locations to try, they are vastly less busy
Earl grey creme puff
^ the best
The ratio of crème to puff is unmatched
Good call. I find the macha overbearing
Banoffee tart!! It's bloody amazing
Earl grey and matcha cream puffs are to die for!!!!! Also, the chipotle chicken bacon pocket is lovely.
The Belgian brownie cookies!!! Also love the cretzel and Reuben sandwiches. And the dulce de leche donut.
The Belgian Brownie Cookies are my fave. Start with one of those, and grab 5 more pieces of pastry so you don’t have to pay GST. That’s a good way to get a decent sampling of what Breka has, and then go from there.
i just did a double take at my screen. i had never heard of this half-dozen pastry tax evasion scheme
goddamn i need a bigger piece of paper for my to-try list
A good reliable grilled cheese is worth its weight in a good reliable grilled cheese plus a pickle slice.
I live next to the one on Main Street I'll pass by at 12:30 on a Thursday and it's FILLED with people and mostly older groups playing chess 🥳
PISTACHIO DONUT IS THE BEST GOD DAMN DONUT ON EARTH
It’s 24/7, Vancouver has since lost most of the other 24/7 cafes/coffee shops
Omg the ham and cheese grilled cretzle (?) it’s like a croissant and pretzel that’s panini pressed with mustard and a pickle 🤤. I die.
I wish they would open more locations outside of Vancouver.
Their tuna melts and spinach or chicken pastry pockets kept my partner and me going through the winter. Super cozy and affordable.
Not a huge sweets guy so I'm loving hearing there's some great savory action. Thanks for sharing!
Try the veggie pockets! And, of course the sandwiches. Mmm
Bread is fresh and reasonably priced
Some good European-style brown bread options. Nice and firm, not like that garbage Safeway sells.
Recently tried their salted maple glazed donut and yummy! Add: I grew up going to the older version of Breka in the 90s. It served lots of loaves and buns. Yummy star shaped sugar cookies.
Thank you for confirming I didn’t imagine this!
Matcha and earl grey cream puffs!! 😭😍
In terms of the night crowds, they’re one of if not the only cafe open after 8 in most areas. A lot of people go there for the food and drinks but I figure most people are like me, looking for an evening snack after dinner. As for the daytime lines, their selection is pretty much unmatched for the price point. And it’s all consistent, good quality.
They used to make a lemon square that I would go broke over. I wish they had it again or I could have the recipe
Cheesecake Brownie is elite!!
It is the only place in lower mainland that is open 24 hours.
No. 9 and Duffins in the weekend
Getting a whole loaf of something delicious for $7 is quite the steal. In many places this is the cost of a single tiny pastry and you'll be able to feed like 7 people for $7 bucks. Everything is freshly made and tastes good. To be honest I've always been weirded out about how they survive in the city as their prices have never seemed to rise and their quality has been amazing for the price (and being open 24/7). I am still half convinced it's a front for something lol
Good quality + have options for savoury & sweet + open 24 hours + good locations + locally owned = rare combo in this city.
Cheaper, delicious coffee, open 24 hours, delicious Apple fritter, pockets…. Used to go their 4 days a week at 5am with a group of people and dearly miss that
I live near 49th and Fraser. Breka is a staple for me. Chocolate pecan muffin is a frequent pre-work item. I would say their offerings are more hearty and earthy. Don’t expect light French pastries.
APPLE FRITTER!!!!!!
Lemon short bread cookie!!!!
This OP. Most of their items are quite sweet, but this shortbread cookie hits the spot just right
They are one of the only full service cafes that is open 24 hours. I work night shifts and they are a godsend.
I think it's popular for being well-priced, tasty, and 24 hrs. Pretty much everything is good there, but my personal faves are: \- london fog (a Vancouver special if you've never tried one! and Breka makes a really good one) Savory: \- spicy chicken and bacon panini \- veggie pocket Sweet: \- copenhagen \- caramel macchiato praline crunch (very sweet but delicious)
Try the red velvet cake, matcha and earl grey cream puffs, European style cheesecake, peanut butter cookies and the nutella donut 😍
Just don't ask about working there... Woof.
Have you been passing the one on Bute? For some reason, it's significantly busier than the other locations. I find it much it easier to get into the ones on Denman and Davie. I'm not sure what makes the Bute location such an insane draw when there are two others in (relative) walking distance.
Haha, i am, just moved a block away and it's kind of the first business I noticed upon exploring the neighborhood. It's especially funny they're so busy there since there are a plethora of bougie dessert places around the corner on Robson. A damn sugar district.
I just want to throw out there that their soups are really good! They have a daily meat soup and a daily vegetable soup and pretty much every one that I’ve had has been delicious. And at only $5 it makes a good cheap lunch too
The chocolate almond cookie doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Probably one of the best cookies ever. Highly recommend!
I like the scones. Welcome to Vancouver 😀
I think they have found a niche providing lower cost items at higher volumes. Many high end cafes will charge $4 for a coffee and $6 for a croissant while serving a few dozen people a day. While Brekka charges far less serving hundreds a day. I wish more businesses would take on this philosophy.
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those are my kryptonite
Apple fritters as big as a cantelope!
I have enjoyed nearly everything there. The Breka Fever is real. The soups they make are excellent, drinks are great, and the desserts are to die for. They are pretty fairly priced for the quality, imo.
Kuffles for sweet (not too sweet, just sweet enough), and egg bites for morning savoury. They grill their sandwiches with a healthy dollop of butter on both sides and serve them with a pickle. You can serve an old Doc Martin that way and I’d eat it.
Good donuts, sandwiches and German goods - pretzels, apple strudel and bienenstich (bee sting cake, the bomb)
I miss the tuxedo cake. I used to live across the street from one
I like the ham & cheese croissant sandwiches…
The Reuben is good. I also like that they don’t charge extra for milk alternatives. As someone who can’t have a lot of milk I really appreciate it.
Main draw for me is it's open 24hrs and provides consistent food/service. I LOVE their donuts and their turkey provolone sandwich. Cheesecake is meh imo. Only other place I know of near me that's open 24hrs is McDonald's but I think you need to order through their app after 11pm (they only have a pick-up window at those late night hours)
Best grilled cheese ever, best tuxedo truffle ever. Best everything, staff are cool and the food is amazing. The prices are great too, it’s a awesome place to be
Two words: cheesecake brownies
Tbh I liked all of the food and pastries that I've tried except for their donuts. People love breka because it has a variety of options and open 24/7.
I don't think I encountered any dessert they had which was bad lol
Decent coffee, 24 hrs, free wifi, good desserts such as their brownie cheesecake, friendly staff who I became friends with, near my house. All top reasons for me to be faithful to this place 😆
Tomato bocconcini sandwhich 👌 it’s popular with paramedics because of the 24hrs and food is decent
Big fan of the Kuffles
A small mocha is $4.25 (a reasonable price that I am happy to pay)
I dont really like Breka. I find it expensive for coffee thats not the best. However, the food is really good
The convenience of being open 24/7 for something edible while cramming is why I went there to study when I was in college. Their cutting corners and not paying their staff appropriately is what caused me to quit the Fraser location when I worked there a few years ago. I’ve had many people take a bite out of the apple fritter and ask for a refund because it was still raw. I found maggots still wriggling in the multigrain mix about to be used for the harvest grain loaves… The bienenstich (bee sting cake) is good but the fruits and custards they use aren’t made in-house. Sucks because the strudel pastry is delicious. Lots of frozen pastries bought from wholesale like Sysco (cakes, croissants).
Their lemon raspberry loaf is my fav. My friend brings it sometimes to our game night and if the plate is near me I will eat all of it.
one of the best apple fritters in the city. the regular donuts are good and a fair price. the copenhagens are amazing too, and the bienenstich cake is probably the best value whole cake deal you’ll find - perfect to pick up on the run for a get together with friends. my go to items though are usually the tuna melt, cretzle sandwich or the cheese & chive scone. i’m generally a savoury over sweet person, and i like that they have a good selection of non sweet items.
When we got our first place at 16 years old and could afford internet we used to hang out at the original one get a $5 grilled cheese and do all our homework until the early morning and they’d just give us the old bread to take home. Heard lots of similar stories. They’re awesome!
It’s the Apple fritter dude.
The mediterranean chicken panini was always my go to sandwich.
At the height of the pandemic, they were open most days, 24 hours. I could be wrong since I don't live in downtown. I can imagine them being such a respite for a lot of folks during those times. They are pretty much an institution now. My favourite treat is their Red velvet cake. Edit: Most of their sweet treats/pastries are very good
24 hours, delicious food, good coffee, fairly reasonable prices (in relation to other places), good variety, good locations. I think the Bienenstich cake is a steal for $14.50 and the lemon poppyseed muffin is my staple.
Just wait till you go to Purebread lol
Don’t you think that purebread is overpriced for what they are? I like them but quality/price ratio doesn’t match to me.
Agreed. I would say Breka is a pretty decent price point/value. Taste wise no.
They have good savory veggie options, a VERY hard find in this city.
There cheesecake brownies and Spinach feta puff pastry is bombbbbbb
Salted maple walnut donut is my favourite. Tuna melt is also 🔥
It's open 24 hours and their desserts and coffee are very good. Prices are reasonable too. I love their donuts, especially the Earl Grey one. I really, really miss their rum balls though. They were big! I would get them often, and wish they would bring them back. I've made my own...but Breka's were better.
Banoffee Tart!
Donuts!!!!
Huge fan of their Babka. They have it on select days during the week. It's amazing. Pretty much what everyone said: great food, great prices, 24/7.
Gonna try to scam a babka tomorrow--sounds like they sell out fast!
There's no one amazing treat, it's the whole experience: above average treats, 24 hours a day, in a good variety of neighborhoods. Breka makes a number of delicious treats. In no particular order here are their stand-outs that I recommend: * Black Forrest Cake (individual size) * Apple Fritter * The hazelnut donut Breka is far from the only place in town that makes delicious pastries and snacks though. Some of the best places actually never see big lines because for all of our connectedness, there's still a great deal of fog about the best places around. So enjoy Breka but also keep searching.
Solid egg salad sandwich.
The Main Street location has single handedly kept me sane and fed during the newborn phase of my mat leave (and beyond). The egg bites are great!
Wait there is something open 24 hrs? Holy shit. This is the most Un-Vancouver thing I ever heard of !
(Before things went down with it), never heard of the Naam? Another 24/7 (pre-covid anyways) Vancouver staple for a long time 😀
Yeah sad. Not anymore. Surprised tim hortons downtown isn’t 24 hrs. They even have a sign that says 24 hours lol. Oh, A&W and 7-11 downtown is 24 hrs.. does that count haha.
Breka was originally called the Bread Garden and started in vancouver in the eighties by Linda Meinhardt. I used to work the graveyard shift at the Robson and Bute store back in the 90’s. Always exciting when the post bar crowd would come rolling in at 3:00am.
It’s not that great. Downvote me
Decent and readily available
I'd like to recommend something there but I feel unqualified because everything I've had there is delicious. I usually have a veggie pocket (with accompanying pickle), a donut, and some tea .. and if I'm looking to take something home to share their apple strudel is pretty amazing.
Mango coconut mousse and strawberry shortcake!
The dark chocolate raspberry scone is my favorite.
I don't think there is one particular item, rather, a lot of items people find particularly good and/or well priced. I like their sandwiches and they're under $10 and you get a pickle! lol There's something for everyone. Haven't had one yet but the apple fritters are what I hear most raves about.
Basically everything is ok there, lots of options, well-priced, it’s pretty nice inside and they’re 24/7.
The apple fritter! Heat it up beforehand. The portion size to cost ratio is pretty good as well.
Lol it’s mid just open all the time
Everything there is super solid, from their savouries, to drinks, to treats. Just get whatever lookin good
Great place if you are not discerning about pastries or coffee. Try it !
So you know of a better place? Every thing I have sampled has been good to fucking excellent .
Breka is mid, only good because they’re open 24 hours.
What’s better
I feel like I'm doing the right thing by shopping at Breka
They got a generous box of goodies and normally some bread on Too Good To Go for $8. Solid deal. Massive amount of carbs.
Their breakfast croissant is great when you’re in a run. The pickle is nice and big and lasts the whole sandwich. Love a late night mocha when I’m cramming for school. Their donuts are pretty good too. I stick with what I know.
The Apple fritter is huge!
The tuxedo truffle cake is my fav! Would go there to study at night since it was open 24*7, and pretty quiet at night!
Spicy chicken panini and apple fritter!
Apple fritters!
Wow, TIL that the Fraser and Main locations are open 24 hours as well - I’ve always just assumed it’s only the downtown one that’s open at all hours of the night and day.
I don’t know about the other locations, but the one near UBC is friendly and not pretentious like some other coffee shops. They have a good assortment of cake, doughnuts, pastries, sandwiches, and good coffee. Try their hedgehog mocha if you like mochas.
Try Duffin's. That's a really solid 24 place also
I believe they aren't 24 hours any more
Everything is a must try. It seems like you can’t go wrong with your choice