Take the SeaBus across Burrard Inlet and you land in one of the best small cafe districts in Metro Vancouver. The City of North Vancouver is basically one long avenue, Lonsdale, climbing from the water to the mountains, with coffee all the way up. Here’s how to work your way up the hill.
Lower Lonsdale and the Shipyards
Lonsdale Quay, the Shipyards plaza and the blocks around Esplanade are the city’s busiest coffee zone, and the views back to downtown Vancouver are a bonus.
- Nemesis Polygon (101 Carrie Cates Court): Inside the Polygon Gallery building, with harbour views and the brand’s careful coffee and baking. Read our full Nemesis Polygon profile.
- West of Java (105 1st Street East): A tiny mom-and-pop coffee house behind a little green door that’s easy to walk past. Locals swear by the London Fog and the banana loaf.
- Cream Pony (111 1st Street East): A North Van doughnut shop (with Southern fried chicken too) just steps from West of Java. Doughnut and London Fog is a strong Lower Lonsdale combo.
- Caffè Artigiano, Shipyards (Victory Ship Way): The Vancouver chain’s Shipyards cafe, well placed for a coffee before the SeaBus or a summer evening at the Shipyards night market.
- Shipyards cafes: Several smaller coffee counters around Carrie Cates Court, including C41 and others. Busy on weekends and during the summer events.
- Lonsdale Quay Market: Coffee kiosks inside the market, handy if you’re catching the SeaBus.
Central Lonsdale (13th to 21st Street)
Central Lonsdale is where North Vancouver residents actually drink their daily coffee. The side streets east of Lonsdale around 13th and 14th are especially dense.
- 49th Parallel Café & Lucky’s Doughnuts, Lonsdale: The Vancouver roaster’s fifth cafe opened in 2022 in a heritage building that nods to Lonsdale’s mercantile history. Doughnuts and excellent coffee.
- JJ Bean, Lonsdale (125 East 17th Street): Open long hours every day, with house baking. A reliable work spot.
- Wild Trails Coffee (134 East 14th Street): A local cafe with an outdoorsy North Shore spirit.
- Echo Café and Take Five Café (13th and 14th Streets): Two neighbourhood spots on the side streets just off Lonsdale.
- Brazza Gelato & Coffee (1846 Lonsdale Avenue): Gelato and coffee under one roof.
- Roastmastir’s (1902 Lonsdale Avenue): A local cafe with a long-running following up the avenue.
Upper Lonsdale
Above 21st Street, Lonsdale gets quieter and more residential, with a handful of neighbourhood cafes and bakeries. Good for a coffee on the way up to Grouse, Mosquito Creek or the Baden-Powell Trail.
North Shore coffee roots
Moja Coffee, one of the region’s best-known specialty roasters, has deep North Shore roots. If you see their beans on a menu here, that’s a good sign. (We’ve also profiled Moja on Commercial Drive.)
Chains in North Vancouver
Waves at the foot of Lonsdale, Blenz in Central Lonsdale, plus Starbucks and Tim Hortons along Lonsdale and Marine Drive. Lonsdale Quay has the chains you’d expect at a transit hub.
Local tips
- Best coffee with a view: Nemesis Polygon or the Shipyards.
- Best hidden gem: West of Java.
- Best day plan: SeaBus over, coffee in Lower Lonsdale, walk the Spirit Trail along the waterfront.
- Getting there: SeaBus from Waterfront Station, about 12 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the best coffee near Lonsdale Quay?
Nemesis Polygon, West of Java and the Shipyards cafes are all within a few minutes’ walk.
Is the City of North Vancouver different from the District?
Yes. The City covers Lonsdale and the waterfront. The District surrounds it, including Deep Cove, Lynn Valley and Edgemont. See our District of North Vancouver cafe guide.
Last checked November 2026. Cafes change hours, owners and addresses often, so check a cafe’s own Instagram or Google listing before making a special trip. Know a spot we missed? Tell us.
More North Shore coffee: City of North Vancouver · District of North Vancouver · West Vancouver
