49th Parallel Café & Lucky's Doughnuts - Thurlow

I'd heard rave reviews about this cafe, and I'm thrilled to report that it exceeded my expectations! As a self-proclaimed coffee and donut connoisseur, I was excited to try their famous treats.The caramel drizzle coffee was absolute perfection - rich, smooth, and with just the right amount of sweetness. And the raspberry filled glazed donut? Mind-blowing! The combination of the soft, fluffy dough and the raspberry filling was an absolute delight. I can see why this cafe is famous in Vancouver - the quality of their ingredients and the care they put into crafting each drink and pastry is evident. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, with friendly staff who made me feel right at home.

Terrific espresso shots with varied feature beans and a decaf option. Both were excellent; smooth mouth feel, sweet, and not bitter. Gluten friendly cake doughnuts were excellent especially the fruit and floral flavored. Not a of lot seating and many tables are close together.

In my opinion, the best doughnuts in Vancouver are found here! I've been coming back for at least 4 years now and am always impressed with the quality and original flavour lineups they come up with. The coffee is also always wonderfully smooth and never tastes burnt. There's usually a line especially in the morning, but it moves quickly and the wait is well worth it.

This restaurant is located on the first floor of a commercial building. There are plenty of seats, but it’s always crowded, even on holidays. I ordered the Breakfast Sandwich The Avo, and it turned out to be served with burger buns, which I found quite amusing, maybe it’s Canadian style. The food, however, was delicious. I also ordered a Doughnut Holes & SourDoughnut. The small donut was really tasty, but the sour one is more suitable for people who enjoy sour flavors.

The branch in Kitsilano is much nicer. This one is crowded – the tables are too close to each other, people are coming and going like at a train station, and it doesn’t have the quiet café vibe. Personally, I didn’t like the donuts (my friend liked them). The latte was tasty. Nice, but not more than that.

I love donuts and coffee and this place has the best of both worlds. The coffee was very fresh and not over roasted. Fantastic cup of coffee. The donuts are out of this world good. The strawberry had dried strawberries on top and what a great addition. It really makes the strawberry taste intensify. If you have in the area find this place I think you will enjoy it.

I recently visited 49th Parallel Café after seeing it recommended on an Air Canada flight, and I’m glad I gave it a try. Their coffee was excellent—smooth, rich, and well-balanced. For food, we tried the Ava Egg Sandwich and a savory scone. The sandwich was great, but the scone didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The café itself has a nice atmosphere, but seating is quite limited. They do have outdoor seating, which would be great on a sunny day, but unfortunately, the rain kept us indoors. Overall, it's a good place to visit at least once, especially for the coffee

One of my favorite donut / cafes in Vancouver. My favorites are the cake donuts: salted caramel and cinnamon sugar. Great quality coffee. A nice place to meet a friend for coffee. They also have nice outdoor seating.

Such a beautiful cafe! The coffee was excellent. I got try their maple sea salt latte and it was so good. This was the redeeming coffee shop in Vancouver as I was beginning to lose hope in finding a good coffee shop in this area. The interior is absolutely gorgeous, with very tall ceilings, lots of greenery, and the cutest part is that their color is Tiffany blue so all the mugs and cups and even the coffee bags are the prettiest blue. lots of indoor seating, and even more outdoor seating, and it is super close to the waterfront and walking distance from the financial district. I would definitely recommend this coffee shop if you're in the area and you are looking for a delicious treat. We also got to try some of their breakfast specialties, including the Doug sandwich, and the avo sandwich, which were both very filling and delicious. As a bonus while we were at the café, the US rugby team also showed up and we got to see them which was pretty cool!

Why 5 stars? Because I'll never forget that beautiful Old Fashioned Salted Caramel. --- --- --- We were on a 5-day vacation between Vancouver and Banff, and it is not an exaggeration to say that the old fashioned was one of the best things I ate on the whole trip. We didn't even necessarily plan to visit 49th Parallel, and I definitely didn't plan on ordering a donut, but it looked so appealing that I couldn't pass up the opportunity. And I'm so glad I didn't. It was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and the perfect flavor. If I lived nearby, I would have a dangerous addiction to these delightful slices of heaven. Unfortunately, nearby... I am not. I also enjoyed my coffee and my salmon bagel very much. But the salted caramel old fashioned stole the show. Bless you, donut chef.

I got a spicy ginger chai and avocado toast. Both were phenomenal! The tarragon really shines in the avo toast and the drink was really delicious. I like their outdoor seating.

Apparently, 49th Parallel Coffee is one of the best in Vancouver. We were able to find parking nearby so we could stop by for our first coffee of the day. I was surprised that they didn't have any specialty coffee offerings (like a pour over) or even cold brew. They had the typical espresso offerings along with non-coffee options and seasonal drinks (a couple of my friends enjoyed their lavender lemonade). I ended up getting a flat white which was pretty strong, just like how I wanted. I could definitely taste the espresso, which was on the darker side. Not my favorite, but still enjoyable. The cup and plate they served the drink with has a pleasant blue shade. Not a whole lot of seating inside, but we were able to grab a spot outdoors.

I tried the ginger chai and the vanilla old fashioned. I really liked both. The doughnut dough wasn't too thick and didn't feel heavy, which sometimes is the case with doughnuts. The vanilla was a bit too sweet for me (maybe if there was just less glaze it would have been better). Overall I was very satisfied regardless. Service was fast, staff were really nice, and the venue was enjoyable too; not too full at the time I went.

While in town for work, I dropped by for a quick breakfast. I opted for a medium Venezuelan coffee, a matcha chocolate vegan gf donut, and the Avo (no pesto, no aioli). I didn't have high hopes for the donut but it was SO good. It was perfectly rich and not overpowering and the matcha flavors definitely came through strongly. I ~really~ enjoyed it. I LOVED LOVED LOVED the coffee so much that I went back once more during my stay in Vancouver. When I got the large Venezuelan coffee, it wasn't as good (I'm not sure if the barista was rushed or if they were being more mindful of the condensed milk or what it may have been, but the flavors weren't the same). The service here is fairly quick, and while finding seating on the weekend is a bit tough, there are plenty of options indoor and outdoor.

I'm writing this on behalf of my hubs who says 49th Parallel has the best espresso and coffee drinks in Vancouver, and quite possibly, the whole Northwest! He drinks A LOT of coffee and also grinds his own beans and has pulled many espresso shots so he knows his stuff. He just loves this place. Service is friendly, the turquoise cups are super cute, and the donuts are dang good too.

The 49th Parallel is a great spot for a healthy option breakfast (and good donuts). We had the the Avocado toast, The Doug, and The Salmon Toast. I had the Salmon Toast and it was a lite portion with great taste the dill was just enough for a good flavor on top. I had a bite of the Doug from my daughter and the Tarragon sauce was excellent. The counter service was good, although there was only Splenda on the coffee table counter and when I asked for Raw Sugar, the gal making coffee's told me to go down around the corner and ask someone else. I wasn't real happy about that, but whatever. The coffee counter and sitting area is a typical bit small area of a large high ceiling lobby of a high rise. It was super on a Sunday morning. I can only imagine on a weekday with businesses operating and employees grabbing a cup of Joe and sando for the morning. I would recommend this place. Cheers!

We loved this spot! We loved it so much that we actually had breakfast here twice and I still can't decide if I liked their salmon toast or breakfast sandwiches better. My husband liked their coffee and we also had the maple bacon donut and the mango passion fruit donut. I think the latter was my favorite on the sweets. It was a busy spot but the food came out pretty fast and there was ample seating. They had nice cold water available. The service was very nice (as is everyone I've met in Canada so far) and the food came out pretty fast and was well priced. Good people watching on the outdoor seating too.

Stopped by for breakfast! I was tempted by The Doug, the strawberry Bismarck and an iced latte. Quite a busy spot so expect a wait for the breakfast sandwich. I really liked it - quite filling with good flavor with the caramelized onions. The donut was solid and the iced latte was perfect for a summer day.

In the lobby of an office tower, nestled in between hotels, this place was busy when we arrived and waited at 9am. We appreciated the variety of options available and the regular and decaf Americanos were excellent. The salmon was plentiful on the tasty sourdough. The coffee cruller tasted of black coffee, not too sweet, and the texture was like a churro. We enjoyed eating in the comfy seating area.

This place's coffee and Lucky donuts were amazing. We also had 2 of their breakfast sandwiches and they were wonderful. The bread was soft and fluffy on the sandwiches. The sizes were generous and very flavorful. The donuts are made on site but from a different company called Lucly's Donuts and they were so good! We bought a pound of coffee as well to take home with us. Definitely should try this place. It is busy because it is downtown but worth the wait. The service was good and there is additional seating right outside in the enclosed atrium of the complex if the restaurant's tables are occupied. Ambiance is trendy and comfortable to have coffee in.

Let's say it's a Sunday morning, you've been out partying in Vancouver, you're staying at, or near the downtown Fairmont, and you're sleeping with your window open because they don't have air conditioning until summertime, and it draws nigh unto 8am. The cacophonous donging of bells that begins at 7:55 and lasts A FULL FIVE MINUTES until 8 final dongs at 8 am, is to be looked upon as your warning that 49th parallel is about to open for business, and you should get your butt over there for a freshly baked Lucky donut and some Venezuelan coffee. Only a few hardy souls in line this early which meant I had to keep letting new people go in front of me while I pondered which 5$ donut I wanted. (Bc frankly I wanted them ALL). Even though the store smelt heavenly of cinnamon as the baker was just dressing the cinnamon rolls, the Mmmm Donut kept drawing my eyes... when the girl told me it was their most popular with a strawberry glaze, I knew it was meant to be. I literally moaned "Mmmmmm donut" ala Homer Simpson as I took my second and third bits in rapid succession. In fact, my gorgeous morning brew sat unmolested until I had power eaten the donut in totality. This medium Venezuelan coffee is everything other reviews have said, absolutely rich, perfectly sweet, and delicious. Don't let the dong's get you down, people! Let the bells lead you not into church, but into 49th Parallel for deliciousness!

I don't have donuts often but when I do it's got to be from Lucky's donuts found inside 49th parallel coffee! Tried it the pineapple upside down and the mango passionfruit Bismarck donuts. Both had amazingly fluffy dough and the perfect amount of filling on the inside! I liked the mango passionfruit one a little more because there was a good amount of brightness and tartness to it.

I came and ate here for the first time in a while during a recent trip. This café is basically situated in the lobby of an office tower facing the street. They do coffee, donuts, and some prepared simple brunch-style food. They get real long lines at the counter much of the time, and indoor/outdoor seating can be hard to come by (I usually am able to get a seat outside, however). Service is cordial but... deliberate. Food does take a decent amount of time after ordering to come to you, but the quality of the sandwiches and sides is pretty good once you get it. The dishes are a bit small but the prices aren't as high as you'll see at most other brunch eateries. Drinks are decent but also require a wait, plus unlike the prepared food you don't take a number: You need to wait at the drink counter for them to call for you. If you sit outside (weather permitting of course) you do get a nice view of busy Thurlow Street. It's not a bad place to get an espresso drink, maybe a donut, maybe something from the menu if you're partial to anything on it (I like their grilled cheese), and relax for a bit outside if the weather's nice and you've got time. If you're looking for something quicker and more take-away, or if you're looking for a full brunch, you may want to go somewhere else.

Good desert after ramen and a bit of a walk to digest ;) Donuts are fresh and a good variety to choose from and the coffee was very good perfect for a cold afternoon in town Pretty busy location so it's q voy hard to find a spot to sit and eat.

(Written by my 13 year old) Greetings fellow food hunters! Today on our doughnut tour of Vancouver, the first place we hit up was 49th Parallel Coffee. Delicious and somewhat nutritious, we got 4 different doughnuts. Personally, I enjoyed the plain vanilla bean one bc I'm a bit humdrum.. but anyways! The wait was pretty long, but it was such a cute cafe with only a few seagulls! I would say the wait is worth it though, the doughnuts are eating and leaving NO crumbs, whatsoever, 0% crumbs. So..... yuh! No cap, this place gets my stamp of slay.

The berry donut is delicious I ate it before I could snap a picture. I also got a cararmel biscoff donut that was phenomenal. But far the best donuts in Vancouver

Hands down the best most amazing old fashioned donut I have EVER had. Worth whatever walk you have to take to get, or bus ride or seataxi. Just get there. Oh--and the coffee ain't bad either. Get there.

I had high expectations for their butter croissant after reading all these reviews. When I took my first bite of the croissant, it had a nice crunch that was music to my ears. However, as I chewed, I became turned off by the butter that was dripping out of each bite. I'm not used to the excessive oily taste of butter in my croissants. I heard the donuts are good here, so perhaps, I ordered the wrong item. The drip coffee was decent, but not worth it for the line.

Great place to go for a coffee and a donut:) The staff is friendly and the interior is aesthetically pleasing. #ContestEntry

I got introduced to their coffee by a local from Vancouver during the 10 days we were there, and we have been to this location 3x during our stay!! Their coffee is aromatic and delicious and oh my gosh, their donuts are decadence!! There are few 49th parallel locations but this is my favorite because well I've only been here and it's also because they have Lucky donuts here. Their donuts are sooo good and so beautiful! The service is also quick and friendly and they make your drinks and food pretty timely! The only downside to this location is it's on the ground floor of a business building and there are not that many seats indoor. There are plenty outdoor though. I would highly recommend for their delicious coffee and donuts and also the location (close to tons of shopping)

Great coffee. Their butter croissant is probably some of the best I've had. When toasted, it has a buttery crispy skin and soft center. Avocado toast is delicious as well. Great impromptu find while wondering downtown!

Exceptional coffee at this comfortable location. The bakery items are freshly made and are superior. Freshly made is key point here Breakfast sandwiches are also freshly made and very very good. When you see a coffee shop full of people, you know that you found a good spot and this is one of them. Highly recommended.

Without a large enough vessel to craft a wet Cappuccino (yeah hubby is fancy) barista made the most AMAZing latte with extra foam. Thick crema heart, topping a robust roast, went down an absolute treat. Lucky's chocolate old fashioned donut was very crisp all the way through the crumb and super sweet for a low-sugar regulated palate, but as the hub's treat, he devoured it, happily announcing it was the most expensive OF he'd had, eliciting a huge smile. Makes for a great start to the day ;)

Nice place for breakfast. I actually stopped both mornings I was in Vancouver. I really enjoyed everything I tried. Just be aware - unless you order a donut it takes a while for your food to be ready. I like that it is fresh but it wasn't as "grab and go" as I anticipated. There's some seating inside and a lot outdoor. It was nice to sit and people watch.

A friend had some leftover coffee from 49th Parallel and after I tried some, I was immediately intrigued by the unique taste and texture. When there was a second chance to grab coffee, I took the opportunity to get a drink myself! - PARKING - Street parking available, although we were staying in a hotel nearby so we walked over! - SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - Really cozy interior, and I was immediately captivated by the beautiful teal blue color of their logo and cups! You line up along the glass display cases showing their baked goods and donuts (super tempting, they know what they're doing), which gives you time to peruse before you get to the cash register. Cashier was super friendly and sweet! After ordering, it didn't take more than 5 minutes to get my drink. - DRINK - Iced Venezuelan Coffee w/ Oat Milk ($6.35, +~$1): There's only one size for the Iced version of the Venezuelan Coffee, but I'm usually more of an iced coffee person so I didn't mind. The cashier did note that because their reduction is made prior, that couldn't be adjusted to be non-dairy, which was totally fine, but I appreciated him saying so! The flavor and texture of the Venezuelan Coffee is such a unique milky, smooth experience! I thoroughly enjoyed my drink and I'm honestly going to have to try to recreate this at home because I don't live in Vancouver! - OVERALL - If you're visiting Vancouver, I'd say to try the Venezuelan Coffee. If you live in Vancouver, I'm extremely envious of you!

the food was great loved it so much The service was good And I don't know what ambiance mean but it's probably good

Great staff, great food, great coffee. The staff was so friendly and helpful. And the donuts, yum!

This place was cute but got very busy on a Tuesday morning. We managed to find a place to eat before it got busy. The donuts are expensive!($4) They are more firm and not as fluffy as other places but still a good way to start a Tuesday. More for people who are on the go and want a quick bite. Sandwich was tasty mainly the sauce. The rest were just normal ingredients. Nothing crazy special. Coffee was the best part.

Nice coffee spot with great selection of donuts and the coffee is super good ! Quite busy line can be long but moves quickly - love the blue cups ! Nice ambience and music - located below a large office building .

Around 3:30pm on a Monday, we had quite a long wait behind one person. The cashier had a friendly smile, took our order for a .25 cent water and a $5.7 large Venezuelan (caramelized milk reduction, double shot espresso, steamed milk sprinkled with cocoa powder) and explained where the (somewhat) distant bathroom is. Inside seating was full, so we sat outside, under an awning, near an overhead heater. I was hoping for a hot, strong espresso drink with caramelized milk. It's actually a very sweet, warm, milky drink that's more like a dessert than espresso.

Great place! Service was wonderful, coffee and donut were really good. Quick and Easy.

I visited at about 8:30am on a Wednesday in hopes of grabbing some donuts. And wow, I was NOT disappointed. They have a ton of really really yummy looking flavors so I had a hard time choosing my flavors. I LOVE vanilla frosted donuts with sprinkles so that was an obvious choice but then I asked the waitress what she preferred and she recommended the dirty chai so that was my second choice. I LOVE donuts so trust me when I say that the vanilla frosted and sprinkles donut was AWESOME. It was all o ever wanted from a donut. I was really let down by the dirty chai, it tasted a bit like it was rolled in coffee grounds so it had a mildly bitter taste that turned me off but that didn't take away from the donuts as a whole. I'll definitely be going back to try another.

Luckily we discovered this coffee shop early on during our trip. We ended up going out of our way to pick up this coffee because it's that good! My favorite was their iced latte with almond milk and they have a good selection of donuts including gluten free and vegan options. Only downside is that they don't serve matcha lattes and they no longer serve housemate non-dairy milks but they were still have the best espresso beverages in the city. Tried other locations as well, and the drinks are consistently good.

Coffee is good here - nice strong Americano. The espresso is the nowadays-popular, very tart variety. A bit much by itself, but good with their donuts. Oh, and the donuts - excellent. Strawberry Rhubarb was filled with fruity and tart, and not too sweet, jam. Despite being coated in sugar, it was not at all too sweet. And the chocolate old fashioned - crunchy, dark, decadent, more like a dessert (so it is best later in the day). Also, it is a nice space to hang out in the middle of town, amidst the hubbub.

Great selection of awesome looking doughnuts (Luckys) and the fact that you can do a drink + doughnut combo is cool, helps you save some cash! Got the peanut butter and jelly doughnut, iced coffee, the cinnamon bun and a peppermint tea. Personally, I found the doughnut I got really chewy, I wouldn't say dense or heavy. Flavor wise, peanut butter wasn't too strong and the jam sort of melded in to the dough, so it was "soggy"-esque. The cinnamon bun was chewier, dense but I personally preferred it to the doughnut because the taste was so much more cinnamon-y. Iced coffee was ok, didn't have the flavor components that were listed on the menu (citrus, floral, etc.). Service was friendly.

Awesome place! Great coffee and really excellent breakfast sandwich. It was a bit of a wait so I'd advise doing a mobile order. Would definitely go back to this place!

Coffee shop located within the lobby area of a tall corporate-like building. They sell Lucky's doughnuts, which seemed to be the primary reason a lot of people were visiting. There was a decently long line to order, but the staff went through orders fairly quickly. I ordered a maple nut donut and iced Venezuelan coffee as a snack and sat at one of the tiny tables to enjoy them. The donut was honestly way too sweet for my liking, and a bit too much dough to topping ratio. The iced coffee, however, was mildly sweet and very refreshing. I quite enjoyed this one and would probably only return for the coffee, not the donuts. It's pretty downtown so likely very difficult to park, so visiting by foot would be the easiest.

Paired the maple sea salt latte with a pistachio donut. Simply awesome. The latte w the sea salt is an interesting and different touch. Very nicely done w near latte art. Donut wasn't super sweet. This is the pairing recommended by the barista and it definitely worked. The donut itself is less pillowy and dense. Different style than what I've had before but it worked well. The pistachio glaze wasn't overpowering and a lot more pistachio vs sugar glaze. Service was awesome and the vibes are cool. Definitely worth a visit.

How perfect to be staying about a 5 minute walk away, 'cuz 49th Parallel has some of the best coffee I've ever had. Lovely service, smooth and rich mochas and lattes. But the Lucky Donuts!! Holy crap, best I've ever had, and believe it or not, both were vegan and gluten free. I highly recommend the maple vanilla and pistachio chocolate. Both moist and dense and so delicious. The maple vanilla had a wonderful coconutty edge that I loved.

I come here for the sweet scone and the atmosphere. It's just a nice place to hang out. The tea is good too, as are the donuts. Downside is sloooow wifi, so don't plan on doing videoconferencing here.

We had never tried this place before, but the donuts were great. I got the Blueberry Earl Grey and it was one of the best combinations of flavors I've ever had in a donut. Unique and would recommend for a quick breakfast bite.

I tried the carrot cake bismark and it was amazing! It was so fluffy and flavourful, and worth the almost $4 price in my opinion. The drinks there looked good as well! The service was also very friendly and efficient.

Decent place right near our hotel. We got some goodies and sat outside under a heater. The wife got a coffee drink and I had a really good donut. The wait was minimal and the barista was polite. We had a good time walking around the city and this place made it better.

Soy latte and Legend donuts were delicious. I recommend the brûlée donut and cinnamon swirl. Fast friendly service.

Donut and coffee, really good! My fave donut. But giving it only 2 stars for super slow service. I spent 15mins in the line alone when there was only 6 ppl in the line. There was only one cashier and the line up was getting long and the baristas were just talking about soccer (the big curly dude, and the bald guy). No hustle whatsoever. When my order was ready, the guy didn't even call out, he just placed the coffee on the counter and continued chatting. Shame, the donuts are good but service is sloooowww.

Honestly, awesome coffee spot. Came here twice today and had delicious donuts, great iced coffee and tasty egg sandwiches. It was extremely crowded both times, but the service was great just bear in mind if you come towards the end of the day donut inventory will likely be down to the vegan options. Hey, I warned you. Your friend always, Seth

The donuts were the best we have ever tasted. If you're keto, you can order the cascadia without the bun and it's delicious. The service was good and prompt. In the morning, it's very busy but efficient.