Caffe Fantastico

The staff there refused to warm up the food for me, stating that they were closing at 6:30 PM on Saturday, even though Google Maps shows their closing time as 9:00 PM. When I was ready to leave, they were playing "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People, and the lyrics "You better run, better run, faster than my bullet" seemed like a message directed at me. They were good at implying things. Anyone who reads this should check their 1 star or 2 stars comments, and you will start to agree with me. Also, look at their “code of conduct” on the website, which is very interesting, yet unwelcoming to guests, and reflects their big egos.

It's a decent spot, but almost 10 dollars for a medium iced coffee is absurd. Especially when your internet connection is constantly cut off . Staff are friendly enough, but it's very over priced for what you get.

Good, not great. The espresso and macchiato are delicious. The summertime flash-iced coffee also delicious. The americanos, lattes, etc are very basic. Whole beans are unimpressive. In my cynical estimation: the lack of local coffee competition, the low cafe standards of Victoria residents and the admittedly good vibes combine to make this place a local institution.

Used to be my favorite place to visit. My partner and I went for a coffee earlier this week. My partner who has an invisible disability and comes across as an average man had an open soda to treat his low blood sugar (cuz diabetes and he needs sugar so he doesn't die) as we were standing in the line, ordering food paying, waiting to pick up coffee and pastry, and settling down. No issues. About 10 min after we settled in, the person who served as at the counter came and asked us to leave because one should not be having open drinks from outside. Well, how about it's being a medicine? No, you need to leave. End of conversation. Quite unfortunate. And quite rude. Maybe it's time to put a sticker on the door that says no outside food or drinks? Or maybe tell us before we order and tip? You could also sell soda so we don't have to go to the store and then come back and get kicked out. Will probably not going back anytime soon. Makes me wonder how people with visible disability get treated.

Very rude staff. I was there for a school meeting, and we had laptops to use for discussion topics in our meeting. We purchased 1-2 drinks of the most acidic coffee known to man (it'll curdle your milk the moment the milk touches it), and food. Despite being engaged in conversation away from our laptops, a staff member came by and quite rudely asked us to leave due to their "laptop policy". Haven't been back since, and there's many other options available for better customer service.

It depends who is pulling shots when you order. There’s one guy that knows what he’s doing and makes an excellent latte that rivals the best cafes in town. You’re lucky if he’s working that day. The others seem to not know what they’re doing and pull shots that taste more like drip coffee.

Excellent food and snacks. Gluten free, dairy free, and vegan options. Recommend the All Day Bowl.

If you're looking for a relaxed, welcoming environment, this may not be the place. As a local and regular customer, I was surprised when staff asked my friends and I to leave after an hour, despite vacant tables. Other reviews suggest this is standard practice, which the owners justify as essential to their business model. To me, alienating regular customers and discouraging repeat visits seems like a poor strategy. Edit: None of us has computers, also my name is not Lachlan.

The staff there refused to warm up the food for me, stating that they were closing at 6:30 PM on Saturday, even though Google Maps shows their closing time as 9:00 PM. When I was ready to leave, they were playing "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People, and the lyrics "You better run, better run, faster than my bullet" seemed like a message directed at me. They were good at implying things. Anyone who reads this should check their 1 star or 2 stars comments, and you will start to agree with me. Also, look at their “code of conduct” on the website, which is very interesting, yet unwelcoming to guests, and reflects their big egos.

It's a decent spot, but almost 10 dollars for a medium iced coffee is absurd. Especially when your internet connection is constantly cut off . Staff are friendly enough, but it's very over priced for what you get.

Good, not great. The espresso and macchiato are delicious. The summertime flash-iced coffee also delicious. The americanos, lattes, etc are very basic. Whole beans are unimpressive. In my cynical estimation: the lack of local coffee competition, the low cafe standards of Victoria residents and the admittedly good vibes combine to make this place a local institution.

Used to be my favorite place to visit. My partner and I went for a coffee earlier this week. My partner who has an invisible disability and comes across as an average man had an open soda to treat his low blood sugar (cuz diabetes and he needs sugar so he doesn't die) as we were standing in the line, ordering food paying, waiting to pick up coffee and pastry, and settling down. No issues. About 10 min after we settled in, the person who served as at the counter came and asked us to leave because one should not be having open drinks from outside. Well, how about it's being a medicine? No, you need to leave. End of conversation. Quite unfortunate. And quite rude. Maybe it's time to put a sticker on the door that says no outside food or drinks? Or maybe tell us before we order and tip? You could also sell soda so we don't have to go to the store and then come back and get kicked out. Will probably not going back anytime soon. Makes me wonder how people with visible disability get treated.

Very rude staff. I was there for a school meeting, and we had laptops to use for discussion topics in our meeting. We purchased 1-2 drinks of the most acidic coffee known to man (it'll curdle your milk the moment the milk touches it), and food. Despite being engaged in conversation away from our laptops, a staff member came by and quite rudely asked us to leave due to their "laptop policy". Haven't been back since, and there's many other options available for better customer service.

It depends who is pulling shots when you order. There’s one guy that knows what he’s doing and makes an excellent latte that rivals the best cafes in town. You’re lucky if he’s working that day. The others seem to not know what they’re doing and pull shots that taste more like drip coffee.

Excellent food and snacks. Gluten free, dairy free, and vegan options. Recommend the All Day Bowl.

If you're looking for a relaxed, welcoming environment, this may not be the place. As a local and regular customer, I was surprised when staff asked my friends and I to leave after an hour, despite vacant tables. Other reviews suggest this is standard practice, which the owners justify as essential to their business model. To me, alienating regular customers and discouraging repeat visits seems like a poor strategy. Edit: None of us has computers, also my name is not Lachlan.

Legendary! Coffee is great, food is too! People are great, what else can I see besides, "Today, will be a fantastic day .. because I'm stopping at Caffe Fantastico!" ... I know, that was lame, fantastically Lame...

My favoured coffee roaster in Victoria. Through the various home espresso machines I've pulled, CF has the consistency, quality and balance that I admire. The best.

It's a nice cafe, fairly good coffee and community vibe. Would come here again if in the area.

Service is disappointing - short and impatient. Served by Annie and would not go back. coming in for my morning coffee and the way I was spoken to leaves little to be desired. Abrupt and just generally unkind when asking simple questions.

Cheese board was good. Music playlist was fantastic. Chai was boring and not spiced at all.

I'm going to spend the summer trying out as many coffee shops in Victoria as possible. I will rate them on an Americano, so take the reviews in the spirit of coffee taste rather than ancillary matters. That said, the ambiance is delightful and the staff are professional and helpful. COFFEE: The Americano was not to my taste. It had flavour--but not full-bodied coffee flavour--with a sweet aftertaste. The worst coffee I've ever had is Discovery, which I find tasteless and sickeningly sweet. If you like Discovery's sweetness but want flavour as well, this should suit you. If flavour isn't everything but a lovely space to relax is your priority, Caffe Fantastico is truly fantástico.

I order a cappuccino that doesn't taste coffee but milk. So i think this place must be ok but I'm not sure I'll comback to try Americano. The place has a good vibe but coffee was so so. I stopped on a saturday night, the place just closed but the girl on counter was nice enough to give me a coffee to go, so i gave her 2$ tip. The americano was good better than cappuccino previously tasted. So one more stsr for that ( i better not stop here cause if they put cognac in it they would become 5 star cafe !!!).

A local stated this was the best coffee shop around and is the original. They now have three shops. Espresso is double shots which adds to the flavor. Coffee is roasted on premise. We came in on our way to Butchart Gardens to get a quick breakfast and decided on the breakfast sandwich which is one of the better fried egg and bacon sandwiches we have had. The roll was more than just air and had a lot of flavor. Herbs and other ingredients added nice flavors. The space was nicely decorated. The section to the left of the coffee bar was added about a year ago. With the new space they have a lot of seating which is unusual from most espresso places.

Prices are a little high, but this is a conveniently lovated neighborhood coffee shop. I highly recommend the oat milk in whatever drink you get (I got a Vanilla Oat Milk Latte). We came here two mornings in a row! Plenty of seating, including outdoors on nice days. I like their system for compost/recycle/trash too!

Came here for open mic night to see our friends granddaughter perform. A little loud but seems like a great place with good food and wonderful cocktails. Wonderful way to finish the day after a round of golf. Thank you!

Almost $9 for a latte and a an Americano? At that price I expect something tasty. Instead my Americano tasted like day old Tim Horton's watered down with water that has sat in a garden hose on a hot day. I have been coming here for 18 years and used to really like it. This COVID profiteering, which I assume is why their coffee is now so expensive marks the end of my supporting Fantastico.

My favourite coffee shop in the city! The quality is not matched to other local roasters and I know they hold a high standard and take great care training their baristas. Always delicious, complex flavours and fair priced beans! A couple lunches have left me hungry but I think that's food affordability right now everywhere. Just can't afford to eat out much anymore.

After a less than stellar experience at Habit, I headed here for an obligatory comparison. Since I was already pre-caffeinated, I only got a coffee which was a Mexican medium-dark roast. And guess what? The regular coffee here had more flavour than the Americano at Habit. HOWEVER, believe it or not, both places were weaker than coffee that I normally get at Whole Foods! So better than Habit, but I wouldn't say the best coffee...hopefully there are better options in Victoria!

Hey y'all Listen I've never written a negative review , but felt compelled to do so after my less than desirable experience at Cafe Fantastico on Kings rd. I realize we live in Vancouver Island and we have our fair share of rodents but when you see 3 or 4 of them around the cafe along with droppings after ordering your food and drinks, bring it to the attention of the staff and are then asked "What are we supposed to-do about it?" and basically dismissed, didn't sit well well with me or the company I was with. I use to frequent this establishment at least once a wk but will no longer be doing so. "What are we suppose to-do about it?" well...anything would have been better than what I was told. There are plenty other cafes in this beautiful city of ours to be unappreciated here. I know what I'll be doing about it. Thanks for reading Peace

A spacious coffee shop with really nice, sturdy wooden tables that lend themselves very well for games, studying, or just hanging out! There is also a long bar-style table for when you are interested in having more intimate coffee conversations. They have really amazing coffee here, as well as a liquor license! This place is seriously a great place to hang out with friends in the evening for a few pints. Cool environment and they have great bites as well - nice treats and food options!

best morning glory muffins I have ever had! great staff, and a jewel in the crown of quadra village.

The coffee is great quality and I really enjoy the bagel and lox here. My boyfriend gets the breakfast sandwich and he says that everything he's eaten here has been good. There is a lot of places to sit and has a good atmosphere. I think it's a great coffee shop.

Simply the best coffee in the city. Better than Discovery, Hey Happy, Habit, 2% Jazz, etc. The only thing that rivals it is Township in Gordon Head... but that's a secret. Shh.

I've been here a few times, and I found the espresso quality to be pretty inconsistent. At best, their espresso is very good (not amazing, but definitely better than average), but the last time I was there, I was unfortunate enough to be served a sour, almost watery latté that made me wonder whether the barista actually knew what he was doing. Also: Do not order a chai latté here. It's just a single tea bag dangling in some steamed milk, and frankly, that just doesn't cut it for me. I'd still say it's the best option for a decent coffee in Cook Street Village though.

Took waaaaay too long to make my cappuccino and the wait wasn't worth it. Great atmosphere and such but pretty bad citrusy coffee.

They have the best mochas & friendly staff They use chocolate milk for the mocha & Bernard Callaebaut chocolate shavings on top YUM!

Discovered this coffee shop last month. Wow is all I can say! They toast their beans in house and the coffee is the best in town, hands down. As a bonus, they now serve breakfast everyday, with a true chef!! Highly recommended!!

Being situated so close to this place may be the only redeeming thing about the mostly unremarkable flat my husband and I currently occupy. The baristas here are always smiling, seeming to be genuinely joyful about making coffee. Their house blend, the Causeway, is amazing (as are all the beans I've tried) and our consistent go to bean for our home espresso machine. We meet my husband's father here every Sunday morning, rain or shine, to catch up over a macchiato and have never once been disappointed at the service or quality. Thanks Fantastico for being one of the best things about living in Victoria!

I live around the corner from this cafe so am a little biased but their coffee is supreme. The servers are always super polite. You can't go in rushing to get out the door though cause they are so nice they chat with you. So if you are looking for fast food coffee go to McDicks. Only wish is that they were open later Ciao

I stand corrected - the Kings Rd. location does now (or perhaps always did, and I assumed, because of the Cook St. Village location) have debit capabilities. Hurrah! My gentleman friend and I stopped in for Americanos on the weekend during Quadra Village day on Saturday, and it was delicious and friendly as always. Really amazingly good espresso. Makes me happy.

perfection. simply perfection. it is the best spot to find a great americano, little latte, or $1 drip coffee - ya that's right!! A small drip is only $1 - AND it's like liquid gold! PS: i'm in love with one of the baristas... hee hee.

Excellent cappuccino. One of my favourite places for coffee in BC, up in the top five with JJ Bean in Vancouver. Relaxed but modern decor. Great vibe.

Staff are really professional, know their coffee. If you want a good latte in town this is the place to go

Coffee was good (I had a yummy and highly caffeinated soy africano) but the brownie I bought for $3.75 was ridiculously bad! Like - inedible! I was also pretty annoyed that immediately after taking my money they told me they were closing in 10mins (however the open sign was on for another hour). I felt duped as I had planned to sit and enjoy the coffee and treat.

This is by far the best tasting coffee I've ever had! Don't forget to try the small plates and the seasonal pies are amazing!! With Wi-Fi and lots of room to sit this is a credible coffee spot in the sun :-)

I mostly buy whole beans --either green to roast myself or Fantastico's Causeway Blend. . They are very skilled roasters but sometime I find they try to slip me a 1/2 lb that's past its prime. I've had a few espresso based drinks here too - a few caps, but mostly americanos. Quality varyies between great to acceptable depending on the skill behind the machine. Little of the 'tude you get at some other, more expensive places (yes, Discovey I'm looking at you).

If I had every soy latte I'd ever tasted before me this one would get the gold star. These are the best educated barrista's I've ever encountered. They are aware of every tiny detail that makes coffee smooth and velvety. Make a stop here the moment you arrive in Victoria -- it's the right thing to do.

This place is awesome please.... don't go here ;-) amazing perfectly made lattes and cappuccinos I must have for any one that's coming to Victoria

This place is consistently FANTASTIC. I have never had a bad cup of coffee here, the people are fun to watch, the art changes frequently and is entertaining, the baristas are nothing short of drink-making experts, the furniture is fun and full of character... I could go on but before I bore you with a long list I must say something about the roaster. Watching through the door to their roasting room, I could see a clean cut, slightly retro-styled man of about thirty in front of the coffee roaster. He wore a pair of ear muffs to protect him from the noise and he was bent over the roaster's dispenser, scrutinizing output with a bright light. Taking beans out, smelling them, separating them etc. It made me feel almost as if the $15 a pound I pay for espresso there is too little! I had been told that their roaster was meticulous, but this was beyond what I had imagined. Lastly, they have some Jamaican Blue Mountain peaberry beans for about $50 a pound. I haven't tried it, but it's good to know that fancy stuff is available. (fyi, coffee beans are usually two halves but about 5% of them are not. These rounder berries, called peaberry, are selected more carefully and supposedly roast more evenly because they roll around better. Jamaican Blue Mountain also happens to be a particularly fine bean.)

No complaints. I need a caffeine boost while touring Victoria and this little shop served up a strong little iced, vanilla latte. It was a little toasty in there, but it was probably the hottest week Victoria had ever seen so whatcha gonna do? I liked it because it reminded me of home a bit. Cozy couches and art lined walls while a funky beat played in the background. We didn't stay too long there because we had to get to the BC Museum, but I recommend it if you need a little coffee shop love.

I've been to a lot of cafes. I've travelled a bit and have lived in Boston and Philly, and I have to say that Caffe Fantastico has some of the best coffee I've tasted. The baristas were some of the first genuinely friendly faces I encountered once I moved to Victoria and have consistently remained so, serving wonderful Americanos and drip coffee and lovely hearty muffins. The construction patio seating can sometimes be chilly or noisy, but the interior prior to construction was charming and I'm excited to see what they cook up for the new place! Definitely recommend.

The espresso here is generally perfect every time. They don't really have anything else though, just a few cookies, but there are plenty of other places to find something to eat within a few blocks.

I have just found my new Victoria hangout spot... Friendly baristas (what?! So different than when I lived in Seattle!), AMAZING coffee (Africanos are my new favorite things ever), free WiFi, good ambiance, funky artwork. Only a teeny small beef - I wish they had more tables to work at. I'm so glad this place exists.

Wonderful staff and amazing coffee, mellow atmosphere and very clean.

Went to the King Street location. Great Americano! Friendly approachable staff. Nice urban looking atmosphere. I loved how in addition to the sugar and milk station, they had a little glass container of milk right at the bar where you pick up your coffee so you can add milk to your americano right away. I like to do it as soon as the shot is poured!

If you know what a great "crema" is and you speak of coffee the way a wine snob rattles off crap about wine, then you are likely to fall head over heels for the joe's at Cafe Fantastico. There are three locations I know of: 1) Cook Street Village (urban boheme hipsters atmosphere that lacks good seating for riveting conversation). 2) Kings St. @ Quadra Village (very hip and seedy "I can hang in my jammies sans makeup and fit in" cool, with great magazines to boot!) and 3) My fave - their newest location on Dockside Green ( right next to a "Renaissance" bakery, with parking and lots of great seating). All three Cafe Fantastico's are somewhat set back, with the newest Dockside location being a hidden gem worth discovering! Let's just put it this way, if Starbucks is the "Jennifer Aniston" of coffee houses (all American, love-able and consistent) then I would have to liken Cafe Fantastico as being the "Scarlett Johansen" of Coffee Houses (approachable but mysterious and oh so sultry). I highly recommend trying their cafe mocha's and their Africano's - half latte, half Americano. The mocha's are not sticky sweet so you can enjoy the earthy marriage of dark roast coffee and peppery cocoa. My great coffee litmus test is this: If I can drink a whole cup without adding sugar, it's perfecto. A smooth smokey boldness with a creamy-caramel over-note; neither winy nor acidic, Cafe Fantastico gets five stars for their coffee mastery. The atmosphere? Let's just say that I have seen swish business types sip their coffees amongst neo-hippie types and feel just at home. Bring cash or credit because they don't accept debit (to my knowledge).

Always try to get here when I visit Victoria as it is the best expresso in town. I like to also take their beans home with me and enjoy.. Good spot.

Decent cappuccino and appetizing snacks, but unfortunately the coffee offerings are slim (percolator only, despite selling AeroPresses on-site), so I'd stick to espresso-based drinks.

written some of my best prose here. really happening, busy, great for people watching and totally of the neighborhood.

This was the first time I've ever been to a coffee shop that wouldn't make a drink that required a single shot of espresso. I was hoping for a single shot vanilla latte and it was a no go. He offered hafcaf which isn't the same thing. When I asked if he could just dump half the double and he said no - I decided to pass. That along with unfriendly service - I likely won't return or recommend.

Went to Caffe Fantastico this morning after being an avid customer for over 6 years. I ordered food and coffee, totally about $20 including tip and sat down at a table with my laptop. Once my food was ready and brought to me, the barista (who I had never seen before) told me I was not allowed to work on my laptop for more than 30 mins. This was the first I had heard about the policy. I told him I would leave soon to which he replied "good", abruptly and rudely. He made it seem like I had committed the worst possible crime. He looked over at me many times trying to quickly eat my food , (which I felt like asking for a refund for) and seemed to be counting how many minutes exactly I had been on my computer for. I felt so uncomfortable that I would have left anyway after being treated so rudely. I totally understand needing to preserve the atmosphere of the cafe and I get that too many people on their computers is a problem, but to force out loyal and longterm customers feels like a bit much. There was also 2 people at the counter who seemed to have free laptop reign, so it was hypocritical how some people are allowed to use their laptops in certain spaces but not others. I was overall really choked and it has left a super bad taste in my mouth!