Raincity Coffee
Related entries in Coffee Reviews, Vancouver coffeeI popped into the new Raincity Coffee here in North Vancouver at East 2nd and lower Lonsdale today.
I can’t seem to locate any online reference to Raincity – no website, news or anything – which is a little odd, but it does appear to be local to North Van.
I thought the cafe was in a great spot with lots of light and a very open atmosphere. It was fairly casual, but not upscale. Reminded me more of cafes in Italy than the standard Vancouver-style cafe.
I had my normal Americano and found it to be a little better than Starbucks, but not top of the line. I was hoping to find more about their coffee from their website, but that didn’t seem to happen! They sell beans in their store, but they are branded with Raincity – I do recall seeing that they were roasted in small batches, so perhaps they use JJ Bean coffee.
I think the cafe would be a nice one to sit in and do some work. It’s very bright and that’s a great change from many cafes.
Tags: raincity, raincity coffee, coffee, north vancouver coffee, vancouver coffee, vancouver cafe, lonsdale
July 18th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Hi Arieanna, thanks for visiting our new coffee bar, RainCity Coffee in North Van. Our coffee is actually roasted exclusively for us by a North Shore company named Moja Coffee. We do sell our coffee under our own label as all our blends are exclusive to us. Moja, like us is a younger company that makes awesome coffee and our initial feed back from our customers has been great. We are still working on our website as we are brand new but hope to have all the info on line soon. Please feel free to stop by for a coffee and say Hi anytime. Kind regards, Paul, RainCity Coffee Co.
November 11th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
I did not like my coffee here.
I ordered the espresso and it tasted burnt and over extracted.
The staff are not well trained and do not know much about the art of pulling a good shot.
Also, moja coffee has never had any good reviews on it.
They should use a more well know coffee bean.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Steaming the milk is executed perfectly by majority of the staff…which is hard to find in a city where the Americano is a popular choice.
Great atmosphere as there is speedy service (ie Starbucks) and no “class assembly” (ie Waves)!
…also great savoury foods!
December 10th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
my first and last visit provided a very starbuckian type experience, marginally better coffee but significantly more expensive. Staff had little knowledge of the coffee that they were pouring. Flanked by some outstanding competition, i thought that they would try a little harder. Chris
December 26th, 2007 at 11:32 am
Coffee here is great. Sam Franko should do some research on moja coffee to make statements such as “never had any good reviews on it”. Sam should just ask Thomas Haas, probably the best coffee in North America, what he thinks of moja coffee! He uses it, and it’s simply the best.
December 27th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Grace Merlin should also do her research. Thomas Haas is far from the best coffee in North America, not even in the top 25.
Here’s a bunch of places in Van that put Thomas Haas to shame.
1. Elysian Room
2. 49th Parallel
3. Any Cafe Artigiano
4. Any JJBean
5. Cafe Crema
6. Wicked Cafe
7. Cito
8. Prado
9. I could go on..
These cafes are just in Vancouver alone, if you goto Seattle here are some more.
1. Espresso Vivace
2. Victrola
3. Zoca
4. Cafe Vita
5. Stumptown
Thomas Haas isn’t even equipped to do proper espresso. If you walk into their store you’ll notice they only have an automatic swift grinder. A dead giveaway that they’re not getting the full potential out of their roast, not to mention the lackluster reviews moja coffee has gotten.
Having said all that Thomas Haas’ desserts are absolutely outstanding and possibly some of the finest in North America. The way I see it coffee is merely an afterthought at his place.
I’d recommend checking out some of the places listed above before giving Thomas Haas the title of “The best coffee in North America.”
December 28th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
I agree with Walt. I have tried both ‘City and ‘Haas coffee and find them lacking in both acidity, sweetness and body which all good espresso require. I agree with your top 8 spots in Vancouver, but would add….
I now live on the North Shore and have found Brazza coffee to top or be at the same level with any one of these places you mentioned. They recently changed their beans and now are using Torrefazione De Luca Espresso from Northern Italy. And they always pull the shots of the conical grinder – -not a swift.
They also have about 25 coffee and barista awards on the wall near the 4 group La Marzocco FB 70.
I did not see any awards at raincity not even one.
December 31st, 2007 at 3:36 pm
I haven’t tried Raincity coffee, but two doors up Lonsdale lives Citroen coffee house . . .the single best coffee experience that I have had on the north shore. Apparantly they were formerly pouring Moja but now exclusively carry Intelligentsia coffee. I’ve found that the best times to go are before 11am or after 3pm as mid day seems to be their busy time. Fabulous ambiance and remarkable coffee.
January 1st, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Walt: This year, 49th parallel won the Krups Kup of Excellence. That must mean they were pretty good! Does the same logic not apply to Thomas Haas, winner of last years’ award? There’s no doubt the places you listed are great, but not including Haas in that mix is questionable. It is afterall a subjective topic.
January 4th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Wow, Grace Merlin, they won one award. One award. Wow wee.
So, I took Walt’s and Eric’s advise and visited the coffee shops they recommend.
Guess what, most of them have their walls full of national and international coffee awards. Not just one award that Grace seems to believe makes a coffee shop the best.
For example, Brazza in North Vancouver had like 20 or 25 of them all over the walls – first place here, first place there – they even had the Krups award that Grace mentioned.
Cafe Artigiano also has their walls full of them. As well as JJ.
I would really hope that Grace would invest some time to develop a sense of what is involved in making great coffee and a great shot of espresso. It think right now she is one of the grande extra large caramel latte people who if you served them brown water out of the toilet they would think it is great. And Grace – good coffee is not subjective at all.
BTW, I guess you can sense that I am a little pissed off – well it is because I took Grace’s advise and visited Hass for an espresso – guess what it was really bad – it was pulled of the swift, lacked body, was bitter and had no sweetness or acidity. What a waste of money when I knew better.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:00 am
If you didnt enjoy the coffee at raincity,go home and brush your teeth then the coffee will taste better.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:57 am
i enjoy raincity coffee every day,was so pleased to see them open here in north vancouver.you have to try the dark roast.its the best i have ever had the pleasure to taste…2nd and lonsdale south east corner,staff is freindly and knows what they are selling,also try the sandwiches and soup,great place to visit and meet your friends,you wont feel like your sitting in a closet like at the other places in the area….thanks
February 19th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
great place to visit over and over again,southeast corner of 2nd and lonsdale…not to be missed
March 4th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
“Moja” roasts fine coffee and you can sample it at several locations up and down lonsdale however I do not suggest Raincity as the place to sample the Moja roasts at their best. My experiece was of a great local roast run through the Starbucks type auto pilot system. When will these up and coming coffee shops leave the Starbucks business model alone and do something really unique and independant?!
April 14th, 2008 at 1:52 am
I like Raincity because it isnt busy or occupied. I find it quiet and easy to do homework at. The staff look great but bored most of the time. The owner is really nice but not around much.
The coffee is very average. They use a Simonelli (SP?) machine and those really arent well known for putting out good espresso.
The food is average. The prices are low. Cheap Eats!!! Fits my budget ok.
The place is usually clean.
They close early not like Waves next block. The coffee at Waves is actually a lot better then here at Raincity. Waves uses JJ and Raincity uses Mojo. Mojo roasts for so many people under different names the staff told me.
April 14th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
EXPENSIVE and thoroughly underwhelming. Underextracted coffee, distracted staff with a scant knowledge of coffee pouring. Sadly, Raincity coffee is apparantly just another flashy wanna-be starbucks style coffee experience that we can all live without.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
I agree with the last two posts.
My previous posts support this.
I think this coffee shop will not last a year.
Again, if the owners of raincity are reading this you need to move off the moja crap coffee you are using – it is killing your business. you can buy moja coffee under “better life” at Zellers for $10.95 a pound. Which is what I did and it tasted like the crap they serve at ‘city.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Hi Sam Franko,
My name’s Andrew, I’m the owner/roaster here at Moja Coffee. I’m sorry you’ve had some bad experiences with our coffee at some of the shops we supply. We’re always looking for constructive criticism, it’s what makes us better. Why don’t you give me a shout at 604-983-6652 or (andrew@mojacoffee.com) I’d be happy to hear from you.
April 21st, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Here is my constructive criticism.
Either target the higher end coffee sector with a good product or go for the low end low quality product Zellers coffee (which is what you have now). But not both.
The people at Raincity are good people but they will not last a year because they are using your $10.95 a lb better life Zellers coffee.
April 21st, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Hi Sam, my name is Doug Finley, Andrew’s partner at Moja Coffee.
It’s unfortunate this topic has taken on the feeling of a mud-slinging match. That being said, we think it’s the responsibility of those who blog, to use factual information when offering opinion.
Fact: Moja Coffee is not “Better Life Coffee” period.
You may or may not be aware, that virtually every other coffee roaster in this city has similar roasting contracts. To judge us differently is simply unfair.
This blog started out being about Rain City Coffee, but has ended up as a self-directed attack (by you Sam) on Moja. With all due respect, perhaps your comments would be better served in a new thread that focuses only on Moja Coffee.
Again, if you really wanted to learn more about us, our doors are always open, and we would welcome you to come to our facility to view and sample what we do. I think this offer is far more constructive than answering a series of statements in a blog.
Regards,
Doug
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Please,
The public is a lot smarter than you make out.
Better Life is roasted by Moja. It is the same coffee. Peroid.
One sells for $10.95 a pound at Zellers the other “hidden under a different package” sells for $15 to $17 a pound at the coffee shop.
Yes, I do think it’s the responsibility of those who blog, to use factual information when offering opinion and that is what I am doing.
I would hope others using this blog will bring up these issues when discovered.
I am sorry to hear from you that you think other roasters are doing the same thing in Vancouver , I would hope they are not.
All of my post will be public.
S. Franko
April 25th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I hope Raincity does last because I go there after Starbucks sometimes when it gets full and busy.
What I like about RC is that it is big, bright, and not quiet.
What I dont like about RC is the coffee. I am not sure if its the beans (probably if in Zellers), the machinery, or the staff but the coffee has a kind of mildewy taste to it. Reminds me of moss.
I recommend the blended drinks without much coffee or order your drink half full and add more milk and sugar to it.
The staff dont mind if you bring Starbucks coffee there, which is what I usually do. Sometimes a get a Raincity cup and pour the Starbucks coffee into so to not upset the owners. Sometimes I bring my own cup. They are very relaxed about it.
I dont like to free load so I usually buy a muffin or something.
April 29th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Sam Franko…if you don’t like the coffee than don’t drink it. Not everybody is going to like the same things. Like Doug said, this started as someone commenting on RainCity and now has turned into an attack on Moja. Get over it and yourself.
April 29th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
My first “raincity” experience will absolutely be my last. Staff run and boy does it show. The owner is nowhere to be found and clearly knew nothing about coffee pouring when he set up.
My latte was “flacid” at best and the food is very standard coffee shop stuff. With the sudden proliforation of coffee shops in the area,these guys are going to have to try a lot harder if they are going to survive the next 12 months.
Joe coffee drinker has more knowledge and higher expectations than what was acceptable in the last decade. The very reason that Starbucks now need to advertise their product is indication enough that people are turning in their droves to some of the great independant coffee shops. Sadly Raincity definately is not one of them.
April 29th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I own CITROEN coffee house on lonsdale. One of my customers referred me to this blog and having read some of the recent postings, I feel compelled to throw my own two cents worth in.
Everybody is entitled to have and express an opinion, however I feel that some of the comments about Raincity coffee co and Moja coffee have taken more the form of an attack than a constructive commentary.
I currently use the Intelligentsia roasts however I formerly used Moja, switching only because Raincity wisely decided to use the Moja roasts and we felt that to maintain the profile of a boutique coffee house, we needed to switch to a roast that reflected the experience that we were offering. Having said that, Moja coffee is very close to Intelligensia in profile and is of absolutely outstanding quality. I loved it when we were pouring it and I still love it. Andrew and Doug have done a fabulous job in building their company and have developed some outstanding roasts over the past few years.
Raincity and Citroen are just doors away from each other but offer two very different experiences, therefore we dont compete for market share. I haven’t tried their coffee, however I know Paul and his staff and they have been great neighbours and have done an outstanding job in building a beautiful coffee shop. Things are tough enough for indepentants and I know that Raincity could live without some of the undeserved comments from past bloggers.
You cannot win them all and neither Paul and his staff or myself and my staff expect to . Citroen may not serve you the experience that you are looking for and Raincity may may not either, but lets celebrate the difference that the indepentant coffee houses bring to the consumer and be happy with the fact that there are some really good alternatives to the starbuck experience.
Dene Croft
April 29th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Hey Sam – below is a sale listing for Citroen
they were asking $99,000 now they reduced it cuz no one wants to buy it.
You need to stop bad mouthing these people cuz they need all the help they can. I for one do not like to support the american green machine cuz they do not hire locals.
stop saying bad things about these people even if the coffee is bad – a lot of people need these jobs – like me.
208 LONSDALE AV
North Vancouver, Lower Lonsdale
$69,000.00
Description: Busy! Profitable! Special coffees, lite lunches, soups, homemade cookies & desserts. Coffee shop business located in Lower Lonsdale. High density mix of commercial and residential area. Good lease. Approx 977 sq ft @ $1,600 per month NNN. “Funky Ambiance Decor”. Steady clientele – entertainment on Thurs nite – Seller will train in all aspects of business. Selling due to other interests.
April 29th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
maybe sam should buy the shop and take his shot at running a coffee shop and see how it truly is. i bet he wouldn’t last a whole day. it’s sad how someone has nothing better to do than criticize people who are working hard for something they love.
May 7th, 2008 at 2:44 am
Dene is selling. I think everyone knows this. Hope he makes back what he put into it. We have to remember that raincity isnt about serving the very best in coffee. I know Dene was very happy to switch from Mojo to Intelligensia and so were his customers.
I hope Sam buys Citroen. I’d really like to taste a great coffee everyday.
May 7th, 2008 at 10:25 am
this guy has wicked talent.Its well worth a visit just to check out the paintings. Its pretty easy to see why he’s selling
June 19th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
coffee is supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable, If we all believe what Sam says and I do hope he buys citroen then we can wire his mouth shut and nail is hands to the cross,I do have one small criticism regarding raincity and its the laziness of the staff since losing some of the regular staff,they sit on the sink behind the counter and ask you what you like?? please get off your ass and take my order,and if i ask for a sandwich and you dont feel like making it dont tell me to go next door and get one..i didnt like that to much,i wanted a rain city sandwich and with none left they suggested i go next door and get one from some dude named trev..ok i went next door and almost choked on the aatmosphere,stinks with ciggy smoke and not so favored types,tattoos and piercings coming out the Kazoo…Oh well I may go back one of these days when the next batch of staff is done…good luck to the owner
July 29th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Hi, I am the owner of RainCity Coffee. I want to thank everyone for their comments about our coffee bar after our first year in business. For those of you that we made happy, thank you for your kind words, we appreciate your support. For those who’s expectations we did not meet, thank you as well, your constructive feedback is just as important because it will help us improve in areas we need to improve. We will continue to strive to provide the best coffee experience we can as we continue our rapid growth. If anyone ever has anything other than a pleasant experience in our coffee bar please contact me with your concerns directly as it is the only way I can make things right for you. I can always be reached at the store 604-987-2771 or by e-mail paul@raincitycoffee.com Thanks again for your continued support, its been a great first year and we look forward to many more.
Paul Buckley, RainCity Coffee Co.
August 13th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
I just wanted to correct the “Better Life Comment” I know the people from Better Life coffee, and they, like other coffee companies, bring their beans to moja to have them roasted. It is not moja’s beans or coffee, Moja is just the roaster, but do have their own coffee that they sell as well. Just needed to clarify that.
October 17th, 2008 at 11:32 am
I am a caffe owner in east vancouver.. I want to weigh in to this debate mostly on people judging caffes by the machinery they use.. Simonellis aren’t known for putting out good coffee?? The WBC disagrees.. they picked simonelli as their competition machine.. (I use La Marzocco in my caffe by the way..)
The Bottom line is judge a caffe by the coffee they produce.. not who roasts their beans or the brand of the machinery they use..
December 18th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Citroen is closed and out of business!
Does anyone know if the cafe is for sale or some other one in the area.
Thank you
J Long
February 12th, 2009 at 10:53 am
what an incredible shame! . . . does anybody know where he has gone?
August 5th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Hello,
What is going on in Lower Lonsdale?
Angelica Cafe closed, Citron Cafe Closed.
Waves just sold due to no profit and Raincity is for sale after only two years cuz it can’t make money. All that is left are the two Starbucks and the new Tim Hortons.
Everyone on this blog needs to support the local cafes – they bring employment and business to the community. Why are we making Starbucks rich while all of these other cafes are closing?
December 15th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Raincity is closed and out of business!
Does anyone know if the cafe is for sale or some other one in the area.
Thank you
J Long
December 16th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
I just moved to Lower Lonsdale after 12 years of downtown living. What is happening in the area is that the landlords are being greedy and starting to charge kits or west end rent levels. While LL is a great mixed commercial-residential area, the foot traffic is 1/10th of kits or the west end. More shops will close and remain vacant for a long time – trust me.
December 19th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
ASR,
The failure of raincity had nothing to do with the rent. It was the bad coffee beans they served
December 27th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Sam (piccolo)Franko. You need to get a life! Try getting a girlfriend or something.
December 29th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
hey Mark
I like boys, what’s your number cutie?
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January 25th, 2012 at 6:53 am
Can you provide us with the address of the cafe as I really get impresses with your review about it.
January 25th, 2012 at 7:10 am
I really like to enjoy the coffee in rain city.
It’s also good for health :)
January 25th, 2012 at 7:11 am
I really like to enjoy the coffee in rain city.
It’s also good for health :)