Espresso Bar in Steveston Village

You walk off the Steveston boardwalk, past the hissing gulls and the smell of salt and fried batter, and duck under the gable roof of Vogue Cafe. The espresso machine sits right behind the small bar — a two-group La Marzocco, steam wands purged, portafilters locked in and warm. They pull a double shot for $4. It arrives in a thick-walled ceramic cup, crema tiger-striped, tasting of dark chocolate and toasted almond with no sour bite. Decaf is the same beans, same pull, same price.

The menu is short by design. Americano $5. Latte and cappuccino $6 each — milk textured to wet paint, not stiff foam, poured into 6 oz cups so the ratio holds. Macchiato $4, a dollop of foam on a straight shot. Iced versions mirror the hot prices: iced Americano $5, iced latte $6, iced cappuccino $6. Tea (black, green, herbal) $5. San Pellegrino 750 ml $7, Evian 750 ml $7. Soft drinks $5 — Coke, Diet Coke, Ginger Ale, Club Soda, Tonic, San Pellegrino Aranciata and Limonata, Red Bull, orange juice.

What the machine actually does

A good espresso bar lives or dies on temperature stability and basket prep. The La Marzocco holds 93 °C at the group head. The barista doses 18 g into a VST 18 g ridged basket, distributes with a needle tool, tamps once with 15 kg feel, and locks in. Pre-infusion at 2 bar for six seconds, then full 9 bar. Shot time 26–29 seconds, yield 36 g. You taste caramel, not carbon. The steam tip has four holes angled for a tight vortex — milk hits 60 °C, sweet and glossy, no scald. That discipline is why the cappuccino here doesn't taste like hot milk with coffee floating on top.

Pastries that belong next to the cup

The croissants come out of the oven at 10:30 am — laminated butter dough, shatter-crisp layers, honey-coloured interior. Pain au chocolat uses the same dough, two batons of Valrhona inside. Butter croissant $5, pain au chocolat $6. You see them cooling on a rack behind the bar, not sitting under a heat lamp. Order a latte and a croissant at the counter, take it to the covered side patio with its red-checkered tablecloths and greenery walls, and you have the classic French café breakfast the neighbourhood actually eats.

The room and the patio

Inside: deep-red walls, wood tables, the printed menu posted in the window. The bar is small — four stools, a chalkboard with the espresso list, a jar of dog biscuits and a water bowl by the door. The front windows have bar-height tables facing No 1 Rd; the covered side patio runs along the building, strung with lights, quiet enough to hear the espresso machine sigh between shots. Dog bowl by the door means your retriever ties up at the rail while you sip.

Hours and flow

Open daily 10:30 am – 8:30 pm. Brunch runs until 3 pm — croque monsieur $17, croque madame $17, quiche Lorraine $17, savoury buckwheat crêpes $17. The espresso bar runs all day. Morning rush is 9–11 am (locals, dog walkers, cyclists off the dyke). Mid-afternoon settles into a lull — best time for a solo cup and a tart. Evening flips to wine and cocktails; the Shaft (Grey Goose, espresso, Kahlúa) $13 and Caramel Café (espresso, Baileys, house-made caramel) $13 pull from the same machine.

What people ask

Is the espresso double shot standard? Yes. The $4 espresso is a double. Singles are not listed.

Decaf available? Yes, same price, same pull.

Can I sit with a laptop? The bar stools and front tables work for an hour or two. No outlets at the patio; inside has a few near the wall. Call (604) 370-4444 if you need a longer stretch.

Do you serve food after 3 pm? The full menu runs until 8:30 pm — bourguignon $29, navarin d'agneau $29, baguette sandwiches $20, starters $17, sweet crêpes $14, tarts and éclairs $10.

Walk in, order at the bar, find a stool. Or reserve a table for brunch through the site. The machine is hot. The croissants are fresh. The boardwalk is two minutes out the front door.