Pain au Chocolat Richmond — Fresh from the Oven at Vogue Cafe

Walk into Vogue Cafe on No 1 Road and the pastry case sits right at the counter: golden croissants beside rows of pain au chocolat, each one dark-chocolate-striped and still steaming. The bakery turns them out fresh through the morning, so the butter layers are crisp, the crumb tender, and the batons of chocolate just melted enough to pull in threads.

What makes a pain au chocolat worth the detour

In France the same pastry answers to chocolatine in the southwest and pain au chocolat almost everywhere else — same laminated dough, same two batons of dark chocolate tucked into the centre. The dough is a classic pâte feuilletée levée: yeasted, layered with butter through a series of folds, then proofed until the layers puff apart. A hot oven sets the structure fast; steam lifts each leaf, butter fragrance hits the air, and the chocolate softens without burning. At Vogue Cafe they bake on the premises, so the window between oven and plate is minutes, not hours.

How it lands on the table

You'll find it listed on the printed menu under the pastry board — no separate price line, just the board price — and it arrives on a small plate, warm, with a dusting of icing sugar on request. Pair it with the espresso bar's $4 shot or a $6 latte; the bitterness of a proper ristretto cuts the butter and sugar clean. The dining room opens at 10:30 am daily, brunch runs until 3 pm, and the patio tables out front catch the morning light if you'd rather watch the village wake up.

A Steveston morning routine

Steveston Village sits on the Fraser River where the fishing fleet still ties up. After a walk along the boardwalk past the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, or a loop through Garry Point Park, the bakery smell from Vogue Cafe pulls you left onto No 1 Road. The heritage storefront has a dog bowl by the door, string lights over the gable, and a covered side patio with red-checkered cloths — useful when the marine layer hangs low. Grab a pain au chocolat and a coffee, claim a bar-height table at the front window, and you've got the classic French bakery start to the day.

What people ask

Is it called pain au chocolat or chocolatine here?

The menu writes pain au chocolat; regulars from Bordeaux still say chocolatine. Same pastry.

Can I get one after noon?

They bake through the morning. By mid-afternoon the tray is often empty — call (604) 370-4444 to check.

Do you take reservations for just coffee and pastry?

Reservations are for tables; counter service is walk-in. The online form or phone line confirms within two hours if you want a guaranteed seat.

Any gluten-free version?

The kitchen works with wheat flour and butter in a shared space. Call to ask about current options.

Next step: walk in at 10:30 am for the first batch, or reserve a patio table if you're planning a slow start. Either way, the pain au chocolat will be warm.