"We wanted to offer something different than what was already here," says Questa Lee, co-owner (with her mother, Wendy Lee) of Fresh Press Coffee Bar in Richmond. "Our location used to be a convenience store, but when we looked at the neighbourhood, we decided that a coffee shop might be a better idea."
“Richmond doesn't have much in regards to specialty coffee shops, and we decided that we would like to introduce people to the coffee culture that is popping up around our community. Our aim is to tantalize the taste buds of coffee and tea drinkers by giving them something that the chain coffee shops around us do not offer, while making new experiences very approachable."
The mother-daughter team behind Fresh Press Coffee Bar has sought out some of Vancouver’s best offerings: the to-die-for pastries come from Gastown’s Cadeaux Bakery, the excellent coffee is roasted locally at East Van Roasters, and the tea comes from JusTea, a Vancouver non-profit that works with Kenyan tea manufacturers, providing training and support to help them produce their own teas. The gourmet goodies at this Richmond café (just a 10-minute drive from the airport) are sure to perk you up before a full day of air travel or after an over-night red-eye flight.
This Richmond café is shiny and new, making great use of the unique triangular space with a simple yet striking design. It offers both espresso-based drinks and Chemex pour-overs to serve a wide variety of caffeine-loving clients. A highlight here is their tea lattes, made from Vancouver’s O5 Tea, which have great flavours and hold themselves to a higher than fair trade standard.
Make sure you keep your eyes wide open if it’s your first time visiting this Richmond café. The coffee shop is a tad hidden, but well worth the effort in finding it. Once you step inside, you’ll immediately sense a world of difference, whether it’s the mother-and-daughter team running things or the coffee that’s consistently brewed to high standards. They offer a nice selection of coffees and each one is brewed with care, and the business is socially conscious as well.