Discovery Coffee

The coffee at Discovery Coffee is the best coffee Ive ever had anywhere in the world.

Back in October, Kemi and I hung out in London when she was passing through town for her honeymoon. One afternoon, we were sitting at Bar Italia, the go-to place for coffee in Soho, that's a bit of an institution amongst London's denizens and both local and tourist wannabes. (I think Pulp had a song called Bar Italia.) The coffee was just okay. Kemi turned to me and said "I miss the coffee in Victoria" to which I gave her one of my patented crooked looks. My "poo-face" as some of my friends have labeled it. "You'll see" she said.

She's a wise one, that Kemi, and right too. I love the coffee at Discovery. One of the best things about Victoria is the variety and quality of the food on the island. I think it ranks first out of all the places Ive lived in or spent an extended amount of time in from New Haven to Fort Collins to Manila to London. One of the things about Victoria since my first time living here in 2000 is the proliferation of coffee joints that roast their own beans and have developed a real strong following amongst the local caffeinearatti.

I was ready to make this declaration the first time I tried it but after having now sampled some of the other coffees in town, Discovery's easily and by far the best. Im sure this has something to do with their roasting process. They're real knowledgeable about coffee beans and what it takes to extract the best taste out of each bean. And it's probably got something to do with the machine that they use. They use a Syneso for making things like Americanos (which is actually what I almost always have when I go to Discovery and it's what's pictured above) and a Clover for drip coffee (which, by the way, they individually brew upon order. Ya, that's right. Individually brewed. That alone sets them apart from any other place in town).

Fantastico is alright. The flavour's deep but there's almost a heaviness to it that sits flat on your tongue. I go Fantastico cause it's the closest to my house and I want to have coffee but dont have the time to go downtown to Discovery. Habit's another place in town that's gotten quite a bit of attention and their coffee's not bad. Sharp, pungent, Id say and almost bitter. I think the location of each has something to do with their popularity. Fantastico's in the food court over at Cook Street Village so it's easy to get to from Beacon Hill Park or from Dallas Road. Habit's right downtown, just before Chinatown, and right next door to Mo:Le. Habit's got this cavernous minimalism going on that attracts Victoria's cool set. You know. People who have their own bands or do mixed media art or silkscreen their own t shirts featuring 80s's teen icons. You know. That type.

Discovery's a little bit out of the way, on Discovery and Douglas, but location's relative. (As it is, it's only a 5 minute walk from Habit.) And trekking out to the grittier side of Victoria for the best coffee you will ever have is easily worth the trip.

Discovery Coffee is amazing. If you're in Victoria or will be visiting Victoria, check them out.

www.discoverycoffee.ca

(Oh ya. And Logan and those guys who work there? Easily, easily, easily the friendliest and most unpretentious coffee crew out of the three spots I mentioned.)