49th Parallel Café and Lucky’s Doughnuts

49th Parallel Coffee Roasters has been roasting specialty coffee in Vancouver since 2004. It buys through direct trade, building relationships with producers that it says lead to sustainable prices for distinctive coffees, and it roasts in small batches so the coffee is always fresh. The business is owned by Vince Piccolo, and its original café was on West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano. Today it runs cafés on Main Street, Thurlow Street and West 4th in Vancouver and on Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver, plus one in Montreal.

The Main Street café, at the corner of East 13th Avenue, was the roaster's second and opened in 2012 in the former premises of Pinky's Drycleaners. It is also the place where 49th Parallel first moved into food, with a counter for Lucky's Doughnuts inside. When it opened, the space measured about 2,800 sq ft, with a 16-seat communal table used for coffee cuppings, a wrap-around booth, a fireplace and garage-style doors that open in warm weather. A patio for around 30 people runs along the East 13th Avenue side. Espresso is pulled on Kees van der Westen machines.

Lucky's Doughnuts are made fresh through the day, and all the components, including jams, glazes and fillings, are made from scratch. The range covers yeast doughnuts, cake doughnuts and a French cruller, and the flavours change with the seasons, with local and seasonal ingredients wherever possible.

The café suits most visitors: families with children who want a treat, friends meeting for a weekend coffee and anyone exploring Main Street. The communal table and booth seating were designed for people who want to stay a while. Opening hours are posted on the café's own page on the 49th Parallel website, so check them before you go. If you have a question for this branch, it has its own email address on the roaster's contact page.

Main Street is home to some of Vancouver's best-known restaurants, including Anh and Chi at 3388 Main Street and Published on Main at 3593 Main Street, both further south on Main Street, so a coffee here can lead into lunch or dinner. You can also buy 49th Parallel beans to take home.