Milano Espresso Lounge

Milano Coffee Roasters is a Vancouver roastery that combines what it calls three generations of Italian coffee heritage with more than 30 years of West Coast coffee culture. Its blends are built on 100 per cent Arabica coffee, often using more than ten varietals, and some espressos draw on as many as 20 origins. The roastery has collected 15 gold medals from the International Institute of Coffee Tasters, and its espresso master roaster is Brian Turko. Milano says its taste was developed from a century of Italian coffee craft, and one of its original roasters, Francesco, features in the company's own history. The Gastown café on Powell Street is called the Milano Espresso Lounge.

Espresso is the reason to come. Milano's tasting bars let you sample up to eight espressos at a time, a good way to compare blends side by side. The signature blend is Conca D'Oro, which is also sold as capsules compatible with Nespresso Original machines, and other coffees in the range include La Futura.

The lounge suits coffee enthusiasts, solo travellers and anyone who prefers a classic Italian-style espresso to lighter, fruitier styles. A Daily Hive guide to Gastown cafés in 2025 noted the range of espressos on offer and the awards they have won. You can buy beans and capsules to take home, either in the café or through the Milano website.

Milano has several other branches in Vancouver, including Milano Coffee Roasters on West 8th Avenue, the Milano Espresso Bar on Denman Street and the Turks Coffee Bar concept on Commercial Drive, as well as cafés in Courtenay, Victoria and Calgary. Opening hours for each location are listed on the Milano website, so check before you visit, especially at weekends. Wholesale customers, such as cafés and restaurants, can also buy Milano coffee through the roastery, and subscriptions are available for regular deliveries of beans at home.

The Espresso Lounge is at 36 Powell Street, in Gastown. Revolver Coffee on Cambie Street is in the same district, so you can compare a multi-roaster coffee bar with a classic Italian roastery in one morning. St. Lawrence, the Michelin-starred Québécois restaurant at 269 Powell Street, is on the same street if you are planning dinner nearby.