Pallet has opened its newest location with bright interiors, a heated patio and plenty of room to work, relax or catch up with friends.

Coffee lovers in Olympic Village now have a new neighbourhood cafe to add to their daily routine.

Local specialty coffee chain Pallet Coffee Roasters officially opened their newest Vancouver cafe on Thursday (July 9) at 2035 Yukon St.

It’s replacing a former Starbucks at the bustling intersection of Yukon Street and West 2nd Avenue with a bright, welcoming cafe designed for everything from a quick caffeine stop to an afternoon work session or some patio vibes.

The spot is already getting some attention. I visited there on opening day and saw customers streaming in through the doors, including several Vancouver police officers grabbing coffee during their shifts. The VPD precinct is only steps away, and it’s likely the cafe will soon be a familiar spot for first responders, as well as office workers and neighbourhood residents in Mount Pleasant.

Although located at a busy intersection, the moment you step inside, the atmosphere changes.

Large windows overlook the constant movement of traffic and pedestrians outside, but the cafe itself feels calm and inviting (credit goes to the music). I noticed some customers enjoying their seats with their laptops, others quietly reading books, and some gathered with friends over coffee.

For those who want to enjoy the cold breeze on a sunny day, there’s a heated covered patio which offers around 15 outdoor seats.

New Pallet Coffee location sees instant support, staff says

“It’s an amazing neighbourhood. It’s a great corner. It’s very bright inside,” says Deeba Sharifi, head of operations at Pallet Coffee Roasters.

“The customers and the residents and the workers and everybody here are very, very nice to us and we’re very happy to be serving the neighbourhood.”

Sharifi says the opening has been about four to five months in the making, with staff already feeling welcomed by the community.

“We’ve had a lot of people coming in asking about when we’re opening,” he says. “Everyone is saying they’re super happy to have us. Hearing customers say they’ve been waiting months for us to open really motivates our team to keep serving the community.”

He adds that the mix of residential buildings and nearby offices makes Olympic Village an ideal fit for the cafe.

“We’re hoping for it to be busy because it’s a mix of residential and commercial. It’s a mix of everything, which is nice,” he says.

Pallet Coffee is based in Vancouver and specializes in locally roasted specialty coffee. The company roasts beans at its roastery in Vancouver and bakes its pastries in-house at its commissary.

“The whole basis of our slogan is to bring coffee love to the community,” Sharifi says. “The idea is to bring good specialty coffee to the Vancouver coffee scene and be involved with different neighbourhoods by providing great service, great food and great quality.”

The menu offers a wide selection of baked goods and light meals, including butter and almond croissants, sandwiches, toast options, sun-dried tomato scones, walnut chocolate cookies, pistachio cranberry cookies, matcha loaf, London Fog loaves and lemon raspberry loaves.

I also spotted a shelf full of Pallet merchandise featuring the Limited Edition Nomad Flip Tumbler, Harbour Bear Tote Bag, Good Day Space Bear hoodies in black and white, Misto Picnic Tote Bag, coffee filters, AeroPress brewers, keychains and other coffee accessories.

I asked what he drinks every day and Sharifi didn’t hesitate.

“I always drink the flat white,” he says. “It’s the thing I have in the morning. It’s the thing I have after I finish my shift.”

For customers looking for something sweeter, he recommends the Golden Hour — an iced latte topped with vanilla cream and a Biscoff cookie crumble.

“If you want to try a really good specialty drink, we have a Golden Hour,” he says. “It’s very tasty, but it’s a little on the sweeter side.”

So, if you want to work remotely at a cafe, read a book, grab coffee before walking your dog or simply take a break from the bustle outside, Pallet’s newest location offers another inviting community space in Olympic Village.