The Vault Coffee & Espresso Bar — Restaurant in Centre Wellington

Nestled in the heart of the city, the vault is the epitome of cozy charm and Instagrammable decor. Picture this: rustic wooden tables, soft ambient lighting. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the hum of hushed conversations, creating an atmosphere so inviting you almost forget you paid an arm and a leg to be there.

Let’s talk prices first. A latte here isn’t just a drink; it’s an investment. At over 5$ for a medium (or should I say "grande"), you’re not just buying coffee—you’re purchasing a caffeinated experience. And if you’re feeling fancy and decide to pair it with a croissant, be ready to shell out another $6.00. Yes, folks, a buttery delight that costs more than your daily commute.

But oh, the ambiance! It’s so delightful you’ll almost forgive them for making you donate a kidney to afford a second cup. Almost.

However, the vault has one glaring flaw. Despite its stylish allure, the entrance is narrower than a fashionista's waistline. That’s right—if you’re a parent with a stroller or someone who uses a wheelchair, accessing this trendy haven is like trying to squeeze a hippo into skinny jeans. The doorways are so tight, you’d think they were designed to deter anyone not already a size zero.

It’s a shame, really. For a place that’s nailed the chic and cozy vibe, inclusivity seems to have slipped through the cracks. The stylish decor and mouth-watering menu are overshadowed by the fact that not everyone can enjoy them. Accessibility shouldn’t be an afterthought, but here, it seems it barely made the thought process at all.

In conclusion, the vault has mastered the art of creating an atmosphere where you can sip on your $8.00 Americano while contemplating the mortgage you just took out to pay for it. If you’re not in a wheelchair or pushing a stroller, you might just love it. Otherwise, this stylish and cozy spot is a reminder that sometimes, even the chicest places have their shortcomings.

So, if you’re up for an adventure in navigating narrow doorways and don’t mind splurging on coffee that costs as much as a small car payment, give the vault a try. For everyone else, there’s always a...

I'm not quite sure what this place is trying to be. Me and my significant other go in quite frequently for the coffee. We're sometimes greated by a rude blonde lady that makes the room uncomfortable, but we put it aside because the location is great. I wanted to order off the usual menu that's written out up high above the cashier counter where you pay. We arrived after 4pm to relax and sit down to enjoy a coffee, bagel and soup only to be told that we could not order that food because there's a different menu after 4. A place called Vault Cafe is now a restaurant? Okay. We sat down and just felt awkward being at a cafe trying so hard to be a restaurant. The staff are very polite and are very welcoming (Minus the blonde woman), but I have a feeling they weren't originally hired for a restraunt like experience, you can just feel it in the room. It's just weird how you'd rather lose out on a 40 dollar bill of a coffee, bagel and soup because that menu is irrelevant after 4. Why not just combine it with the restaurant menu? It literally makes no sense to do that. If you're going to do that you should write that this food is "unavailable" after 4 on the board or just get rid of it completely passed that time. Very misleading and very awkward environment now. Oddly, we weren't even sure if we were even allowed to just sit down and enjoy a coffee as we felt like we had to get dinner...

We have been enjoying coming to The Vault for a coffee or tea over the last year, but we were especially excited to try their new dinner menu and let me say it definitely did not disappoint.

We made a late reservation so we enjoyed a quiet meal enjoying the ambiance of the space. I ordered a glass of wine and my husband a cider. We had a hard time choosing what to eat because everything sounded so good but we landed on the Smash Burger (upgraded the house salad to a Kale Cesar for $3 more) and the Carne Asada Tacos.

The food came out fairly quickly and the portions were very generous. The burger was hands down the best burger to date I have tried in CW. It was incredibly juicy and flavourful without being greasy and the tomato jam was the perfect accompaniment. I always love a Kale Cesar and this one was great - the crunchy chickpeas and thick cut bacon added great texture and salt.

The tacos were excellent - the meat was perfectly cooked and flavourful and both the salsa and cilantro lime cream were delicious. If I had a single comment it would be that I wish the tortilla was warmer and the steak was served hot, but it was still great.

We finished the meal off with a piece of Pear cake and the Italian buttercream was simply divine. You don't want to miss this new local...