Sunny M Specialty Coffee & Tea — Restaurant in Richmond

This is a very small but cozy and cute specialty cafe in Richmond. There are only about 2-3 tables of about 2 seats each (so like four to seven chairs) and it’s pretty cramp so it may not be ideal for a dine in coffee spot. When I went to pick up my latte, the cafe was pretty packed and full with just about seven customers inside and there wasn’t much room left maneuvering to pick up my coffee for take out.

So perhaps, it’s a good spot for a quick special caffeine take-and-go but if you intend on dining in, you may not have a seat. It’s probably the right size for them however given the nature of a specialty cafe with limited food offerings, it probably cannot economically support more seats. Kind of like a unique coffee experience slightly pricier than Starbucks. But it’s not the ideal type of cafe if you want to sit and talk for a while or use your laptop given you’d be taking seats from other customers with limited seating space available (as an introvert I prefer take out anyways lol). The atmosphere was cozy though base on the decor I saw briefly when inside to pick up the coffee, small but cozy.

I’ve walked by a few times and thought to try it for pick up as I was heading nearby to pick up my Shawn’s Chicken order on UberEats (read some reviews about it on Google Maps noting how good the spicy fried chicken was and thought to try it but was relatively disappointed. Ok, just not great.) as they’re running a $5 off $20 promo.

I thought to get some caffeine alongside and ordered a latte at Sunny M. It’s $6.45 for their latte of 12 oz which isn’t a bad price for a specialty coffee store. Seems they change their espresso beans rotationally as I read on the app.

The latte was well prepared and I appreciated tasting the espresso without the sugar to cover the taste and would recommend ordering likewise without sugar; it’s not overly bitter given the creamy milk and I’m not a coffee connoisseur but um, it tasted good; it was mellow, roasty and a bit sweet but not sugar. (I drink it more for practical productivity and health benefits. It’s been well known that there’s a correlation between coffee drinkers and various good health metrics including mood and cardiovascular and longevity. It may not be causation but it has also been shown to have positive effect on insulin sensitivity and gut health which may explain some of the correlation; it’s worth noting however there are also some studies that document negative effects to coffee but personally I think the benefits outweigh the other inconclusively, if anything caffeine is a nice “pick me up” to enjoy… all this to say, to each their own. Know your body and what works for you, being responsible for your own health but personally I think coffee as a healthy drink in moderation as with tea but this isn’t remotely health or life advice, just a casual review and me digressing more than I should lol.) There was also some nice latte art which wasn’t expected for a take out order.

Service was friendly and pick up was quick. Went in thinking I might have to wait a while as I arrived 5-10 minutes before the designated pick up time and they looked busy. However they passed me my drink (in between serving customers trying to order in-store) as I went to the side counter expecting to wait a couple minutes.

I enjoyed the convenience of online ordering with UberEats for pick up (and if you’re an UberOne member you get 5% off orders over $15 so basically it deducts the tax since there are no fees with Uber pick up). It’s nice to be able to browse the menu and decide what you want in advance at your own leisure and I appreciate not to have to wait in a crowded cafe with little space and awkwardly make staff or customers wait while I decide.

Would I order again? Yes, although admittedly not often given I prefer Starbucks or make my own. With the loyalty program for value and rewards gamifying it as well. Actually ordered 7 coffees (with mocha) from Starbucks after drinking that latte because Starbucks had 40 bonus stars for $20+ order so that’s my coffee for...

Racist and profoundly disappointing; no room for white people.

While I was in Richmond today, I decided it was finally time to visit Sunny M Coffee. I had heard many incredible things. My Q grade friends often touted their affection for this quaint coffee shop.

Although finding this shop was easy, parking proved to be quite the hassle. After finally finding a spot, I was very excited to make the short journey inside to finally try what I have heard is nothing short of a fantastic cup of coffee.

When I entered the space, I saw three tables with only one patron inside. As I looked over to the lady standing behind the counter, she pointed at some boards on the wall and said "menu." That wasn't entirely true as their pour over menu was tucked behind the register on the counter.

At this point, I did not think anything of the interaction and was still excited to try their coffee. However, I looked over and saw a reserved sign on one of the two empty tables. I asked if the other was free. I was told that both were taken by a group that had not yet arrived.

Although there were many good options for coffee, I wasn't going to spend upwards of $10 for a cup of Hatch coffee when the bag retails for $19, even if it has to come from Toronto. Overpriced coffee is one thing if it is incredible and served from a craft. Out of a paper cup, well, that's just a waste of money. Once it was clear that my money was no good at this shop, I turned towards the exit. As I was leaving, the owner dropped a snarky "thank you" and I promptly exited the store.

This experience of despicable and atrocious customer service left a sour taste worse than an under-extracted cup of coffee in my mouth. What I was hoping would be my usual stop when my mother and I visit Richmond has now turned to me noting a spot that I will never return to.

Utterly...

I... Don't get the hype about this place. The food was pricy, not that good and small.

The tiramisu I ordered was great actually, thought it was too small. It was also really messy. Couldn't eat without spilling the powder all over the table. My friend ordered a matcha dessert and it came way too sweet and dry. She literally gave me hers since she didn't want to finish it. The bubble tea coffee was different, it was good! But it wasn't really worth the price since it was twice as small than the ones you can get at Bubble tea places.

Otherwise, what really dissappointed me was the area. There are hardly any space to sit. 3 people max in the store or else you would feel uncomfortable. The seats were crammed in with the tables, right next to each other.

Yes, you can talk with the owner about coffee, but for a 4.9/5 rating, I just thought that it would be better.

Food: 3.5/5 Space and comfort: 2.5/5 Price:...