Breka Bakery & Café - Kitsilano — Restaurant in Vancouver

In one day, I had both a TERRIBLE and GREAT experience.

I am a loyal customer. I have been to Breka many times and have purchased drinks and cakes from them. Today (Dec 9th from 1:30 am to 4:30 am) was bad, but good. Let me start with the good.

First, I bought a really great cake for my friend's birthday, and she absolutely loved it. It was awesome.

I also had the best coffee I have ever had. Not best coffee. BEST DRINK EVER.

I really wish I got to know more about the barista, but she made a customized drink that was absolutely perfect. I love cold drinks, and anything with peppermint. I requested this at the Denman location, and it was bad; I didn't really like it. My friends and I moved to the Kits location, because we needed a place with outlets to plug in our laptops... and I ordered the same thing, a cold peppermint coffee thing. AND I WAS SO SHOCKED AT HOW AMAZING IT WAS.

IT WAS THE BEST DRINK EVER. 100% my FAVOURITE DRINK ever. IT'S LIKE A SECRET MENU ITEM. HOLY COW. If anyone asks me, what my favourite drink is. It's this one. Not just any peppermint mocha drink. The drink she gave me. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT HER NAME IS. I need to find out more about how amazing this barista is.

It was so good I ordered it a second time. I sorta puked because of drinking so much caffeine in one night. BUT IT WAS SO GOOD. I LOVED IT. I used to go to Starbucks a lot and order a Frappuccino with several pumps of peppermint. So, like a peppermint mocha Frappuccino. I'm very loyal to both Starbucks and Breka, but to be honest, I don't think I'm going back to Starbucks after this experience. Why didn't I ask for something like this earlier??? I'm obsessed with peppermint + peppermint!! AND did I mention, I LOVED IT SO MUCH.

Okay, thank you so much. I made sure to thank the barista multiple times. I hope she knows how truly amazed and happy I was. Please tell the barista that she is appreciated. You need to tell me what time/day she usually works, because I will now only go to Breka for this drink.

Okay, now the bad. So, I went to the Kits location, because the Denman location didn't have outlets to charge my laptop. After waiting for fifteen minutes, I spotted an empty outlet, and I went to plug in my charger. Then, I get yelled at by this man who demands me to let him charge his phone. I respond, saying, "Well, I'm sorry but I was here first?". And then he starts swearing at me and tells me to f* off and let him use the outlet, because apparently I was being selfish and taking both spots (which wasn't true). I felt very uncomfortable and unsafe, and so I left. He made the UBC students who were studying upstairs unsafe as well. I know that Breka prides itself on creating a comfortable and safe environment for students. Now, my friends were still studying upstairs, while I went to A&W to get some food and use their outlet. Apparently, one of the students told you how uncomfortable we felt with the man. From what I heard, it seems like you told the man to leave. He was making everyone at the cafe uncomfortable. I was at A&W, waiting for my friends to message me, reporting that he has left. Quite frankly, I was going to call the police, since it seemed like you were ordering him to leave, but he was refusing. However, I did not because I assumed the staff would call 911. Anyways, I waited for hours at A&W, waiting for my friends to tell me to come back. I felt very unsafe and uneasy. I know that the staff did what they could and that they also felt nervous. It's not easy. If you ordered him to leave, he needs to leave. It's trespassing and he should be arrested or charged. Clearly, the staff seemed to let it go since he stayed downstairs for over an hour. I feel like if he was making everyone uncomfortable, the police should have been called if he did not leave. I don't understand why you allowed him to stay in the cafe. It makes no sense to me. I sorta wished the staff was more adamant. However, I understand that it was a tough situation. The staff absolutely did not deserve to go through this. I'm sorry and thanks...

came here with my sister once to study and it wasn't busy but upstairs was packed. we asked an employee downstairs if it would be okay to put two tables together and he said yes. AFTER we are done setting up, the "supervisor" or whatever comes up to us and tells us that the downstairs is a "laptop free zone" and that we can study here but we can't have our laptops but smartphones are fine.....what? does that make sense AT ALL? anyways we were respectful even though that was pretty inconveniencing and when we get upstairs, we manage to get two separate tables (because they're small), we both plug in our headphones and get to work. THIS GIRL COMES BACK and talks to us as if we're hard of understanding english and goes "hey soooo since it seems to be getting busy, if people need a table I'm going to need you to give one of these tables up. IS THAT OOOKAY? :)" like we don't even necessarily count as being there together as we both had a table to ourselves and were independently studying. THEN SHE COMES UP EVERY 5 OR SO MINUTES JUST TO KEEP HER EYES ON US like its so obvious and obviously we're freakin uncomfortable. Next thing I see, this girl is separating a COUPLE. She actually made the girl separate her table from her bf's if they were wanting to keep both of the tables. You obviously only have a high wave of studiers during peak midterms and finals times, your precious SOCIAL AND INTERACTIVE guests will still be there at the end of the day as you're one of the few places open 24/7. It's really upsetting that you are making students overpopulate on the upstairs and leave multiple tables open just in case people wanna come in to "socialize." Also I'm here in this cafe NOW because my friends were still optimistic about this location and the SAME GIRL just saw my friend with her packed up food we got from Noodlebox and with a bunch of attitude told her "In the future, we don't allow outside food" like who are you to assume we're eating it mind your own business. I'll respect the rules until it gets ridiculous and uncomfortable. I don't need to be monitored like I'm committing a crime. IM TRYNNA PASS MY EXAM MAN. Last time...

I feel sad to leave a review this low because the staff are great and food and drinks taste amazing, but this Breka is extremely inaccessible not only because of the building itself but because of deliberate choices made by management. (I don’t think this is on purpose to exclude ppl with disabilities but it has a horrible effect). This breka has two stories, the only way up is two flights of stairs. The bathrooms are up the stairs AND no one is allowed to work or study (use their laptop/tablet) downstairs. That means if someone is unable to use stairs they cannot use the bathroom or work/study in the building. As a disabled person it can be so hard navigating the world, it’s sad and humiliating to be in places like this and not even to have the basic dignity of using a public washroom. edit: Thank you for replying, but that is still not accessible. I understand not being able to add the elevator due to space, but the upstairs door has a sign on it that says not to use/for emergency use only. As well as if a disabled person does come in on the 2nd floor how could they ask a staff member to bring them food if the staff are downstairs? Also, unless they read my review and your reply before coming into your establishment how would they even know that's an option? Again, if they haven't read my review or your reply how would they know that if they plan to study or work or have access to a bathroom in your establishment they must come in through the upstairs door (which says not use it)? I don't plan on coming back here, so it doesn't make any difference if I specifically know I can go through the upstairs door or that I can ask a staff member to bring my food up. If you plan on making it more accessible, there must be ways that any disabled person who comes in your cafe can know their options given the unfortunate, unchangeable issue of having...