When did Revolver open in Gastown, Vancouver?

Revolver opened at 325 Cambie Street in Gastown in early September 2011. Four brothers run it; their parents own Crema in West Vancouver. It opened with 20 to 25 seats and five brew methods: steel filter, Clever, AeroPress, siphon and French press. It now opens at 07:30 on weekdays and 09:00 on Saturdays.

Where is Pallet Coffee Roasters' Railtown roastery in Vancouver?

Pallet's headquarters, roastery and training center is at 395 Alexander Street in Railtown, east of Gastown. The 7,000-square-foot space opened in November 2019, and by 2024 it roasted on a 60-kilogram Joper roaster from Portugal. Its café opens 08:00–15:00 on weekdays only.

Which cafés are near the Gastown steam clock in Vancouver?

The Gastown steam clock stands at Water and Cambie streets and dates from 1977. Revolver is at 325 Cambie Street, Trees Organic Coffee at 321 Water Street, open until 22:00 on weekdays, and Buro Coffee Bar at 10 Water Street, open until 20:00 or later. Water Street became a pedestrian zone in a 2024 pilot.

Cafés in Gastown & Railtown, Vancouver: Hours and Map

Gastown grew around the saloon that John "Gassy Jack" Deighton, a Yorkshire seaman and steamboat captain, opened in 1867; his habit of talking at length gave the place its name.¹ It burned in the Great Fire of 13 June 1886 and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2009. A statue of Gassy Jack stood in Maple Tree Square until it was removed in 2022.¹

Its specialty bars sit within a few blocks of Waterfront station: Revolver on Cambie Street, Timbertrain on West Cordova and Nemesis and Prado on West Hastings. To the east, Railtown holds Pallet Coffee Roasters' 7,000-square-foot headquarters, roastery and training space at 395 Alexander Street, which opened in November 2019.²

Local tip: Gastown's specialty bars close early, with Nemesis and Timbertrain shutting at 16:00 on weekdays; for an evening coffee near the steam clock, Buro Coffee Bar on Water Street stays open until 20:00 or later.

At a glance

33Cafés listed

12With opening hours

07:30Earliest opening

04:00Latest closing

Opens earliest: Revolver, from 07:30 (Mon–Fri 07:30–18:00 · Sat 09:00–18:00).

Closes latest: Ed’s Daily, until 04:00 (Daily 08:00–04:00).

Most listed streets: West Hastings Street (6), Water Street (4), Powell Street (4).

Most common features: indoor seating (21%), specialty (15%), outdoor seating (12%).

Water Street and the steam clock

The steam clock at Water and Cambie streets was built in 1977 to cover a steam grate; it was taken away for repairs in October 2014 and returned in January 2015. In mid-2024 Water Street became a pedestrian zone as a pilot project.¹

Buro Coffee Bar at 10 Water Street stays open until 20:00 or later every day, and Trees Organic Coffee at 321 Water until 22:00 on weekdays. Lee's Donuts at 199 Water serves doughnuts with coffee until 20:00, and L'Apres Midi Patisserie is at 12 Water. Around the corner on Carrall Street, Nelson the Seagull at 315 opens daily 08:00–16:00, and East Van Roasters at 319 roasts its own beans and opens 10:00–17:00 from Tuesday to Saturday.

Revolver, Timbertrain and Nemesis

Revolver opened at 325 Cambie Street in early September 2011, run by four brothers whose parents own Crema in West Vancouver. It started with 20 to 25 seats and a choice of steel filter, Clever, AeroPress, siphon or French press.³ It opens at 07:30 on weekdays and 09:00 on Saturdays.

Timbertrain at 311 West Cordova Street is a train-themed café with further locations in Grandview-Woodland and Port Moody.⁴ Nemesis opened its first café in 2017 in Gastown,⁵ at 302 West Hastings Street, and became known for a mortadella breakfast sandwich.⁴ Both close at 16:00 on weekdays.

Italian espresso on Powell and Hastings

Milano Espresso Lounge at 36 Powell Street pours espresso from Milano Coffee, whose blends have won several gold awards from international tasters.⁴ Prado, at 100 West Hastings Street, began as a single café on Commercial Drive and now has six in Metro Vancouver.⁴ It opens at 07:00 on weekdays and 08:00 at weekends.

Saunter at 321 West Pender Street, known for espresso and baked goods,⁴ opens at 08:00 on weekdays and closes earlier on Sundays.

Railtown

Pallet's Alexander Street building is its head office, production roastery and main training center.² By 2024 it roasted on a 60-kilogram Joper roaster from Portugal under a sign that reads "We filter coffee not people".⁶ The café opens 08:00–15:00 on weekdays only.

Railtown Café at 397 Railway Street serves from 07:30 on weekdays, and Ed's Daily at 686 Powell Street stays open until 04:00, the latest in the area.

Cafés in Gastown & Railtown

At a glance

Boba Run

Buro Coffee Bar

East Van Roasters

Lee's Donuts

Nelson the Seagull

Nemesis

Ovaltine Cafe

Revolver

Saunter

Social Crust Cafe & Catering

Timbertrain Coffee Roasters

Ed’s Daily

Birds and The Beets

Casa del Caffe

Catch 122

Celeste Cafe

Epic Bites Cafe

H.A.V.E Cafe

Kafka's

Lost + Found

Matcha Made

Milano Espresso Lounge

Monaco Cafe

New Amsterdam Cafe

Nusa Coffee

Stega Eatery

Take Five Cafe Gastown

The Uncommon Cafe

Waffle Land Cafe

Wing's Cafe

93 Coffee

Bun & Beans Cafe

L'Apres Midi Patisserie

Coffee chains in Gastown & Railtown

Starbucks

Tim Hortons

JJ Bean

Trees Organic Coffee

Bean Around The World

Pallet Coffee Roasters

Prado Cafe

Railtown Cafe

Café Kitsuné

Water Street and the steam clock

Revolver, Timbertrain and Nemesis

Italian espresso on Powell and Hastings

Railtown

Sources

More of Vancouver

Kitsilano

Mount Pleasant

Chinatown & Strathcona

West End

Yaletown

Downtown

Commercial Drive

Gastown & Railtown cafés: questions

When did Revolver open in Gastown, Vancouver?

Where is Pallet Coffee Roasters' Railtown roastery in Vancouver?

Which cafés are near the Gastown steam clock in Vancouver?

Own a café in Gastown & Railtown?