Best West End Hidden Gem:
Greenhorn Espresso Bar
994 Nicola
604-428-2912
GreenhornCafe.com
A greenhorn, by definition, is a newcomer, one who is inexperienced or naïve, unacquainted with local manners and customs. Walter Le Daca knows a thing or two about being the new kid in town; a native Argentinian, he arrived in Canada in the early ‘90s and some 20 years later, is now the owner and operator of Greenhorn Espresso Bar.
With the idea in mind to recreate the café culture of home, Le Daca wanted Greenhorn to be about more than just coffee. Serving up Moja, a local roast from North Vancouver, Le Daca’s staff of fifteen offers a brew to strike the perfect balance between coffee snobs and caffeine junkies alike.
In the full-service kitchen, it’s all about an authentic, made-to-order experience with no pre-made, warmed up sandwiches but instead, homemade croissants, sandwiches laid upon freshly baked breads and the signature tortilla Espanola.
“People had their doubts about me opening here,” he says gazing around the café on a rainy Vancouver morning. “But the west end is Vancouver’s most dense neighbourhood, an incredible melting pot and really needed a spot like this.”
With its proximity to the tourism hubs of downtown, folks from all over the world have sipped espresso here, as do a faithful community of regulars.
What sets Greenhorn apart from your average java joint, is back behind the bustle of the front end. A tiny window opens to the lush green alley, lying nestled in the curvature of a small listening booth Le Daca built to sample the sounds of his makeshift record shop, a hidden gem in itself.
“Music to me, is very important,” he explains. “And here, coffee is not the centre. It’s about art and music, too. We have a vinyl ‘wish list’ and usually, a turntable.”
Greenhorn’s preservation of culture isn’t new either. The café’s name is a nod to the three Englishmen who, in 1862, bought over 500 hectares of the West End at an inflated price, earning them the nickname of naivete,
“I’m not much of a businessman either,” Le Daca laughs. “This really is a passion project, but I’m so grateful for the people who come here.
“The West Enders.”
