6 Degrees Eatery - A Coal Harbour Café

This is all you would want in a neighbourhood café.  It's a great little friendly, relaxing, and comfortable place.  Food and drink are good.  I've had cappuccinos, Earl Grey tea, wine, almond croissant, truffle mac and cheese with ham, and ale stew, and all were high quality.  Great service, good value for the area, especially with happy hour specials and a view of the harbour, comfortable decor, and pretty dishware and cutlery.

I've often wanted a café where you can not only stay a while having coffee, but also have the option to have some savoury food.  I feel comfortable doing either here.  And they even have beer, wine, and spirits!  It's been a while since I've been there, but they did full table service.  I actually enjoyed that, because they really didn't rush me out on any visit even though they were tending the tables.  They also have a little convenience shop going on in the corner, presumably so that people in the nearby hotel (and maybe even the condos) can grab necessities like milk or other items, and take them to their room.  

For warmer weather, they have a little patio area, and even encourage dogs by having a banana shaped dog bed out there.  You can watch people strolling along the seawall while enjoying your coffee or a glass of wine.  In the window, i imagine the pedestrian traffic is too slow for them to stay open at night, but I hope they are able to open at night again when the weather warms up.  

Longer night hours, along with a couple of larger substantial main dishes (though their food tends to be more tapas style), and a few special house cocktails, would make this place perfect.  

"Secret" Cuchillo

I admit it, I was intrigued by Cuchillo because it had no other sign than its beautiful purple neon skull.  No menu posted in the window, or hours, or a name.  But there's always Google maps.  I stumbled across this place on Powell St amidst so many other hipster-filled restaurants and cafés (in the Crosstown and Chinatown area), and I'd been having bad luck with them, finding them overpriced and, well, too "hipster-y" (y'know, trying to be cool, but just ending up impractical in an arrogant yet clichéd way...).  I am a big fan of Latin food, and I'm so glad I gave Cuchillo a try.  While I still spent quite a bit there, I found prices really reasonable and large portions helped make it feel like good value.  The food was delicious.  The cocktail was refreshing, and even though it had typically sweet flavours (lychee, lemonade), it was well balanced, and not cloying.  Service was warm and attentive.  Another server besides my main server checked in with me also during the night.  The vibe was good - somewhat relaxed, even with large groups of people having a good time.  My only quibble, that I can put up with, is that they have almost exclusively high top tables and stools, and as a shorter person, I always prefer low chairs.  But I'd definitely go back.  

 The Secret Garden

Blistered shisito chilies with coriander hummus, salsa mocha, patacone, $9

 Cornbread Azul, guajillo chili butter, $9

 Lamb (meatball) taco topped with popcorn and cheese, $12 for 2 tacos