If we had to guess what most of your lives as international students in Vancouver look like:
You probably go to a school near Granville street or in Gastown.
You live near downtown with many roommates or far from the city centre.
You need a place to study or meet with your classmates to work on a group project.
However, this last one is tough to find. Especially a place that is accessible, affordable, has good vibes, and is open after class. Therefore we mobilized some boots on the ground and searched for the city's best spots to study and work with your team. Thankfully downtown Vancouver is not that big or that would have been a lot of walking 😅.
Our search led us to a list that we narrowed down to the 5 best spots to study in Vancouver. When compiling our list, we considered you and what may be important to you. So let's see how we did!
1- Vancouver Public Library Central Branch
We love to talk about VPL at every opportunity we have and even wrote an entire article about it [Vancouver Public Library (VPL) Central Branch | VPL's hidden secrets]. It is an excellent resource for students in Vancouver and one of the perks of studying here. VPL offers an abundance of space indoors and outdoors, free wifi, private rooms and many resources to help you study. Also, it is nicely located near many restaurants and cafes that cater to various budgets.
Location: 350 W Georgia Street
Food & Beverages: No
Price: Free
Student Discount: NA
Hours: 9:30 am - 8:30 pm Monday to Thursday | 9:30 am - 6 pm Friday | 10 am - 6 pm Saturday | 11 am - 6 pm Sunday
2- Zaatar w Zeit
This Lebanese urban eatery specializes in fresh Lebanese & Mediterranean street food. Zaatar w Zeit is strategically located on Granville street near West Pender street and Waterfront Station. It is a walking distance from VGC International College, Cornerstone College, UCW and Adler University. They offer free wifi, have big tables for your group projects, plenty of charging outlets and wireless charging conveniently attached to the tables. Our favourite food to order is Chicken Tawouk Wrap and Zaatar & Cheese Manousheh.
Location: 531 Granville street
Food & Beverages: Yes
Price: Food $5 - $16 | Drinks $3.5 - $6
Student Discount: 10% off
(Happy Hours on weekdays from 3 to 6 pm - 50% off salads on display after 7 pm)
Hours: 9 am - 9 pm Weekdays | 10 am - 9 pm Weekends
3- Breka Bakery & Café
Breka is a famous bakery in Vancouver. With many locations all over the city, you can always count on finding delicious food 24/7. That’s right. The Davie location (in the corner of Davie & Hornby) is one of their many locations that never closes. With many places to sit and fast internet, it is the perfect place to study or have that group meeting with your classmates. They've got an amazing selection of baked goodies, from fresh bread to sweet pastries, cakes, and cookies. Plus, if you're feeling savoury, they have tasty sandwiches, soups, and quiches. And let's not forget about their coffee, tea, and other drinks - they've got something for everyone.
Location: 855 Davie Street
Food & Beverages: Yes
Price: Food $3.50 - $12 | Drinks $2.50 - $6
Student Discount: No special discounts for students
Hours: Monday - Sunday 24 hours
4- Starbucks Reserve
Yes. We included a Starbucks in this list. But hear us out! This Granville & Pender Reserve Bar is cool. Besides being a beautiful café, it has a great location and multiple seating areas. They offer a wide variety of coffee, tea, and other drinks, as well as a selection of snacks and pastries. The best part, it feels familiar and has standardized quality worldwide. Therefore, it will taste the same as back home!
Location: 700 West Pender Street
Food & Beverages: Yes
Price: Food $3 - $9 | Drinks $3.5 - $9
Student Discount: No special discounts for students
Hours: Monday - Wednesday 5:30 am - 8 pm | Thursday & Friday 5:30 am - 9 pm | Saturday 7 am - 9 pm | Sunday 7 am - 8 pm
5- Trees Organic Coffee
Trees Organic Coffee has multiple locations in downtown Vancouver. It is on our "best places" list because of the fact that they are one of the few places that are open late, as late as 10 pm. Both locations on Granville are small and spaces fill fast. The one on Burrard is bigger with plenty of natural lighting. We are also happy to report that they offer students with a student ID 10% off of the regular menu! Other than the hours and the dangerously delicious cheesecakes the cafe doesn't have many things that distinguishes it from the others. Therefore, you know what to expect.
Location: 450 Granville Street
Food & Beverages: Yes
Price: Food $9 - $19 | Drinks $3.5 - $7
Student Discount: 10% off
Hours: Monday to Friday 7 am to 10 pm | Saturday & Sunday 8 am - 10 pm
There are way more places to check out around Vancouver - especially places for studying. We will continue highlighting places like these in our issues, so stay tuned. We have also put together a map of all our and your favourite places in Vancouver. Check it out!
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