About
Serving the the perfect espresso, the most exquisite cappuccino, the tallest latte. Come and discover one of Vancouver’s great secrets.
In 1976, a small drug store on the corner of Commercial and Williams is replaced by Continental Billiards. In the beginning, Joe could be found working every day, all day and into the wee hours of the night. The long, rough and rowdy 70s nights soon turn into a seriously bustling business in the 80s. The space expands and morphs into Joe’s – the place to hang. Lattes, Cappuccinos, and Almond Milks were the order of the day. It’s been a legendary hangout for local characters of all stripes ever since.
Some of our most memorable characters and earlier lovers of our lattes and cappuccinos include Sarah Maclachlan, KD Lang, Colin James, and 54-40. Wyckham Porteous wrote and starred in the hit play ‘Joe’s Café’, at the Arts Club Theatre. The Ludwigs’ wrote the song ‘Indecent At Joe’s Café’.
“Counterculture meets old-world charm on the east side. In the early 80s, when artists, musicians, and the local left began to filter onto The Drive – Joe’s, with its battleship linoleum, chipped Formica tables, laundromat lighting, and black-velvet bullfighting scenes, became the hot place to hang out and argue politics into the wee hours.” -thedrive.ca