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Open Daily 7am – 6pm · Nanaimo, BC

Good coffee.
Good life.

Specialty coffee, wholesome food, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to stay. Locally rooted since 2019.

4.9 · 340 Google reviews
Zest Café
4.9
Stars

What We Brew

The Menu.

The Forest Blend

The Forest Blend

Single origin Ethiopia, light roast, floral notes

$5.50
Matcha Ritual
Staff Pick

Matcha Ritual

Ceremonial grade matcha, oat milk, honey

$7.00
Sunrise Latte
Bestseller

Sunrise Latte

Espresso, oat milk, house orange syrup, cinnamon

$6.50
Cold Brew Tonic

Cold Brew Tonic

18-hour cold brew, tonic water, citrus peel

$6.00

Something to Eat

Avocado Toast

Avocado Toast

$13.00

Sourdough, smashed avo, chili flakes, microgreens

Grain Bowl

Grain Bowl

$15.00

Farro, roasted veg, tahini, pickled onion

Banana Loaf

Banana Loaf

$5.50

House-baked, oat milk, brown butter glaze

Our Story

Born on the
North Shore.

Zest started as a farmers' market pop-up in 2019. We outgrew our tent pretty fast. Now we're in the heart of Nanaimo, serving the neighbourhood we love with coffee sourced from BC roasters we believe in.

Everything on our menu is made in-house, in small batches, with ingredients we can actually name. No shortcuts. No compromises.

2019
Founded
100%
BC Sourced
4,000+
Monthly Guests
Our story
Plant-First
80% of our menu

What we stand for.

Plant-First Menu
🌱

Plant-First Menu

Over 80% of our menu is fully plant-based or easily adapted. Eating well shouldn't be complicated.

BC Roasters Only

BC Roasters Only

We source exclusively from independent BC roasters who share our values. Every cup has a story.

Community Roots
🤝

Community Roots

10% of monthly profits go to local food security programs. Business should give back.

Visit Us

Come say hi.

123 Harbour Street
Nanaimo, BC V9R 2N4
Monday – Friday7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Get Directions
Location

What people are saying.

"Best oat latte on the island. The vibe is immaculate — I come every morning before work."

Sarah M.

"I work remotely and Zest is my office. Fast WiFi, great playlist, and the cold brew is elite."

Jordan T.

"The grain bowl changed my lunch game. And the staff somehow remember everyone's name."

Priya L.