Nemesis Coffee GNW

Nemesis coffee, and a bakery that carries equal weight

Nemesis roasts its own coffee, and the GNW bar pours it: everyday filter, the Nemesis signature, and single origins such as the Ethiopia Danche Chelbesa, all sold as bags on the same shelf they are poured from. Nitro Cold Brew is the drink most associated with this room, nutty rather than sharp, with the iced latte beside it.

Pastry is not the sideline. Dope Bakehouse supplies the case, and the core line runs through a classic butter croissant, pain au chocolat and The Queen, with laminated specials that have included a miso brownie chocolate croissant, a matcha raspberry cruffin and a lemon meringue croissant. This is one of the few coffee bars in the city where the case is as much of a draw as the bar.

Brunch runs through the middle of the day

Think about GNW by daypart. Brunch is central and runs all day, and the menu has carried muesli, eggs benny, fried chicken sandos, a Bodega Sando and a Salmon Danish, so a visit can go well past coffee and a pastry.

The Bodega Sando shows the kitchen’s register: milk bun, avocado or bacon, fried egg, swiss cheese and thousand island aioli. The Salmon Danish goes the other way, with smoked salmon mousse, chives and furikake, plus a poached egg if you want it. The room itself is part of the appeal, a big red brick exterior outside and elevated natural wood ceilings inside, bright and design-led rather than utilitarian. It is popular enough that peak moments feel busy, though the pastry case tends to hold up even on a Sunday. The Great Northern Way room is one of several Nemesis sites, alongside Gastown, Polygon, Pavilion and TriCity, and it keeps its own menu.

Order the nitro, then choose a pastry

Start with the Nitro Cold Brew, or an iced latte if you want milk, then work the case. Beyond the butter croissant, pain au chocolat and The Queen, the laminated specials are where GNW earns its reputation.

The miso brownie chocolate croissant carries a rich chocolate filling against miso caramel. The lemon meringue croissant eats like a lemon bar rebuilt in pastry. The matcha raspberry cruffin puts thick matcha cream against tart raspberry. Any of the three is a better order than a plain croissant, and any of them is better still with the nitro. If brunch is the plan instead, the Bodega Sando and the Salmon Danish are the two plates to choose between.