Nemesis Coffee

Nemesis in Gastown is always busy. We'd been told there would be a queue no matter when we went. Arriving around 9am on a Sunday, we did queue, but it moved quickly. The system is efficient: you order before sitting, and tables turn over fast.

Brunch

• Avocado Toast with Salmon – Tasty, but not particularly exciting — nothing wrong, just not special.
• Breakfast Sandwich – In a brioche bun with bacon, egg and aioli. At first it looked unimpressive, but biting into it was a revelation. The egg yolk ran through the sandwich, soaking everything. The bacon was salty and balanced the richness nicely.

At first it looked unimpressive, but biting into it was a revelation. It looked simple but tasted fantastic.

Coffee

The coffee was smooth, balanced, and texturally excellent — really pleasant to drink throughout. Compared with Revolver it felt safe: no funky or adventurous notes. But that's not necessarily bad; it makes it more crowd-pleasing.

Pastries

• Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookie – The outside was caramelised and crisp, the centre soft. We intended to save it for later but couldn't stop eating it.
• Tiramisu Cruffin – Much lighter than expected. We tore off pastry and dipped it into the espresso cream topping, which worked brilliantly.

Verdict

Nemesis is a quick-moving, lively café with excellent pastries, smooth coffee, and brunch dishes that satisfy without surprising. Less adventurous than Revolver, but still a very good stop.