Your summer espresso is at Sadacci Cafe

“We can’t do that.”

You’d think my partner asked for meat in a vegetarian restaurant. No, the request was much more mundane. With the hot Ottawa weather, she had asked for a glass of tonic and an espresso shot. Off menu, sure, but rather simple to execute. 

During my European travels, the drink was everywhere in places like Denmark, Sweden and Germany. Japan and Taiwan were no different, taking the drink to another level, with combinations like yuzu and apple cider. The bitter espresso, sour lemon and fruit, and sweet tonic all blended together in harmony. 

Scoring an espresso tonic or soda-based drink in Vancouver, especially creative variants, is still not as widespread. New York has them, why not Canada?

Maybe her in Vancouver it’s due to the prevalence of bubble tea. Putting aside the milk teas, the endless combinations of sweet fruit and ice make bubble tea a standout choice for the summer. 

But I think espresso tonic, espresso soda, and juice-based drinks are due for their moment in Canada. Food & Wine in 2023 called it the Drink of the Summer. Like many things, it’s just a little slower arriving up north.

Popular local coffee chain Matchstick has had one for as long as I can remember, rotating into circulation every summer. But otherwise it’s harder to score than you’d expect. Finding a place like the little cafe in Taipei that’s experimenting with different combinations of soda, juice and fruits, hasn’t been easy.

Luckily summer is almost here, and new places are stepping up to fill the void. One such place is Sadacci Cafe at 8 E Cordova St, across from Di Beppe. Opened in February, the tiny, unassuming spot has overtaken many of my favourite cafes as the summer approaches.

When I say tiny, I mean Vancouver bachelor pad tiny. I mean the 99 UBC B-Line on the way to Monday morning classes cramped. The tight space was only big enough to fix two people inside. Which is a shame, because the interior is cute, with little pictures of art, many cat themed, plants and other knick knacks. 

The cafe is Persian-influenced, with different drinks featuring ingredients like saffron, rose water and hibiscus. It’s a combination of flavours you don’t normally see downtown. More of this, please. 

What stood out immediately was the creativity the team imparted to their drink creations. With options like Blueberry Espresso Tonic and Blood Orange Espresso Tonic, the team is leaning into the popular drink, adding their own twists. Plus they look downright beautiful.

See?

I ordered the Good Morning Gastown, layered with dark brown espresso on top, followed by an orange bottom almost like a morning sun. Sunrise, get it? The final ingredient isn’t sugar, but caramel. Ingenious. 

The sweetness will perk you right up, while the bitterness of the espresso matches perfectly with the orange juice. It’s orange juice on steroids. It’ll have you second-guessing why other cafes aren’t doing the same. 

Beyond their espresso drinks, Sadacci has other infused drinks and teas ($5) using traditional Persian ingredients. The Saffron Lemonade featured its namesake saffron with rose water, lime juice, sugar and chia seeds. The entire drink was delightful, a sweet tea-like drink with soft, smooth chia seeds rolling around your mouth. It’s easy to drink, refreshing and I ended up sipping on it the entire day. 

Sadacchi also serves baked goods. I tried the croissant, which was a bit of a miss. They purchase them from a baker in town, so I won’t hold it against them. I look forward to trying other items, like their vegan cookies. 

Summer drink creativity can be more than a caramel frappuccino. Sadacci Cafe makes the case for more creative summer espresso drinks with impressive results. Infusing Persian flavours, the team is experimenting in the best way possible. Lucky for us, they’ve arrived in time for summer. 

Suggested readings

• Here’s a simple recipe for espresso tonic. It’s very simple. 

• Georgia Straight has a lovely yuzu-based espresso drink recipe. I am planning to make it this summer

• This video dives more deeply into the creation of espresso tonic, and some tips to make yours even better, even if you don’t have an espresso machine