Willow Street Cafe

Delicious foods made fresh in house, great coffee, rustic country setting in the quaint town of Chemainus. The perfect spot to refuel.
7 years ago (25-11-2017)

Cute atmosphere and appealing options, but the food was overpriced and average in taste and presentation. Pop was included in the kids' menu deal, but we were charged extra without notice after one of our kids ordered San Pellegrino pop. All of this would have been forgivable, if not for the terrible behavior of the man I assumed to be a co-owner of the restaurant. We knew we were cutting it close when we ordered our food, so when it got close to the time we needed to get in line for the ferry, we asked if we could get the food to go when it was ready. They brought it out to us and we left, but when we got to the car we realized they had only given us half the order. I went back in to get the other half, making no complaint, but simply letting them know what had happened. The hired staff were friendly and apologetic and all was well. Then the aforementioned owner started making veiled statements, saying things like "Customers shouldn't complain when they were told in the first place how long things would take." He was saying these things only a few feet away from me, and to my surprise, I realized that he was referring to me! I asked him to please not complain about me, right in front of me, particularly since I had in fact NOT complained, but had simply come back to retrieve my food. He then quickly backpedaled, saying something like, "Oh, don't listen to me, I just talk. My partner and I get pretty busy running things," but it was too late. Even if I *had* complained, his response as an owner/manager was completely out of line and unprofessional. It was after we left that we opened our to-go boxes to find burnt quiche, burnt grilled cheese, and bland pea soup. An $80 mistake. :-(
7 years ago (29-08-2017)

Willow Street Cafe is a pillar of the downtown community and has been serving the area over the past 2 decades. It has recently changed ownership but the same friendly atmosphere and tasty meals can be expected. The menu is simple and the food is consistently great. The cafe is the place you go for a nice soup, sandwich, wrap or desert treat. The staff provides counter service for ordering only but will promptly bring you your meal or coffee when it is ready. In summer they boast the largest outdoor patio in town and is set amongst the artisanal downtown corridor of Willow Street. Recently they have added free wi-fi for their customers. My personal favorite is either the cheese and ham scone if I want something meal like or if I am after sweets I love the white chocolate berry scone. I highly recommend Willow Street Cafe for a nice simple meal.
7 years ago (13-10-2017)

Fairly pricey for what you get, but the food was good and arrives very quickly.
7 years ago (23-11-2017)

Great place for lunch or just a coffee. Patio seating is fantastic. Incredible staff and owners. I'm there every Sunday morning with the coffee crew. Naomi is keeping the quality up fer sure.
8 years ago (30-07-2017)