“The construction of the building was really interesting—you would never be able to get away with something like that nowadays,” says Antoine Morris with a laugh. Morris is the principal of Vancouver-based architecture firm DAE, and the “interesting” structure he’s referring to is a massive, pitched-roof solid timber building in West Vancouver. The property has been recognized as a kind of community hub since the early ’60s, when it held a gas station and a grocery store.

Inside Isetta Coffee in West Vancouver.
Photo by Ema Peter.

“It was in disrepair, and the owner saw it as a jewel that he wanted to bring back,” says Javier Campos, principal designer of Campos Studio. DAE and Campos Studio collaborated to transform the campsite-like building into a modern, buzzy and welcoming space—and that called for coffee.

Guff Muench has a vintage car collection, and a bright red Isetta greets guests. It’s a fitting model: the car is Italian-designed and German-built (Muench is German and café GM Thomas Eleizegui is Italian). Photo by Ema Peter.

The structure became home to Isetta, a new café bistro from Thomas Eleizegui (who was behind the now-closed bike café Musette in Vancouver’s West End). DAE and Campos Studio kept the timber ceiling, aiming to preserve as much of that honest, old-school construction as possible.

Photo by Ema Peter.

But at eye-level, traditional meets modern: midcentury-style patinated leather seating and blown glass pendant lights mix with bright, fresh details like the curvilinear orange wall sconces by Rich Brilliant Willing and a beautiful turquoise-tiled bar.

The Colnago Master Pista bicycle mounted on Isetta’s wall is one of a kind and custom-painted by iconic graffiti artists Futura and Stash. It was made for a 2007 art show called Look Ma! No Brakes! Photo by Ema Peter.

“We spent a lot of time making sure that what was attached to the shell stayed faithful to the original,” says Campos. And, as such, that community hub vibe lives on: on any given weekday morning, Isetta is bustling with suburban commuters grabbing coffee, Lycra-suited cyclists on their way back from climbing up to Cypress Mountain andretirees catching up over sandwiches. 

Alyssa Hirose

Alyssa Hirose

Alyssa Hirose is a Vancouver-based writer, editor, illustrator and comic artist. Her work has been featured in Vancouver magazine, Western Living, BCBusiness, Avenue, Serviette, Geist, BCLiving, Nuvo, Montecristo, The Georgia Straight and more. Her beats are food, travel, arts and culture, style, interior design and anything dog-related. She publishes a daily autobiographical comic on Instagram at @hialyssacomics.