In rainy cities, cafés make up the lifeblood of the java-loving, cabin-fevered public. Trendy, cozy, Gothic, stark, or kitschy… take your pick; they all have a following. Here in Vancouver, where the infestation of Starbucks’ outlets is cause for embarrassment, independent operations are especially welcome. Enter Momento.

Pedestrian-heavy Kitsilano is a good fit for the newly opened café, sitting a few shops in from the southeast corner of W4th Ave at Broadway. Owned by Rick Martin, proprietor of the popular Mac Market next door, the café’s mandate is to provide quality coffee with a low environmental imprint. The take-out cups, for example, are biodegradable. The appliances are low energy, and the furniture, while mint, is mostly used. And though the enviro-ethos of the café is progressive, it’s notable that the atmosphere isn’t granola-esque.

Cafés should percolate more than just good coffee: Creativity, community and peace of mind are also essential ingredients in a winning brew. Momento succeeds, thanks to a beautiful space is registers as both contemporary and cool. Vintage married to custom interior detailing like the perforated, acid washed copper coffee bar reminiscent of ostrich leather, local surf art from the bird who works at the cold beer and wine across the street, and burlap coffee sacs stretched over large frames. Aesthetics aside, it’s the coffee that makes one loyal to any coffee house, and it’s here that Momento is doing something a little different. Instead of regular drip, they offer a pour-over ($2.10) – a freshly-made cup that hasn’t been sitting in a cask for hours. For other drinks, the enormous four-headed La Marzocco espresso machine corners like it’s on rails.

“You could be pumping 200 – 300 espressos per hour out of this thing,” said barista Dave, running a hand over the machine like it was a freshly-polished Ferrari. “It steams milk in eight seconds!” That kind of performance, I suppose, is the equivalent of coffee porn.

If you’ve ever been intrigued by the alchemists of yore, Momento’s baristas, the aforementioned Dave and his counterpart Rod, will provide a modern version without the false gold involved. Over glass beakers and bubbling brews they put slack-eyed café staffers around North America to shame. They serve Origins Organic Coffee, a fair trade company that prides itself on shortening the distance between seed and cup. The beans themselves are roasted by famed Seattle coffee colonel John Sanders of Hines Coffee.