Two-and-a-half months of vacation before residency begins can only be seen as a blessing. Many of us travel, some get married, others attend weddings and other events. All of us have some fun adulting responsibilities, such as filling out our payroll and insurance forms for our residency programs. Some of us decide to pursue hobbies and interests outside of medicine, such as coffee guzzling and writing. Then there are special people who run around Ottawa making new childhood memories in their mid-to-late twenties.

Cafe adventures are always more fun in groups, and it was with full bellies and abated hangriness that I brought Sumaiya and Marissa with me to Little Victories Coffee Roasters in the Glebe. As soon as Marissa saw the Suzy Q sign outside the building, I knew nothing would stop her from entering the premises. I personally loved the storefront, with the blue-grey painted bricks and large, beautiful windows.

We were able to grab the tables near the windows. There was a larger table behind us with more seating available, and wooden benches near the cash and washroom. Each table was adorned with a cute plant (succulent, cactus, orchids), which added a simple yet colourful touch to the cafe’s decor. The space was clean, well-kept, and comfortable, with a washroom available to customers at the back of the building. There was a steady stream of customers during the entire time we sat in the shop, with most taking their drinks to go since it was a beautiful sunny day.

Coffee drinks are available in small (8oz) and large (12oz) sized mugs. There are also paper cups available as to-go options. For my fellow coffee lovers who cannot tolerate dairy, they offer oat milk, almond milk and coconut milk as dairy substitutes. The only food available was a fantastic selection of Suzy Q donuts, which kept Marissa occupied for at least 7 minutes (shown below). Take note of the vegan options available for vegans and non-vegans alike.

The customer service was excellent. We were able to order without a hassle and our drinks were brought to our table. Sumaiya opted for water, which was available in a pitcher at the back of the shop. She noticed there were some coffee grinds in the pitcher when she went to refill her cup, and the issue was immediately taken care of by the staff. She was adamant I include this anecdote in my blog post as she was very impressed.
I ordered an 8oz cafe latte made with oat milk for $4.50. I’ve come to truly appreciate the texture of oat milk; it’s smooth and does not taste as strong as almond or coconut milk. I also find the foam isn’t as thick on the surface of the latte. The oat milk latte I had at Little Victories did not disappoint, and I adored the design in the thin layer of foam.
Marissa opted for an 8oz cafe mocha with regular milk. In her own words:
It was the perfect ratio of espresso to chocolate and amount of sweetness. It tasted rich, more like a dark chocolate as opposed to a milk chocolate.”
After much deliberation, she finally opted for the sugar munkki donut, a simple yet delicious balance to the otherwise rich and flavourful mocha. She found the combination to be excellent.
During our visit, we were not able to find any Wi-Fi networks (we always check just in case). I definitely would not consider this a deal-breaker for any cafe; lots of work can be done without access to the internet, and we had each other to talk to for 2 hours which is plenty entertaining on its own. For some reason, we decided to take photos of our drinks using our current reads and my journal as props:


Our vacation time may have led to small existential crises and the only help we’ll accept is from an author who understands the psyche of millennials and explains concepts using well-timed swear words. We actually discussed the contents of these books amongst ourselves and would definitely recommend these books as summer reads. Overall, a great day with phenomenal friends; we went on after our cafe adventure to relive our youth at the playground in Mooney’s Bay.

Little Victories has a wonderful Instagram page with gorgeous photos and announcements regarding their special events. Give them a follow if you’d like to learn more about them!
Updates: you can follow the blog’s new Instagram page @ottcafehopper ! You can also follow the blog on Facebook, whichever you prefer (or both).
Happy Monday!
—E.l.