Morningside Organic Bakery & Cafe

Atrocious customer service. The sour French woman appears to despise customers. Our experience was bizarre and unpleasant. Mediocre overpriced pastries and coffee. There is a reason locals avoid this place.

I don’t know what her emotional or life issues are but some people should not be in customer service jobs. Don’t let her ruin your day, spend your money elsewhere. My wife and I were puzzled about what we could have said or done to be treated so poorly until I read these reviews and realized it’s definitely her, not us. Oh, and it was the most we ever paid for a coffee, $ 6 for an americano with 4 shots! Cute place though.

This was absolutely the worst customer service I have ever experienced. It is baffling to think the woman there is still employed.
I came here with my wife to drop off our friend at the ferry and thought we would get a bite and support a local organic café. We walked in to a very nice cob entrance with soft music playing and looked at a few of their books for sale. We then went to the back for food and were immediately faced with a scowling woman in a head wrap. Upon asking what was in the sandwiches she barked at us to read the menu next to the register. While we read it, a couple came in and the gentleman kindly asked if there were any gluten free options. She told him their three limited options so quickly he had to ask her to repeat them. She then did so, in a very condescending matter.
After a minute or two of everyone perusing the menu, the woman demanded someone order something. Our friend ordered a pizza to get started but after seeing it was $ 14 for a very small personal pizza, she changed her mind. At this point, the woman yelled at everyone to order something or get out. We left and happily spent our money at the café next door.
I will never come back to the Morningside and strongly urge everyone I know to do the same. There are a variety of local businesses I would prefer to support.
This woman’s attitude not only lost their business our money and the couple that came in after (they showed up next door a few minutes after us and we were all floored by the experience). It left us with a cloud of negativity that followed us all day and we couldn’t get away from there fast enough.
Avoid this place at all costs!

Have to wonder if the 5-​star ratings here aren’t some kind of paid plug for this establishment. As many of the other reviewers attest, the service from the woman who runs/​owns the place is appalling. Absolutely do not take children into this place, unless you have the time to explain to them afterwards the ins and outs of abusive language, condescension, arrogance, and just plain meanness (not to mention highly inappropriate, absolutely not-​in-​public conversation). Go to the Rock Salt next door, unless you’re prepared for heaps of contempt and abuse from Morningside. My experience there was absolutely bizarre, perhaps the worst customer service experience I’ve had in my nearly 50 years.

This service here has been EXTREMELY rude multiple times. This morning the owner kicked all the children out of the dining room, swore at the guest in front of me, then, when I used my cell phone in front of her she told me to «shove it up my ass». The food is over priced and tasteless ($ 8 smoothies, cardboard «flax» muffins). Avoid at all costs.

This place is absolutely appalling. My boyfriend and I stopped there after getting off the ferry. My boyfriend purchased a coffee (3.80 $ for a drip coffee is this real?) and I asked if I could get a croissant. The lady behind the counter was rude and when she told me the croissant would cost 3.75 I politely declined. I then proceeded to tell my boyfriend this place was overpriced and the man sitting at the next table (who was apparently the owner) got pissed and said that no it’s not expensive and that I need to leave. Who the fuck treats customers that way? I don’t care how you put it, 3.80 for drip coffee is ridiculous and I have NEVER in my life paid more than 3 $ for a plain croissant (And I have bought croissants in France, Japan, Switzerland and other expensive countries). We ended up having a conversation with the owner, and while I appreciated some of what he had to say (he had a decent critique of capitalism), this level of condescension is unacceptable. By the way we did purchase a few items (a croissant, coffee and pizza) and it was absolutely nothing special, so don’t bother shopping there if you actually want something good. A note to the owner: While I appreciate that you pay your employee (s) well (if you actually do) and that you try to promote local buys and recycling, you just came off as a privileged and pretentious dude and you should really check your attitude. Absolutely despicable customer service.

$ 7 for a lousy coffee and croissant to go, give your head a shake people …
Exorbitant prices trying to fleece a captive audience, capitalism at its worst…

Ugh, what terrible service. The front staff are so rude you wonder if you owe them an apology for letting yourself in. Of course we have no idea how the food is since we had a such an off-​putting dialogue (we were polite mind you) with the staff that my better half and I exchanged a look and excused ourselves. No thank, nope, I’ll give my money to someone else thank you very much.

A horrible woman works here. An innocent visit will blow your vibe. Any further review of this establishment is simply not warranted. For a place which proclaims peace and love, this joint has a mean black heart.

Looooooove it. This joint is run by a couple of serious characters who make great espresso and even better chocolate croissants. It’s all about vegan this and sustainable that. There are lots of groovy books to enjoy. But the best part is that the owners are Québécois and they will deliver a scathing critique of Canadian culture that puts the salt on Salt Spring Island. Just ask.

Nous avons eu une très bonne expérience, contrairement aux autres avis anglophones, seraient-​ils en pleine évolution? car le lieu est à vendre, même si l’activité continue. Nous avons été très bien accueilli et servi par une femme très sympathique qui était ravie de nous parler français. Ce café propose des choix variés et biologiques pour déjeuner, gouter et boire, avec des options crues, végétaliennes, végétariennes, sans lactose, etc.
Une bonne ambiance se dégage de ce lieu où l’on peut aussi acheter des livres et CD, où l’on a la place d’installer son ordinateur (free wifi), d’écrire des cartes postales, de se réchauffer avant de prendre le ferry du retour.
D’ailleurs, pour les toilettes, il faut aller dans la salle d’attente du ferry !

Dear Spicy Chai,
On those days where my shoes get wet or my alarm doesn’t go off, I loathe the dual-​ferry wielding body of water between us. Because I know even the worst days would be a little better with some organic spicy love.
Sincerely,
The Chai Addict.
I have family on Salt Spring and it meant I spent my summer/​early fall getting acquainted its surroundings. And although this little gulf island has its fair share of gems, the one thing I truly crave each and every time I think of it is Morningside’s spicy chai. Served piping hot, in a warm your digits mason jar with JUST the right amount of heat — this little number is just bliss. Absolute freaking bliss. During the summer, on a quick weekend jaunt, I would generally drag my mother there at least once a day — two if I could get away with it — trying to get the most of my chai fix until the mainland called me home.
Morningside itself is a place worth checking out. Just up the road from the Fulford Harbor ferry dock — this art deco café looks like it’s been constructed via years of eccentric «moments of inspiration». There’s benches and a movie screen hanging from the ceiling, netting here, paintings there — wood, ceramic, stucco. It’s like a charming lean-​to representation of island life.
The two people who own/​run the place, from rumour (and other Unilocalers reviews) can apparently be a bit… unpredictable but i’ve personally never had a bad experience. Ok ok — the owner who makes the spicy chai love can be very blunt which might rub some people — especially us mainlanders (who she can spot like POW) — the wrong way but she knows her sh*t people. Listen to the lady! And when you do, and get talked into the dried kelp whatchamacallit, gluten free organic whatnot? Just go with it. You’re on an island of organic, grass whatchamacalits — try new things!
The other owner likes to sit out front and is always armed with an interesting perspective or a discussion about a book (of which they carry an AWESOME selection of. Seriously. Great, great taste in novels!).
They are not a wham, bam, thank you ma’am sort of place. Take a moment (and a breath), maybe not hit it when you’re RUNNING to the ferry with 2 minutes to spare and yes, expect a lecture about what your consuming. Like I said, you just sort of have to go with it.
Get a spicy chai next time and you will see this place through the same rose colored glasses… trust me.

Rude staff, go to Rock Side!