Ok, I’m going to be a bit out of left field with this one, so bear with me.
If you or your knitter are anything like me (or you know, most normal humans), you/they probably like coffee and/or tea. Personally, I’m a coffee guy, but there are many avid tea drinkers out there.
Now, I also like to shop local, so here’s a list of some of my top picks. Buy them a bag of beans, a box of tea, a gift card, or maybe even just take them out for a cuppa!
Bean Around the World has some very nice roasted beans that you can buy by weight (get a half-pound to start if you’re not sure). Bonus, they’ve got shops all over town.
If you’re out near UBC, The Boulevard Coffee Co roasts on-site. Great Dane has fantastic food and pastries (and coffee from a great Victoria roaster).
In the middle of the city, Elysian make some of the best lattes and cappuccinos I’ve ever had. Aperture has a funky vibe (and a wall of books to swap and borrow), and brings in Intelligentsia – one of my favourite roasters. Kafka’s does some lovely specialty drinks, and some very lovely pastries.
Another local roaster is Milano, with a few locations around town. Hands down the best locally-roasted beans in town.
The Bayswater Tea Company is a cute shop, and does one of the best cream teas I’ve found.
Murchies, of course is a classic option for teas.
While not just selling tea, East End Chai does some incredibly lovely chai. Perfect for cold grey days.
There are many more, but hopefully this is enough to get you started! The options might seem intimidating, but I find you can get some great recommendations if you ask!