Extreme Coffee Freak

I had read about this little sandwich shop that served coffee so on a recent trip to Edmonton, I thought we would go check this place out. The shop we went to was Farrow’s first location. Farrow has been around since 2014. I originally went there for the coffee but stayed for a sandwich.

 

The Interior

To say the place is small, is an understatement. This is a place that if you want to change your mind after you make a decision, you need to go back outside to do so. This place has 3 stools in the window to sit at and a couple of picnic tables outside.

The kitchen is wide open, no hiding anything here. The guys working the kitchen really move the sandwiches out the door.

 

The Drinks

From what I had read about these guys was that pour overs were their specialty, so when in Rome. They support multiple roasters and change them up all the time. The day I was there they had five different roasters to choose from.

I obviously had a pour over for $4.75. I chose the Kuma Coffee. It was an Aragon – Guatemalan. The tasting notes of Cherry, Melon, and Papaya. This was a nice sweet coffee, it was excellent.

I really loved the artwork on the cup as well.

 

The Food

While we were there we ordered the Grick Middle sandwich for $8.50. I am so glad we did because the sandwich was outstanding. The bread was fresh and soft. The ingredients on the sandwich consisted of a fried egg, bacon (can’t go wrong with bacon), arugula, tomato jam, smoked cheddar cheese and rosemary garlic aioli. All ingredients were super fresh and the sandwich was made right before my eyes.

Did I already tell you the sandwich was amazing, maybe I did?

As I was sitting on the picnic table enjoying my sandwich, about 30 people had come and gone getting the amazing delicacies. These guys are the really into the art of sandwiches.

They also had some baked goods for sale. All of these are also made in house, so they must be pretty good too.

 

The Service

The service overall was terrific. I had to wait a few minutes to get my sandwich, but that was only because there were people in front of me waiting to get their sandwiches. Just so you know, it was worth the wait.

 

The Hours

Monday to Friday: 8:00AM – 7:00PM

Saturday and Sunday: 9:00AM – 7:00PM

 

Parking

There is street parking and a lot across the street, depending on the day you go, you will have to pay.

 

Last Words

I can tell you one thing, the next time I am in Edmonton, I will be going there to try one of their other creations.

Go check this place out at farrowsandwiches.ca

 

One coffee shop that we really wanted to stop at was Empire Coffee because they use Stumptown Coffee Roasters from Portland Oregon. We had driven past this location a couple times earlier in the day and didn’t even realized until we decided to have a coffee.

 

The Interior

You walk in a set of double doors and the bar is directly ahead, to the right there is a bunch of tables and then a little further right there is an outdoor patio that is all enclosed with big windows and a huge garage door. At the front there is another set of double doors that people can enter through as well. We decided to sit in the outdoor area because it was really nice outside.

While we were sitting there enjoying our snack and beverage there were pigeons hanging out, unfortunately you cannot feed them, why you ask, because there is a street sign right in front of the patio telling you not to or you will be killed (sorry meant to say fined). We noticed that instead of the pigeons flying up the stairs they were polite and they hopped up the stairs. We thought it was funny. These birds aren’t scared of too much, I tried to startle them and they look at you like “what are you doing”.

 

The Drinks

My daughter and I ordered Latte’s for $4.04 and it was made with Stumptown’s Hair Bender which is one of my favorite espressos and it was absolutely delicious.

My wife ordered an Iced Chai for $3.75 and it was refreshing, but it was sad because they made the chai using a concentrate. My wife is on the hunt for a chai that is homemade.

 

The Food

I ordered a Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffin for $3.25 and there was a giant hard chunk of cream cheese in the middle, but it had really good flavour. I ended up cutting it in half and then using a knife to spread the cream cheese on each piece.

My wife ordered a Lemon Cheesecake for $4.50 and it was an unbaked smooth cheesecake with major lemon flavour. It was absolutely delicious.

My daughter ordered a Nanaimo Bar for $4.25 and it was huge. The flavour was delicious. It was so big that she couldn’t finish the bar.

Overall, they have a really good selection of munchies and treats.

 

The Service

The staff was friendly and made our drinks quickly which was nice. The people who were at the shop were very friendly as well.

 

The Hours

Open daily from 6:00AM – 6:00PM

 

Parking

There was street parking and you had to pay a meter to park there, you do have a time limit of two hours.

 

Last Words

On our next trip through Nelson we would definitely stop here again and indulge in another treat and amazing Stumptown Coffee.

While wandering along Main Street in Nelson we came across a place called Rel-ish and decided to have lunch. After reviewing the menu posted outside we decided this was the place. Plus there was a nice patio along the side of the building.

 

The Interior

We didn’t venture inside, but my daughter did take a couple photos. There were tables that lined the windows and the bar was located in the center as well as the kitchen. You would be able to watch your food be made.

The patio was two-tiered and it was located under a giant acorn tree. It was really cool because we were sitting there and an acorn dropped on our table. We then realized we would have to be ready because we may be hit with a small acorn.

 

The Food

I ordered the Boss Man Burger for $24.00 and it was hard to eat, but absolutely delicious. The patty fell apart which could be because there was two and a half patties on this burger. The bacon jam was amazing and the addition of the fresh veggies was delicious.

My wife ordered the Chicken Caesar Wrap for $15.00 and it was delicious. She opted for the crunchy chicken and she said that it was a nice contrast of the soft salad and crunchy chicken. The wrap had good flavour and it was very filling, she said that if they had a half wrap option that would be the best. The full wrap with the fresh fries was a lot of food.

My daughter ordered the Chicken Peanut Lime Udon for $16.00 and it was delicious. She said it was a little spicier than she thought, but that was really good. She said she would order with rice next time and that it had really good flavour. She also said that it was really filling and she could only eat half of the order.

 

The Service

The staff was very friendly and took our order quite quick. Unfortunately our food took a while to come to us, we thought it would have been quicker since it was not as busy as it could have been. Other than that it was a good experience.

 

The Hours

Summer Hours – June 1 to August 31

Sunday to Thursday – 8:00AM – 10:00PM

Friday to Saturday – 8:00AM – 11:00PM

 

Winter Hours – September 1 to May 31

Sunday to Thursday – 9:00AM – 9:00PM

Friday to Saturday – 9:00AM – 11:00PM

 

Parking

There was parking all along Main Street and along the side streets, just be cautious because the time limit is two hours. Also, the day we were there, the town had a street market going on so that played with the amount of parking as well.

 

Last Words

We would like to come back and try another meal on the menu, since they have so many option I think next time we are in Nelson we would definitely stop here again.

I first tried No. 6 coffee originally when I was at The Beltliner in Calgary. They had No.6 as their feature roaster for the month. I enjoyed the coffee so much I bought a few bags of it. So when we decided to head to Nelson, I knew we had to stop by and check them out.

Our first stop when we arrived in Nelson was No. 6 Coffee Co., when we walked into their location it smelt so delicious. There is nothing better than the smell of freshly roasted beans.

 

The Interior

When you walk in you first notice a very minimal vibe going on. White walls with murals and a splash of color in one corner. Very simple clean lines everywhere. The murals were done by Chelsea Freyta, an artist that has some serious skill.

They have a couple shelves of product for sale just on the left side when you enter, on the right side there is a small seating area with the bar. They are a stay and enjoy your beverage kind of place, they don’t have any to-go cups in their shop. At the back to the left there is a bunch of un-roasted beans with their roasting machine and their packaging area to the right.

 

Their Story

Denis told us that they were celebrating their second year in this location and before that they roasted in an apartment. Currently they roast two days a week and then they do a cupping on the second day. They really do this because they love what they do and it all started by roasting using a popcorn machine and working their way up to the roaster that they now use.

 

The Drinks

I ordered an Ethiopian Pour Over for $3.25 and it was absolutely delicious. As we were talking with Denis, we had the opportunity to sample their Cold Brew and it was so deliciously smooth. It looks like it is Nitro-infused but it is not. It was extremely refreshing.

Nor my daughter or I have ever been a fan of Cold Brew and this was so good that we both could have drank a whole glass.

 

I did buy some beans to take home with me. I bought the following:

Backcountry Espresso (Brazil • Colombia • Ethiopia natural • India)

The espresso proved a bit on the darker side, with flavors of cloves, and honey, though I’m not one who has much love for darker roasts, this espresso actually grew on me and proved overall delicious.

 

Nouveau Espresso (Brazil • Sumatra • Ethiopia natural • Honduras)

This espresso proved to be on the sweeter side of things. I found this one a lot creamier than the Backcountry espresso. The tastes were more subtle in this one. More chocolate tones with a hint of vanilla.

 

They only roast the highest quality coffee sourced from family run farms and independent co-ops. Paying above and beyond Fair Trade minimums.

 

The Service

When we arrived Denis was roasting and answered our questions between doing things. It was so nice being able to hear their store of where they started to where they are now and where they want to be in the future. As we were talking we noticed that a bunch of people would come in and enjoy a beverage and then leave, but as they were leaving more would come in, it was nice and steady.

 

The Hours

Monday to Wednesday – 9:00AM – 2:00PM

Thursday to Saturday – 9:00AM – 3:00PM

Sunday – Closed

 

Parking

There are a limited amount of spots in their little parking lot. If you are driving a big truck like I do, it was very tight. So maybe park down the street.

 

Last Words

I am thankful that we were able to sit and take some time and talk to Denis and his guys about their story and be able to try their coffee right from the source. They are truly an amazing company and if you have the chance to try their coffee, do it, you won’t regret it.

We stopped in Cranbrook at Hot Shots Cafe to grab a beverage before continuing our trip to Nelson. When we tried to find this place we had some issues because it is not off a main road, it is actually off of an alley way.

 

The Interior

The patio outside is huge and had so many tables everywhere and when we headed inside it was just as big. We also noticed that they have a drive thru attached to this location as well. It was very busy and almost all the tables inside were full.

The counter starts at the door where they have grab and go items and then they have a bar where you can order your drinks or food off the menu.

 

The Drinks

I ordered a Caramel Macchiato for $6.00 and it was made using Kootenay Coffee Roasters. It was actually quite tasty considering they add vanilla syrup to it as well.

My wife ordered a Berry Cloud Smoothie for $5.50 and it was good. It is one of the smoothest smoothies ever and you could taste the strawberry and raspberries throughout the entire drink.

My daughter ordered a Strawberry Storm Smoothie for $4.75 and it was good. There was such a wonderful strawberry flavour.

We were very happy to see that they were using paper straws for their beverages. Every little bit helps.

 

The Service

We only interacted with the cashier and she was friendly. I really feel like they are a grab and go kind of place.

 

The Hours

Monday to Wednesday – 7:00AM – 9:00PM

Thursday and Friday – 7:00AM – 10:00PM

Saturday – 7:00AM – 9:00PM

Sunday – 8:00AM – 5:00PM

The Coffee bar is open every day 1/2 hour past closing time above.

 

Parking

There is a parking lot with quite a few spots available, but when we were there it was quite full.

 

Last Words

Next time we would love to be able to try some of the food that they have and try another one of their beverages.

Before heading on to Nelson we decided to stop and get some breakfast at Big Bang Bagels. The have been feeding hungry people for 10 years now. They have so many kinds of bagels available in both white and whole wheat.

 

The Interior

There is eight tables inside and a small patio with four tables outside. They have a bunch of artwork on the walls which was really cool.

On the left side there is a bar with all your coffee essentials and then the counter where you order and along the back is where they make all the bagels.

 

The Drinks

I ordered a Latte for $4.29 and was made with Cuppers Coffee from Lethbridge. It was good and went really well with my bagel.

We noticed that you cannot grab and go the drinks unless you have a to-go mug. Don’t fret, they have a Rent a Mug program were you rent a mug for $8 and when you return the mug you get back $7.25. We thought that was such a cool program to have.

The Food

We got there when they just opened so everything was very, very fresh and when I say fresh, everything is made in house fresh every day.

Both my wife and I ordered a plain multigrain bagel with Strawberry Cream Cheese for $3.90. The bagel is very light yet filling and the strawberry cream cheese was smooth and creamy with real chunks of strawberries. The bagel was still warm from coming out of the oven.

My daughter ordered a Big Banger with bacon on a whole wheat multigrain for $7.30. It was delicious with lots bacon.

 

They also have this bagel challenge called Da Bomb.

It is one pound of dough, it’s the equivalent of 4, yes FOUR Mr. Fernie’s with Ham and Bacon, Da Bomb is an eating challenge like no other, is what they say. There were some pictures on the wall showing the current record holder. It is insane how big this thing is. Maybe next time. I don’t think so.

 

The Service

Since we got there right when they opened everyone was really nice and friendly. Maybe not quite wide awake but super pleasant to deal with.

The Hours

Monday to Sunday – 7:00AM – 5:00PM

 

Parking

Since it is on Main Street there is a bunch of parking on either side of the road. Since we got there when they opened the streets were bare so we had no problem finding parking.

 

Last Words

We really enjoyed these bagels so much that we have decided on our way back we are going to stop here and buy some bagels to take home with us. Definitely stop here and have an amazing bagel or even try and take on the Da Bomb Bagel Challenge. I dare you!

If you are wanting to try some new ice cream flavours and up for a three hour drive to Fernie, make sure you head over to Happy Cow. They are located on the main street just before you leave Fernie to head to Nelson. This place had some really amazing flavours that I cannot wait to head back and try in the future.

 

The Interior

When you first walk in to the left is their little delivery cart that I would guess they use in the summer. To the right is a freezer with pints for purchase, they have roughly five scoops per pint and they are $9.25. They also offer bigger pints as well, the litre is $16.40 and the two litre is $30.

Behind the counter they have reusable bags for purchase as well as stickers and buttons if you want to show your Happy Cow pride.

The only thing is they need more seating as it is very limited.

 

The Ice Cream

They had so many choices to choose from, it was very hard to decide. They also have ice cream sandwiches, homemade waffle cones, sorbet, and ice cream cakes. All ingredients are sourced locally. Very cool.

I ordered two scoops, one of Disco Dan (lemon ice cream with Nanga Blueberry and Raspberry Ripples) and a scoop of Cowboy Coffee (Rooftop Coffee Roasters infused ice cream). The two flavours were delicious, just don’t mix the flavours together (it got a little weird tasting), and I was so pleased that I got to try these two amazing flavours.

My daughter ordered a scoop of Honeycomb (made with Fernie honey and homemade sponge toffee) in a waffle cone. It was absolutely amazing, the flavour of the honey was so good, it was the right amount of sweetness. The honeycomb sponge toffee was so good that my daughter had to buy some for the trip to take home.

 

The Service

The woman working the night we visited was very nice and friendly. She answered all our questions about each of the flavours. We asked to sample a couple and she didn’t even hesitate to let us sample as many as we wanted. My daughter said she could have sampled all of them and had a scoop of each they were all so good.

 

The Hours

Monday to Thursday – 12:00PM – 9:00PM

Friday to Sunday – 11:00PM – 9:00PM

 

Parking

There is a small lot in front of the ice cream shop that has some spots where you can park.

 

Last Words

I would definitely make a three hour drive to go and get more ice cream from this local independent ice cream shop.

We enjoyed the ice cream so much that on our way back through we stopped again for more.

Plus I just love the name, Happy Cow! It also makes me a Happy Coffee Freak!