Extreme Coffee Freak

Our visit to I Love You Coffee Shop was an unexpected, quirky, and a happy surprise. I didn’t expect to find what I found when I entered this shop.

 

The Interior

This shop has reinvented the basement in the Beltline at 348B – 14th Ave SW. You have to look carefully for this shop as there is a sandwich board on the sidewalk directing you in to the space. They have since put up signage out front.

The stairs leading down are wide and bright. As you reach the bottom and turn right, it’s like you have entered into a fun space. I absolutely love what they have done. The vibe is fresh and different than anything we have been to before.

I made reference as it brings me back to my parent’s basement, depending how old you are. For me, that holds some very happy memories. What I didn’t mention was how bright and truly refreshing this space it considering there aren’t any windows down there.

The colour blocked walls are fun and Instagram worthy. The furniture is random, comfortable, and inviting. I really like that they play music on a turntable with vinyl records. You are definitely not going to hear the same music over and over again. The coffee shop has been inspired by Japanese Jazz Bars that play vinyl. I don’t believe we have anything like that in Calgary. I definitely enjoy experiencing new ideas.

The Drinks

After reviewing their menu we decided on some beverages. It is awesome as well that their menu offers you a couple different options, if you are taking your beverage to go you will pay one price and if you decided to stay and enjoy your beverage you pay another price. The other thing that was cool was the random mugs, no two are alike.

I ordered a Vanilla Latte for $4.40 and it had really great flavour. The shot was pulled just right and blended well with the milk. I haven’t had a lot of Calgary Heritage Roasters coffee beans but found the flavour profile terrific.

My wife ordered a London Fog for $3.40. It had really great flavour.

My daughter ordered a Vanilla Latte for $4.40 and she said it had great flavour as well.

The Service

Dan and Merm, were very friendly and accommodating. We enjoyed talking with them and they answered all our questions.

The Hours

Monday to Thursday:  6:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Friday:  6:00 AM – 12:00 AM

Saturday:  8:00 AM – 12:00 AM

Sunday: Closed

 

Parking

Parking may be a problem for people coming from other parts of the city since there is only street parking and it is limited. However, on this night, we found parking right away.

 

Last Words

I suspect this shop will do well as they are in a neighbourhood that is walkable. Hours are long and will accommodate lots of people. I hope everybody goes and checks out this truly unique space. I want to go back and check it out on a weekend and see how the vibe is.

Today we decided to try a new cafe located in the North East. To our surprise it is not new, it has been here around nine years and has just been remodeled. When we walked in, they had a food photo shoot going on, so we were able to watch as we enjoyed our food.

 

The Interior

When you first walk in there is a giant bar with their menu and baked goodies in the case. Once you order, go find yourself a seat at one of about 7 or 8 tables. They have just recently renovated, very comfortable booths with a nice color scheme.

While we were sitting at our table we read;

Lifestyles Bistro would like to acknowledge our parent company, The Calgary Progressive Lifestyles Foundation (CPLF), a registered non-profit charitable organization that provides client-centered support services for seniors and people with disABILITIES at home, at work, and in the community.

We believed that was absolutely amazing!

The Drinks

After looking over their beverages menu we decided on ordered a couple drinks. We also found out that they use Chronicle coffee for their caffeinated beverages.

I ordered a Latte for $4.50. Unfortunately the coffee was not quite there. Lacked flavor.

My wife ordered a London Fog for $4.25 and it had good flavour. They are using Bigilow tea.

My daughter ordered a S’more Latte for $4.50 and it was good, had a slight S’more flavour.

The Food

Since it was breakfast time we decided to also try some of their food. They have options for everyone with great prices. The best part of any meal you order is you get Tator Tots and fresh fruit. So awesome.

I ordered the Classic Breakfast with Chicken Apple Sausage for $10. You definitely get the chicken apple flavour in the sausage and everything was delicious.

My wife ordered the Classic Breakfast with Bacon for $10. The bacon was crispy without me having to ask and the toast was cooked to her perfection.

My daughter ordered the Eggs Benny with Bacon for $12. It came with the crispy bacon and the hollandaise was really good. She only wished that the hollandaise was a little hotter.

We also ordered a Candied Banana Bread Loaf for $3.25. It was warm, delicious, and amazing, it had great banana flavour. My daughter who doesn’t eat banana bread even said it was delicious.

The Service

The employees were very helpful and answered all of our questions. They brought us our food in a timely manner and were very friendly.

The Hours

Monday to Friday: 7:30AM – 3:00PM

Saturday to Sunday: Closed

 

Parking

There is parking out front since they are located in a strip mall. If there is no parking out front then there is around the rest of the building.

 

Last Words

We would definitely revisit this little bistro again in the future for the food. Lifestyles needs to decide if coffee is going to be a main component of their business, if so, they need to do some more training.

The only other difficulty I see is that they are only open during the week. We do hope that if you are in the Northeast and wanted to try something different, please stop in at Lifestyles for some food.

We decided to try a new place for lunch today called Sugarbowl. We had driven by it on our past trips to Edmonton and today we decided to try it. We had to a wait a little for a table, but it was completely worth it. 

The Interior

There is tables located all over with eclectic tables and chairs, everything is different, nothing matches. They also have a small patio with eight tables, but since it was chilly outside we decided to sit inside and stay warm.

The Food

Overall I found their food menu rather small considering the menu is several pages, but in reality their liquor menu is quite large. It was very busy and every table had people sitting enjoying food. So after we sat there for a few minutes and had a chance to read through the menu we decided to order our meals.

On the recommendation of a family friends daughter, I ordered the Chicken and Waffle for $16 and it was excellent. The maple syrup gravy was a sweet touch to both the chicken and the waffle. on top of the chicken was a watermelon salsa as well. So good. The chicken was cooked perfectly and lightly breaded. I was extremely happy I listened and ordered this meal.

My wife, daughter, and family friend ordered the Beef Burger for $16. The burger was very big and delicious. We each found that the bun was falling apart and that the meat was a little tough. We were the most disappointed with the Gruyère cheese, because it didn’t melt at all, it was also an 1” thick, way to thick for everyone’s liking.

Our other family friend ordered the Red Curry Latse for $18 and he said it had great flavour. It was not as spicy as he would have hoped, but it was delicious.

The Dessert

After lunch we also decided to try a couple of their desserts and since there was so many of us we were able to share all of them amongst ourselves.

We ordered Bread Pudding for $7 and it was amazing. It had a cinnamon bun base with chocolate chips and it was served warm. It was so good and it was definitely different because of the cinnamon bun base instead of the bread, it added some great spice.

We also ordered the Oreo Cheesecake (one of my daughters favourites) for $8 and she said it was amazing. It had whole Oreos and that they were crushed in the cheesecake but you could still taste them. So delicious.

The last dessert we ordered was the Banana Cream Pie for $7.50 and it had the best banana flavour. It was so delicious, the crust was the right consistency with the creaminess of the banana cream.

The Service

The staff were very nice and accommodating, the first table they sat us at was very awkward to sit at so they allowed us to move to a bigger table. When my daughter originally ordered the Baked Lasagna they apologized and suggested something else since they had sold out for the day. The staff were amazing!

The Hours

Monday to Thursday & Sunday – 8:00 AM – 12:00 AM

Friday to Saturday – 8:00 AM – 1:00 AM

Parking

The parking is not ideal at all. There is a couple street spots out front, but other than that we parked a couple blocks away and walked over since it was better time for our buck. So just be prepared to pay and walk a little for this meal.

Last Words

I would have to say that this place was pretty awesome and I would definitely eat there again. If you want a real experience while you are dining at this location, make sure you visit one of their bathrooms. It is quite interesting, that is all.

Our next stop was to meet up with some friends of ours, so we decided to check out a little clothing store that also sells coffee. The clothing store is called Salgado Fenwick and they sell all Canadian made products which was really amazing. However, today we came for the coffee. The name of the café is The Barking Buffalo Café.

 

The Interior

On the right side of the shop was all of their clothing and products for sale and on the left side was the bar with coffee and small section of baked goods. They had a bunch of tables and space to sit as well as a small patio outside. There was a ton of people there when we arrived, we were lucky to get a seat on the patio.

The interior boosts an industrial vibe with exposed brick on the walls, the chairs at the tables reminded me of my days in school.

 

The Drinks

As we were socializing with our friends, our daughter ordered us our drinks.

I received a Latte for $5.75 which was delicious and had amazing flavor. The beans of choice were from Pilot Coffee Roasters. They were serving up the Heritage blend. This is one of Pilot’s signature blends. It is a Brazilian blend. Tasting notes of toffee and milk chocolate.

My wife received a London Fog for $4.75 and it had really good flavor and it was not overly sweet which was awesome.

My daughter ordered a Harvest Spices tea for $3.25 which tasted like cinnamon hearts.

 

The Service

The employees were very nice and very helpful.

 

The Hours

 

Parking

There is a bunch of street parking out front as well as some more on the side street.

 

Last Words

Altogether, it was great to meet up with our friends at The Barking Buffalo Café, nice and quiet and we could sit and talk without yelling over other people. Sadly, I couldn’t stay longer as I was getting hungry and wanted to go check out a restaurant we have been trying to get to for quite some time now. If you are in the Edmonton area, definitely go check The Barking Buffalo Café out for some excellent coffee.

 

 

 

Our second stop in Edmonton was a little coffee shop located right across the street from MacEwan University called Dirtbag Cafe. Everyone wants a good coffeehouse somewhere in their morning routine, whether they know it or not.

Located in a two-story building with a bright front and a large side patio, Dirtbag Café offers quite a bit of space for thirsty patrons wishing to meet up for some coffee, food or even a beer.  The day of my visit, the place was pretty quiet.

 

The Interior

When you walk in the main entrance Dirtbag is located on the right and Rock Jungle Boulders Climbing Gym is located to the left. In the front window there is lounge seats and then there are tables all along the right side. The lights were really cool, very hodgepodge like. They also have a small outdoor patio with picnic tables, if it was nicer outside we would have sat on the patio.

 

The Drinks

They have an extensive menu of hot and cold drinks, including coffee, tea, smoothies and kombucha.

As for coffee, they offer up beans that are under their own logo. After some minor deliberation, I went with a Pour Over for $4.50, I went with their Brazilian blend with undertones of cream, fudge brownie, and peanut butter. It was extremely hot, but was smooth and well balanced.

My wife ordered a small hot chocolate for $3.55 and it was very chocolatey. We were amazed at how much chocolate was used in this little hot chocolate.

My daughter ordered a Vanilla Latte for $4.45 and it had good flavor, but she could not taste the vanilla at all.

 

The Service

The employees were really great and very chill.

 

The Hours

Monday to Friday: 9am – 11pm (ish)

Saturday to Sunday: 10am – 8pm (ish)

 

Parking

They have a couple spots located in their lot out front and then there is street parking that you will have to pay for.

 

Last Words

After a while it was time to hit the road, so we polished off our liquids and quietly walked out. It would be kind of cool to have a place like this close to work. The best part of this cafe was being able to go and take a look at the climbing wall and seeing my future van that I plan on getting out in front of the cafe.

It was raining in Calgary so we decided to drive until we didn’t have any rain, well we got to Red Deer and decided, let’s just drive to Edmonton. I have been wanting to go check out a place called Caffiend. They recently opened in January 2019 and seem to be doing very well, when we arrived they had customers sitting around the shop.

 

The Interior

Walking in they have a giant family style concrete table down the middle of the shop and on the left there is a bar that can sit eight people. On the right side there is multiple tables with a really nice two-sided fireplace. They have gorgeous artwork on the walls all for sale.

 

The Drinks

They have a very diverse menu that accommodates a bunch of different people, they have tea, coffee, kombucha, and more.

I ordered a Latte for $4.76 and it was excellent. They use Roasti Coffee Co. which is a local roaster out of Sherwood Park, the espresso they were serving was a Costa Rican and Brazilian, which was very smooth. The blend had tasting notes of honey, orange and dark chocolate.

My wife ordered a Tea Steamer for $4.76 and she said it was a little sweeter than what she likes, the tea is from another local source out of Edmonton, and the company is Vitalyteas Ltd.

My daughter ordered a Matcha for $5.48 and it was quite delicious. She is really nervous to try Matcha anywhere now, but this was really good.

The oat milk they use and sell is a brand out of Australia. The brand name is Minor Figures. I picked some of this up for my son when I was in Vancouver in November, he absolutely love the stuff, so they had some for sale so I picked some up. I also purchased some Milkodamia Milk which is a spin on macadamia milk. My son told me this product was absolutely terrific.

I was thrilled to see that Caffiend shops locally for most their products.

 

The Food

We were happy that they make everything in house each day, so I decided to try a Cowboy Cookie for $2.15. It was full of nuts and fruit and it was very good. I want to try and make these cookies at home.

 

The Service

All the staff we dealt with were very pleasant and very friendly and they answered our questions. We also had the opportunity to talk to the owner Jen about their shop. It was great getting to know her and learn about their shop.

 

The Hours

Monday – Friday: 7AM – 9PM

Saturday: 8AM – 9PM

Sunday: 8AM – 6PM

 

Parking

There is parking located all around the shop since it is located at the end of a strip mall.

 

Last Words

I look forward to stopping by Caffiend the next time I am in Edmonton. If you are on your way to Edmonton or are in the vicinity, make sure you look Caffiend up, you will not be disappointed.

La Diperie is a unique and interesting ice cream shop which is out of Montreal. The shop in Calgary is located in the northwest. There is so many options that you can choose from, so when you visit take the time to look over the extensive menu.

 

The Interior

The location is long and skinny, when you walk in the menu is on the wall on the left side. There is a long bar on the left side with every ice cream and every dip that they have. They only have a couple tables that you can sit at, hopefully, they will add more in the future. Since when we arrived it was very busy and hard to find a table.

 

The Ice Cream

If I had one complaint about this place is that the menu is way too big and creates quite the bottleneck at the front doors of this place. After standing there staring at this menu we were finally able to make up our minds on what to order and even then as I got closer I found myself waffling, should I get this flavor instead of this one. We did make it up there and made our decision.

I ordered the Vanilla soft serve ice cream dipped in orangicle with Smarties, it was really good. The organcile was delicious and had terrific flavor.

My wife ordered Becky’s Fav which is a Vanilla soft serve ice cream dipped in dark chocolate with ginger and pistachio. She said it was good, but it didn’t have enough ginger flavor she thought it would have. I tried a bit of hers and I did not like it.

My daughter had Madelaine’s Oreo which is a Vanilla soft serve ice cream dipped in Oreo chocolate and Oreo crumbs, it was really good.

 

The Service

The staff were all very patient with everyone. They were busy but still had time to answer our questions. As we sat enjoying our ice cream, you could see everyone asking a million questions.

 

The Hours

Sunday to Thursday – 12PM – 10PM

Friday to Saturday – 12AM – 11PM

 

Parking

There is a bunch of parking since they are located in a strip mall.

 

Last Words

We will most likely go back in a month or so to see if the quality and service are still at the same levels. Also will be interesting to see if they come out with some new seasonal flavors. If you want to try something new then I would visit them.