Extreme Coffee Freak

While we were driving through Swift Current we decided to check out Urban Ground Coffee, it is located in downtown Swift Current. It wasn’t very busy when we got there, but while we were there a bunch of regulars came in and grabbed their beverage and headed out.

The Interior

The decor was modern and simple which was very nice. The seating was comfy with a nice conversation area in the back of the shop. In the front there were tables for sitting and on the left side of the shop is where the bar was with all their drinks that you could get.

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The Drinks

After looking over their very extensive menu and I mean that in a nice way, there was just so many different options to choose from, it was really hard to decide what to get.

I ordered an Iced Spanish Latte for $4.85 and it was delicious. It had really good flavour and it was really smooth. They use Fratello coffee. They also served Red Barn Roasters which is a local guy. Before I left, I bought myself a bag.

My wife ordered an Iced Black Tea Lemonade for $3.40 and it was delicious. They use Numi tea which is one of her favourite teas. She said it was really good and was super refreshing.

My daughter got a Coconut Mango Milkshake for $4.75 and it tasted like a Pina Colada. They have a menu of flavours that you could mix and match so I decided to go tropical. The girl said that she had a Vanilla Blue-Raspberry and it tasted like Bubblegum. Mu daughter said she would try that one next time.

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The Service

The staff was very friendly and knew everyone who was walking in. When it slowed down we talked a little with Blyth and Eliza and they suggested some places that we should check out on the rest of our trip which was really nice. 

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The Hours

Monday to Friday : 7:30 AM – 10:00 PM

Saturday : 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Sunday : Closed

Parking

There was a bunch of parking on the street on both sides. The best part is it was free parking.

Last Words

Next time we are through Swift Current we would definitely stop and visit this amazing shop and their amazing staff.

We decided to check out a new place in Medicine Hat and it was absolutely amazing. It is a super cute little place off the beaten path, but we were so happy that we visited. They have been around for 16 years, but only 6 years in the location that we visited. 

The Interior

They have a bunch of seating inside with the bar and kitchen at the very back of the shop. On the left by the bar they have a little market with a bunch of different items for sale. My daughter picked up some Vanilla loose leaf tea that they had for sale. It was nice to see that they have a bunch of different items available for purchase as well as all of their products as well. There was a variety of seating at tables, a raised table for working, and there is even a covered patio out front.

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The Drinks

After reviewing their menu we decided on a couple drinks as well as some snacks.

My daughter and I ordered the Latte for $4.50 (M) and $5.50 (L) and it was very smooth and delicious. They both had really good flavour, my daughter made a comment that it smelt really strong but it didn’t taste as strong as it smelled. 

My wife ordered a ZB Fizzy Lemonade for $4.00 and she said it was delicious. They make everything for this drink from scratch and you can really tell by the way it tastes. My wife said it was “another level with the fizz”.

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The Food

All their food looked absolutely amazing so it was really hard to deicide what we wanted to snack on. Everything was made in house. 

I had the Queen Elizabeth Date Cake for $5.00 and it was amazing! It was delicious and we said it was way to good for the Queen. It was so good that we bought two more pieces for the road.

My wife had a Macaroon with Cranberry, Almonds, and Apricots for $4.00 and she said it was delicious. You could taste all the flavours in each and every bite. 

My daughter had a Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie for $2.00 and it was delicious and soft. The cookie had great flavour and she was thrilled that it was soft and not hard.

We also got a Bag of Morsels for $6.00 for the road. 

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The Service

Everyone there was very friendly and helpful. We talked to Melanie and she was very friendly and answered all of our questions that we kept asking. It was busy with people who knew where they were located, Melanie said it was a lot of regulars who have been supporting the business for years.

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The Hours

Monday to Saturday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Parking

There was parking along the street out front. If it was really busy you would have to park a little ways and walk over. 

Last Words

From now on when we go to Medicine Hat or driving through we will be stopping at our new favourite cafe, Zucchini Blossom Market and Cafe. You guys should definitely check them out.

We had to make a stop at The Colombian before heading home to pick up an item for our amazing giveaway. This location is really cool and if you were not looking for a coffee shop, you would probably miss it. There is a giant sign in the front that says Coffee so that might help a little.

The Interior

When you walk in there is space for seating followed by their counter and then in the back they have their roaster where they roast all of their beans. We were just grabbing and going so we didn’t stay to check out everything. They have a wall of merch for sale, if we would have had a little more time, I think I would have grabbed a hat or some more beans for me.

The Drink

Since we were there I decided to get a Latte for $5.50 and it was very smooth with a delicious and pleasant aftertaste. They were using a Colombian and Brazilian blend of beans. 

The Service

The staff were friendly and nice. They allowed us to check out the entire shop while we waited for our drink. We realized at the back they had their roaster which was really cool.

The Hours

They are open Monday to Friday from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Weekends from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Parking

There is parking out front and then some on the surrounding streets.

Last Words

When we are back in Edmonton we definitely want to go and find their Coffee Truck. They have a truck that moves from spot to spot and the only way to find it is to look at their Instagram for The Coffee Mule. We will for sure be finding that truck!

We decided to check out a place located in downtown Edmonton called Credo, they have a couple locations but this one looked really cool. When we arrived the road was shut down and they were have a farmer’s market that we were excited to walk around.

The Interior

It was a small location with really high ceilings and a nice patio in the front. At the back of the shop there was their counter with snacks and their drink menu. They had a bunch of different option that you could choose from. We found out that Detour roasts for them using their name for the beans.

The Drinks

We looked over the menu and grabbed a couple drinks, unfortunately we forgot to take a picture of the drinks since we just started walking the market.

I ordered an Iced Latte for $5.00 and it tasted really good. You could taste the coffee more than just the milk which was really nice.

My wife and daughter ordered Iced Tea’s for $4.00 each. My daughter had a Jasmine Green tea which she said it could have used more flavour, since there wasn’t any real flavour. My wife had a Citrus Tea with hints of Ginger which was nice without being overpowering. 

The Service

The staff we talked to was friendly and helpful.

The Hours

Monday to Friday: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Parking

Parking was a little difficult to find since the road was closed. I’m sure it would be easier to find if the road would have been opened.

Last Words

This place is really cool and we would recommend you check this place out.

While we were in Edmonton there was one place we knew we had to visit no matter what, Rogue Wave Coffee Roasters. While at Sought x Found one Saturday we met a friend of Caleb’s who owned his own cafe and roaster in Edmonton, his name is Ply. He is called the Coffee Chemist by Edmontonian’s and we knew we had to check his place out.

The Interior

They are located in an Industrial Area of Edmonton and have short hours, so we had to make sure we made it there in the hours he was open. His location has a bunch of retail products for sale and then along the one side there is room for a little seating. Due to COVID we sat outside on one of the few tables that were available outside.

The Drinks

After looking at the limited menu (due to COVID) we decided on a couple beverages that we were excited about.

My daughter and I ordered an Iced Latte. It was super delicious and had really great flavour. He was using the Colombian for the espresso which allowed the drink to go down so smoothly.

My wife ordered their summer drink, the Elderflower Lemonade. It is made with a house made Elderflower syrup and it was absolutely delicious and refreshing on this warm day.

The Service

Everyone there was super friendly and amazing. It was nice to chat with Ply for a little but as well when it died down a little. He said business had been busy, but there are slower days, just like every business right now. Everyone we talked to was very knowledgeable about everything in the shop which was really helpful and made it easy to ask about the different kind of coffees.

The Hours

Monday-Wednesday 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Thursday-Friday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Parking

There is a bunch of parking out front in the lot. 

Last Words

Next time we are in Edmonton we will make sure that we stop by and get some more coffee and so that I can finally get a Pour Over from Ply when we visit next.

We decided to check out this place called The Nook located in downtown Edmonton. It is located on the corner of a business block. They are off the beaten path so unless you know about this place, you would drive right by without even knowing it was there. 

The Interior

It is a really big location with a bunch of seating on the outside patio and in the inside there is a bunch of tables that you can sit and enjoy your snack and beverage. Right now they have all their tables socially distanced so that you can still eat in. The space is very bright and open, they have storks hanging from the roof which is beautiful. At the far end there is a counter with food and coffee, also where you pick up the beverages from. There is a great atmosphere and everyone was very welcoming.

The Drinks

Their drink menu had quite a few items to select from. After looking it over, we decided to try a couple drinks.

I ordered a Latte for $4.50 made with Roasti Coffee Roasters. It was very delicious and smooth. I have never had this roaster before and I was excited to try them out.

My wife ordered a Vanilla Steamer for $3.50 and it was delicious and amazing. She said it had a subtle vanilla flavour which was great.

My daughter ordered a Honey Milk for $3.25 which was delicious and sweet. There was a nice honey taste to the milk, she said that some of the honey had settled to the bottom which was slightly sad, but once mixed with the milk it was good.

The Food

After looking through their menus we decided on a couple different food options.

I ordered the Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Egg for $9.50 and it was made with back bacon. It was a really delicious sandwich with the added egg and bacon with the grilled cheese. I would definitely get this again.

My wife and daughter ordered the French Toast with apples and maple syrup for $14.29. It was really good, and it had three slices of bread with apples and whipped butter. The maple syrup addition was delicious. They both said it was really good and that they would order it again in the future.

We also ordered a Sweet Rhubarb Muffin for $3.10 which was delicious and had great flavour. It comes with whipped butter and the addition to the muffin was delicious.

The Service

Everyone we talked to was friendly and very helpful. We talked to the owner and she was very nice and friendly. It was great to see how much she cares about her business and the people that visit her establishment. 

The Hours

Wednesday to Friday – 8:00am to 2:00pm

Saturday – 9:00am to 3:00pm

Parking

Since it is downtown there is parking all over the streets, you will have to pay for parking though.

Last Words

We will be definitely have to visit The Nook again in the future so that we can try some of their other menu items that sounded absolutely amazing.

Our first stop in Edmonton on our coffee tour was Square 1 Coffee, we went to their newest location that opened on July 9. It is very hard to get into the parking lot especially in the truck, so I would recommend taking a smaller vehicle if you own one. Once we were in the parking lot though, it was very busy which was amazing.

The Interior

It was very bright and open with a really unique roof which was amazing. This location was very beautifully designed. They have a shelf of coffee and branded products for sale followed by a long counter of food and their coffee machine. The food looked really amazing and we were sad that we didn’t get anything to try. We were sad that there was no pricing on any of their products so we would have to ask about everything. They are a company that supports local Canadian roasters and they are going to have a rotating local roaster every month to month and a half.

The Drinks

Their menu is simple which is nice and they have a bunch of different options for the milk you can choose from. After reviewing the menu we decided on a couple different drinks.  

I ordered a Large Latte for $5.50 and they were using Epic Espresso from 49th Parallel. It was a very smooth latte and it had really great flavour. My daughter ordered a Regular Latte for $5.00 and she said the exact same thing.

My wife ordered a Chai Latte for $5.25 and she said it was delicious. She made a comment that she thought it was authentic, before we left we asked and they said that they make it in house with a bunch of spices. She said it was one of her absolute favourite Chai’s she has ever had. 

The Service

Everyone we talked to was very friendly and helpful. The only thing we were sad about is they were running a promo if you bought a bag of beans, you got a free beverage. If we would have known that we would have done that to support Detour Coffee from Toronto. Before we left, we decided to purchase a bag and then we gave our free beverage to the lady behind us. 

The Hours

Monday to Friday – 7:00am to 9:30pm

Saturday – 8:00am – 9:30pm

Sunday/Holidays – 8:00am – 5:00pm

Parking

There is a bunch of parking out front in the lot. There is also parking around the building, it is just difficult to get into.

Last Words

Next time we are in Edmonton we will definitely be stopping by and maybe even checking out their original location.

While up in Edmonton we decided to check out this burger shack that friends of ours told us about. It is located in St. Albert and there is so many wicked burger options that we were really excited to try.

The Interior

The interior is not that big, probably enough to sit 30 people or so. Due to COVID we grabbed the food and headed back to eat at our friends house. If we are back in St. Albert we plan on checking out the Jack’s Sandwich Shack located next door owned by the same guy.

The Food

After looking at their website and debating on what we wanted to try, we settled on a couple different burgers and a variety of milkshakes.

My wife and I ordered the BBQ Crunch Burger for $10.25 each. It is a Standard burger with cheese, bacon, bbq sauce and potato chips. The burgers were delicious with the added crunch of the chips. The burger to bun ratio was amazing and the burger had amazing flavour.

My daughter ordered the Hangover Burger for $10.25. It is a beef patty, pickles, ketchup mustard between two (2) grilled cheese sandwiches. It was delicious. The grilled cheese was an amazing addition to the burger. She said the pickles were amazing with the grilled cheese, she said that she would order this burger again.

As for the milkshakes, we tried the Cap’n Crunch, the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and the Italian Stallion. Each milkshake was $6.75. The Italian Stallion had really great coffee flavour with the addition of the cookies on top was really delicious. The Cap’n Crunch tasted like the milk with chunks of Captain Crunch, we wished that they were blended into the milkshake though. The Cinnamon Toast Crunch had a bunch of cinnamon flavour and that we wished it would have been blended into the milkshake as well.

The Service

The girl that helped us, charged us, didn’t really talk much which was sad because I wanted to ask a couple questions, but she didn’t really look like she wanted to talk. Our order was sitting on the counter ready for us to grab as well.

The Hours

They are open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00am to 2:30pm for lunch, and 4:00pm to 7:30pm for dinner.

Parking

There is parking on the side of the building as well as on the street.

Last Words

We would definitely get food from there again in the future but we also want to try the owners second business the Sandwich Shack that he has next door.

We were trying to find somewhere to head for breakfast and being near Deerfoot Meadows you don’t have many options. We decided to try this place out. They are located in the old Rockin’ Red Robins by the Leon’s on 11 Street SE.

The Interior

It still had some of the decor elements from the Rockin’ Red Robins, the retro booths, the retro memorabilia, and the same kind of music. It was cool to step back into the past and eat breakfast like it would have been in the 50’s. My daughter wishes she would have worn a poodle skirt to fit into the times.

The Food

After reading through all the different items on their menu, there is quite a few, we decided to try a couple different things.

My daughter ordered the Avocado Toast for $17. It had crushed avocado, red peppers, goat cheese and it was served on Rye Toast. The portion size was perfect and the eggs they use are gigantic. It was a really nice layered toast, the hollandaise was whipped and created in a whipped cream maker. It was nice and whipped. She also had a fruit cup which was huge and had a good selection of seasonal fruits.

My wife ordered the Marilyn Monroe for $13. It had two extra large eggs (they were definitely huge) with crispy bacon, two huge pieces of sourdough bread and hash browns. There was so much food and everything was absolutely delicious. The hash browns had a delicious flavour.

After we were done eating we wanted to try their pancakes but they had more of cakes. You get six (6) for $8. They come topped with maple whipped cream and fresh strawberries, drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce. We got ours with just the whip and strawberries on the side. Unfortunately the strawberries didn’t come sliced and we didn’t get any flavour from the whip even though we should have tasted vanilla and maple. The cakes themselves were delicious, it is such a cool way to make pancakes more fun.

The Service

Our server was nice, friendly, and very helpful. The coolest part is there is a service button on your table, so when you are ready to order you just hit the button and they come take your order. They check once to see how the food is and then they leave you until you hit the button. We think more places should do this. When we were ready to leave we just hit the ‘CHECK’ button and she brings everything for you to pay.

The Hours

They are open everyday from 7:00am to 3:00pm.

 

Parking

There is a bunch of parking out front in the lot. They also have drive up spots if you want to eat in your car outside as well.

Last Words

We might head back to try some of their other menu items since they sounded really good.