Historical Happiness

There is this mystical cafe that transcends space and time. It has only been in existence for a year or so but it feels as though it has been there forever. Do you know the place?

Ride the C-train to the Sunnyside station and then exit off heading east towards a historic brick building and a red British style telephone booth. Turn the corner, and there it is. The cafe that transcends space and time called Vendome Cafe.

The Vendome Cafe is located in the heart of Sunnyside in the historic Vendome block which was built in 1912. If you dig history, there is a neat write up on a plaque just outside the cafe. Vendome Cafe is situated where the Heartland Cafe use to reside. The new owners, same brilliant folks that run Teatro, revamped the cafe to give it a early 1920's coffeehouse meets bistro feel.

The Vendome Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch daily. It is only open until 6 pm each day, so if you are feeling the urge for a late night coffee-and I know you get them- you are best off to try some of the other late night coffeehouses. Vendome has an amazing menu of daily features and gourmet food for what I find a reasonable price for a starving student.

The cafe has lots of seating inside and on summer days, feel free to occupy one of the wooden benches that wrap around the outside of the cafe. Again, it is the perfect place to people watch, especially if you are feeling the urge to see some cute hipsters riding past on their bikes.

The atmosphere is what I would describe as "modern-old school." It has a hint of nostalgia but a modern twist. The clientele is not as varied as other places, but it still attracts anywhere from starving hipster to 60 year old granny.

The service is excellent and the baristas are quite knowledgeable about coffee and all of the food items. The espresso is decent but it was the superb brewed coffee that won me over.

A big draw to Vendome Cafe is the food. It is an excellent place to grab brunch and a decent cup of coffee. There is no need to suffer through another Humpties breakfast with sludge like coffee, Vendome Cafe can satisfy all of your needs.

The Vendome Cafe is located at 940 2nd Ave. NW Calgary, AB. For more information go here.