Bohemian Beans

Sometimes enjoying a cup of coffee is all about the experience. You would be lucky to find a cafe where experience and quality are both substantial, but that's exactly what The Roasterie is all about. Quality coffee and a unique experience.

The Roasterie is located in the heart of Kensington and has been a fixture in the surrounding community for the past 21 years.

Walking up to the shop is daunting for some. On a beautiful autumn day, the benches in front of the cafe and the adjoining plaza are filled with dogs, gutter punks, musicians and various eccentrics. The Roasterie is the perfect hang out for all types of people and a great place to people watch if you don't mind walking through clouds of marijuana smoke to get in the front door.

The Roasterie has a small seating area inside, so it is best to nab a stool around the giant coffee roaster or take your coffee to go. For easy access for to-go beverages, The Roasterie has a side window along the street that you can order from. The interior is always filled with local art and a whole bunch of retro coffee grinders.

The service at The Roasterie is beyond phenomenal. There are only a few employees so chances are you will get to know some of them if you make The Roasterie part of your regular stomping grounds. The baristas are beyond friendly. They are willing to share almost anything with a customer to provoke a few laughs or to make the atmosphere a little more relaxed.

And the most important thing, the espresso is to die for. It is perfectly creamy and smooth. I would recommend getting an Americano and adding some molasses brown sugar in it to for some more magic. If you are looking for a vanilla latte, this is not the place, as they do not have special syrups. Just the basics. The Roasterie roasts all of their beans in house, so on particular afternoons, coffee wafts through the air in Sunnyside. They also sell beans and have a large variety to pick out of if you would like to try something a little different.

The Roasterie is one of the most welcoming and accepting shops in town. Dogs are welcome and fawned over outside and inside. The owner and employees encourage local arts and culture which makes The Roasterie the perfect Bohemian coffee haven.

The Roasterie is located at 314-10 St. NW, Calgary, AB. For more information call (403) 270-3304 ‎or visit The Roasterie Facebook page here.

Take Me Higher!

Infamous stomping ground for starving students, concert promoters, Olympians, artists, and business elite, Higher Ground Cafe is Calgary's premier coffee shop where low brow meets high brow in coffee heaven.

Higher Ground is an independently run cafe and it has been around since 1982. It boasts a huge seating area with several chairs by the fire place. Despite the large area, the cafe often fills up during high traffic times, so it is best to go with the awareness that you may not get your preferred seat by a window or fire place.

The atmosphere is one of the best in the city. The patrons that frequent this coffee shop are all over the map in personality and style but they all co-mingle together adding to the friendly atmosphere. It is the perfect place to sit and hang out for several hours, no matter whether you want to have a business meeting or get some homework done. Artwork by local artists fill the walls which defiantly adds to the ambiance. Although Higher Ground is a locally owned cafe, they give away free music downloads each week, just like Starbucks.

The service is excellent. The employees are mostly trendy 20 somethings, yet they are super friendly and helpful in choosing the perfect drink. Higher Ground serves a variety of teas and coffees as well as beer, wine and cocktails. The brewed coffee and espresso are satisfactory, however, Higher Ground makes delicious lattes and specialty beverages. They also serve several organic food items. The Greek salad is super tasty. When you order a food item, while you wait, they give you a spoon with a number on it so they can bring you your food item, which I find particularly charming.

I cannot recommend stopping in to this cafe enough. Whether you want to cozy up by the fire with a mug of tea or stop in to get a quick to go coffee, Higher Ground has a little bit for everyone.

Higher Ground in located in Kensington at 1126 Kensington Road NW in Calgary, AB. For more info go to www.highergroundcafe.ca

Orange Mocha Frappuccino!

Since the product placement of the Orange Mocha Frappuccino in Zoolander (2001), Starbucks has been part of the general subconscious. I have had the immense pleasure, not only to visit several Starbucks locations in North America, but also to be a Barista at Starbucks for four long years. So this means the bucks holds a soft place in my heart but also it means that when it comes to the products of Starbucks, I do indeed have some knowledge to share.

The one concrete thing about Starbucks is that no matter the location you go to, the drinks are all the same. You know exactly what to expect. However, depending on the location, the vibe and atmosphere can be severely different.

Here are a few of my favourite locations in the downtown core and walking distance from SAIT:

1330 15 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, AB- Wellington Square, just off of 14th st. It boasts a small cafe but speedy service. Great for picking up something on the go.

723 17 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, AB- On 17th Ave. This is a highly busy location most of the time filled with students from the high school next door, yet the baristas are super friendly and the drinks are super tasty. Don't go here if you plan to sit down for several hours using the free wi-fi.

1122 Kensington Road Northwest, Calgary, AB- Kensington. This location is quaint and has such character as far as Starbucks go. It's has excellent seating with a few cozy red chairs looking out to Kensington Road. I would recommend this location for intense coffee chats.

1120 16 Avenue Northwest, Calgary, AB- 16th street, across from SAIT. This location is so close to the school, why not try it out? The service is mediocre but there is tons of seating and a excellent view of 16 St.

Overall, Starbucks is consistent. The espresso beverages can be customized to your specifications. Starbucks by far has the strongest(best) coffee out there. If you want a jolt of caffeine to keep you awake, go get a Grande Pike Place brewed coffee. There is more caffeine in a Grande brewed coffee than a Grande latte.

One department where Starbucks falls short is in the espresso department. For the hardcore doppio drinker, the shots are terrible. For straight up espresso, you are better off hitting up a local coffee house.