Independent spots offer special flavours, serve as community and art spaces, and are hubs for local business. Here are four of Calgary’s favourites:

Congress Coffee Company

• Congress Coffee Company

Tucked away in an industrial area on 36 Ave NE in Highland Park is this quirky coffee spot and event space. With a focus on rich roasts, uplifting local artists, and fostering community, Congress Coffee Company “programs community-driven initiatives including music, visual art, drag, poetry, burlesque and more” on their live-sound stage. The ambiance inside reflects 80s and 90s nostalgia, and visual artworks for sale are featured on the walls. The Congress menu includes your classic espresso drinks, plus “pay what you feel” drip coffee, and specialty drinks including seasonal frappes, tea lattes, and iced beverages. They also offer plenty of housemade food including breakfast burritos, pastries, paninis, and a soup of the day. Drinks and food are made with a great deal or care, bringing about that feeling of a place where guests are more than welcome to stick around, but actually encouraged to do so. Check out the shop’s website to preview the menu, or check them out on Instagram to find out about upcoming performances.

• Xin Chao Coffee

Across the road from Sunridge Mall in Northeast Calgary is this Vietnamese-owned spot with unique food and drink items. Xin Chao means “hello” in Vietnamese! This is no place to order a regular latte, though they are on the menu. Instead, why not try Egg Coffee, Salted Coffee, Coconut Coffee, or Roasted Milk Tea? Or, give one of their beautiful fresh fruit teas a go. If you’re feeling hungry, they have spring rolls, salad rolls, and a variety of pastries and desserts. The spacious cafe includes two floors of seating, with the upper loft being more suited to working and the lower floor to socializing. Check out Xin Chao’s Instagram to get a sense of their vibe!

Frida’s Coffee Home

• Frida’s Coffee Home

On 9th Ave SW near the Beltline, this coffee shop brings authentic Mexican flavours and desserts to Calgary. Using Arabica beans sourced from three regions of Mexico, Frida’s Coffee Home sells three house-made coffee blends, as well as hot and iced coffee drinks in-store. The drink menu features Cafe de Olla Lattes (similar to cappuccinos), Mazapán Lattes (caramel/ almondy flavour), Horchata and Jamaica (hibiscus flavoured juice). The food includes classic Canadian breakfast items, plus tamales, flan, tres leches cake, and concha pastries like those found in Mexican bakeries. Frida’s Coffee Home is owned by Frida Murillo and Zaheen Hamadani, who have created a cozy yet colourful environment in which to enjoy your treats.
Check out their website to read more about their story and how they source coffee beans. Their Instagram will keep you up to date on menu items and happenings around the store.

Cafe Du Park

• Cafe Du Park

Inside a repurposed storage container in North Glenmore Park is Cafe du Parc, an outpost selling drinks made with locally roasted Devils Head Coffee. Along with classic espresso-based drinks, Cafe du Parc also sells seasonally flavoured lattes, pastries from Butter Block & CO., and even ice cream (and affogatos) in the summertime. As the stand is located in an outdoor park, there are a few benches that surround an outdoor heater, so adults can be comfortable in the winter while their children run around on the adjacent playground. People appreciate this place for its convenient location in the park, and the fact that the owner is often around, striking up conversation with those out and about.

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