Let me preface by saying that I am no coffee connoisseur but I do know when I taste something good. LOL. Located on Main Street between the Woodbine Hotel (sketchy hotel) and Berns & Black Salon (posh salon & spa), this is supposedly Winnipeg's first high-end (non-corporate) coffee shop. Well, it's more like a coffee bar as there's really no place to actually linger and sit for a long time. So let me warn all the Starbucks people with the laptops, newspapers and general lingerers....you can't plop yourself here for hours on end. You can probably hang out by standing around or sitting at one of the handful of bar stool chairs in this 200 sq foot space. It's a small, bright and minimalistic space that's anchored by a beautiful long wooden counter with the added glamour of the gorgeous chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The vibe and feeling I get from this place is that I am in a coffee bar in a quaint section of SoHo or maybe it was the crowd that conjured up that feeling. The mid-afternoon crowd along with the staff are young, laid-back, hip and artsy.
The owner is an architect who ended up leaving the world of design to pursue his obsession for great coffee. They serve slow drip coffee, espresso, latte, mocha, tea, pellegrino, and a small selection of pastries from Stella's. Prices start at $2.50 for an espresso to $4 for a mocha with most drinks at $3.75 taxes included. They sell 49th Parallel (Vancouver) and Phil and Sebastian (Calgary) coffee which you can also buy in bags packaged from $14-$20. I opted for the latte ($3.75) - I think the size is around a tall (about 350 ml). The menu is pretty simple so it's nice that you don't have to name the size or the list of things you normally say at Starbucks. I'm sure you can state your specifications but I just let them do their thing. They use whole milk as default though I am not sure if there is a low fat option, but soy is an extra $0.50. They don't heat their milk as high as most places so the latte is slightly sweeter and accordingly the overall drink cools down fairly quickly. I tried it plain first and realize how much I am NOT a coffee purist so after a little sprinkling of sugar, it became a delectably tasty, smooth and creamy latte. Maybe it's all these years of drinking low-fat coffees but I can see why people like whole milk. LOL. It was a delicious afternoon treat but my only (slight) disappointment is that I didn't get any latte art - just foam. I would definitely return for the mocha which is made with real Belgian chocolate flakes - sounds yum!
On a side but related note, I love the revitalization that's occurring in and around the Exchange District and along Main Street. It's lovely to see the mix of new and old buildings and businesses that are so unique to this part of the city. Sometimes I feel like I am in another (more hip) city and then realize that I am at home! How nice! Winnipeggers love to gripe about how crappy this city is but it's probably from ignorance as I don't think these are the same people who actually wander around areas like the Exchange and support the local businesses. So please, take your time to patron this place and all the other shops and eateries in this area.
Open:
M-F: 7 am to 5 pm
Sat: 9 am to 5 pm
Closed Sundays.
They take cash and credit (I assume they take debit too). I guess cash registers are not aesthetically pleasing as there's no cash register - it's just an iPad and the pin pad terminal! read more