Edmonton is a city that has no shortage of coffee culture. You don't have to look very far to find…read morea hip cafe or a specialty roaster - they're practically on every block. However, not many have grown and expanded quite the way that The Colombian has. I also don't think that anyone else can say that they get their beans from their own family farm... In Colombia. At the helm of the business? Thee actual Colombian himself, Santiago Lopez along with partner Kristin Panylyk. They opened their first full-service coffee shop with a roastery on site in 2018 - this flagship shop still operates today in Glenora and its where all of the beans get roasted. The business has now expanded to seven locations, including one in Saskatoon, each one acting as a hub in its respective community.
EDify Magazine named The Colombian as Best Coffee 2025 and there's certainly no disputing the amount of impact that this Edmonton success story has had on the city's coffee scene.
I visited the original Glenora location on a sunny Saturday afternoon and you cannot miss The Colombian's signature marquee signage that lets you know (in lights) that you are in the right place for coffee. The cafe was absolutely bumpin' with every table occupied and a long queue to place orders. Santiago Lopez was buzzing around the space greeting customers and taking the time to give detailed bean recommendations. The vibe is fresh and modern with light woods and black accents. The cafe certainly feels like the place to be on a weekend afternoon and I can only imagine that the rest of their six locations are exactly the same. (In fact, their Parkallen spot happens to be my "neighbourhood cafe" but I usually like to visit the OG when I'm writing.)
While the interior of the cafe was quite busy, I found solace outside on the adjoining patio. I will admit right away that I am not much of a coffee purist but I do know what I like. I could order a latte or a mocha but I almost always gravitate toward the seasonal drinks menu (if there is one). These menus are usually where you'll find interesting flavours and creative ideas from the baristas - which is what I'm always on the lookout for. On this visit The Colombian was serving up an Orange Blossom Latte (Cardamom and fresh orange syrup, espresso, steamed milk. Floral and bright - $7.25 for regular size) which fit my desire perfectly. Served with a classic latte art look, this might have been my favourite drink that I've ever gotten at The Colombian! Not only could I taste the coffee, a nice robust roast, but the warming cardamom and hint of orange was very enjoyable. Not too sweet, not too bitter. The balance was just right and this felt like the type of latte that I could see myself ordering again and again. A pleasure!
The Colombian offers more than only coffee and you'll also find a food menu. Most items lean toward breakfast but there are some sandwiches as well. I've been a fan of their Loxocado (a smoked salmon avocado toast) in the past but unfortunately it no longer appears on the menu. In its absence I chose the Avocado Toast (Avocado, cilantro, garlic, onion, lime, walnut oil, hempseed - $12.00) with an egg added ($1.50). Crusty bread was well-coated in a thick layer of smashed avocado and I really enjoyed the citrus notes to boost the flavour. Very bright and fresh! The textural elements were great too. I cut into the poached egg expecting a satisfying cascade of golden yolk but sadly the yolk had been cooked through. None the less, a decent avocado toast. However, I definitely missed the Loxocado version.
Lastly, I was excited to try their Colombian Guava Croissant (Pastry stuffed with guava filling - $4.50). This reminded me a lot of the Empanadas Queso y Guava that I often get from Paraiso Tropical. I thought that it was very cool that they found a way to make a cafe version of this - a croissant instead of an empanada. I was very impressed by this tasty pastry! Not only was the croissant deliciously buttery but the sweet and jammy guava filling really helped to add a playful Latin spin. It's really nice to see some menu items that actually reflect the Colombian heritage - a great accompaniment to the coffee!
The Colombian has set their focus on so much more than running multiple coffee shops. The heart of the business is all about sourcing sustainable, traceable, fairly priced beans. But there's more! They offer coffee subscriptions, fundraisers, and even coffee classes. They've got a blog. They've got a podcast. Plus there's a specialty coffee shop on wheels called The Coffee Mule that can be rented for events. Is there anything that The Colombian can't do?? It doesn't seem so. This Edmonton coffee mogul is impressive to say the least and there's probably a cozy cafe location right near where you live. Why not pop in and grab a latte?
