Cafés and restaurants for creative minds in Calgary
As a musician, actor, writer and Calgary’s inaugural poet laureate, Kris Demeanor requires plenty of creative time. He can often be found at inner-city cafés, coffee houses and restaurants working away on his notepad or laptop or simply reading a book. Kris favours thinking spots that have a pleasant atmosphere, with distracting TV screens being a minus and patios a plus. Here he shares his favourite inspirational hangouts.
Ap Tonik Inc
204 7A St Ne, Calgary, AB T2E 4E8Tucked away in Bridgeland near First Avenue and 7A Street Northeast, Bayarica is located in a mustard-coloured, converted house. They have house-roasted beans, and they know how to make a good Americano, which is important. A lot of places don’t know that’s supposed to be a double shot! They have nice local art and a mix of taller chairs along the front windows that are good for reading and writing, lower chairs for computer work and even a couple of spots outside.
Lukes Drug Mart
832 Edmonton Trail NE, Calgary, AB T2E 3J6A very hip pharmacy, post office and coffee shop, Lukes Drug Mart is one of those great little local places you want in a neighbourhood. From a creative standpoint, you can peruse the shop’s LP selection, and they play a neat variety of new and non-typical music, which always makes me want to work on my own stuff. They’ve got great croissants, good coffee and chocolates, and if you run out of space in your notebook, they sell Moleskine notebooks.
Calgary Italian Cultural Centre
416 1 Ave NE, Calgary, AB T2E 0B4On the west side of Edmonton Trail in Bridgeland, La Cantina in the Calgary Italian Cultural Centre features an indoor bocce court, which is wicked! For me, physical activity and creativity go hand in hand. With its mellow atmosphere, this is a great place to read and jot down notes while eating really great Italian food from pizzas to pastas. You can also enjoy a thoughtful glass of wine. You get the authentic, cultural vibe of the area — Bridgeland is steeped in Italian culture.
JusFruit Chinatown
10-110 2 Ave Se, Calgary, AB T2G 0B3A Chinatown bubble teahouse just to the east side of the Centre Street Bridge, Quickly is a favourite hangout spot. It’s super bright and kind of like being in a sci-fi movie – like a Star Trek cafeteria. This quirky spot also features big windows, good Wi-Fi and relaxed afternoons (with a little low-volume techno) conducive to thinking and writing. From the bubble tea selection, try the mango-coconut sago with mini pearls paired with a snack such as wasabi popcorn chicken.
You & Me Restaurant
201-233 Centre St SW, Calgary, AB T2G 2B7I like U & Me because it’s a great after-event place, if you’re having a literary or music event, especially if you’re performing, because it’s open so late. This Chinatown restaurant and dim sum spot is a great place to have a meal and decompress and talk about the night. It’s always hard to eat before you perform, so the prospect of dim sum or a plate of dumplings is always pretty appealing. I also read, write and ruminate here over dim sum or a bowl of congee during the afternoon.
Hears My Soul Cafe
107-535 8 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 5S9Next door to Loft 112, a creative literary arts space in the Orange Lofts building, Hear’s My Soul Café is a gem. While Loft 112 presents literary and musical events, Hear’s My Soul complements this arts vibe with colourful local art pieces. I can’t think of a better word for this place than funky. It’s really neat. There’s graffiti on the bathroom walls, the menu is written on a trap door in the ceiling and two seating areas include a small loft. It has a nice mellow environment, which is good for computer work or even business meetings.
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