Alas, I finally visited the famed Analog Coffee—an institution for espresso and the ‘cafe experience’ here in Calgary. Analog Coffee is the brainchild created by Calgary-based roaster, Fratello Coffee Roasters, and the Analog Coffee on 17th Avenue is their flagship cafe!
My friends and I visited Analog after eating delicious food at YYCFoodTrucks Taste The Trucks 6 in Haultain Park. YYCFoodTrucks Taste The Trucks brings together Calgary’s many food trucks, which allows everyone to sample excellent food truck grub! Afterwards, we walked down to 17th Avenue and decided to give Analog a visit, since I haven’t been there yet.
In Calgary’s cafe scene, Analog (and by extension, Fratello) is well-known for their coffee and cafe experience. Many people rave about the cafe and their coffee, so of course there is A LOT of hype surrounding it. I ordered the soy latte, and my friends had the hot chocolate and mocha. Besides coffee, Analog also offers freshly baked goods including cupcakes, cookies and breads. The interior had an aesthetic beauty; it was simple, modern, fresh and yet retro.
During the summer, Calgarians enjoy the warm weather and take advantage of the seasonally-elusive patio. Because today was an especially beautiful day, we decided to sit outside to enjoy the hustle and bustle of 17th Avenue. Contrasting the busyness inside, the laid-back patio was very relaxing, and was a perfect place to chat with friends over coffee! In any case, if you do ever come here, beware of the crowds! To beat the traffic, come between 9AM – 11AM and 1PM – 4PM 🙂
Recommended? Yes!
COST: Normal. As with any hipster cafe, expect to pay around $5 for an espresso-based drink. That said, Analog (Fratello) has one of the best coffee in Calgary, so I would say it’s worth it.
TASTE: Good. My soy latte was good, but definitely not the best I’ve tried yet. I found it a bit watery and the espresso flavour seemed diluted; however, I think this wouldn’t be a problem for a regular latte. The mocha was pretty good, and was one of the best we tried. The hot chocolate was smooth and velvety, and wasn’t too sweet!
ACCESSIBILITY: Easy. Analog is located along 17th Avenue in Uptown, which is the hub for young people and the hipster culture in Calgary. It is very easy to get here, and very walkable from Downtown’s 7th Street station (~15 minute by foot). There are also buses close by, and parking is available albeit limited.
ATMOSPHERE: Nice. The cafe is beautifully decorated, yet also very simple. It’s a retro, hipster and modern cafe, with a nice laid-back atmosphere. One thing to note is that Analog is a mecca for cafe enthusiasts. Because Analog is always so busy, you may or may not find seating available, depending on when you arrive.
SERVICE: 7/10. The counter people and baristas are quite friendly and very accommodating to your dietary needs. I notice, though, that the patio tables were quite dusty. I think they only wipe them down a few times a day, but I might be wrong (I had to wipe it down myself because it was so dusty).
Analog Coffee on 17th Ave
Address: 740 17th Avenue, Calgary AB
Phone: (403) 265 – 2112
Hours:
- Monday: 6:30AM – 12AM
- Tuesday: 6:30AM – 12AM
- Wednesday: 6:30AM – 12AM
- Thursday: 6:30AM – 12AM
- Friday: 6:30AM – 12AM
- Saturday: 6:30AM – 12AM
- Sunday: 6:30AM – 12AM
Website: www.fratellocoffee.com
This is not a sponsored post.
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