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Roasterie
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8 am - 12 am
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
21 reviews for Roasterie
Review Highlights
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"...are covered with antique coffee grinders and the massive..." In 2 reviews -
"Right in the heart of Kensington." In 5 reviews -
"Simply said it's where Kensington's locals love to hang out." In 3 reviews
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Angelo T.
4/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Funny how after years of Kensington roaming, I've never really frequented this place. Maybe because I'm not a coffee junkie but the Roasterie has been around for a while hasn't it? I remembered a coffee shop near the train station back in my SAIT days and could it have been this very place?
I strolled in here on a Sunday night, one of the first warm days of spring. I grabbed a double Americano which only cost $3. I opened my laptop prepared to get some serious writing down but realized I had grabbed the perfect people watching spot: a table w/ stool right by the window. No one noticed me watching them (and judging, always judging *leering eyes*) as they walked by. Yes pretty girls, that was me coyly admiring you and sheepishly looking the other way when we make that millisecond eye contact
The coffee was satisfying and the guy working there was cool enough to converse with. In fact like all men who appreciate the sight of beautiful women, we couldn't help but swap stories :) -
Review from Devon B.
1/21/2012
The Roasterie isn't a bad cooffe shop, it simply doesn't suit everyone. You can't argue that their coffee is very good. The atmosphere is unique to say the leastj partially run down, a little bit divey, cozy, and with a staff that marches to the beat of its their own drummer- it's the Roasterie.
Most of the time you can find people of all sorts smoking outside of it- not always welcoming. at the same time many of those people are great folk, a crowd of smokerrs isn't always something you want to walk through before sitting down for a coffee. -
Review from Erin D.
9/8/2011 12 Check-ins Here
It seems the Roasterie is taking a beating lately in Yelp land and I feel obliged to come to it's rescue. I LOVE the Roasterie! I have been in Calgary my whole life and at 34 years old still frequent it the same way I did when I was 18 years old. It hasn't changed a bit and in a city that is barely recognizable to it's natives that is a blessing, at least in my opinion. I love that it doesn't have Wi-Fi which one recent review pointed out, not every coffee shop needs to accommodate people's digital addiction. The Roasterie encourages human interaction! It supports and employs local artists, musicians and students, it's clientele is delightfully eclectic and is the only place in Calgary that really makes me feel like I live in a city of a million people.
Any given day there is an astounding motley crew of devotees inside and outside of it which I would take over a sterile Kawa Espresso or Purple Perk type environment any day. I also think the coffee is some of the best in the city, I love coffee and recently took a trip to Italy where I experienced a coffee awakening. When I returned to the city I felt sad that I would never have the opportunity to taste Italian cappucinos again, that is until I headed into the Roasterie and had something that proved me wrong. It's all in who is making it, sometimes it's best to stick with just an old fashioned cup of coffee and sometimes, depending on who's working it's cappuccino time.
Read a book there, get to know the staff and their strong points, get off your laptop and strike up a conversation with one of it's colourful regulars it's a place worth falling in love with. Oh, and for the record, someone mentioned in another review that the owner was never present, they are mistaken as the owner Lech is around all the time, I have seen him there almost all my last few visits and his relative or friend is ALWAYS there roasting the coffee so there is an "owner" presence there.
So in summary, ROASTERIE, YES! Perfectly imperfect and worth your time and attention.
The End.Listed in: Why go new when you can go…
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Review from Crystal W.
Calgary, AB
8/17/2011
Well, my mocha was okay, being that the coffee had kick and it was really hot (I hate it when my coffee cools in 2 minutes), but I had no desire to sit inside. The music was way too loud and the seating is crowded. I sat outside instead, but being that there's no formal seating, I had to join the many other interesting individuals sitting on the sides of planters along the sidewalk. Thank goodness the weather was nice. My conversation was interrupted twice by sketchy strangers asking for change or the time.
Aside from the uber hot beverage, there's nothing else to brag about that would entice me to go back. I do realize it's not the fault of the business that they have the crowd and foot traffic that they do, but unfortunately, the overall package is just not attractive enough for me to spend money there again. -
Review from Sabahat N.
Calgary, AB
Got some coffee to go yesterday from their adorable little takeout window. It was a BEAUTIFUL day out yesterday so I wanted to take it and walk around. I ordered the Cafe Bon Bon, which was a double shot espresso with sweetened condensed milk. The man serving me was so happy and pleasant, it made me happy!
On to the coffee - oh my GAWD it was SO GOOD! Seriously strong, seriously sweet, and SERIOUSLY GOOD! I am a convert. If I am getting coffee at any place in Kensington from now on - Roasterie it is! -
Review from Joel S.
Calgary, AB
Updated - 9/3/2011
Approximately 18 months ago, the owner of this establishment told me he did not want me in the store anymore because he said I knew too much about coffee. I was accused of writing a bad review, which I never did. I have no idea who wrote the review but the behaviour of the owner was sheer arrogance. Since then I thought the issue was over with.
Today I was refused service because the owner told the staff that I had written a poor review and was no longer welcome. While today they get that poor review and solely for their treatment of me. My previous review is left posted below. Will somebody please correct me if they think that was a poor review. Other than a few edits and additions, it is the ONLY review I had previously written about the Roasterie.
I had never given them a poor review in the past. Even if I had, if they cannot take the heat, then they should stay out of the kitchen. Some establishments I have given poor reviews; EVERY last one of them I am still welcome at. It looks like the Roasterie is the lone exception and it was for a review that I was not even the author of.
Having been a judge in Barista Championships, been recognized by many professionals as having expert knowledge on the subject of coffee, and considered very supportive of the industry and helping new and established businesses to improve the quality of what they prepare and the beans they source, I can only offer the opinion that the ownership's attitude is despicable. I am truly offended.
What I have experienced over the past 18 years is arrogance and management that is immune to suggestion.
Lech has some amazingly good quality beans, but when roasted to below an Agtron 35, they are far too dark and the nuances of otherwise great beans are lost and take on a burnt wood profile. In the specialty coffee industry, especially among SCAA members, the trend is away from super dark roasts. In fact, what is becoming prevalent is a complete absence of darks roasts in the espresso hoppers. The Roasterie even roasts darker than Starbucks.
I am extending an olive branch, I would love to see you take your business to even higher success, even enter employees in the Barista Championships. However, a business owner who is closed minded to suggestions is rather annoying. Nobody knows it all.
I give this establishment 1 Star for attitude and some of the beans that should never be roasted below an Agtron 40 or 42. The quality would shine if they were lighter.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/7/2010
Update - I am not aware exactly when it happened, but the Roasterie is once again open until… Read more »
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Review from Angela L.
8/24/2010
Despite there being a walk-up take out window from the street, we decided to go into the Roasterie and boy were we glad we did! The impressive and eclectic collection of antique hand grinders are quite a sight to behold and the pair of quirky baristas who were busily serving customers from both counters were dressed in a hybrid steampunk-gypsy style.
I loved their admittedly pricey but large and not overly sweet iced chai latte ($5.25), but didn't think much of their bitter decaf latte. The Roasterie's assortment of house roasted beans on display were tempting - even for an ex-barista who doesn't drink coffee daily. -
Review from Sapna G.
Calgary, AB
11/17/2009
Why is it that every coffee shop I've visited lately feels like it's attached to a prison? Seriously.
I have heard LOTS about the Roasterie, so I headed over yesterday.
One word: Yikes.
Lindsay K. isn't kidding when she says that the place attracts an extremely alternative crowd. She's right - everyone who's there is a regular, and in my mind, I just can't figure out why.
Sure, the location is perfect. Right in the heart of Kensington. But the buck stops there. Inside, it's nothing to write home about. It's small, it's stuffy, it's unclean, it's old looking and it doesn't seem like it's well maintained. People are sitting, laying and resting all over the coffee shop and it's just not the kind of place that I would go to either meet up with people, or to enjoy a few solo hours to myself.
I can see me spending some time there if I was being punished or if someone dared me to do it, but in a happy, pleasant world, I would just walk on by like I always have.
The atmosphere, the inside and the crowd just aren't my cup of tea. Ironic, isn't it? -
Review from dinah g.
Calgary, AB
10/29/2009 4 photos
Finding the Roasterie is not a difficult thing to do, it's getting into it that's the difficult part. You have to hop skip and jump the myriad of legs, sneakers, bike wheels and dogs. Simply said it's where Kensington's locals love to hang out.
Why? Well for one thing you can smell it from blocks away, the aroma makes you want a coffee, and the prices are unreasonable cheap. Thank god, I can still buy a good cup of coffee fewer than two dollars and it's amazing. The decor is really welcoming too, different antique grinders, and coffee bags, a grinding roaster graces the corner of the shop and glass cookie jars surround it with particular bean offerings.
The staff is nice too, just plain down to earth, no Starbucks sleekness here, it's just like having coffee with a good friend and having him make it for you.
Imported beans from all around the world, you have the option of buying in bulk too, very affordable and highly recommended.
So have you been to the Roasterie in Kensington, yes I have bean. -
Review from Shane H.
Calgary, AB
10/19/2011
The Ro, okay is a place where some really amazing folks come together, all walks of life, all types, international, both in coffee and people, if thats what you like than come to the Ro, if you like a good cup of coffee and you like to sit in an area called a courtyard, or some might call it a beach, than go to the Ro. If you like a small tiny environment with coffee being roasted in situ, and a quality soundtrack in realtime being played, while you sip a delicious coffee, next to your friend, with the glow of the sun in your face, than go the Ro. If you are concerned with your image, well, it ain't what you got, it's how you do it, if you like to treat your body to a good cup of coffee made by some really fine people, like you and me, and who actually know a thing or three about real life and a fresh cup of coffee, than go there. I happen to paint all the time, and Ro coffee made with love and care really goes a long way, and you know they can tell you about where the seed grows, that is if you want to know where your stuff comes from, the drip brew is dynamite, the espresso is dynamite, some days really amazing other days good, which is still amazing and we are lucky to have these kinds of spots in calgary, seriously people, like life, remember? and I might add there is real Art there, real in that it is real and you can even talk to the artist who made them and who knows maybe you might be inspired by this very person, or maybe choose to help support local arts in Calgary which is pretty awesome when you think about it, or whatever floats your boat, so go to the Ro, if thats your thing. Mahaloness
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Review from Chad W.
Calgary, AB
10/9/2008
The coffee here is as over-roasted as their burnt-out clientele. The regulars who hang out here are as clean as it is behind the counter: not very.
The staff are incredibly friendly, but the homeless jerks that come here to sell weed and hang out are cliche, feeble, and are serious deadbeats.
Don't be surprised if you get asked for change by some greasy hippie on the way out. -
Review from Lindsay K.
Halifax, NS
9/23/2009 1 photo
The Roasterie is one of those extremely alternative coffee shops. It would seem that everyone who frequents there knows everyone else and they all have the same goal in mind: to take over the Roasterie once and for all. There are always so many regulars crowding the entrance and till that it's difficult to see any sort of order in the place. They don't offer very much indoor seating so there are always a lot of people just standing around.
The Roasterie crowd has managed to take over all the seating outside too. There are a couple of large planters and benches in the surrounding area that always seem to be occupied by Roasterie goers. This wouldn't be such a bad thing except that these people appear to be judging the hell out of anyone who goes in... anyone they don't know anyways. It seems like a very popular place for dirty hippies and bums to hang out. Perhaps that's because the drinks are cheap and they can loiter for as long as they want outside or in.
The coffee isn't really that great either. I find that even their light roast is way to strong and their specialty drinks aren't really that special. I used to enjoy going there because you could still smoke inside, but after that was banned there was no need for me to visit the place. From time-to-time I walk by and still see the same people sitting outside, in the same spot, drinking the same things.
What I do find neat about the place is the service window they have to the outside. You don't even need to go inside to get your coffee. If you can manage to creep your way past the regulars and get to the window it's an easy and quick way to get your coffee.
If you're brave enough, and are looking to have some so-so coffee served to you, then stroll on by the Roasterie. You'll be sure to have your needs not met, and probably encounter some bums in the process. If only they hadn't closed the Roasterie II that was just across the street. That was an awesome coffee shop! I guess people prefer poor coffee and a noisy, crowded environment instead. -
Review from Katie C.
Calgary, AB
12/13/2009 1 photo
I admit that I don't go for coffee dates at the roasterie, but I love to visit. The eclectic mix of people, the smell of roasting beans and the unusual decor inside make it a fun stopover. There isn't a lot of seating, which is okay seeing as a ton of people spill out and around the building. Much of the crowd is the alterna crowd, but the baristas are always friendly, the selection is simple and the place has an authentic and community feel. I feel like when I visit the roasterie, I get a buzz on more than just coffee, it's the true community atmosphere that you can't find anywhere else.
Warning: People who are uncomfortable with some unusual characters may not enjoy. -
Review from Geoff B.
Strathmore, AB
8/23/2010
As one of the few coffee shops open late on a Sunday night, we decided to drop in and give it a try.
As others have mentioned, it's different. Once we got through the stench of weed and people sitting on the sidewalk, the inside of the store was quite interesting. The walls were very decorated, which added some charm. They have a nice machine in there, but the equipment quite clearly isn't cleaned as often as I would have liked.
They don't have syrups, so my wife had to get hazelnut flavoured beans instead. (For those interested, flavoured beans are usually the cheapest beans, as the infused flavours tend to cover up the crappiness of the bean.) The lattes weren't bad, but they didn't really have much taste. They were fairly bitter and "blah".
On the plus side, the barista who helped us was very nice.
Maybe it's because it was 9 pm on a Sunday, but I could have gotten a better latte from Starbucks. Sorry, Roasterie, but I won't be coming back. -
Review from Jason G.
Calgary, AB
5/10/2010 3 photos
The Roasterie is a righteously rustic coffee joint in Kensington serving up rich, in-store roasted coffee at ridiculously low prices. I got a double Americano there for under $3 - good luck doing that at Starbucks!
And good luck finding a funkier and more aromatic joint to get your java.
The walls are covered with antique coffee grinders and the massive roaster at the front of the café fills the Roasterie with the seductive aroma sure to make you salivate while you wait. And you won't be alone, as the sweet aroma entices an eclectic crowd of coffee connoisseurs, from the down-and-out to the well-to-do.
So if you're serious about your coffee, follow your nose down to the Roasterie - you won't be disappointed. -
Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
7/22/2009
I very much enjoyed the atmosphere at this little coffee shop. Frequented by many hipsters and you if you feel like tipping you can throw it into a jar on top of the espresso machine! I was initially confused at seeing many people essentially throwing quarters at the barista (this is what it looked like from my perspective), but definitely a cool little quark.
Although the coffee is slightly over roasted in my opinion, still a very cool spot! -
Review from Julianna C.
Calgary, AB
8/1/2009
The Roasterie reminds me of places I've visited in B.C., particularly the coast.
A warm cappuccino from this shop on a cold night really hits the spot. -
Review from Cornelius V.
Calgary, AB
6/1/2009
the burnouts are what makes this place awesome. if you're terrified of anarchists, bums, leftists, scenesters, proletariats, homeless people who want to tell you stories about how they were once the minister of finance, people who think differently, you'll hate it here. go to fucking starbucks, donate a quarter to some NGO that pays their CEO $560 000/annum, buy a jazz cd, and sit inside thinking about how informed you **feel** you are. while you're at it, why not feel like an individual by cracking open your apple and dropping $10/hr for wifi so you can surf yelp, what white people like, facebook, browse the lululemon online shop, AND plan your next fucking trip to portland?
oh, this place roasts well over 3 dozen varieties of beans which are amazing, and the fresh coffee they serve is cheap but really mediocre. but that's not the point of this place. don't expect a starsucks "barista" to ask you how your day is going, expect someone to just make you your damn drink. oh, and the tip-jar isn't near the cash register, you have to throw it into a bin below the menu-board. i can imagine what all the baby-carriage-pushing yuppies are thinking: "good god, what a dive!"
as an urban studies major, i cannot stress how vibrant the outside of this place is. the benches outside this establishment are not physically separated/barricaded from the sidewalk like EVERY single exterior-facing semi-public space in north america. this is great because it allows patrons, those waiting at the adjacent bus stop, and just miscellaneous loitering freeloaders to share a common space. in other words, the operators of this coffee shop are concerned about the public good instead of the constructed interests of their "customers". therefore, the scene outside is fun; great people watching and chilling are had, alongside amazing conversations, provided you have an open mind.
i'm no conformist-scene-whore-bohemian type, in fact, i voted conservative in the last federal election. ([EDIT]Dec2011: i really really regret doing that. i was young and extremely stupid in 2009) but damn, i cannot stress how good diverse places like this are to the identity, counter-gentrification, and salvation of beautiful areas like kensington. i'd really say this place is an anarchist cafe, but really, this place doesn't seem like the type that wants to adhere and conform to one group ideology or another. this place is simply something truly urban that you can never find outside of the inner city. it is real. -
Review from Matt C.
Calgary, AB
Updated - 11/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
Just pick up a pound of Cuba Coffee, Lech had told me they just got it in have not been able to get it for 2 years. It was worth the wait, enjoying a cup now and it is awesome!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/14/2010
I love my coffee, they do their own small batch roasting so the beans are always fresh. I am a… Read more »
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Review from Luke R.
The Roasterie is a special place indeed. And great espresso.
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Review from Mimi P.
Calgary, AB
2/26/2010
Our favorite place to go for a Americano & a stroll. The espresso has always been prepared with excellence.
