Best places to grab a coffee in #yeg

Finals season is just around the corner, and it’s already warm enough to walk farther than Starbucks for coffee to fuel your study session. The city has a surprisingly extensive coffee-obsessed subculture, with independently run coffee houses open all over the city. Each one is unique and has something great to offer, so support your local cafes and check out the best that Edmonton has to offer.

5. Remedy (8631 109 Street)

In a way, Remedy is sort of an Edmonton-only version of Starbucks. It seems like no matter where you go, there’s a Remedy on the block. The café is well known for its delicious Westernized Indian food and assortment of chai teas, and also serves coffee that is brewed to your preference with a variety of equipment. With so many locations, there’s usually one within walking distance of wherever you are, making it one of the most accessible locally-run coffee shops in Edmonton.

4. Transcend (8708 109 Street)

Transcend is the closest café to the university worth checking out. Two blocks past East Campus Village, Transcend is usually bumping with students working on coursework or going on awkward first dates. With a few pastry, sandwich and soup options, it’s an ideal place to hang out if your schedule leaves you with a few extra hours between classes. The prices are comparable to Starbucks but the quality of the coffee is superior, so it’s definitely worth the extra five-minute walk from HUB.

3. Credo (10350 124 Street)

Located in the trendy 124 Street and 104 Street neighbourhoods, Credo is the best place in Edmonton to spot young, cool, successful people. Comfortable seating and an intimate atmosphere give the café a very mature feel. There’s an assortment of fresh pastries to help sweeten your palate, and the coffee is always brewed to perfection. If you’re trying to impress anybody, Credo is definitely the place to take them.

2. HXGN (10123 Whyte Avenue)

Not too many university students wander east of the train tracks on Whyte Avenue on their drunken escapades. If you’re willing to break out of your comfort zone, Hexagon Café is the most fun coffee shop in Edmonton. It’s a board game café, you can stick around and play the widest variety of games in the city with your friends or strangers. It’s open late, so you can drink coffee and play games to your heart’s content before catching a show at Wunderbar, which is just around the corner.

1. Elm Café (10140 117 Street)

Hole-in-the-wall Elm Café doesn’t look like much from outside. Tucked in half a block from the uncool part of Jasper, Elm is only detectable from its big glass windows and the crowd hanging out at the tables out front. The inside is just as small and unassuming, leaving you with as little space to move around as the baristas on the other side of the counter. The coffee and daily sandwich options are absolutely delicious, making the experience worth the claustrophobia.