commonly coffee

Calgary is blessed to have some incredible coffee roasters. And for those of us who are equally blessed to call this great city our home, we know we have much to be thankful for.

If you’ve driven along Centre Street in recent months perhaps you have noticed a surge of amazing new businesses popping up between 8th & 9th Ave in the historic Tigerstedt Block. One of those newer businesses is Sought x Found Coffee Roasters. They officially opened January 6th, and I had the privilege of being there on day one. And I have continued coming back ever since. I have a brief write-up about SxF in my “café’s” link but I wanted to give a bit more of a review about them.

Sought x Found is owned and operated by husband and wife team Caleb & Kitty Leung. In my opinion they are two of the most hospitable, knowledgeable, and benevolent people I have ever met. They are passionate about coffee, and equally passionate about their customers. What really sets them apart is that all of their coffee is roasted in-house by Caleb himself. They roast on two San Franciscan Roasters (1lb & 6lb) which allows them to be laser-focused on each batch they roast, and ensures as a customer that you’re getting coffee that is SUPER-FRESH. They also hand-write all of the origin info & tasting notes on ALL of their retail bags. That seems crazy, but for them it’s those little-touches that really set them apart.

One of my favourite beans they carry is their Ethiopian Adado, which they often have available for either a hand-brew or as espresso. Needless to say this coffee is truly mind-blowing. They have a solid variety of coffee available for retail. They stock some very tasty pastries from local Calgary bakery Butterblock. Try the chocolate-chip cookie, its legit. Their milk is all from Vital Green Farms in Picture Butte and it really does make a significant difference in a milk-based espresso beverage. If you’re in the mood for a bit more to eat, come try their Prosciutto & Gouda Croissant Sandwich. The cheese is also from Vital Green, and it comes with an really nice apple-lime jelly!

They have an amazing decor with lots of reclaimed wood. There is plenty of seating, free Wi-Fi, and they just installed A/C for those hot summer days. They have great patio seating out front to people watch along Centre Street. And the best thing of all, is there is FREE parking in the back. No need bleed cash just to get a few hours of work done, or to visit with friends during the day. They are also really kid-friendly and even have some fun books for kids to read under their retail shelf.

They are in the process of changing up their hours and are about to launch some pretty exciting workshops on Sunday’s & Monday’s. Follow their Instagram & Facebook accounts so you don’t miss out.

Next time you’re looking to find a gem of a coffee shop, that is independent, local, creative, and passionate about coffee, may I suggest you visit Sought x Found!

-Tyler