With a yellow and blue colour scheme, homemade meals and desserts, plenty of hot drink options and a pay-it-forward suspended coffee program, everything about The Nook is welcoming. With a spacious seating arrangement, small play area and some unfussy meal options, it’s also a perfect spot for parents to bring their little ones. Tip: Try the homemade peanut butter cups – but sweet tooths must be warned of their addictiveness. – Breanna Mroczek
10153 97 St., 780-761-6665, nookyeg.com
This spot is packed with whimsical treasures, from the art on the walls to the old sunshine yellow piano repurposed into a drink station where you can add the cream and sugar to your morning cup of joe. While the focus is on the coffee – it brews Chronicle beans, roasted in Calgary – you can satisfy your appetite with the soup of the day, or one of Anvil’s in-house-made sandwiches. –Adrianna MacPherson
6148 90 Ave., 780-250-5245, facebook.com/anvil-coffeehouse
Location, location, location. This restored brick heritage house with two outdoor fire pits is the perfect place to feel cozy on a winter day – if you’re lucky there will be s’more supplies waiting for you. Regardless, a cup of coffee and some homemade food – offerings include a hearty plate of eggs, sausage or bacon, and some stew – will go a long way to warm you up. – B.M.
10004 90 St., 780-705-1230, littlebrick.ca
Even on a dark and cold morning, this cafe feels like a comforting hug the moment you walk in. Reclaimed wood tables and room accents keep things feeling warm and cozy, and the open kitchen with vintage-looking tin ceiling tiles and cookware suspended from the ceiling makes it feel like you’re in a friend’s familiar kitchen. There’s plenty of seating, with a mix of table sizes including some that seat six to eight for larger gatherings. Woodrack keeps things local with Roasti coffee, roasted in Sherwood Park, and Blue Hour Tea loose-leaf tea, blended in Edmonton. Warm up with a hot drink and a fresh baked good (its waffle whoopee pies are delicious sweet and savoury treats, with sugary waffles and maple bacon buttercream). – B.M.
7603 109 St., 780-757-0380, thewoodrackcafe.com
Owned by a coffee-loving husband and wife team who tested out their legendary cold brew coffee at farmers’ markets before opening a bricks-and-mortar space, this is a gem on the southwest side of the city. The space exudes warmth, and the menu is simple – a small pastry case filled with treats made in-house, a few options for sandwiches and soups, and fantastic coffee. Square 1 brews 49th Parallel beans, and if you want a truly decadent treat, try the coconut creme latte – it’s rich, creamy and absolutely delicious. – A.M.
15 Fairway Dr., 780-989-0102, square1coffee.ca
