Fawkes Café & Bakery, which opened November 2024, is a deeply personal project that blends years of experience, a passion for hospitality and a love for the unconventional. For owners Jorel and Mikayla Pepin, it’s a space that embodies their journey through nearly two decades in the coffee industry and their appreciation for the vibrant community that coffee shops cultivate.
Before Fawkes, Jorel was at the helm of Block 1912. From 2006 to 2019, Jorel and his family ran the Whyte Avenue institution and Mikayla served as the general manager. However, after selling the business, Jorel and Mikayla found themselves missing the sense of community they had once nurtured.
“We spent a couple of years away from coffee, thinking maybe we’d do something else,” Jorel shares. “But it turns out we really missed it. We missed being part of that social space.”
Together with their combined experience and a desire to create something new, the Pepins decided to return to the coffee world. Their connection to the coffee shop world is especially personal. It’s where they met, worked, and celebrated significant moments in their lives. In fact, Jorel proposed to Mikayla in a coffee shop — Block 1912, where their love story first started.
Stepping into Fawkes, I’m struck by the dark academia aesthetic, grounded in old world charm. The shop is deliberately designed to differentiate from the bright, stark white minimalist interior trends dominating contemporary coffee spaces.
Every seat in Fawkes is padded for comfort, inviting patrons to linger. And unlike many coffee shops that close midday, Fawkes is open until 10 p.m. every night, positioning itself as a place those looking to enjoy a late-night conversation, study session or quiet moment of reflection.
“We’re not trying to force turnover,” Jorel says. “We want people to make it their living room downtown.”
Beyond the ambiance, Fawkes stands out through its commitment to quality food and a well-curated coffee program. Their espresso, a dual-origin blend of Peruvian and Brazilian beans, is specifically roasted to hold its own against milk, creating a rich and balanced experience. For those who prefer a lighter profile, they also offer a rotating single-origin espresso.
The food menu follows the same philosophy. Every dish is made in-house and made to order, from the fresh-baked focaccia to the sauces and spreads. It’s a level of craftsmanship that Jorel and his team insist on, ensuring that even the simplest menu items are special. In the years before Fawkes opened, the Pepins tested ideas through a pop-up bakery that quickly gained a cult following.
Specializing in vegan cake doughnuts, the pop-up sold 75,000 doughnuts before transitioning into Fawkes’ permanent menu. This was both a way to fund the cafe, and an opportunity for the Pepins to experiment and get feedback from customers.
Those doughnuts now have a home at Fawkes, alongside an expanded menu that caters to a variety of dietary needs without compromising on quality or flavour. The couple collaborated with local chef Chris Krock, whose culinary expertise aligns with Jorel and Mikayla’s vision, ensuring that Fawkes offers not only exceptional coffee but also a food menu crafted with the same level of care and passion.
On my visit, I ordered a Chocolate Macaroon and a Flat White. The Coconut Macaroon’s outer shell had a delicate crispness that gave way to a satisfyingly chewy interior, the kind that clings to your mouth just enough to let the flavour linger. The chocolate was deep, rich, and slightly bitter and kept at bay by an underlying sweetness that kept it from being overwhelming.
The Flat White, meanwhile, was a study in balance. The espresso blend came through the milk, offering a nutty, slightly chocolatey profile with a hint of caramelized sweetness. The foam was silky, holding its texture long after the first sip, and the milk was steamed hot enough to bring out the espresso’s natural flavours, without scalding or muting them.
As for the name, Jorel and Makayla drew inspiration from multiple sources. Partly, it was a nod to their former foster dog, Fawkes. But there’s also a connection to a Guy Fawkes theme, reflected in the cafe’s darker, moody aesthetic. The name evokes the historical figure, famous for his role in the Gunpowder Plot, adding a layer of intrigue and rebellion that resonates with the unconventional vibe of the space. It’s this connection that inspired them to open the cafe on November 5 2024 — Guy Fawkes Day.
And Jorel adds that it’s “kind of entertaining” to hear people stumble slightly over the name. And by that, he mainly means hearing people narrowly avoid saying the F word. It’s a playful element of the cafe’s identity, one that adds a touch of humour (and has made its way into the menu, with their Fawking Sauce).
Fawkes Café & Bakery
Downtown | 10137 104 St NW, Edmonton | 780.784.7447 | fawkescoffee.com
