The name says it all

One of my most memorable coffee experiences was at SnowDome Coffee Bar in Jasper. My Americanos were expertly crafted on a high-end Slayer espresso machine and went down well with house-baked cookies.

But what really stuck with me was the location—in the corner of a subterranean laundromat, surrounded by gleaming stainless machines. Which got me thinking: Why aren’t there more such obvious partnerships, turning a chore into a pleasant hangout in a captive market?

Jasper’s late, great SnowDome Coffee Bar and laundromat

That was 12 years ago, and not much has changed, other than the closing of SnowDome. But if I expand my horizons beyond laundromats, I can find a half dozen such “more than just coffee” places in Calgary, a couple quite new.

The most popular of such marriages is the coffee and bike shop, often extended to include skis in the winter. The idea is to offer espresso-based drinks and pastries while your bike or skis are being tuned.

I don’t know how I missed this, but Bike and Brew (921 1st Avenue NE: “Calgary’s Original Caffeinated Bicycle Shop”) has been offering cycling gear and services for nine years along Bridgeland’s busy 1st Avenue NE, close to the city’s expansive pathway. The drink and food menu is impressive, from Fratello-based cold brew coffee and local craft beer to Peppino Italian sandwiches and fresh-baked cookies.

Bridgeland’s Bike annd Brew

Velet (105, 206 11 Avenue SE) is Calgary’s quirkiest cafe—a bike/ski repair and tuneup shop, on the edge of downtown, that also serves excellent coffee. Oh, the entrance is from a back alley. When I visited, owner Hakan Kayabasi was doing it all: ski/bike technician, expert barista and purveyor of fresh-baked Turkish treats.

Velet subterranean cafe

Want to avoid the persistent Marda Loop traffic jams? Just jump on your kick-ass Italian bike and head to The Wheelhouse (2136 33 Avenue SW) for a “decent espresso” or to join an organized ride into the foothills.

Detour: A long, long ride north of Calgary in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, excellent Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters shares space with vibrant bike shop Icycle Sports.

Want a facial or lip wax with that latte? Distilled Coffee House (2408 34 Avenue SW) is a combination coffee shop, wine bar and beauty bar, also in Marda Loop. Order a Rosso Roastery coffee and  a fresh-baked cookie or charred beet salad.

Distilled’s beauty and the brewsy

This isn’t the only instance of caffeinated beauty in Calgary. At the new Kennedy and Oaks (1919 Sirocco Drive SW), you can browse an expansive menu of Vietnamese-style coffees while getting your brows worked on.

Kennedy and Oaks high-brow beauty and Vietnamese coffee shop

Bonus: I recently noticed a Calgary laundromat offering coffee, but it was Nespresso. Does this count?

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