Analog Coffee 17th Ave

Analog has recently become my second home. One of the best places in the city to get a tea of coffee (Fratello beans are insanely good). People watching here is lots of fun — the space is filled with lots of good productivity vibes. Actually, I usually come just for the nice study atmosphere, but I’ve had to settle for a cup of coffee to-​go a couple times just because there weren’t any available seats. Wish this place wasn’t as good as it is so it would be less busy.

Really great people that work here. Fantastic coffee and very clean. As a business owner you can tell they take pride in their coffee place. I haven’t been here often but was remembered quickly and what I drink. It was great feeling remembered and the conversations are always fun. One of the girls that is from New York makes an effort to ask what I do and was genuine and sweet. Keep up the great work !

I only had a few hours in Calgary but I made sure to stop by since Fratello coffee was highly recommended by a friend. There was no line when I entered, but also no available seats as they were mainly taken up by people working on their laptops.
We ordered a latte as well as an iced mocha to go. The latte was pretty good, but what got me was the iced mocha. Absolutely delicious — it was incredibly smooth with a slight sweetness to it. I almost wanted another one immediately! Both drinks were roughly $ 4.50 each. It’s a little on the pricey side for the size of drink. Their card machine also asked for a tip, but I found their attitude to be subpar that day.
As we left, we noticed a line all the way to the door; in fact, we had to squeeze ourselves between the line and the door to get out. The coffee here is great, décor is wonderful, but it’s too busy.

Snacks and coffee were very delicious but where this place excels is there customer service and amazing employees.

I’m probably going against the grain here but I feel like this place is popular because it’s super hipster and trendy looking and not necessarily because the coffee is the greatest ever. My misto was pretty good, although TBH I don’t feel like it was a whole ton better than at Starbucks but, I’m no coffee connoisseur so what do I know. The incredibly hipster vibe this place has is more of a con than a pro for me. It has a kind of pretentious feel, if that makes any sense, and that’s just not my personal cup of tea. It is also SO loud and packed. I think if you like people watching it could be entertaining because there are families with children alongside hipsters but if you’re trying to be productive it’s a bit distracting. There are also only outlets at the bar seating along the windows. I think if I come back it will just be with a friend or two to hang out rather than to do work!

The espresso is delicious here! Definitely some of the best roast/​pull in the city. And the skill from each of the baristas is exceptional. My cappuccino couldn’t have been any more perfect.
Not to mention the location is beautiful.

Coffee done right. Funky coffee shop that knows how to make good espresso coffee drinks. Gets crowded on the weekend but worth the wait or just get it to go. Much better than the Starbucks across the street!

In our two day trip to Calgary we hit up Analog twice for our coffee fix. We enjoyed the slow drip coffee and it was perfect! We also had the dirty chai latte — one of the girls loves chai and she said it was the best chai she has ever had. I personally don’t normally like chai but the second time back I ordered this as my drink because it really was delicious! The espresso based drinks are good too! The staff clearly love what they do, they are friendly and knowledgeable. The place was busy but the service was fast and it has a simple and trendy atmosphere. Totally recommend this coffee shop!

Hipster place to sip your coffee and people watch. I think the coffees are great, but I don’t know about being one of the World’s best coffee place. I’m not super picky about my coffee though, all I care is that my americanos are served hot and don’t leave an icky, acidic after taste in my mouth after a sip.
I took off a star because this place is always really busy and it’s next to impossible to find a seat. I like to be able to sit at a café and sip my coffee without having to fight people for a seat.

Just went to get a drink here this afternoon (Saturday) with my girlfriends. I’ve come here a lot before today and the coffee is always great. They have a good selection of tea. The Indian chai I had today was tasty. The baristas are friendly and I have to mention the beautiful presentation of the coffee with all the nice designs. The only downfall is it’s always a struggle to find somewhere to sit but I suppose it’s because the coffee is that good!

I really, really want to give Analog a higher rating, but I’m mainly giving them three-​stars because they’re open late.
I’ve been to Analog twice this month after 10:30 pm and was über excited to find a chill place to well, chill. The desserts are great, and even late at night there was a variety to choose from: cookies, cupcakes, cake, and cake bars* so A+ for that. The service is wonderful too. The young man behind the counter even searched through the pastries to grab us the biggest ‘cake bar’ because he knew we were sharing. Again, A++ for that.
The downfall is the drinks. I’ve ordered lattes and on the last two outings, I got a hot chocolate. I wasn’t happy with either of these drinks. My friend even made a joke, «did you order the hot chocolate, hold the chocolate?» And sadly, this is what it tasted like. I would go back because I love the late-​night café culture, and honestly, the service was so great! I think if they can fix the hot chocolate situation, it would be the PERFECT way to spend a beautiful fall night on 17^th Ave.
(*totally forgot what they’re called. Jolly bar, I think.)

I was wandering down 17^th when the need for a coffee hit me. I love trying out anything independent (I.e. Not Starbucks), so when I cam across Analog, it looked the sufficient amount of interesting, but not crowded. The staff was really friendly and on top of that, the coffee was really tasty.

We came because the coffee shop was listed as one of the «25 Coffee Shops Around The World You Have To See Before You Die» in
The location — at the corner of a crossroad — was awesome for some chilling in the afternoon. The atmosphere inside the coffee shop was so relaxing. People was working with smiles on their faces.
My friend and I took a long time choosing which hand brew coffee we would like, which is a must try. We did not get a chance to talk to the staff but just by looking at their brewing behind the bar was already a pleasure.

Great people watching and decent coffee. Though if we are being honest, I prefer the coffee from Phil & Seb or Beano.
One of the best things I’ve ever eaten is this smoky bacon and cheddar biscuit. It’s a pretty crazy indulgence but I think it’s worth it.
Don’t bank on getting a seat, best to grab and go.

Analog has great coffee – this is something we all know as this shop gains popularity here on Unilocal.Some of their options can be a little intimidating, and the line moves quick. So you may be tempted to order an old standby (the panic Americano, for example). But I do encourage you to ask questions. Analog’s staff is probably one of their highlights. Friendly, courteous, informative, and also very efficient – something you’ll appreciate when you need that early AM coffee.
Ultimately I’d say it’s slightly on the expensive side when compared to its notable competitors such as Bumpy’s, Artigiano, and Beano. However, they make up for it with attentive staff and great coffee selection. If you’re still chasing that ultimate espresso, I do suggest Bumpy’s. But if what you’re after is expanding your palate with a mind-​boggling variety of Fratello coffee, this is the place to go. Plan for about $ 15 for a drink and snack.

#140
My friend, Steven N., calls it hipster (and I guess it is though my version of hipster is likened to the J.J. Bean chain in Vancouver which he probably knows about since he is from Vancouver). Even with all its alleged hipsterness, it’s still an old school coffee shop to me. It’s the décor that reminds me of a couple of places I went to in Amsterdam and Brussels. See Rebecca C.‘s and Ryan H.‘s reviews for great shots of the interior.
I cannot think of why I have not reviewed it before now; I am there enough. It is like my 2^nd home (tied with Kensington’s Higher Ground despite the fact this was the first coffee shop I visited when I moved to Calgary in 2012). I remember discovering Analog Coffee accidently in 2012 February during a (sunny) heatwave (it was in the –20’s °C) as I walking from London Drugs on 8^th along the 17^th Ave SW side of Tomkins Park (which at the time, I did not know its name). I assumed it was a record store (you know, that place where that those round black circles are sold). So, you can imagine my surprise when I find it’s a coffee shop with fresh baked goods.
I remember my first mocha there; large, warm, and chocolaty; just like the my last mocha there (two days ago) (and the God knows how many in between). My 2^nd drink of choice is usually hot tea. They have a nice selection of sandwiches and such but my weakness (and staple) is the cookies, especially the peanut butter cookies since I am like the only one it seems not allergic to nuts (that is why I usually get two). Apparently, the Sidewalk Citizen Bakery had supplied Analog with its bakery goods (I found this out because another friend, Wanda B., had left that info in a tip (now, I have to go that soon)). I think now the goods from Corbeaux. You can also get a glass of water if your tea or coffee is too hot (that’s located in the back of the shop).
It’s a small corner shop that, weather permitting, does have some tables and chairs outside (people watching).
The shop, facing south towards Tomkins Park [(between 17^th Ave SW (east), 16 ½ Ave SW (west), 8^th St SW (south), 7^th St SW (north)] and the Public Toilet (on 7^th St SW) and east across the street towards BMO and Shoppers Drug Mart,
attracts all kinds of patrons from all walks of life and apparently, all over the world. It is not uncommon to French, German, and Russian conversations and throw in some Chinese.
While you are there, try to get a window seat on the Tomkins Park side (7^th St SW) (because like the Tomkins Park, this is a great area for (more) people watching). If the coffe shop is too busy, you can try the Corbeaux Bakehouse which is a couple of doors down (also owned by Analog Coffee) which has an outdoor patio, weather permitting, as well as windows seats (even more people watching). On any given evening, it is pretty crowded as many of us bring our computers and tablets and work, so electrical outlets can be at a premium. There is free wi-​fi as many other reviewers and tippers have pointed out. The music varies from late 60’s and well, apparently, anything. It’s never a dull moment and in the summer, they are open an extra hour to midnight. As Wanda B. also mentioned, there is another one at Calgary Farmer’s Market (the one off of Blackfoot near 77^th, not far from IKEA and Costco in the south).
The staff are always nice, friendly, with a sense of humour, and if you are recognized as a regular, they often tell you of new drinks or food they think you might fancy. Add to that, even Car2Go gives you a 10% discount Monday to Thursday (as long as you show your membership card); how cool is that?! I have been begging Analog to put one in Deerfoot Mall (or Deerfoot City as it wants to be known now; it would go great with the Cabela’s, if they ever finish that).
Parking in the area is free after 6pm and from 6pm Friday to 8am Monday as well as holidays but that being said, that part of 17^th Ave SW is always busy! You can park on the side streets or a couple of blocks away. Best bet would be take a taxi or take a walk down 17^th Ave SW!

I like my coffee, and was told by more than one person that this was some of the best coffee in Calgary! When someone makes that claim, you gotta try it for yourself!
Line up was quite long and the store was filled to brim, but the staff worked very diligently and got orders out quite quickly. Decided to go for an Iced Latte, which was quite good!
My favourite thing would probably be the décor, as it was the epitome if modern chic coffee shop! Beautifully simple, but captured the essence of the corner coffee shop! Definitely worth visiting for the coffee addict-​lover!

Updated**
After my last review of Analog, I had chatted with the owner. His concern and effort to understand my review made me decide to give this café one more chance. I will say there was a complete change of opinion. Today I ordered a half sweet mocha, I was greeted by a happy young woman who took my order. There was a bit of a line up and she moved it a long quite well. The drink I ordered came in about 4 min which I was surprised about because there were quite a few people in front of me. The drink came and was exactly what I wanted.
In the end I will chalk my other experiences to staffing/​new business issues. I saw none of the issues I had before. Thank you for a great coffee!!!
I have given this café several tries and never left satisfied. They gave me the wrong drink once, the second time it was correct but gross and the 3^rd time the staff was just plain rude.

A busy, hopping place to be on a Saturday. The interior is trendy and filled with a variety of people and ages. I loved seeing the Starbucks just across the street totally empty, as coffee drinkers become more discerning.
I had a chai latte and it was very flavorful and rich. The service is good, they have a lot of people working to keep up with the busy traffic of people. On a beautiful chinook winter day they had their patio chairs out to allow people to enjoy their hot beverages. I really enjoyed the art on the wall and vibe of this local gem.

During the 3 days I recently spent in Calgary, I probably spent a total of a full day here. I finished reading 1.5 books in this café. I adore this place.
Not only is the space a really comfortable atmosphere, but the baristas are passionate about their work and that shines through in tasting the coffee. Fratello makes amazing coffee, and it’s great to support local Albertan roasters! The pastries are delicious as well. After all of the coffee-​shop-​hopping I did in Calgary, this place is one of my absolute favourites.