Jodi on 
Erin on 
Eric on 
Bill Evans on 
Enough has been said about Phil & Sebastian’s splendid coffee talents, but getting your sleepy hands on a cup of their lovely liquid usually meant a hot, cramped, long wait at their Calgary Farmers’ Market booth.
In late November, the duo finally opened their long-awaited storefront location in Marda Loop, and it’s been packed ever since.
The space is gorgeous: so bright and airy; high, high ceilings; and plenty of space to sit and sip an Americano misto.
Brilliantly, Phil & Sebastien have paired with Manuel Latruwe Belgian Patisserie to supply their flaky croissants and pastries.
I stopped in for a quick bite off Phil & Sebastian’s short menu: granola, one homemade soup (Jerusalem artichoke on this day), and three sandwiches. They’ve recruited a chef with an impressive background, and focused on locally produced ingredients.
My (brined!) roasted turkey sandwich was … just OK. I appreciated the real carved turkey, from Dalemead, Alta., but there wasn’t enough herbed chèvre (from Fairwinds Farm) or pickled red peppers to give the focaccia sandwich enough moisture, or pizazz.
As far as café sandwiches go, it still doesn’t compare to the ones I love at Caffè Artigiano.
The coleslaw, however, was refreshing as the sun on a clear winter’s day. You could tell it hadn’t been sitting in a plastic tub all day, and the lime dressing gave it a great zing.
But people don’t flock to Phil & Sebastian for the sandwiches; their coffee was still as great as ever.
Phil & Sebastian Coffee Company, 2043-33rd Ave. S.W., Calgary, (403) 686-1221. Open weekdays 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m., weekends 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Stopped by today, here are my thoughts.
- I had a fresh brewed Ethiopian coffee made by their clover machine, it was delicious. I have never had a cup of coffee at P&S that wasn’t great.
-Staff are just awesome, I can’t believe the care they take making my coffee. They really take being a barista to another level…Also the redhead behind the cash took great care in helping me pick out a pound of Los Pirineos, El Salvador beans to take home.
- saw your review and ordered the Lamb instead of the Turkey. I thought it was very good, so it may have just been the Turkey that you ordered. I will say though that the sandwich while good, was small and didn’t fill me up. The coleslaw was as you described it – refreshing!
- great space.
I’ve had their coffee at the farmers market. To be fair, it is better than most in Calgary but it is not good coffee. To me, the staff showed no care in it’s production nor desire to leave a lasting impression on their customers.
Perhaps I’ve had different staff than Andrew, as that certainly wasn’t my experience! These days I brew my own with beans sent from overseas.
You forgot that they are also serving scones and treats from Aviv.
And, for the non-coffee drinkers they make an amazing hot chocolate, but remember to ask for it extra hot.
The time 15min I waited for my latte to be done, is not worth it
! It wasnt very warm, and to the end there where grinds, also no skim milk but 1%, the syruppy taste of the espresso is not my taste. The mardaloop location is cold and not cozy to hang out at !