Always Coffee Co

Beautiful new coffee shop in southwest Edmonton, Windermere area. Popped in to meet a friend for coffee and was very pleasantly surprised with the modern and inviting atmosphere. Floral wall designs and a clean white look, give it that modern appeal. Definitely a must to stop in for that meeting or coffee with a friend! Great coffee as well in the regular price range of better quality coffee. Take a turn past this lovely Always Coffee!☕️☕️🤗

I was really excited to try this place because it’s so nice to finally have another coffee spot in the Windermere area. The staff member working when I went in was genuinely lovely and very friendly, which made for a positive experience overall. That said, I do think the café has some growing pains, particularly when it comes to atmosphere and overall presentation. The biggest issue for me was the vibe inside. It honestly feels very clinical, almost more like a medical or dental office than a cozy café. The fluorescent lighting is extremely harsh and the entire space is very stark white, from the tables to the flooring to the lighting itself. Because of that, it ends up feeling sterile rather than warm or inviting. I completely understand that leasehold improvements are expensive, but honestly, there are smaller changes that could make a huge impact. Swapping out the white tables for warmer wood tones, adding plants and greenery, and incorporating softer ambient lighting or lamps would completely transform the atmosphere without requiring a massive renovation. Even the music contributes to the overall feeling. When I visited, country music was playing, and I think something more along the lines of lofi, chill indie, or soft café-style music would better suit the kind of environment people typically want when they go to a coffee shop to relax, work, or meet with friends. At the end of the day, cafés are about more than just coffee now, they’re about creating an experience. If you look at many of the most successful coffee shops in Edmonton, they tend to lean into a cozier, moodier atmosphere that makes people actually want to stay awhile. The counter and preparation setup also feels a bit makeshift and unfinished. It doesn’t have that polished coffee bar feel that you’d expect at these price points. The pastries also looked fairly generic and gave me the impression they may have been purchased wholesale or from somewhere like Costco rather than made in-house, though I can’t say that for certain. I ordered the strawberry matcha with vanilla foam. It was decent, definitely drinkable, but not particularly memorable, especially considering the pricing. Since Common Ground is only a few kilometres away and offers what is, in my opinion, the best matcha in the city at a similar price point, I’d personally choose them over this spot. I suspect the matcha itself may not have been a high-grade ceremonial matcha and instead could have been sourced through a wholesaler, as the flavour and colour came across a bit muddy. At $8–9 for a matcha drink, I would expect a really high-quality ceremonial-grade matcha similar to brands like Cultivate. The strawberry flavour also tasted more like a purchased syrup than something house-made. I think this place has potential because the area genuinely needs more cafés, and the service was kind and welcoming. But right now, the atmosphere and drink quality don’t fully align with the pricing or the trendy café experience many people are probably hoping for.

The staff member there was absolutely lovely! She was very kind and receptive to questions. We got the black forest latte, which was delicious, as well as the matcha mochi waffle, which was very yummy as well! Lots of seating and natural lighting which made for an excellent experience.

Was excited to try out a new coffee shop in the area. The people working are very friendly - make sure you do not go in the yellow door as it is the door to their kitchen. Unfortunately there is still construction going on in the building itself right beside the coffee shop so that brought the atmosphere down a little. I don’t want to start with negatives but the prices here are criminal… they don’t have prices on their menu either. I paid $17 for an iced cherry matcha and an everything bagel with cream cheese. I wanted to try this place out so didn’t change my mind on anything and just paid the price. Now the bagel itself was $6 and then an extra $2 for “speciality cream cheese”. I saw her take the bagel out of a dempsters bag and throw it in a toaster…. For $6 I was thinking they were maybe partnered with bagel bar or something and I was going to get a delicious, freshly baked bagel. Nope, it was part of a 6 pack that I could get from Safeway down the street for $4. The bagel was just a vessel for the cream cheese though as the specialty cream cheese was actually very delicious. The cherry matcha was very pretty and definitely an instagram worthy drink if that’s what you are looking for. The cherry itself was really really good, exactly what I was hoping for. I was a little disappointed in the matcha itself though as it was watery. Definitely not the worst matcha I’ve had in the area but not the best either and at $9 i would hope that it would compete with Common Ground’s matcha. I wanted to love this place - the $9 for the matcha is fine, a little pricey but okay. But I can’t get over the $8 for a dempsters bagel. That definitely ruined the vibe of the visit for me.

Tried this place today, so convenient to just pop out of work and have a great coffee from a local owned place