Saint Cecilia
A Yates Street coffee spot with coffee, ice cream, and goods.
A coffee bar where the espresso menu reads like a cocktail list.
A specialty room on Yates, exposed brick and high ceilings in a building that's been here since the early 1900s, with a loft upstairs to disappear into. The whole idea is restraint: a short menu, a coffee list that changes every week, beans pulled from roasters like Denmark's La Cabra and Calgary's Phil and Sebastian. It feels Scandinavian on purpose, quiet and considered, built for people who actually want to taste the thing rather than grab a paper cup and run. Locally milled matcha, made-to-order ice cream, art and clothing on the shelves.
The move
Order one coffee two ways, espresso and hand-brew, and taste the gap. Then get the espresso tonic, the drink regulars rave about. In summer, the soft-serve-style ice cream, made to order on a Parachute base with real fruit, vegan if you need it.
Go when
A slow weekday morning when you've got time to sit, ideally up in the loft. Closed Mondays, and it shuts by 4, earlier on Sundays, so this is not your late-afternoon plan.
Known for
Perfect for