Recently, I posted a blog titled “Flaneuring Cycling Art Alley Park Fun” in which I indicated that Heritage Music & Posters might be Calgary’s most bohemian place, with a side comment that perhaps I should do a blog on Calgary’s best bohemian places. A regular reader sent me a note saying, “you should do it!” so here we go!

What is A bohemian place?

In see it as a place that is unconventional, a bit off-the-wall and probably off-the-beaten-path. It probably has a colourful or eclectic decor and carefree or casual atmosphere. In a nutshell, it is place that is unique and unusual, maybe even a bit strange.

Here is my list - in no particular order:

Cold Garden Beverage Company

Located just off Inglewood’s main street, up against the railway tracks, is Cold Garden, a microbrewery that is the epitome of bohemia with its thrift store couches and chairs, as well as hundreds of thrift store finds. And yes of course, good beer. Don’t be surprised if a dog or two joins you for beer. This is an all ages, dog-friendly place that includes non-alcoholic, vegan, gluten-free and keto-friendly options - "CG" is a taproom for all!

I love the names of their beers: Red Smashed in Buffalo Jump, East Calgary Amber Lager, Pool Party Blonde, Cakeface “A Birthday Cake Ale.”

Address: 1100 - 11th St SE. / Link: coldgarden.ca

Indeed, Cold Garden “must be the place” for many Calgarians.

Recordland

Staying in Inglewood, one of Calgary’s signature bohemian places is Recordland with its funky entrance with hazy portraits of rock stars and its collection of over one million records. Established in 1978, in the Cohen family basement it is now recognized as having the largest collection of vinyl in Canada. If Recordland doesn’t have it, you don’t need it. The place it is chockfull with records and CDs from floor to ceiling ( and ye, there are records on the ceiling). It is a must visit for any vinyl collector.

Address: 1209 - 9th Ave SE / Link: RecordLand

The entrance to Recordland is bit like what I imagine an acid dream to be like.

Ironwood Stage & GrilL

Just down 9th Ave SE is Ironwood Stage & Grill, perhaps Calgary’s best live music venue, offering music seven days a week – over 400 shows per year. The music program is eclectic, from big bands to jazz, from tribute shows to young local artists and touring performers passing through. Housed in the 1936 former motion picture Garry Theatre, it’s been a live music venue since 2010. Today ,the Ironwood blends the bohemian charm of its past with contemporary music.

Address:1229 - 9th Ave SE / Link: Ironwood Stage & Grill

Ironwood Stage and Grill is located in the historic Garry Theatre.

Blackfoot Truckstop Diner

This iconic truckstop diner ‘s history dates back to 1956, when it was known as Royalite. It was the city’s first 24-hour diner. It has the classic truckstop menu with items like Working Man’s Breakfast, Railroad Corn Beef Hash, Hungry Man’s Breakfast and my favourite, Traveler’s Breakfast. There is even a Route 66 Omelette. Yes, there are milkshakes and sundaes on the menu too. But it is famous for its pies, especially the legendary flapper pie with its signature “mile high” recipe that is over 7 decades old.

The bright pink walls, vinyl booths, vintage jukeboxes and a model train running around the perimeter of the ceiling give the Blackfoot Truckstop Dinner a fun bohemian sense of place.

Address: 1840 - 9th Ave SE / Link: Blackfoot Diner

The Flapper pie with its mile high meringue.

Lukes Drug Mart

Located in Bridgeland/Riverside just across the Bow River from East Village is Lukes Drug Mart’s original store, which opened in 1951. Today, it has a modern café, record and retail store on the main floor, with a grocery store in the basement and yes, it still has a pharmacy. It is known for its soft vanilla ice cream which is made from sweetened condensed milk. In addition, they collaborate with local foodies to create speciality ice creams from time to time, as well as offering monthly feature flavour.

And yes, it remains family owned – Jim Lukes, founder/owner 1949 to 1985, Bob Lukes, 1985 to 2013, Gareth Lukes, 2013 to present.

Address: 112 - 4th St NE / Link: Lukes Drugmart

Inside is a drug store, cafe, plant shop, record store, home decor boutique and grocery store.

I Love You Coffee Shop

The name alone, evokes a sense of bohemia. You can easily miss ILYCS as it is located of the basement underneath Happy Together Convenience & Grocery Store, that latter was also a candidate for best bohemian places for its name alone!

Stumbling upon ILYCS while flaneuring in the area, I was gobsmacked by how this intimate space is not only a coffee shop but a record store, art gallery and beer store.

The website says it is inspired by Japanese Jazz Bars that play vinyl all day. To me it feels like a guy’s man cave. Whatever, it is a great place to grab some java and listen to some music while being surrounded by art. It doesn’t get more bohemian than that.

Address: 348b - 14th Ave SW

Link: I love you coffee shop

Weeds Café

Staying with bohemian cafés, Weeds Café in Capitol Hill, established in 1994, has the urban patina you would expect in a bohemian coffee shop. The eclectic mismatched tables have the etchings of patrons from the past 30+ years. There is a back room with games and quiet spot for a secret rendezvous. It is a popular haunt for students from the Alberta University of the Arts, SAIT and University of Calgary whose campuses are all close by. It is also a hangout for local artists and their patrons with the popular Ruberto Ostberg Gallery just across the street. Any place with “weed” in its name has to be a bit bohemian.

Address: 1903 - 20th Ave NW / Link: Weeds Cafe

Bell’s Bookstore Café

Over in Altadore, South Calgary or Marda Loop,(frankly, I am not sure what they are calling it these days), is Bell’s Bookstore Café. Not only does it have coffee, but also good selection of homemade bake goods and a breakfast/lunch menu too. It has cozy community atmosphere inside with a back patio for those who want to enjoy Calgary’s big blue skies. And with its, funky selection of books and artisan works, it is an inviting place to meet and linger with an old friend or perhaps a new one. Yes, it is dog friendly, with a water dish at the front door and place to tie up your canine friend.

Address: 1515 - 34th Ave SW

Link: Bell’s Bookstore Cafe

Hmmmm…something is missing in this photo….

Hillhurst Sunday Flea Market

The hippy-like Hillhurst Flea Market happens every Sunday at the community centre, from 7am to 3 pm (but best to get there before 1 pm). Nothing says “bohemian” like a flea market in a gym of an old community hall building. Here you will find an eclectic collection of vendors, selling everything from records to books, from furniture to home décor and lots in between. In the summer, the market spills out onto the courtyard. Grab a coffee from the canteen and enjoy browsing and people watching.

Address: 1940 6th Ave NW / Website: Hillhurst Flea Market

The Sunday Flea Market at the Hillhurst Community Centre not only has an eclectic collection of stuff to look at but an eclectic group of vendors and browsers.

Ship & Anchor

No bohemian list is complete without a few pubs and live music venues. The Ship & Anchor is both - , arrive on a weekend morning to watch soccer from Europe and stay for an afternoon jam. The Ship, as locals call it, opened in 1990 as a hub for musicians and artists. Today the former Italian Restaurant has a nautical décor theme but is best known for being the “hangout” spot for Calgary’s arts community. It’s huge patio on 17th Avenue, aka The Red Mile, they hangout spot in the summer, but is often busy even in the winter when Chinook winds can create warm afternoons. It is the perfect combination of pub and live music venue.

Address 534 – 17th Ave SW / Link: Ship & Anchor

The patio at The Ship is a busy place where patrons and pedestrians love to interact. This is an urban planners idea of utopia.

Palomino Smokehouse

Located downtown on the 7th Avenue Transit Corridor is the Palomino Smokehouse. The website says, “Every year we smoke 40,000 kg of brisket and 20,000 kg of pork, cook 100,000 chicken wings, and host hundreds and hundreds of bands and artists on our stages.” Walking into the Palomino feels like walking into a BBQ joint in Austin, Nashville or Memphis - there is beer, alcohol and music paraphilia everywhere. There is a live music venue in the basement, as well as outdoor patio on the alley. It can be a loud and boisterous atmosphere, but what’s wrong with that.

Address 109 – 7th Ave SW / Link: Palomino Smokehouse

Palomino has the right amount of urban grit that you expect of a bohemian place.

Alcove Centre for the Arts

From the name you might think this is large arts venue. But in fact it is a former shoe store converted to a artists’ hangout at the base of the huge Bay parkade. It is more a grassroots operation offering a place for anyone wanting a safe place to drop-in and hangout. There are art supplies and instruments for anyone to use, or you can sign up for a workshop. There is a funky window exhibition gallery and back of house gallery, workshop space. And I believe there is even free coffee if you just want to sit and chill.

Address 244 – 7 Ave SW / Link: Alcove Centre for the Arts

The Alcove has the feel of a basement rumpus room.

Dickens Pub

What is it about basements and bohemia? Dickens Pub is in the basement of a building on the west end of downtown. It has variety of seating areas from couches to tables, as well as, pool tables, pinball machines and even a library. And even a live music stage. It is known for its diversity of events from live music to album releases, from DJs to game nights and Poetry Slams.

Address: 1000 - 9 Ave SW / Link: Dickens

Loophole Coffee Bar / Sigla Books

Not far from Dickens Pub, sits is Loophole Coffee Bar with its charming street window where you can order or pick-up your coffee on your way to or from the 7th Ave Transit corridor or walk to work. Inside, there are places to sit, a small gallery space and used bookstore – Sigla Books. This isn’t your average used bookstore; it offers a thoughtfully curated selection of books on shelves that are attractively organized. There is a good selection of rare and obscure books. Grab a coffee and browse the shelves.

Some nights, it even morphs into a live music venue. It doesn’t get more bohemian than this.

Address: 1040 - 8th Ave SW

Link: Loophole Coffee Bar

Link: Sigla Books

The Roasterie

Calgary has been a caffeine city long before Starbucks arrived in 1996. It was in 1984 when a recently laid off mining engineer, fashion consultant and diamond driller got together and decided Calgary needed its own roasterie.

They found Heinz, a local roaster in Calgary who not only taught them how to roast coffee beans but sold them a roasting machine. The Roasterie in Kensington Village (314 - 10th St NW) opened in 1985 and as they say, the rest is history.

The café is like a museum - with coffee artifacts are everywhere. The selection of coffees ranges from Ethiopia Limu to El Salvador Yellow Honey and from Cuba Turquino to Haiti Blue Pine Forest. In total, 50+ varieties are available at any given time.

CAFÉ BEANO

On the west end of 17th Ave SW is Café Beano which opened in 1990 and is open 365 days of a year just in case Santa Claus needs a coffee. It is the favourite hang-out spot for many Calgary artists from all genres. The sidewalk outside is an extension of the café with several benches occupied year-round with people engaged in serious conversations. Beano has a broad coffee menu rich Oat Milk Latte to Almond Mocha, from a bold Dark Roast Drip to Vietnamese Iced Coffee. It is where bohemian meets bourgeois.

Address: 1613 9th St. SW / Link: no website (how bohemian is that)

Cafe Beano is like The Ship with how it spills out onto the street even in the winter.

Last Word

No doubt I have missed some good spots. If you live in Calgary and have a favourite bohemian spot that I have missed, let me know. And if you don’t live in Calgary but have a fun bohemian spot in your city, let me know as I always enjoy hearing about fun places.

Yes, I realize there are more than 14 places as I kept adding more as I developed the blog, but decided to keep the title the same and see how many people noticed.

Calgary’s 14 Best Bohemian Places