Beans Cafe and Bistro - Edmonton

Beans, being located downtown near some provincial government buildings, is very popular with office workers, so it does a brisk business in take-out orders. The downtown location means they're closed on weekends and at 4 p.m. weekdays.The outside of Beans looks squeezed and flattened horizontally because it's on the street level of a large, unattractive concrete car park. Inside, it's pleasant and spacious. After eating at a table, friends and I had coffee on comfortable padded chairs and sofa placed around a large fireplace (artificial fire) that had a ski-chalet feel.The cafe's main attraction are its pizza bagels, baked fresh daily. They looked appealing, but my friends and I chose other things. I was pleasantly surprised by the extensive and varied menu, emphasizing traditional deli sandwiches such as reubens, lox and cream cheese, and egg salad---plus a good selection of daily specials.I chose the reuben sandwich with Thai curry soup. The reuben didn't quite live up to my expectations: not very large or thick, sauerkraut inside was cold, and accompanying dill pickle was just a limp sliver of a pickle. The soup wasn't spicy enough, so I had to add a dash of hot sauce to bring it to life. Next time, I'll try something else and hope for some improvement.The prices seem reasonable enough, though, and staff are friendly and obliging.

This is one of my top choices for coffee. I have sampled many of their hot and cold drinks, and I have enjoyed everything I've tried.

I adore this charming and conveniently located cafe.

This restaurant is a great spot for breakfast and lunch, conveniently located in the downtown area. I was staying nearby and decided to try it for breakfast.