One of the things I miss the most about Perth (besides my friends) is the ‘cafe culture’. The feel of a lazy Sunday afternoon with a great cup of coffee, latte, cappuccino, etc. and chocolate tart is very ‘European’. Sure us Canadians like our Starbucks, Second Cup and heaven forbid, Tim Horton’s. We’ll often make do with sub par coffee and a dry doughnut and that really is a shame. I can not count the times I have said that Calgary needs more true cafes that think out of the box and aren’t part of a chain.
A Ladybug Bakery started out in 2004 in the Calgary Farmers’ Market at the Currie Barracks. Later, they had a small bistro at 510 42nd Avenue SE, Calgary but I think it now is the main bakery for the whole operation. They continue to utilize local farmers and suppliers for most of their ingredients. Using fresh, local ingredients definitely shows in the quality of the food that they present.
During previous visits, I’ve enjoyed several delicious lattes, croissants (especially the caramel croissant), sand tarts, vanilla slice, and my personal favourite the Dungeness Crab salad sandwich. I’ve been there a lot! Today, since Dungeness Crab is out of season I chose to try a the Goat Cheese and Tomato savoury Crepe, the Citrus Tea Teaser, and a chocolate tart. The crepe had a lot of goat cheese in it and it was a great foil for the very rich and slightly spicy tomato sauce that was also tucked inside. The ‘teaser’ was made of Rainforest Tea, fresh mint and lemon juice. It was really refreshing! The tart was so rich and I was so full by the end that hubby had to finish my tart for me.
Hubby chose the smoked Salmon Crepe and chocolate tart (plus mine!). It was a lovely, saucy looking crepe filled with a dill creme sauce and covered with greens and slices of smoked salmon. I have to say my family is getting more patient with me taking pictures of their food BEFORE they start eating. Thanks guys!
I was really impressed that I was able to get pictures before our food was gone…we were having lunch at 2:30 pm, after all! The very hungry kid number one chose the macaroni au gratin AND a chocolate banana crepe. Yes, he ate it all!
If you are looking for a Euro style cuppa paired with delicious bistro food and some sweet treats to take home, you have to give A Ladybug Bakery & Espresso Bar a visit. It is really far away from where I live but I find any excuse to get to Aspen in the far mid-west area of the city just so I can stop by. To satisfy your croissant cravings in the meantime, you can take home frozen croissants and bake them at home.
A Ladybug Bakery and Cafe
10 Aspen Stone Blvd
Calgary AB
T3G 0K3
(403) 249-5530
Hours of operation : Wed-Sat : 8AM to 7:30PM Sun : 8AM to 5PM
Photo courtesy of Chamberlain Group because I forgot to grab one while I was there.
