boxcar coffeeshop

Over the past ten years I’ve tried to visit as many YEG coffee shops as possible, keeping my eyes open for any new gems. I had driven by Box Car before they opened, and the space immediately caught my eye. I was finally able to check it out this weekend and was so impressed. It might be one of the most beautifully designed cafes I have ever been to. The outdoor patio is lovely, green and dog friendly, and large sliding doors open up for summer months for a fresh, open, easy transition to the inside of the cafe. The vibe inside is very warm and welcoming and makes you want to sit and stay awhile. You can tell a lot of thought went into the design, and the art that is featured on the walls is gorgeous and compliments the space so nicely. To top it off, the gentleman serving us was amazing, and so kind, and our coffee was delicious. I cannot recommend this place enough, and I can’t wait to visit again! Sounds like they’ll be expanding their hours eventually, which I look forward to!

Had privilege of being invited for private event. It’s a cozy and chill space. Certain to become a community hub when it opens.

Just want to go to the dog park and saw it was finally open. Pop by to grab a iced coffee and got to say, so far, I am impressed. The gentleman behind the window, who is very courteous and kind and made suggestions. And the flavour of the coffee is absolutely delicious. I love that they have lactose, free and sugar. Free options. I’m so excited to finally have a coffee store in my neighborhood. You guys will see me often

First Impressions.Boxcar is a beautiful space located on the North side of the CN Railway station. The attention to detail is quite impressive, with a look that is original to them. They definitely spruce up the block and boast a beautiful patio to boot. Aesthetics aside, the main reason to go to a coffee shop missed the mark. Unfortunately what seemed to be a training period left us with a less than impressive coffee experience. The latte, milk overly and improperly steamed, made for a separated bubbly drink with a thick foam…instead of a smooth, velvety consistency that you can drink within the first five minutes of it being made. The Americano….bold, burnt, harsh. I have to admit that I was disappointed with their selection of coffee roasters. With such a high end vibe, they chose a less than average bean by “Anecdote”. For those who aren’t familiar Square One roasts this bean. A focus more harsh than it is flavourful. I must admit that Boxcar does make it better then them though. The second star was lost to the service. Although upon arrival the individual helping was quite “cheerful” shall we say, they became very overwhelming with a somewhat pushy, scripted intensity. They rattled off every single drink that they sold, without leaving any sort of gap for us to actually speak. Once our drinks were ordered, they began the overwhelming push of additional dessert/food items. I do understand the need to upsell and promote more sales, although there are much better techniques and ways of presenting these things that aren’t so forced. Not only was it the awkward ordering experience, it was the fact that no one actually checked on us to see how things were. As I said there seemed to be staff training at this time, with three people crowding the espresso machine…though this is no excuse, as I would assume that during the opening stages it would be important for a business to know how their products are coming out, as well as to train their staff to make these table check-ins. Perhaps delegating one of the staff members to work on promotions and rapport while giving much needed one on one coffee training to the other?As I said, first impressions. I’ll change my review if I see the improvements the next round.

Their soft open shows big promise, of a very neat mixed use development.But they're not yet serving their actual food & drink so there's no way for me to review.

Super friendly staff! They brought a table and chair out for us without us having to ask. The coffee is good too!

Great treats, even better coffee, friendly staff!

Service was exceptional, the fruit tart was RIDICULOUSLY delicious, latte was amazing also had the blended horchata with a shot of espresso.. Just YUMM, the churro cookie was beyond my expectations. Everything was so scrumptious and fresh.. Can't wait until they are open more than weekends. Highly recommend & will definitely be back. I can't get over the thin, crispy crust on the tart.. had to go back for seconds, 10/10. They were also very welcoming to our two pups! Looking forward to visiting again soon!

I'm excited to return in September. Great atmosphere with a ton of potential to refine their coffee quality.

We're so excited to have them in the neighborhood! I love that their (gorgeous) patio is dog friendly! Small menu and hours to start but everyone in my house is looking forward to seeing them blossom over the summer!