Restaurant Review: Block 1912 Café & Bakery

BLOCK 1912 CAFÉ & BAKERY

10361 Whyte Ave | block1912.com

Instagram: @block1912

Co-Diners: The E.A.T Crew

In my (heavily biased) opinion Old Strathcona and Whyte Ave is the best part of the entire city. It probably helps that I live nearby and have frequented this part of town practically every day of the combined fifteen years that I have called Edmonton home. The vibrant history of the area is one of Whyte Ave's defining features, each part of the streetscape telling its own story. One such example is the Hulbert block; a three-storey, brick clad, Edwardian commercial building that was built in 1912. On the street level of this building Edmontonians have been enjoying cozy cafe visits at Block 1912 (the cafe's name a tribute to the year that the building was built) since 1992. This cafe is one of the most notable spots on the avenue and their 33 year tenure makes them an iconic and reliable mainstay. Named Favourite Coffee Shop 2023 in the Edmonton Journal, it goes to show that even after this many years people seek out the familiar and comfortable spaces in the city. After all, Block 1912 really does feel a lot like going home. I have spent plenty of time at Block 1912 over the years and I have always been impressed by the immense amount of space that this cafe occupies. Full of time-weathered quirks, there is never any shortage of things to see and discover in this original-exposed-brick hideaway. Deep within the cafe the lighting dims as there are only windows at the very front of the space making natural light sparse. There are different levels of seating and mis-matched chairs. An entire nook is lined with shelves of books. I happen to know that there are secret drawers in various pieces of furniture that are filled with hundreds of notes, left by past patrons. Artists and musicians are encouraged to pitch their portfolios to the manager in order to be featured in the space - whether it be on the walls or to perform during one of the regular live music evenings. Visiting on a Saturday afternoon, I hadn't been to Block 1912 in a while and was interested in exploring everything that their menu has to offer these days. And there's a lot! The counter for ordering is about halfway into the cafe and the glass case full of pastries is an immediate distraction. Did you know that they also make their own gelato?? Of course all sorts of coffee beverages are available but Block 1912 also serves alcohol. There's a full menu of sandwiches, small plates, and comfort food. The staff is friendly and happy to answer any questions. I wanted to order a coffee to stick with the cafe vibe... But I'm not a straight black coffee kind of girl. The Ganache Mocha ($8.75) caught my eye but then I saw the list of 46 (!!) flavoured syrups that there are to choose from! It's almost impossible to decide on only one and after much difficulty I selected Toasted Marshmallow as an add-on to my mocha. Seemed like flavours that would make a lot of sense together! (If you ever want to find out what a "pineberry" latte tastes like go to Block 1912 and let me know what happens.)

I settled into a table right at the front of the restaurant so that I could enjoy the small amount of natural light that reaches the interior. Receiving my coffee, I have to say that they got the memo! I was impressed at how much my toasted marshmallow ganache mocha looked exactly the part - there were even mini marshmallows on top! Was it incredibly sweet? Yes. Was there even coffee in this? Who knows! But this warm beverage was what I had been hoping for. Chocolatey with a definite toasted marshmallow flavour, I was delighted that this drink felt like a specialty cafe creation. In the interest of having an entire lunch, I wanted to order something off of the sandwich menu. The Hot Italian Grill seems like the sandwich to get. But the Turkey Apple Brie Sandwich ($16.00) felt seasonally appropriate and I picked that one. A soup or salad is also included, turning this dish into a meal.

There were two daily soups available and the Vegetable Beetroot Soup also seemed to match the falltime vibe. I liked that the bread was a lot more interesting than a plain white or brown type. Instead, this bread was studded with what appeared to be cranberries - an ideal match for a turkey sandwich! The brie cheese was gooey and melty. I barely noticed the apples. It was a decently good sandwich but there wasn't a whole lot of filling and I could have easily made something like this at home. I liked the flavour combination though. The soup was warm and flavourful with a fairly fine dice of veggies within. I was expecting a more prominent beet component (maybe not a full borscht but somewhat closer to that) and I'm not sure if I noted the beets at all. If there was any, they were chopped very small and completely mixed in with the other vegetables.

I also had to try the Herb Crusted Chicken Pot Pie ($18.00) from the Comfort Food part of the menu. Who doesn't love a soul-warming comfort food on a chilly day? It was even raining!

Also served with soup or salad, we decided to try a salad this time. Again, there were two salads to choose from and the Greek Salad was the one that we picked. The server brought it right to our table and I loved that the pot pie looked freshly baked. If we're being real, a chicken pot pie is essentially a stew with a hat on top. The pastry crust was golden brown and nicely crispy. Underneath, the molten and creamy chicken mixture was delightfully herbaceous in flavour. The aroma of thyme was prominent and it matched well with the flavour profile of the pie. I found the crust and contents a little thin and I would have appreciated a bit more heft. The salad was totally fine but nothing special. The vegetables were fresh and I liked the liberal use of feta cheese. With such a wide selection of sweet treats, I had to order something for dessert. The White Forest Cake ($9.50) caught my eye immediately. As a self-proclaimed black forest maniac, I loved the idea of turning the concept on its head and creating a white version! How fun!

A vanilla cake with layers of what seemed to be strawberry and a creamy icing, topped with curls of pink chocolate. I liked this cake. It tasted good and it wasn't dry. A pretty far cry from a black forest but I appreciated the idea behind it. Overall, this seemed like a pretty basic cake and not quite up to a higher-end bakery level. The history in Block 1912 is palpable and it continues to be written. The food and drinks are fine but there are certainly better places to visit for a light mid-day meal. What the other places don't have is the longevity and legacy that lives within the walls of this cafe. Come, sit, and take it all in.