After gaining a foothold in speciality coffee with a few years of hands-on experience in professional roasting and brewing, husband and wife team Kitty and Caleb Leung opened Sought x Found in 2017. Now, they’re celebrating the grand opening of their second location in the heart of Downtown Calgary.
On the ground floor of the Two Park Central Building, a modern apartment complex with a spacious architectural layout, Sought x Found’s Beltline café finds itself in the hub of Calgary’s cultural and commercial activity.
If you’ve visited Sought x Found’s original Centre Street café, which operates out of a nearly 100-year-old factory building, you’ll have observed its conspicuously “heritage” theme, with exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and metal piping.
Aesthetically speaking, Sought x Found’s Beltline café could not be any more of a contrast; wide, minimally decorated spaces are accompanied by an earthy colour palette. Throughout the café, you’ll notice a clear juxtaposition of elements – cool and warm, stone and wood – to create an atmosphere best described as serene, warm, and rustically simple. Truthfully, it’s unlike any coffee shop I’ve been to in Calgary.
“Beyond Quality and Flavour”
If there was one consistency between the atmosphere at both Sought x Found Locations, I’d say that it feels more like being welcomed into a friend or family member’s home than simply walking into a business. To that, I credit Kitty and Caleb’s commitment to demonstrating the highest standards of hospitality and care, while making the joy of exceptional coffee discoverable for everyone.
“We started Sought x Found with a vision for community and connection that goes beyond the cup,” Says Caleb. “Our mission is to embody thoughtful and considerate hospitality… This commitment to care and kindness serves as the fundamental means to our goal of being a positive light in our city.”
This philosophy, based on hospitality and kindness, is wholeheartedly apparent in every nook of Sought x Found’s Beltline location. For example, never have I visited a coffee shop with a host’s stand only steps from the front doors. The goal, explained Caleb, is to personally greet every guest so they feel welcome the moment they walk in.
A Commitment to Curiosity
Speaking as someone who has patronized dozens of coffee shops in the city, the menu at Sought x Found is to be noted as one of the best in Calgary.
One of their core values, explained Caleb during the evening of their media event, is curiosity. As a result, their drink menu features a diverse selection of coffees from small-batch producers across the world, allowing customers to explore and enjoy a colourful spectrum of flavours – all tied to different origins, territories, coffee bean varietal, and processing methods.
Sought x Found has also introduced a “coffee tasting menu”, rotating through 3 new coffees every month. Customers can choose from a flight of three coffees one way, or a flight of one coffee three ways (a pourover, a solo espresso shot, espresso with steamed milk). I’m not sure if you can get any closer to a coffee lover’s playground than this.
Sought x Found Welcomes Guests for Sneak Peak
I was very fortunate to experience a preview of Sought x Found’s coffee menu, during which Kitty and Caleb alternated in crafting a lineup of speciality pourovers and seasonal coffee beverages. Plus, we enjoyed two delicious hors d’oeuvres: a smoked salmon and a wild mushroom toast.
Caleb began with a tasting flight of three coffees. To everyone’s surprise (and relief, seeing it was past 6pm), two of them were decaffeinated. My personal favourite was the “Paradise Decaf” – a red bourbon varietal with tasting notes of Rosehip, Lemon-lime, and Iced Tea.
Kitty showcased her experience as a 3rd-place competitor in the Canadian National Barista Championship, walking us through her recipe for a “coffee mocktail” featuring a Sought x Found’s decaf espresso, Hojicha tea, house-made syrup, cranberries, and fresh rosemary. If only I were talented enough to make this recipe at home.
We ended the night with a decadent decaf Affogato and a “Peppermint Tonka Rone” (a play on Toblerone) latte. Although the Tonka Rone is one of Sought x Found’s “seasonal” drinks, popular demand has made it a nearly year-round treat.
During the evening, we could all sense Kitty and Caleb’s hope and enthusiasm for Sought x Found’s future. With the opening of their second location and the expansion of their outreach in our growing coffee community, I can only see wonderful things ahead for this beloved Calgary café.
Sought x Found’s brand-new Beltline location is now open seven days a week, offering a refreshing menu of thoughtfully crafted coffee, tea, food, and pastries in downtown Calgary.
