Diventa Coffee

A warm inviting modern shop, with outstanding coffee and good food. What more could one want? (And they have WiFi now…)

I feel Diventa is a bit of a fish out of water. It’s an upscale coffee shop in what’s otherwise been a not-​so-​upscale strip of 12^th Ave. Not that this area is über-​lowscale, but it certainly doesn’t scream boutique coffee shop with a sleek, modern interior to me.
Diventa dubs itself the «latest coffee concept to hit Calgary streets.» What concept is that exactly? That of a small-​scale local java joint meant to focus on the beans and not on having hookups for all our gidgets and gadgets? Diventa, you might just be onto something.
I’m slowly getting to know my coffees. If there’s one kind I drink enough to know what I like, it’s an Americano and what you served me was as good as any that I’ve had at other boutique shops in the city. It was just strong enough to taste and not leave any bitterness behind and had the right level of a smooth texture to complement. Yes, that’s right, coffee, when done right, can be as smooth as silk.
When I first walked through the door, I did what I do in most coffee shops, I peered around for the nearest plug-​in. I figured I might as well get some work done while I was there. After all, that’s what coffee places are for nowadays, right? No plugins. When I queried the lovely lady behind the counter, she replied «sorry, no. Our space is a little small.» So, no plugins for the laptop, and no wi-​fi either. I ordered my Americano and a piece of apple strudel. «Would you like this to stay or to go?» she asked. At this point, I was thinking in song, in particular, The Clash… «should I stay or should I go?»
«To stay,» came my reply and soon I was settled out on the patio with my fresh mug and a plate of strudel. 30 seconds later, the server (owner?) came out with an ice cold glass of water. I didn’t ask for water. You rock lady!
The only downfall I’m seeing is the fact that there’s nothing pretty to look at on 12^th Ave while you enjoy your drink. And also that 12^th Ave isn’t generally the most quiet of streets. It would be great if some acoustical company out there could invent an affordable, transparent barrier for street-​side cafes. In the mean time, I guess I’ll just have to time my visits with the quietest times of day or sit inside if there are conversations to be had.