Walk right in, sit right down

Pop Soda’s Coffee House and Gallery is the place to be

Nicholas Friesen
Nicholas Friesen

Pop Soda’s Coffee House and Gallery
625 Portage Ave.

University students will feel immediately at home upon walking into Pop Soda’s Coffee House and Gallery at 625 Portage Ave.

The atmosphere is funky, homey and laid-back, making the patron feel as though they’re going for lunch at their eccentric aunt’s house.

There’s a variety of seating options, including mismatched retro chairs, couches and booths (with collage-decorated tables) that give the place a casual atmosphere.

At the far end of the restaurant, there is a stage where musicians perform in the evening.

Jazz artist Chet Breau is the house entertainer playing from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday to Sunday.

Local artwork is displayed throughout the place on the mural-emblazoned walls; truly, this is a place that supports the arts scene.

The service is good at Pop Soda’s, and the staff is courteous and friendly.

Upon entering you are given a menu, and are invited to seat yourself wherever you’d like. Not unlike how Stella’s in Osborne used to run, you jump the wait staff and head to the counter to place your order, where you are then given a table marker out of a selection of plush animals.

The wait time for our meals was only about 15 minutes, and though it wasn’t busy for our visit, I suspect it’s a place that does better business on the weekends.

The food is delicious and reasonably priced.

They have a selection of soups, paninis, sandwiches and salads, as well as dinner platters.

I ordered the roasted vegetable soup and received a gigantic bowl full of steaming, wonderful, surprisingly filling soup with a crispy piece of garlic bread on the side.

This is most assuredly a place I would go to eat again.

Apart from the well-priced food, and the large, delicious portions, Pop Soda’s is a place that I felt comfortable as a university student. It’s a good place to bring the latest book you need to read for class, grab a coffee and get comfy in the armchairs.

It’s also a great place to catch up with friends, or hold a meeting (it’s only a short walk from the Richardson science building).

So next time you need to buy lunch and are in the mood for lots of good food and a funky atmosphere, I highly recommend popping into Pop Soda’s.

Visit www.popsodascoffeehouse.com.

Published in Volume 66, Number 9 of The Uniter (October 26, 2011)

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