Road Trippin’… Lamont and Mundare

Great Coffee, Unique Collections, Canola Fields and a Weird Giant Sausage

I love a great coffee shop and exploring small towns, so when I got tipped off by a friend that a great new coffee shop entered the scene in the Town of Lamont, I happily rounded up my sister and a friend to embark on some day tripping. 

Back to the new coffee shop that I wrote about in the first paragraph… it is called  The Nest – and, in my opinion, could be one of the driving forces that freshens up the street. It is a pleasant addition to the main street – a charming gathering place and hub for day trippers and locals alike.

The Nest – website: https://lamont.thenestcafeboutique.com/pages/the-cafe 

• Owner – Lindsay [one of 4 licensees of the trade name – all operating in rural Alberta] 
• Monthly Rotating Features – I tried the Root Beer Sparkler with Vanilla Cold Foam – that’d be a 5/5 stars for me, it was delicious. Not sure on the calorie content, because do calories even count when you’re on a road trip? 
• Baking – in house and quite yummy – we each loved the muffins 
• Menu – still being developed and evolving, but aside from the baking, they offer power bowls and sandwiches to go 
• The Boutique – thoughtfully curated selection of locally sourced (Canadian) home and lifestyle products

Hours – open weekdays 8 am – 5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am – 3 pm; closed Sundays

Once we finished our coffees, we meandered in and out of some of the businesses that line the street. We love to explore thrift shops, the thrill of the hunt for unique treasures. Lamont has two great opportunities for thrifters and collectors: 

Elk Island Thrift Store 

• Open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10 am – 4 pm 
• No website

Best Finds Vintage & Collectibles 

• 5036 – 50th Avenue 
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/people/Best-Finds-Vintage-Collectibles/100094658328433/
• Open Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm 
• The business is currently listed for sale at $175,000 

Before we hit the road again, we popped into another favourite shop – JD’s Sweet Treats, Lamont’s cute little candy shop. After all, no road trip is complete without sour candies to support you along the way.

Amply armed with cherry sours and gummy bears, we hit the road again and travelled about 20 minutes up the road to Mundare, in search of a great lunch spot and just to see what we could see. The same friend who gave us the insider scoop on The Nest, suggested we might try the quaint and family-run Baba’s Bistro.

Local artists line the walls and they offer homemade Ukrainian fare, friendly service and delicious cinnamon buns. Even if you’re just looking for a quick coffee, this is a great stop. 

Baba’s Bistro 

• No website, but they do have a Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/p/Babas-Bistro-and-local-artist-treasures-61555644554018/ 
• Food – Homemade ukrainian food; sample plates are a good value under $10 for 2 pierogies, 2 cabbage rolls and sausage; borscht served daily; other soup and sandwiches 
• Baking – We didn’t try them on this trip, but the cinnamon buns are baked in house and get rave reviews – they did look delicious 
• The Shopping – The restaurant’s walls are lined with local art and uniquely made jewelry, photos and books
• The Vibe – Quaint little restaurant, not accessible (stairs to get into restaurant) but they do have bistro tables set up outside for the summer

Also downtown on main street (50th Street), you’ll find Mundare Bakery – Lori’s Eats and Treats – I picked up some chocolate zucchini bread for the husband. The bakery features Jamaican treats and local homemade from scratch baking.

Wandered down the street to explore the murals and the weird giant sausage statue. The statue was erected by Stawnichy’s for the community, commemorating its history of sausage making and the community’s Ukrainian heritage. It was officially recognized as the world’s largest sausage by Guinness in 2001. The kitchy statue attracts visitors from near and far; it weighs about 400 kilos and measures over 218 meters long. [*Fun Fact! Alberta is renowned for its penchant for giant statues. Tourism Alberta has dedicated a page to the Route of Giants for enthusiastic travellers who want to explore them all.]

Beyond the giant statue is the Ukraina Park Campground, Hospital, Greenhouse, Golf course, the Basilian Fathers Museum and probably some other things I am neglecting to mention here.

Ukraina Park Campground – We drove through the campground because we are camping enthusiasts and were actually pleasantly surprised by the sites. They’re (mostly) well treed with some great amenities, it could be a fun place for a family reunion, ball tournament or a home base for exploring the area. 

Whitetail Crossing Golf Course – We are not golf enthusiasts, so we didn’t even go look, but the local golf course is an 18-hole championship course with excellent reviews. I thought I should mention it for those who like to play this game of ultimate frustration. 

My crew and I opted to get a bit of culture in and explore the Basilian Fathers Museum. The museum houses a private collection preserving the history of local homesteaders and the Basilian Fathers who arrived in Canada in 1902. Their website notes that more than 60,000 Ukrainians arrived in western Canada between 1891 and 1905, and Mundare is the centre of Ukrainian Catholicism in Canada.