A crucial late-breaking final addendum to the 2026 Build-Outs of Coffee feature series, courtesy of Phil & Sebastian of Calgary.
The 2026 Build-outs of Coffee is presented by DONA, Pacific Barista Series, and La Marzocco.
As told to Sprudge by Nathan Manfredi.
For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?
Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters was founded in Calgary in 2007 by Phil Robertson and Sebastian Sztabzyb, two engineers who became completely obsessed with coffee. Our core belief is pretty simple: the standard for coffee is too low, and we’re here to raise the bar. That belief has driven us for almost two decades—compelling us to traverse the globe, forge strong relationships with dedicated growers, create a custom-built production roaster, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in coffee. Today we roast everything at our roastery in Calgary’s historic Simmons Building and serve coffee through our Calgary cafes, online shop and wholesale partners. The company has grown quite a bit since 2007, but the focus is still essentially where it started: creating great coffee, working with people we respect, and continuing to learn how to make it better.
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?
Our Seton cafe is our newest location and our first real move into Calgary’s deep southeast. Seton is a relatively young and rapidly growing part of the city, so we wanted the cafe to feel like a proper neighborhood space rather than simply a place to grab coffee on the way somewhere.
We worked with Calgary design studio Way of Normal on the space. It’s bright and open, with high ceilings, lots of natural light, and a pretty generous amount of seating. We wanted it to feel distinctly Phil & Sebastian, but also relaxed and comfortable enough that people could settle in and make it part of their routine. It’s also one of our more complete cafe offerings, with Hoopla Donuts and Deputy Bagels alongside the coffee program.
What’s your approach to coffee?
Our approach is built around long-term producer relationships, rigorous sourcing, and a lot of attention to what happens after a coffee leaves origin. We spend a huge amount of time cupping and selecting coffees, then work to preserve that quality through careful shipping, storage and roasting. When our green coffee arrives in Calgary, we freeze all of it to slow ageing and protect its quality.
From there, we bring a pretty analytical mindset to roasting and brewing. We measure, test, taste blind, and keep refining things over time. The goal is to respect the work that went into the coffee at origin and present it as clearly, consistently and deliciously as we can.
Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?
We’re using a Modbar espresso system alongside Tone Touch 03 and 04 brewers. We wanted the equipment to keep the bar feeling open and minimal, while still giving us a lot of control over both espresso and filter service.
How is your project considering sustainability?
We try to think about sustainability in practical, long-term ways. For the cafe, that means choosing durable equipment and making energy efficiency part of those decisions. Our Tone Touch 03 and 04 brewers, as one example, use boilerless technology and only heat water as it’s needed, rather than keeping a large boiler hot all day.
More broadly, sustainability is closely tied to how we buy coffee. We invest in long-term relationships with producers, pay well above Fairtrade rates, and work on projects at origin designed to improve both coffee quality and the durability of those partnerships over time.
What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?
We are thrilled to announce that this cafe is now open!
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?
We want to give a special shoutout to Way of Normal, for their incredible work.
Thank you!
The 2026 Build-outs of Coffee is presented by DONA, Pacific Barista Series, and La Marzocco.
