Sunday Rituals at The Watershed

Last fall I developed a habit. I would pack up my laptop, hop in my car, and drive 20 minutes from downtown to The Watershed in pretty Petty Harbour. It’s a coffee shop/cafe right on the harbour and I seem to have found my writing muse there. It’s open again for another season and I’m happy to have my Sunday ritual back.

I get so distracted at home sometimes. I can come up with a million blog ideas but when it comes to actually write them there’s laundry to do, a meal to cook, Doctor Who to watch, or a cat to pet. There’s always something that I feel I should be doing instead of writing for the blog.

The Watershed opened up last summer and I heard lots of great things about it. The coffee is good. The sweets are all locally made. Angie’s chocolate chip cookies are the best. They have sandwiches and soup. Plus a killer view. Seriously. It’s good to get out of the city sometimes, even if it’s only the next town over. For some reason, it took me until the fall to actually make it out here.

I’m so glad I did. The chocolate chip cookies are my favourite, though I have yet to try the date squares. I love that the grilled cheese is served with a sliced grape tomato, a mini gherkin, and a slice of orange. The combo reminds me of lunches around the bay at my grandmother’s.

The interior is so cozy, warm, and inviting. It’s floor to ceiling wood and feels like a cross between hanging out in a typical Newfoundland shed and your grandmother’s kitchen around the bay. There are a few games, like chess and Trivial Pursuit, kept on hand that you can take for a spin.

The Watershed is also very remote worker friendly. I’ve spent hours perched on a stool by the window typing away and no one has even given me the slightest of side-eyes. Coffee refills are only a dollar so you can stay fuelled up without breaking the bank. Whatever it is about this place, I’m able to focus and get the words out of my head. While I will sometimes struggle for hours at home to finish one post, a two hour session at the Watershed may see me walking away with two or three finished pieces.

The cafe has also quickly become a community player. While they’re currently only open Saturday and Sunday from 10-4, they’ve started branching out from just serving up coffee and sweets to locals, tourists, and hikers and have hosted events such as movie screening and musicians. I love the community feel that I just don’t get at Starbucks so I’m happy to drive twice as far to spend my money in Petty Harbour.

If you’re visiting St. John’s and you decide to check out The Watershed, and you should, keep in mind that they’re debit and cash only. Also, my own tip is to dress in layers as it tends to be quite warm inside, despite the heat not being on. So cozy.

What’s your favourite local coffee shop?