Celebrating the café, the mind behind the mochas, and over a decade of making life delish

If you’re ever looking for a good place to catch up with friends, study for a midterm, or see an independent artist perform, D’lish by Tish is the place for you. Known for its unique atmosphere, weekly live music performances, and a wide menu of homemade soups and coffees, the café has fostered a welcoming and diverse community for over a decade. They’ve worked hard to ensure there’s always something for everyone, even the most staunch coffee haters. 

For those who haven’t had the pleasure of visiting D’lish yet, it’s a quaint (but hard-to-miss) coffee house located on the corner of 14th Street East in the Nutana area. Owned and operated by Saskatchewan-born entrepreneur Tish Paget, the café has become a pillar within Saskatoon’s community. Over the years, it has become a place of connection, warmth, and togetherness for everyone. 

D’lish is like a world of its own, filled with unique art and food. Like many other students and locals, I’ve become familiar with the café. Its consistently delicious baked goods and welcoming environment have offered me solace on several occasions. No matter the time of year, I know I can walk through the doors of that vibrant amber building and enjoy a good cup of coffee and a great time with friends or on my own. It doesn’t matter who you are, whether you’re a newcomer looking for work, or just reaching out for friendship—everyone has a place at D’lish.

D’lish is home to weekly performances by various local artists. Whether it’s screamo, folk, indie-pop, or electric bagpipes, the stage is open for entertainment all year long. Their commitment to celebrating the arts and Saskatoon’s talented populace is unwavering.  Last year they held weekly talent shows, giving members of the community the chance to show off their skills and bask in the limelight. Earlier this month, they hosted a Valentine’s Day concert with music performed by their event coordinator and one of Paget’s longtime friends, Heidi Munro. 

“Heidi had offered to fill in and take care of the live music for me,” Paget said. “She seeks out really great new artists. She’s very involved in the music scene, so hiring her to do that and her keeping us full with all kinds of people has been a great connection.”

But it’s not just the food or music that makes the café so special. It’s the people behind it and those who support it that truly bring the space to life. For the 12 years D’lish has been in operation, it has served as a gathering place for people around the city to connect, meet new people, and try new things. If you were to ask Paget about her most cherished accomplishment throughout her 12-year career running D’lish, she’d say she’s most proud of the community she’s built.  

“She’s all about promoting her community, creating community, supporting wonderful causes, and creating great memories for the people of Saskatoon through her café,” says Munro.

Paget is a compassionate, hardworking woman with a knack for making things happen. Using skills learned in past coffee shop experiences and motivated by a zest for the restaurant business that started in her childhood, she opened the café’s doors with the vision of creating a place that incorporated all things that make life ’delish’. 

“I just wanted to have a place where I get all the different parts of my life in one place and create a community,” Paget said when asked about the driving inspiration behind her thriving business. “All the things that I might want in my life I pretty much have here.”

Every aspect of the business is personal to her. From the art on the walls to the recipes for the different soups on the menu, everything has been carefully curated and chosen by Tish herself, based on her desire to bring happiness to herself and others. Whether it’s regulars sipping their morning coffee, first-time visitors sampling seasonal dishes, or local artists performing on weekends, her goal has always been to provide more than just a meal. It’s about creating a sense of home for everyone who steps through the door.

Like many others, Tish and her business felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However,  while several locally owned businesses closed due to financial reasons or other constraints, Tish did her best with the hand she was dealt. Despite some restrictions, she remained open throughout the quarantine—not only to help her 30 employees but to also support the people around her in any way she could. It’s a testament to her kind heartedness and dedication to the community that the people around her supported her right back. 

“Many businesses closed down. Many did not survive, and her being a sole proprietor, [and] an independent small business, it was really miraculous how the community supported her, how she pivoted, and how her staff rallied to make it work. I think it’s something so incredibly big to be proud of,” says Munro about Paget’s work through the pandemic. 

While D’lish might seem like the average coffee shop to the untrained eye, those familiar with it know it’s much more than that, it is that it houses something much greater; a network of people dedicated to making life easier for everyone around them. Paget and her team have consistently shown their dedication to the community. Their contribution over the years to the Nutana neighbourhood and the greater Saskatchewan population is indisputable. 

By bringing together the most important and ‘delish aspect’ of her life over the past 12 years, Paget has successfully established a place open to all and for all. She’s built a welcoming environment in the café and formed lifelong connections with her community through outreach, fundraising, game nights, and organizing group trips to Mexico with customers turned close friends. 

As we advance further into the year, Paget is determined to keep the momentum going, consistently delivering good food, drinks, and vibes. She looks forward to keeping the café’s mission alive and well and giving USask students the caffeine and comfort they’ll need during finals. Keep an eye out for more musical events and festivities from D’lish as we trudge out of winter and into spring. The ideas they bring to life this year might surprise you. 

“We’re open to giving anything to try,” Paget said.  “We’re trying to just find any reason to put on a good party when people come here.”