When a Canadian thinks of coffee, chances are the first thing that comes to mind is Tim’s. The Double Double is as synonymous with Canada as snow, or beavers. And while I am a staunch defender of Tim Hortons, to the point where I support all three that are within 2 kilometers of my apartment, I think it’s good to try what other places have on offer. Toronto-based coffee houses like Balzac’s have done well to introduce us to different blends and espresso-based beverages, but there are plenty of other places out there roasting, brewing and serving amazing cups of coffee.
Creeds Coffee Bar
Hours: Sun-Mon 9am-5pm, Tue-Fri 7:30am-6pm, Sat 8am-6pm
Address: 390 Dupont St
Phone: 416-479- 0277
Website: https://www.creedscoffeebar.com/
I figured we should start with a place that is pretty much as Toronto as it gets. Creeds was known for three decades as a dry cleaners before being turned into a cafe. It’s bright, airy, modern, and very green. Rather than your typical “dark wood and books” style coffee house, Creeds is the type of place where you go to do work or have a chat with someone. The cafe serves coffee, sandwiches, baked goods and organic teas. It’s easy to see why this place has become a favorite.
Louie Craft Coffee
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-6pm
Address: 1187 King St W
Phone: 416-583- 1627
Website: http://louiecoffee.com/
This unassuming spot in Liberty Village is well known among the locals for good reason. Opened by two women and named after their dog (who was a girl), this cafe is beautifully decorated is a great spot to find refuge from a tiring day. Get their house blend coffee, a mix of Brazilian, Mexican, and Burundian coffees, courtesy of “Social Coffee Co”. They also serve up a nice selection of baked goods.
The Coffee Lab
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-5:30pm, Sat 7:30am-5pm, Sun 9am-4pm
Address: 333 Bloor St W
Phone: 647-212- 8817
Website: https://www.facebook.com/The-Coffee-Lab-1551524698414421/
If Walter White got into the coffee business, this is the place he would run. The Coffee Lab is a 50 square foot coffee shop inside Willow Books, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in product quality. Using beakers, test tubes, and graduated cylinders, the coffee artists behind the counter make a product that is both a unique experience and a delicious beverage. Probably not somewhere to go every day, but worth a trip once or twice.
Capital Espresso
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat-Sun 8am-7pm
Address: 1349 Queen St W
Phone: 416-531- 7730
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Capital-Espresso-and-Pastries-165338513491649/
A real Parkdale institution, this coffee shop was a former Vice Toronto office which now serves as an excellent place to catch up with friends, have coffee, or get some work done. They offer a number of well made espresso-based beverages, as well as teas and french press coffee. Muffins and sandwiches are also available if you get hungry. The area this coffee shop is in really adds to the overall vibe. You can feel the energy around you, which is always great.
Manic Coffee
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat-Sun 8am-7pm
Address: 426 College St
Phone: 416-966- 3888
Website: https://www.maniccoffee.com/
Manic Coffee desires to harken back to the older age of cafes as an epicenter of conversation and learning. It’s a place where you come to read the newspaper or drink away the hours learning about someone. As such, they don’t offer WIFI. Despite what most would consider to be a huge detractor, this place has a very loyal following and an atmosphere, unlike many other establishments. In addition to award-winning coffee, they also offer baked goods and gelato.
Sam James
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm
Address: 297 Harbord St
Phone: 647-707-6241
Website: http://www.samjamescoffeebar.com/
Sam James worked for a number of local Toronto coffee houses before breaking out on his own. He now owns five small, but very well known coffee shops and his name has quickly become synonymous with coffee quality among Torontonians. Offering artisan blended and roasted coffee, in-house pressed juices, and a delicious selection of pastries. Besides the fact that there is almost no seating, there is very little not to like about this coffee bar.
Boxcar Social
Hours: Mon-Thu 8am to Midnight, Fri-Sat 8am-2am, Sun 8am-8pm
Address: 1208 Yonge St
Phone: 416-792- 5873
Website: http://www.boxcarsocial.ca/
The guys behind Boxcar Social are famous for having a mix of cafe and bar. This is a space where you can try a glass of wine or a flight of coffee. Refinement is everything and the quality of the coffee is only surpassed by the beauty of the interior. This may not be a place to get a coffee every day before work, but they serve one of the best cups of coffee in the entire city.
Jet Fuel Coffee
Hours: 6am-8pm Daily
Address: 519 Parliament St
Phone: 416-968- 9982
Website: http://jetfuelcoffee.com/
For those of you that find coffee roasting and brewing to be a bit pretentious, the boys at Jet Fuel treat coffee for what it is on its most basic level: fuel. This establishment makes delicious cups of espresso-based coffee at reasonable prices. They also offer fresh squeezed lemonade and house made pastries that fly off the shelves. The owners are cyclists, so there tend to be a lot of people who share that passion hanging around. Combined with a decor would best be defined as, eclectic, this is a place for everyone, where no one will be disappointed.
Dark Horse
Hours: Mon-Fri 6:30am-6:30pm, Sat-Sun 7am-7pm
Address: 215 Spadina Ave
Phone: 416-979-1200
Website: http://www.darkhorseespresso.com/
Dark Horse started as a small shop and has since become a real Toronto Cinderella story. One of the first places to introduce the craft coffee craze to the city, they have since turned into a chain of shops that have lost neither their quality nor their individuality. The pastries are made from their company-owned bakery, and the coffee comes from quality roasters. If you want indie coffee quality, with a larger chain feel. This is the place for you.
De Mello Palheta Coffee Roasters
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat-Sun 8am-7pm
Address: 2489 Yonge St
Phone: 647-748-3633
Website: http://hellodemello.net/
Named after an 18th-century Portuguese coffee importer and purveyor, this shop takes their caffeine seriously. Their coffee beans are all single origin, seasonally offered, and roasted in-house. The beans are then expertly blended to make their own unique house coffee. Other blends are made and delivered to coffee shops around the city. Chances are you have had a Palheta coffee without even knowing it. Their pastries are all made from scratch as well, to great effect. This is possibly the ultimate in in-house coffee roasting and makes an amazing cup of coffee.
