20 Toronto Cafés You Must Visit If You Really Love Coffee
Coffee is an integral part of Toronto culture. In a city teeming with artists and industry creatives, an abundance of cafes is almost necessitated. Toronto excels in this area as it has several independent coffee shops that offer so much more than just regular, run-of-the-mill coffee brews.
READ ALSO: 12 Toronto Coffee Shops You Should Go To At Least Once In Your Life
If you're a true coffee aficionado, the likes of Starbucks and Tim Hortons probably aren't satisfying enough for you. Here are 20 Toronto cafes (in no particular order) that take the coffee game to the next level, from their brews to their interior design:
The Green Grind // 567 College St
The Green Grind works to "provide first-class coffee in a unique setting without contributing to environmental destruction." They use locally roasted coffee to ensure their brews are as fresh as possible, and only serve organic products in the shop. For more information on their green initiatives, check out their website.
Neo Coffee Bar // 161 Frederick St
Neo Coffee Bar is inspired by rustic European designs. The venue is sleek and immaculate, with an industrial edge offered by its concrete walls and wood patterning. Aside from their to-die-for coffee, they also serve a variety of delicious pastries such as cookies and muffins which are all baked in-house.
The Good Neighbour // 238 Annette St
The Good Neighbour isn't just a place to get an amazing cup of coffee; it's also a great place to get some work done. Natural light pours in from its windows and free WiFi is available to all of its customers. The shop serves French-style pastries alongside their great selection of hot drinks.
Colette Grand Cafe // 550 Wellington St W
Colette is a beautiful cafe and restaurant at the Thompson Hotel. The venue was designed by AUDAX Architecture and features a bar, elegant dining room, corner library and terraces to accompany its French-inspired cafe. Colette is the perfect way to experience Paris without needing to get on a plane.
Photo cred - shxxri
De Mello Palheta // 2489 Yonge St
De Mello Palheta is a micro roaster and cafe that strives to "source, import, roast and serve coffees with the highest quality." Their coffee is made with green beans, and several house blends are available for your choosing.
Odin // 514 King St E
Odin is a Nordic-style cafe that serves everything from espressos to craft beers. Perhaps the most striking feature of the shop is its interior design, which is abstract and avant-garde. The shop also sells awesome baked goods; some of which are baked in-house (such as their cookies, scones, etc), and others which are supplied (such as their empanadas).
The Tempered Room // 1374 Queen St W
The Tempered Room takes on a very industrial-chic design. Aside from serving delicious coffee, the shop is also a patisserie and catering service. All beverages are kept local and seasonal, and pastries are baked in-house.
Cafe Novo // 254 Augusta Ave
Cafe Novo is one of many Kensington cafes that is devoted to local organic coffee blends and ingredients. Their baked goods are supplied from La Bamboche, as well as from Bunners (which produce vegan and gluten-free options).
Paint Cabin // 723 Gerrard St E
Paint Cabin is a art studio that doubles as a coffee shop. The front of the restaurant features a sitting area with tables that encourages artists to come in and work on their projects while enjoying a cup of coffee (made from local products). In the back of the studio, several easels are set up for those interested in painting workshops.
Photo cred - almeidasylvia
Outpost Coffee Roasters // 1578 Bloor St W
Outpost Coffee Roasters uses coffee beans imported from southern countries like Colombia and Brazil. The shop is rustic in design and is dedicated to providing only the highest quality beverages and foods.
Forget Me Not Cafe // 883 Wilson Ave
Forget Me Not Cafe is a Vietnamese restaurant and cafe in the Downsview area that puts an Asian twist on the standard coffee. Several Vietnamese food options, such as spring rolls and Pho, are available for customers to order with their coffee.
Istanbul Cafe // 174 Eglinton Ave E
Istanbul Cafe is a coffee shop that celebrates the best in Turkish coffee. Their traditional coffee-making process involves mixing powder-ground beans with cold water just before it is boiled. Naturally, the coffee is served with Turkish delight.
Sam James Coffee Bar // 297 Harbord St
Sam James Coffee Bar began as a junk shop on Harbord St and is now a thriving community hub. It has a decent share of regulars who always come back for the shop's signature blends.
Kitten and the Bear // 1574 Queen St W
Kitten and the Bear is perhaps one of the cutest coffee shops in Toronto. The interior of the venue has a nostalgic charm to it that makes it inviting to people of all ages.The shop is dedicated to using local ingredients, so everything from their coffee to their strawberry jam is Toronto fresh.
Photo cred - mcconnelltarah
Bulldog Coffee // 86 Gerrard St E
Bulldog Coffee takes the espresso experience to the next level by using unique blends from African and Central/South American beans. The shop has its own beverage creation called "The Bull Dog", which is a hybrid between a cappuccino and a latte. Their white chocolate version of "The Bull Dog" has also been named the best hot chocolate in Toronto by Now Magazine.
Le Neuf // 9 Clarence Square
Le Neuf is the perfect place to go to when you need some peace and quiet from the city. The cozy shop is Parisian in style and serves French coffees, beverages and pastries. The venue also has a patio that is perfect for the springtime.
Tucana Coffee // 1413 Dundas St W
Tucana Coffee is a coffee shop you'll most likely remember as the one with the beautiful floral wall behind the counter. The cafe is small and intimate, making it the perfect place to bring a friend or a date for a casual chat over a delicious cup of coffee. The shop offers cold brews as well, so make sure to pick one up this summer.
Darkhorse Espresso Bar // 630 Queen St E
Darkhorse is a crowd favourite that uses beans from Detour and 49th Parallel to give their customers a "seasonally diverse and interesting espresso." The coffee shop has branched out to five locations in Toronto so far, and will also be opening a sixth one in the upcoming months.
Maman // 100 King St W
Maman started off as a cafe and bakery in SoHo New York, and we're glad it decided to come to Toronto. The cafe serves family-inspired recipes from Southern France and uses only the highest quality, locally-sourced ingredients.
Photo cred - katrinaa.martin
Crafted // 135 Ossington Ave
Crafted is the place to be if you're really obsessed with coffee. The shop is much more than just a place that sells coffee; it's an experimental hub where baristas are constantly trying out different ways to enhance the coffee-making process. It's elaborate cold drip coffee maker is particularly interesting - it looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, and engages in a coffee-making process that can take up to 8 hours.
For more great coffee shops, check out this article as well: 12 Toronto Coffee Shops You Should Go To At Least Once In Your Life
Follow us on Snapchat:narcitytoronto