Here are our favourite places to grab a bevvy around the city.
Downtown
Neo Coffee Bar
- A Japanese coffee bar that makes coffee and tea meticulously, this cafe also has delicious Japanese sliced roll cakes. Try the seasonal flavours, especially Ontario peach.
Koreatown
Rustle and Still
- A Vietnamese cafe that has a diverse drink menu and boasts delicious foods. Grab a bahn mi, meatballs, or other savoury snacks at this cozy community spot. As Judy says, it’s usually “a little more rustle than still”.
Ninetails Coffee
- A specialty coffee bar with delicious Asian-inspired pastries and bites.
Annex
Emily Rose Cafe
- Really cute spot with fresh baked goods and good coffee.
Major Treat
- Go here for a strong espresso and stay for the eclectic record shop in the cafe. The collection features a lot of metal records and other interesting finds.
Mallo Coffee
- Delicious coffee, ambient neon lighting, friendly staff and good vibes here!
Shuyi Delicious
- Grab some bubble tea/boba here if you’re mostly drinking boba for the toppings. They’ve got the most interesting and creative topping options here.
Wildhearts Cafe
- A groovy place that makes quiche, soup, muffins, and other baked goods from scratch. Often has live music. Great place to people watch.
YGO Lab
- A solid boba place with good fundamentals, i.e. their teas are strong, flavourful, and actually taste like tea.
The Junction
915 Dupont
- A super unique cool space that’s simultaneously a listening bar, Japanese whiskey room, and cafe. The decor feels like a cross between 1990s Japanese bars and 2023 glamour, transporting you to an alternate dimension in a lowkey way. Since it’s a listening room, the music feels like a little massage for your brain. A little hard to find, but if you see “915” on a plain door you’re in the right spot.
Trinity Bellwoods
Mofer Coffee
- The owner will probably groan when you ask him, but you should ask to see this anyway: this coffee shop has a series of clear pneumatic tubes that transport coffee beans across the walls and ceilings. It’s his own fault for installing something so cool. The beans are fresh from Ethiopia.
Cafe 23
- A charming spot for creatives. There’s art and cool books all over, candle light, and a big gorgeous garden tucked away in the back. Feels like a delicious secret to walk in there.
Hamer’s Coffee
- They make a drink with Pu’er tea and sweetened condensed milk that is truly unique.
King West
Simit and Chai
- A simit is sorta like a barely sweet Turkish bagel, coated in sesame. It’s crunchy, chewy, and light at the same time. This place specializes in it and it’s a treat.
High Park West
The Coffee Boutique
- If you’ve ever wanted to sample some of the rarest coffee beans in the world, this is the place for you. The Coffee Boutique is run by a friendly guy who lives and breathes coffee. He can make recommendations based on your palette and suggest beverages that pair best with specific types of beans. Noah’s favourite was a latte made with coffee beans from the Himalayas — it was unreal.