5pm 3pm rolls around. While coffee profits are relatively hefty too, you need a lot of those little cups to add up. As specialty coffee production and booze mixology reach dizzying heights in Toronto, it's no wonder some cafes are trying to corner both markets. Besides, it has a certain joie de vivre.
Not everybody wants to go to a thumping club, a fancy restaurant or a pub, they just want good coffee and the option of a nice glass of wine. The French and Italians have been enjoying this kind of cafe culture for decades, of course. So if you've been hoping for a sophisticated place peddling a mix of mild uppers and downers, look no further.
Here are the top 10 coffee shops that serve booze in Toronto.
Cafe Pamenar
Cafe Pamenar, on Augusta in Kensington Market, was designed with a long bar running down the middle, which by day is mainly filled with people drinking cups of their delicious coffee. They actually serve alcohol (wine, beer and lovely cocktails) from 11am onward, but by night time people have caught on, and you'll find Pamenar in full swing as a bar. Keep on the lookout for events there too, like oyster nights, where you can sip and slurp happiness in tandem.
Belljar Cafe
Just before the bend in the road, where Dundas meets Howard Park, be aware of Belljar Cafe. They have great coffee during the day, and in the evenings transition seamlessly into serving classic cocktails. No matter the libation, customers can wax poetic in the spacious room or beautiful patio.
Tequila Bookworm
The name says it all, really-Tequila Bookworm. This Queen West institution specializes in Ontario craft beers, cider, and wine and the list is impressive, the coffee a little less so. But drop a shot of Bailey's in that latte and you'll barely notice, lean back in the stuffed chair and have a pint of something, and you won't notice at all.
Drake Cafe
Even after all these years the Drake cafe hasn't quite lost its shine. The people watching patio has always helped, but the real clincher has been the fact that you can do work on you computer with a coffee while the next table over enjoys their business lunch, complete cocktails, beer and burgers. The starving artist prices on wine actually keeps starving artists coming, when other aspects of The Drake might have pushed them away.
Holy Oak
Holy Oak on Bloor is a quaint little cafe-friendly staff, mismatched furniture and art-that can have a mild ruckus of dancing and music come night time. Throughout it all, you can get coffee and delicious snacks and sandwiches, or take it up a notch with their fine selection of beer, wine and chalkboard of great cocktails.
Lazy Daisy's Cafe
Family cafe Lazy Daisy on Gerrard has a full food, coffee and booze menu. Usually closed by 5:30pm, they stay open late on Saturdays and host a family happy hour from 6-8pm- kids get free apple juice while parents can enjoy wine and beer. You don't have to wait till then though, a weekday afternoon is just fine to meet up with girlfriends and their children, and find yourself sweetly saying, "Honey, you drink your hot chocolate while Mommy here finishes her adult juice."
The Common
The Common second location on Bloor moves from cool-as-cucumber cafe in the day to cool-as-cucumber bar in the night time. A narrow selection of hard alcohol grace the shelves, but it should be wine or beer you're after, as it in exceptionally well-priced, making The Common a wonderful place to share a bottle and a plate of simple meat and cheese.
Northwood
Northwood isn't just a great cafe that seems to carry a little liquor, it has a fancy cocktail menu to delight self-ascribing mixology lovers, an arsenal of straight up booze and a long list of beer and cider for those who prefer a something a tad more wobbly than there eponymous cold brew coffee.
Baka Gallery Cafe
In Bloor West Village if you want to divide your time between sensible coffee and a moderation amount of drinking, you head to Baka Gallery Cafe. Stay downstairs for the speciality coffees and teas, sandwiches and pastries, while upstairs you'll find the event space, with gallery and fully functioning bar.
Voodoo Child
Voodoo Child started with serious coffee, grew with a fabulous brunch, and now they've been honing in on their cocktail menu as well. Or try their combo of all three- at brunch, order a Bear Vs. Shark- an espresso based cocktail of bourbon, Cointreau, plum bitters, vanilla syrup and a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate dusts.
Lead photo of Northwood
by Erinn Beth Langille via blogTO
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