The top cafes in Toronto always have amazing coffee on deck. Whether you’re heading over to hang with friends or just rolling solo for a simple cup of joe, these spots will do the trick.
Here are my picks for the top cafes in Toronto by neighbourhood.
Annex
The Coffee Lab is legit one of the smallest coffee shops in Toronto. At just 52 square feet, this cafe serves up some of the best drip coffee in a space that’s basically as big as an office cubicle. Find it tucked inside Willow Books.
Beaches
It’s all happy vibes at Bud’s Coffee Bar, where seasoned barista Ken Gailbrath (who also runs Porch Light) makes brews from Cut Coffee and serves baked goods from Circles and Squares.
A latte and a pop tart might cure what ails you at Bud's Coffee Bar in the Beaches. Photo by Hector Vasquez.
Brockton Village
Grab a latte and drink it on the bleacher seating at Run and Gun, the subtly basketball-inspired cafe with tons of space for work sessions and catch-ups with friends.
Cabbagetown
The red drenched walls of Jet Fuel fuse cycling and coffee together by offering a bike sharing station outside the cafe. Coffee here has been a hit for years; foamy, affordable drinks being their specialty.
Canary District
This Dark Horse Espresso is definitely the prettiest one in the city. With huge ceilings and lots of seating, it’s the ideal spot to get some work done (try and a nab one of their extra comfy couch seats).
Dineens in Commerce Court West is the go-to cafe for the Bay Street Crowd. Photo by Hector Vasquez.
Chinatown
Toronto coffee ingenue Sam James’ Spadina location is a minimalist go-to for great brews. Fronting the Stussy store, expect only Cut Coffee here: the single-origins beans by Sam James himself.
Corktown
Even if you’re not a coffee fan, Odin is worth visiting for its interior alone. Designed by Toronto firm Phaedrus, this iceberg-inspired cafe is all white decor and Baltic birch. They’ve also got full meals and cocktails too.
Distillery District
If you’re into pour-overs, you’ll love the Yama Silverton pour-over system at Arvo. One of the first to carry it in the city, this exposed brick Aussie bar also has a bunch of amazing espresso equipment for guaranteed amazing brews.
Latte art is on the menu at Strange Love near the corner of King and Spadina. Photo by Hector Vasquez.
Entertainment District
The super adorable cafe Strange Love doesn’t look spacious from the outside, but it actually has a backroom with its own huge window. Decked out with a plethora of little plants, these guys also do dainy French bon bons.
Financial District
With two locations in the area including the corner of Yonge and Temperance and Commerce Court West, Dineen is a go-to for the Bay Street crowd.
Junction
A longtime favourite in the area, Crema Coffee is where people go to caffeinate themselves before a long work sesh at one of their many two-seater tables.
Sam James' cafe in Chinatown serves as the entrance to the Stussy Store. Photo by Jesse Milns.
Junction Triangle
Both a roastery and a coffee shop, the folks at Hale Coffee grind their beans in the industrial space of the Clock Factory. Head here for their cool geometric design and the intoxicating aromas of freshly roasted coffee.
Kensington Market
There’s a number of notable coffee shops in the Market, but Cafe Pamenar is just one of those spots that does everything well. Perfect for hangouts and work, these guys do coffee and even transform into a bumping bar at night with a no-laptop policy after dark.
King East
Minimalist digs and Japanese treats are the wave at Neo Coffee Bar, and their stylishly moody seating in the back is pretty good for business meetings.
King West
The cafe of choice for students of adjacent building BrainStation, Quantum Coffee stymies patron overflow by having customers order on one side of the bar and picking up their pour-overs from the other end.
Quantum Coffee on King West isn't afraid to get out a blow torch to make the perfect drink. Photo by Hector Vasquez.
Koreatown
This location of Good Neighbour is even more chill than its Junction location. It’s almost always quiet in here; most people come here to grab an Americano and hunker down with a book or a laptop.
Leslieville
Te Aro is one of those community hangs that’s always full of locals who head there for some food and excellent coffee, courtesy of one of Toronto’s best roasters, Pilot Coffee.
Liberty Village
With a quaint entrance embedded in a moss-covered wall, Louie Craft Coffee has the perfect ambiance of an ideal neighbourhood cafe. It has exposed brick and delicious pastries like pecan squares, with occasional options like vegan sushi too.
Little Italy
The freshly baked goods at Empire Espresso are the main draw here. This lovely space serves up Cut Coffee brews and scones in an intimate setting.
Oakwood Village
Oakwood Espresso definitely still retains elements of its hair salon-past, in fact the vibes here are distinctly old school Italian barbershop. Run by an espresso machine repair man, this cafe has great traditional, coffee-loving vibes.
Oakwood Espresso in Oakwood Village is a classic neighbourhood spot to catch up on the local gossip. Photo by Jesse Milns.
Parkdale
Taking up some prime corner lot real estate, Capital Espresso is the gathering point for the Parkdale community, with good brews and the occasional art shows to draw in dedicated locals.
Queen West
Always bustling, Hot Black Coffee doesn’t offer WiFi, making it bad for work sessions but amazing for some wholesome face-to-face convos. They also do bonfires in the back in the evenings – how great is that.
Rosedale
Boxcar Social now has several locations around the city, but its two-storey original Victorian location took the area by storm with its cafe-bar hybrid concept. Not only does it have a patio, you can also grab slices of Yeah Yeahs through a little window in the cafe.
A communal table and stunning light fixtures are a centrepiece at Hot Black Coffee on Queen West. Photo by Hector Vasquez.
Riverside
Customers at Merchants of Green are ride-or-die: building a strong community of coffee lovers, this cafe specializes in fair trade brews and take their coffee knowledge to another level.
Roncesvalles
Everything at Reunion Island is visually pleasing, from its floor tiles to its Modbar espresso system. Acting as the flagship of the 20-something year-old roastery, this place is usually flush with laptops because of their abundance of seating.
Weston Mount-Dennis
The only third-wave coffee shop in the area, Supercoffee is where locals gather for some Rufino brews: a good alternative if you’re sick of McDonalds and Tim Hortons double-doubles.
The subterranean space at Goldstruck in Yorkville is a neighbourhood favourite. Photo by Hector Vasquez.
West Queen West
Fix Coffee + Bikes has it all, from coffee to housemade baked goods, bags, and whole bikes for sale. Get a caffeinated pick-me-up here and ride away on your brand new wheels.
Yonge & Dundas
Nutellaccino: enough said. Black Canary has a Nutella cappuccino that’s at least worth a one-time visit. If you’re into comic books, you’re in luck – this joint is located inside the Silver Snail store, life-size R2-D2 and Batman statues
Yonge & Eglinton
Filled with top-of-the-line brewing equipment, de Mello Palheta is not only a fantastic cafe, it’s a roastery that provides beans to some of the top cafe in the city (many listed above). They’ve been doing it for over ten years – no wonder why they’re a Toronto favourite.
Yorkville
Goldstruck is something akin to a cozy bunker for coffee lovers. Located downstairs, this cafe is a subterranean getaway filled with pastries and espresso-based drinks.
by Tanya Mok via blogTO
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