5 of the Best Cafes in Toronto
While you may already spend your mornings celebrating the rich, caffeinating taste of coffee, Thursday, October 1st brings even more reason to do so: It’s International Coffee Day! The best way to celebrate is by visiting and supporting some of the best cafes in Toronto.
In honour of our favourite pick-me-up, we thought we’d share a list of our five best cafes in Toronto— some of which are also BooknBrunch book club venues. Find a new favourite spot, enjoy a drink, and support local businesses, all at the same time.
Here are our picks:
- Balzac’s Coffee Roasters
With locations across the city, Balzac’s Coffee Roasters is one of Toronto’s most popular cafes. While they serve up a great menu of drinks and accompanying snacks, they’re well-known for their small-batch roasted beans. They have a wide range of blends to choose from — including an Atwood blend, named after (you guessed it) author Margaret Atwood, who they partnered with to create an amber roast that supports the Pelee Island Bird Observatory.
Read more about Balzac’s Coffee Roasters.
- Cafe Neon
This Greek-inspired cafe has two locations in Toronto: One on Wallace Avenue in the West End and another Downtown on Queen Street West. The Wallace Avenue location, tucked away on the side street of a residential neighbourhood, is a popular lunch spot that serves up everything from turmeric lattes to salads to pot pie, as well as some great grab-and-go options.
- The Black Canary Espresso Bar
Set in the heart of Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square, this location of The Black Canary is a unique spot that brings coffee lovers and comic book readers together in one cozy place. The space is divided into half comic book store, half cafe, but the comic theme remains constant throughout, with delicious drinks and food named after superheroes (and villains).
Read more about The Black Canary.
- Creeds Coffee and Dry Cleaning
The next time you’re craving avocado toast — or even a classic PB&J — head over to Creed’s to see how it’s really done. Along with coffees, lattes, and teas, they also offer a unique range of thick, worth-every-penny toasts, eggy scones, and sweet treats, too. There’s plenty of space available inside, perfect for days when you want to get a bit of work done or curl up in a chair and crack into a new book.
Read more about Creeds Coffee.
- Golden Gecko Coffee
This coffee shop, located in the family-friendly neighbourhood of Baby Point, is all about community. From the welcoming atmosphere to their events to their dishes inspired by the owner’s Australian roots, you can tell this cafe cares about much more than just the coffee. Stop by to enjoy brunch, savour a scoop of ice cream, or try one of their signature meat pies.
Read more about Golden Gecko Coffee.
Did we miss your favourite coffee shop? Let us know! We love to hear from our Brookies about their favourite places to read, meet, and eat.
Shannon Hodgen is a lifelong writer, DIY enthusiast, and homebody. She satisfies her need to put pen to paper–or, more accurately, fingertips to keyboard–as an agency copywriter, blog contributor, and freelance editor in Toronto.
Favourite Book: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Favourite Brunch Spot: Dirty Food Eatery in The Junction
