Coffee is tasty, coffee is good for you (kind of) and coffee keeps you warm when things start to get cold... All good things.
The only problem with coffee is that what you make at home never tastes quite as good as when a professional barista makes it for you. Which means you just have to go to a coffee shop, right... ?
Thankfully Toronto has brilliant coffee shops in spades. From French fancies to flower-filled cafés, we've shared some of our favourite spots to get your caffeine fix this fall.
If that's not what you're after, head to these joints for an iced coffee (hey, if you can handle it once temperatures drop, we salute you); or get the freshest coffee you can at these city-based roasters.
And if you like your cup of joe with a side of analysis, we spoke to Jessie Wilkin about Toronto's obsession with the good stuff.
Toronto's best coffee shops: 6 places to get your caffeine fix
The Tampered Press (pictured)
This quaint Dundas West café is the very definition of a neighbourhood coffee shop, and is the place to pick up an espresso and a house-baked treat for a stroll in the park. The Tampered Press also has a wide selection of teas and different kinds of regular and dairy-free milk, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy. People-watch on the benches outside or marvel at the constantly changing art from local creatives while you wait for your latte.
Rooster Coffee Broadview
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For east end views and brews, Rooster Coffee is our go-to. Sip on signature house blends in the light-filled café or snag a table outside for an unbeatable view of Toronto’s skyline from Riverdale Park. Rooster has a lineup of award-winning single origin coffees from all over the world and, if you’re lucky, some latte art too – not to mention cookies with a cult following.
Cafe23
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You’d be forgiven for thinking this Queen West spot is a greenhouse rather than a coffee shop, thanks to its jungle of lush foliage. From Vietnamese coffee to a cardamom cinnamon spice latte, Cafe23 knows a thing or two about caffeine – and sells two-time-Provincial-award-winning butter tarts, to boot.
Reunion Coffee Roasters
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Besides racking up points on the 'gram for its white walls and tiled counters, Reunion believes in supporting local farms with a crop-to-cup ethos, and was voted one of Canada’s Greenest Employers in 2018.
French Made
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Skip the ticket to Paris and order un café from French Made, a charming coffee spot with a neighbourhood vibe on the ground floor of the Bisha Hotel. Get caffeinated with their signature drip coffee, americano or iced latte. It would be rude to leave without a slice of pain aux bananes, non?
Pilot Coffee Roasters
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A big part of why Toronto's coffee culture has had such a glow-up story is Pilot Coffee Roasters. What started as one coffeeshop in Leslieville quickly blossomed into a franchise of stores and a roastery across the city, all with the same mission statement – providing great coffee in a way that benefits growers and consumers alike. We'll drink to that.
