The Best Coffee Shops in Toronto – or at Least, Some of Our Favourites!
Searching for the best coffee shops in Toronto? There’s more than a handful to choose from! We love our coffee shops – from the classic coffee shops in downtown Toronto to the smaller, quieter ones in the Beaches.
For the record: Lisa’s typical go-to order is a cappuccino. Eric is a fan of the flat white.
In this post, you’ll find some of our favourites coffee shops/cafes across the city (between Liberty Village in the West to the Beaches in the East). This way, you can also plan your coffee stops as you visit the best Toronto tourist attractions!
For the newcomers to the city, this distance across the city is over an hour by streetcar so please don’t think you can walk to all these coffee shops! Let’s get sipping.
Simit & Chai
Address: 787 King Street West
Simit and Chai is actually based on a traditional Turkish cafƩ. Who knew?
With loads of plugs and awesome window-high stools facing King Street, it’s a location to sit down and work.
Their Simit (street-style bagel straight from Turkey) and sandwiches are really tasty and quite cheap considering the quality.
Tea is a focus, but try a Turkish coffee or enjoy your classic order done right.
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Quantum Coffee
Address: 482 Front Street West
Oh, Quantum. You busy beast, you. If you’re looking to drink your beverage in the hustle and bustle of Toronto, Quantum is for you.
While seating can be limited because it’s busy, the coffee is good and decently priced, and there’s even a small outside patio area if it’s nice outside.
The morning crowd is more of a “grab and go” culture, while those sticking around do so to get work done. Quantum smells of productivity – and we love it. Try the Spinach and Feta scone. It’s magical.
Dineen Coffee Co.
Address: 140 Yonge Street
Dineen Coffee can only be described as an elegant coffee place. Want to feel like you’re transported into the 1920s art-deco era?
Come to Dineen – ’cause that’s how we felt. Inside, you’ll be taken aback by huge glass windows that lighten up the space and show you how many little tables and soft benches there are.
The coffee was excellent, and while we didn’t try any of the baked goods – they are apparently very good as well.
Dineen has a pretty good outdoor seating area if you just need to pull up a high stool and catch up with a friend.
Boxcar Social
Address: 235 Queens Quay West Toronto, ON M5G 1B8
Boxcar Social is a cool place. Like, really cool. There are few locations around the city.
Eric has been quite productive there in the past because they have good wifi. Once, he ate a sandwich but it seems the menu was changed so he can’t actually tell you which one he had.
It was a little pricey, but mega tasty. In the evening, they do wines, and craft beers, and have a decent whiskey list so stick around after coffee to really enjoy their style.
Versus
Address: 70 Adelaide Street East
Our stop at Versus was the result of a networking meetup. Inside, you’ll find a very light shop that screams minimalism.
The coffee was excellent, and the staff was super friendly, and the place was cozy to work at, while open enough to have a conversation and not feel like you were bothering the others around you.
Outside, there’s a large patio area for when the weather is great. Overall, they do local teas, Instagrammable latte art, and a variety of “toasties” – toast-based food – that’s sure to fill you up as a snack.
Mercury Espresso Bar
Address: 915 Queen Street East
We discovered Mercury Espresso Bar almost on accident. We pass through Leslieville every single day heading to and from work. One day, in particular, we were walking through and made the stop. We’re glad we did.
It’s a small place, very bright and right on Queen Street. The coffee was excellent – they make a point of brewing as socially responsible as possible. Outside, there’s a nice little patio to enjoy your beverage on.
Back inside, there are a bunch of tables and nice high stools for working against the window. We’d had a long day at work and took the barista’s suggestion to get a matcha lemonade with our flat white. Both were awesome.
Pilot Coffee Roasters (formerly Te Aro)
Address: 983 Queen Street East
This industrial garage door entrance seems uninviting – but don’t let that fool you! Inside Pilot Coffee Roasters, you’ll find plenty of tables, benches, good drinks, and food for all humans to consume.
While it’s a little pricier, it’s definitely a place to catch up with someone – inside the shop, or outside in the sunshine at a little round table.
We found the atmosphere is lively and chatty, so unless you’ve got your headphones, diving into some intense work might not be the best here. Or maybe you like chatter to work in? To each their own!
Tango Palace Coffee Company
Address: 1156 Queen Street East
Tango Palace is for those of you who like mismatched furniture, little round tables, and Latin American music playing in the background. Tango was filled with other people who had come to get work done. As such, the atmosphere was quieter but very cozy.
The coffee was very well-priced and well-made. They offer a variety of lighter sandwiches and wraps and the sweets were great with a large case you can peer through to see the goodies. We had a Nanaimo Bar the size of your face and it was absolutely amazing.
If you’re not Canadian, welcome! A Nanaimo Bar is a chocolate, custard, and coconut dessert bar that’s totally Canadian and heaven on earth. Definitely will be back to work/blog in Tango!
Bud’s Coffee Bar
Address: 1966 Queen St East
Bud’s Coffee Bar is a small shop out in the East end serving up decent lattes with minimal seating. It’s more of a “grab and go” kind of place, but that’s its style – and we like it!
As always, the window stools are perfect for people-watching on Queen Street and getting down to whatever you’re working on.
The staff are very friendly and are typically knowledgeable baristas that know their coffee. It’s a nice stop between all the Starbucks in the area, just saying.
Related Articles
For those visiting the city of Toronto, here are some other helpful guides to get you exploring the right way!
- How to Spend One Day in Toronto
- Where to Stay in Toronto: Areas & Accommodations
- Must-Knows When Visiting Toronto
- Awesome Day Trips from Toronto
- Great Bars Across Downtown
- Toronto’s Best Ice Cream
And there you have it – some of the best coffee shops in Toronto. Of course, there are many more coffee shops across the city. There’s no way we could name them all – but this is a pretty good list to get you trying out some of the top locations. What are your favourites? Let us know!
As always, Keep Exploring, eh?
– L&E
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