(Image: chelseagirl)
By our count, a whopping 22 new indie cafés opened in Toronto in 2009, but it looks like 2010 will be giving the java scene an even bigger jolt. In the four months since our last roundup, 11 new coffee houses have sprung up, and three more are on the way. Below, a list of the latest indie coffee vendors, from Little Italy to Gerrard Street East.
1. Cloud Free Agent Espresso Bar opened just in time to shelter the city’s raft of recessionary victims turned freelancers, providing abundant counter space, plenty of outlets and a rentable meeting room in the basement for the office deprived and the Wi-Fi challenged (not to mention people who just want some brew).
968 Queen St. W. (at Givins St.), 416-792-6831, facebook.com/cloudespresso.
2. Although “sustainable coffee” might seem like a far-fetched idea, the Green Grind is doing its best to pair environmentalism with a product whose transport from tropical climes creates a lot of CO2. Initiatives include using reclaimed wood and bamboo furniture, biodegradable to-go cups and lids, renewable energy from Bullfrog Power and donating a cut of each sale to 1% for the Environment.
567 College St. (at Manning Ave.), thegreengrind.ca.
3. The second Grinder Coffeehouse, opening soon to perk up an otherwise moribund strip of Gerrard Street East in Riverdale, picks up where the first location (in the Upper Beach) leaves off, with a bigger space and an expanded menu that includes in-house-prepared foods, like soups and sandwiches.
1021 Gerrard St. E. (at Marjory Ave.), 416-901-0290, grindercoffee.posterous.com.
4. Niche marketing might not be new to cafés (see Cloud, above), but Plan B’s bundling with Flesh Cut Flowers (never mind sharing a name with the morning after pill) is particularly curious. Though we suppose if Plan A fails, tulips and a macchiato might be in order.
401 Logan Ave. (at Dundas St. E.), 416-465-4443 ex. 23.
Good list – you missed a few good ones on Dundas West between Bathurst and Shaw.
April 1, 2010 at 9:23 am | by sevendollarpantssevendollarpants.wordpress.com
Tampered Press across from Trinity-Bellwoods? Research.
April 1, 2010 at 9:50 am | by FrankSecond cup has more than 90 outlets in Toronto. Starbucks has more than 70. How can 14 indie coffee shops be a takeover?
April 1, 2010 at 10:48 am | by MikeGeez, please put the stuff on ONE page.
April 1, 2010 at 10:52 am | by jimGreat spot on Danforth + Main st – GURU COFFEE – located within a solar-powered laundromat!! http://www.gurucoffee.com
April 1, 2010 at 12:15 pm | by GabeI find the dish little booooring!!!!! doen’t offer us very good news… strictly downtown….you should send someone out there and find what’s really new in town than concentrating on ossington !!!!!
April 1, 2010 at 1:16 pm | by didiYou forgot about Crema Coffee’s second location at Yonge and Bloor, which opened a couple weeks ago – ironic considering that you ran a post in January (which I can see under ‘Related Posts’ now) hyping them as one of Toronto’s best coffee shops.
April 1, 2010 at 7:14 pm | by E-SterThen again, maybe it’s just too far north to count :) I would point out in its defense that it’s on the south side of Bloor.
Many cafes serve yerba mate… And you missed Sam Jacobs which arguably has the best coffee in the city.
April 1, 2010 at 8:22 pm | by MaryTrying to read and get enough detail from your website pages is fustrating, and I always find that this is tiresome so I leave the website rather irritated by the experience. If you are going to list new restaurants or coffee shops put the list on one page with brief info with links to your single pages containing full detail including links to the restaurants’ websites. Others have well-designed websites – why not Torontolife?
April 2, 2010 at 9:40 am | by Davidre: Voulez Vous, Julie is still a flight attentdant who still sources beans from around the world on her trips. His name is Sean Lacey and the coffee is amazing. Cool to include them on the list, though.
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/voulez-vous-cafe-toronto
April 3, 2010 at 7:49 am | by Coffe Pr0nistaI’m glad you liked my photo. It would be nice if you’d link to the source, though (or ask permission).
cheers
April 3, 2010 at 10:57 pm | by chelseagirlchelseagirl
Apologies– if you click through, it takes you to my stream. Many thanks!
April 3, 2010 at 11:09 pm | by chelseagirlKnow 2 people who worked at Cloud and got fired for fishy reasons. Black Dog’s coffee is tops anyway…
April 3, 2010 at 11:17 pm | by HamiltonI went to the Bell Jar cafe on opening day. Its nowhere near ossington and Dundas ? It is definitely by itself and great though. Nice to see someone come to our neighbourhood.
April 5, 2010 at 8:34 am | by felixHoward Park & Dundas…closer to Roncesvalles !
Let the indie cafes rule !
And there is another coffeeshop/bistro opening on an even more moribund strip of Gerrard, just east of Logan: Mad Dog Cafe. I am in favour of adding creative, culinary culture to our neighbourhoods and I commend the entrepreneurs for giving it a go. Keep your eyes out for Mad Dog Cafe, coming soon!
April 6, 2010 at 11:09 am | by MJ