(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.
In regards to the Grinder Coffee location being in the “Upper Beach”…
Upper Beach? Really? That means my house near St. Clair and Birchmount might actually be in the “Upper Bluffs”. Sure. Do Toronto Life writers get a nosebleed if they cross Victoria Park?
April 6, 2010 at 12:24 pm | by EasternerOh…and Teaopia offers Yerba Mate, has for ages…but it’s in North York…and about 20 cafes/restaurants in Scarborough do as well.
April 6, 2010 at 12:37 pm | by EasternerSeriously, just change the name of the mag to “Old City of Toronto Life” and stop pretending.
Flesh Cut Flowers (#4)? Gross!! I hope that’s a typo.
April 6, 2010 at 1:52 pm | by jenniferThanks for the mention!
April 6, 2010 at 3:59 pm | by lI’m glad you mentioned Rockabilly Rock (#10), but please fact-check your sources. His last name is spelled “Ziani”, not “Xiani”.
June 7, 2010 at 2:36 pm | by StephPlan B cafe is terrible. They don’t have a real barista and the food seems like they just bought it all from a bakery and repackaged it or something.
September 23, 2010 at 1:17 pm | by Leslie