For many of us, coffee is the lifeblood with which we fuel our mornings (and afternoons, and, occasionally, evenings). All caffeine-aficionados know what it’s like to experience that “Sorry, not enough coffee” feeling.

Fortunately for coffee lovers, Toronto practically runs on coffee, and there are near-endless supplies of cafes and coffee shops throughout the food neighbourhoods in Toronto, both independent roasters and chains alike, just waiting to brew us our fix.

So abundant are our options of cool coffee shops in Toronto that you could ask half a dozen people in the same neighbourhood where their favourite coffee shop is, and you’d be likely to get a different answer from each person.

For when your home-brew of coffee doesn’t quite hit the spot, here are just a few of the lesser known, yet best coffee shops in Toronto.

Covernotes

Built within a historic schoolhouse, this Richmond Hill coffee house is more than a simple coffee shop.

Covernotes coffee is made using high-grade, locally sourced, and organic Fair Trade Certified coffee beans. For tea lovers, Covernotes boasts an impressive tea wall consisting of over 100 blends of organic loose-leaf teas.

Paying homage to their school-house history, Covernotes has a retail library of over a thousand books for sale, ranging from biographies, cookbooks, textbooks, and children’s stories.

Another Land

Another Land is a specialty coffee shop tucked away on the second floor, with a balcony that overlooks its North York neighbourhood. Another Land specializes in freshly baked goods, espresso, and, of course, ethically sourced coffee. Wonderfully unique treats exist on the menu, such as flower honey ricotta toast, Pavlova cakes, and tiramisu croissants.

Besides their selections of coffee, Another Land also offers unique latte flavours, such as matcha, beetroot, and Osmanthus.

Larry’s Folly

Café by day, bar by night; Larry’s Folly is a combination shop that manages to do it all. Larry’s Folly opened in 2020, managing to navigate through a total gut-job renovation and opening during the early height of the pandemic, which delayed permits and reduced new customers from enjoying the atmosphere.

Despite the hardships, Larry’s Folly has stayed strong, is more popular than ever, and makes our list of best coffee shops in Toronto. Known for their pristine coffees, live music nights, and their dangerously delicious butter tarts, Larry’s Folly has quickly become a Parkdale institution.

Much of the coffee at Larry’s Folly is provided by Vortex Coffee Co, featuring premium roasted coffee beans right out of Cherry Valley, Prince Edward County, Ontario.

Coco’s

At Coco’s neighbourhood coffee shop, they pride themselves not only on their coffee but also claim to be home to the number one “most angelic breakfast sandwich” in the Little Italy neighbourhood.

Previously home to Empire Espresso for nearly a decade, Coco’s owner Nicole Bilyea took over the space to begin crafting her delicious sweets, and then pairs these with wonderful coffee. If you’re looking for a new cool coffee shop in Toronto, this is a place for you.

Coco’s coffee uses locally roasted beans provided by Java Roasters, a women-owned business that runs out of Toronto’s east end. Their beans are directly sourced from small family growers, and provide a seasonal selection of blend choices to Coco’s.

Cocos Offers Espressos, Filtered Coffee, Americano, Macchiatos, as well as selling retail beans for use at home.

De Mello

De Mello opened in 2013 and has become a coffee stable in the Yonge and Eglinton area ever since. De Mello plays to a fun and friendly environment, beginning as a micro-roaster, and growing into an award-winning roastery and coffee supplier to 150 wholesale clients around the country.

In their café itself, De Mello is an eclectic place for the community to gather over their freshly roasted coffees and in-house baked pastries. If you can’t make it into De Mello, fear not, as their online store offers a wide range of their blends to be delivered for home brewing.

Krave

Krave Coffee operates in Hillcrest Village, transforming the space from a former Vietnamese pho restaurant. Now, Krave is a rustic coffee haven for the avid caffeine seekers in the area. Rustic is the name of the game at Krave, whose aesthetic consists of exposed brick, wooden coffee counters, and an assortment of antiques and old magazines as décor.

In terms of treats, the usual fanfare of scones, muffins, croissants and more, are supplied by Circles and Squares, while gluten-free options come from the Sweet Flour Bake Shop.

While Krave is popular for those who come to gather with their books and laptops, Krave offers a large amount of seating to amply meet the demand of their patrons.

Nutbar

The next of our Toronto coffee shops is Nutbar. For the health-conscious among us, Nutbar is the place for you. Self-described as a “healthy coffee shop,” Nutbar first opened in 2016 in the Summerhill area but has since expanded to two additional locations in the Leslieville and Yonge and St. Clair neighbourhoods.

Offering a variety of drips, americanos, macchiato’s, and more, some of the healthy add-ons include house-made organic nut or oat milk, medicinal mushrooms, and more.

Filling out the rest of the menu, Nutbar is dedicated to using nutrient-rich, high-quality ingredients for their snacks, such as assorted bowls of superfoods, breakfast bars, and cookie dough fat bombs.

First and Last

The last of our Toronto coffee shops are described as The Annex area’s neighbourhood “caffeination station.” First and Last is located on Dupont street, and sets the tone right away as a chill, relaxed atmosphere that doesn’t need all the fancy gimmicks or bells and whistles. Instead, First and Last provides a cozy environment for their customers to peacefully unwind, read by the window, or catch up with friends in a calm environment.

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