Top 10 Cafes in Toronto

Recently one of the weekly free magazines did a write up of their top 10 favourite indie locations within the city. They narrowed done their list from 60 to a manageable 10. A great write-up and feature piece that was able to showcase the impact of quality espresso in Toronto.

Although I respect EYE as a local mag, I couldn’t help but create my own list using the following criteria: 

Drink:  Only double espresso!

Quality: The flavour, colour and texture were analyzed. Was it tasty? Palette approved

Barista Knowledge: How passionate were the staff, and were they willing to share that knowledge with the customer. Friendly?

                Atmosphere: Music, customer base, and furniture were a huge impact for this list.
                (Note: Wifi, store size and funky washrooms were NOT taken into account)

The location and feel of the café are a huge drawing attraction as a customer, but in the end it is all about the beans used. Within my top 10 there are the big name roasters: Chicago’s Intelligenstia and Vancouver’s 49^th Parallel, along with local roasters.

My palette prefers tasting dark chocolate espresso that gives off an aroma of rich, strong flavours. The lingering that tickles the noise and perks your interest to discover what’s brewing is what draws me into a cafe. These sensory notes heighten the tasting of such a “simple” drink into an experience that highlights berry, nut and even wood.  Such complexity of these espresso blends or defined single-origins allow me to discover familiar taste (Black Cat) to the more adventurous limited edition beans.

Over the next couple of days you will find my most recent reviews of the Top 10 list. Along with backlogging some from earlier this year. Check back daily over the next 10 days to find out my top 10.