Damn! This is some fine coffee! This is some of the best coffee in Toronto. Maybe in ANY city!
They select and roast some of the most rarefied beans available in the GTA and all are available for your homebrewing pleasures - but the joy here is really had by sipping a finely crafted cup in this awesome converted garage. The atmosphere is mellow enough to come and get some quality work done, or to hang out with friends and have a spirited discussion. The people who work there seem to genuinely enjoy what they do and the barristas display some serious skills. All of this quality is brought in at a price that is more than fair compared to other cafes - mostly of a lower quality than Te Aro.
The owners of Te Aro are New Zealanders. Little known in this hemisphere is that Kiwis are purveyors of great coffee as a matter of both national pride and habit. It was, in fact, on my very first trip to NZ that I started my life long love affair with coffee.
Yes, I do confess an extra jolly factor in being able to walk in here and order a flat white without so much as a raised eyebrow. These Kiwis are so darn hospitable that I even personally witnessed them endure copious amounts of Aussie chauvinism with smiles to spare...
I momentarily considered withholding a star due to the owners recalcitrance in not having opened a west side location EVEN THOUGH I asked nicely. See mom? It doesn't always work...