One of the few reasons I don't look forward to visiting my extended family in Canada is that the duration of my stay means loss of access to coffee. Sure, Tim Horton's exists on every block between the US border and the North Pole, but I don't include coffee-scented milk as coffee.
But when I walked by the window of this Second Cup--my first encounter with the chain--I was attracted by its vibe. Busy but not too busy, and the customers were all engrossed in their reading--nice and quiet. I popped in and saw that they offered several grades of coffee, one extreme labeled as Intense. I took a gamble on a large Intense and a butter tart. Both were among the best I've ever had. Although the coffee was still only moderately strong, it had a nice smoky aftertaste, and the butter tart was perfectly fresh. Add quick and friendly service to the above, and I can't think of any reason to give the place fewer than five stars.