Manic is hella hipster when I was there I saw someone wearing shorts and a wife beater with gold lame Ray Ban glasses sewing a hat out of business cards ... and it was February. yea, THAT hipster. But I digress. Manic is located at the intersection of Bathurst and College just before Little Italy. Its a perfect spot for local students, yuppies, tourists, 905ers looking for culture, etc. The coffee itself is really quite good, I had a macchiato (different than a 'caramel macchiato' from Starbucks FYI) which is basically a double-short shot of espresso with a hint of steamed milk. It was tasty! You can really get a sense of the high quality-ness of the coffee they used. I noticed they sell bags of their espresso beans for all you kids that have espresso machines at home; I highly recommend it, and they were reasonably priced. They have a small menu--just the basic espresso-based drinks with drip coffee as well (my friend had a large drip coffee and she said it was great!). They also have the ubiquitous vegan snacks and baked goods, which I didn't try but looked vegan-y (interpret that as you may). Its not a diner/cafe with food-type place, just coffee.
The spot itself is modern industrial chic with quite a bit of seating, although we weren't able to snag a spot. It seems like there are a lot of regulars that frequent this joint and they settle in for the long-haul. Come early on a weekend before the hipsters emerge from their slumber. Their are also a couple of chairs (not tables) right outside the shop so you can sit and have a smoke with your coffee if you're so inclined. The baristas are known for their 'latte art' and they put a cute little heart on my macchiato. I love that shit, and its something you don't get at Starbucks, Second Cup etc. So if you're in the neighbourhood, don't mind gold lame-wearing hipsters and are looking for a bangin' coffee you've got it in Manic.
Prices: Espresso/Macchiato: $3; drip coffee: $2-3.50 (depending on size), large latte $3.99.