I saw the number of 2 and 3* reviews here for lacklustre food or slow service. I was hesitant to stop here after my brunch at Souk Tabule but it definitely seemed more affordable than the Fuel+ across the street plus we were looking to buy some locally roasted beans.
This spot is really big ... much bigger than most other spots in Toronto. With it's huge windows and tall ceilings, you get a really nice airy feel that most Toronto places won't have. Usually the coffee places are in a historic or older Toronto store /house and it's cramped. Here you get a nice rustic industrial chic space that has a lot more modern advantages. Love the fact that it had a lot of different types of seating... tiny coffee tables, big tables for work by the window, or comfy padded ones.
One bonus thing that we werent planning on... if you buy a bag of beans, you get an espresso based drink for free! Yes! The barista was helpful in getting us to select the right one... we ended up getting the one they were using for their espressos right there! So for us, we didnt encounter any of the issues that other people experienced. Maybe it's luck... maybe its Your Mileage May Vary but there were 3 people managing the place.
Flat White - Nice rich flavour that balanced well with the almond milk. I would say it's not as robust or as bold as I like it but for someone who is dipping their toes into espresso based drink, this would be a good one to start. It was not bitter at all and low acidity... which is exactly what we wanted in beans. 4/5
Overall, I think our service here was quite different than the other reviewers. Maybe they staff better on the weekends? Well, if you see more than one person, maybe you're in luck... the flat white we got was pretty good and if I'm in the area, I'll give them another try!