Coffee House Blues? Your fave java joint please:

I dare say they are known as much for the attitude as for the superior java.

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Someone needs to walk in to Jet Fuel...remove their espresso machine, and tell them it will be returned when they intend to learn how to use it.

Alternative Grounds has a funky interior; but their coffee isn't that great (very bitter), their clientele is weird (granola crunchers with kids--but I bet they work on Bay St) and some of their organic food is way overpriced.

Actually, in Toronto Cherry Bomb so far has been the best coffee for the least amount of money (a good Americano for $1.50.)


Ideal Coffee @Blackdog Video is nice and their Ossington location has an arty, (albeit nerdy) intellectual crowd.
Ideal Coffee@Blackdog from inside:


But last week I cheated--I (gasp) went to SBUX and must say, their Americano is okay if a bit watery; but @Queen and John the people watching beats anything an indie joint can muster!

Hey peeps, how about add photos of your favourite joe joints?

A Queen East/Leslieville coffee tour

Out in Leslieville (actually the very edge of Leslieville right before you get to the yucky new Woodbine condo/house zone), just east of Coxwell at Ashdale Ave, I come across the newest Ideal Coffee branch. It was very dead, unlike Red Rocket Coffee or Darkhorse Coffee down the street. Perhaps the Eastenders are suspicious of anything originating West of the DVP? And with Mcdonald's across the street, it was interesting to watch the hardcore locals cross the street to go to mcd's rather than try Ideal's excellent $2 americano...weird.

Well since I happen to love people watching, Ideal Coffee Leslieville might not be very ideal.... An inside view shows they've got the ideal space though:


I skipped Red Rocket Coffee this time--their coffee isn't that great unless you like adding tons of sugar to your bitter brew and are part of the Mac-designer geek crowd, but here's a photo anyway:

I also go here for nostalgic reasons: I get to imagine I'm still living in Vancouver.

I haven't made it to these Queen East coffee joints yet.... All look very tempting for different reasons.




Darkhorse supposedly is to-die-for coffee, Tango has this really cool darkened room vibe, while Mercury is the odd ball on the south side of Queen--ever noticed how Queen East has mostly crappy chain stores etc on the south side?

On Ossington, a few blocks south of Dundas, I like going to my favourite church where I sit in my personal pew. Here's an Ideal view of the most worshipped place:

In the Junction on Dundas West...

Today, I went to Crema Coffee in the Junction. They brew Vancouver's 49th Parallel coffee and serve organic teas, hot chocolate and coffees (obviously.) A bit pricier than I was expecting ($3 for an americano, $4 for a latte) and obviously not locally roasted, but still good coffee. See more about it in the Junction neighbourhood section. The interior is nice, but here's the sort of anonymous exterior today:



Update today (26 April 2008): Price drop at Crema: Americano's now $2.75. Good to see them listening (to me. ) Lotsa people enjoying their new neighbourhood coffee joint today--good to see. Still, overall, I think Cherry Bomb is da bomb.

I'm amazed anyone would go to Leslieville and sit in any cafe other than Tango. It's been there for years and is one of the hands-down most awesome environments in the city. The clientele is so eclectic that the random conversations one can end up having are incredible. I remember one night a few years back we had at our table a lawyer, a renowned Canadian film director, a retired Canadian Forces sniper, a construction worker, and a psychologist.

Urban, what time were you there? The owner told me they're going to hang some graffitti-style art, then change to different styles.
They make pretty good soy latte, too bad they didn't get their vanilla in yet, I'm a vanilla soy latte fanatic I hope they'll offer more food soon.

Wow. It's so strange seeing all the pics of Leslieville circa 2008.
I lived on Laing Street another lifetime ago (between 1980 to 1986), and if you placed then next to now side by side you'd have a hard time making a connection. If asked where I lived, it was simply Queen East.
I recall the strip where Red Rocket is, which if memory serves me correctly is just east of Greenwood (I haven't been on that side of town in a while now) was full of junk shops and run down laundromats. Ahh...the good 'ol days....I really enjoyed living there...

There's a great little place around Main and Gerrard called the Fade In Cafe. Sort of a film themed place. Comfortably modern, really nice leather couches and chairs, plasma TV's, and free wireless

I don't drink coffee so I can't comment on that but their Panini's are phenomenal.

Café supreme

Café Supreme in the path in the TD Centre. I believe it's under 69 Wellington. Great food, great coffee, great service. Ask for Al.

All Café Supreme's are supreme I'd dare say. Fantastic paninis too!