I found the coffee scene in Toronto to be pretty diverse, just like the makeup of the city itself. There was a pretty good mix of independent coffee shops as well as a ton of Tim Hortons chain locations (which I should have tried as a baseline, but I just couldn’t do it. Maybe next time!). According to World Population Review, as of 2025 Canadian’s drink the 3rd most coffee of any country in the entire Western Hemisphere! I was able to visit 4 different coffee shops during my recent 48 hour visit to Toronto. Unlike my usual coffee posts, they’re listed in order from my favorite to least favorite!

Reminder: I don’t give stars or number ratings to the coffee shops I visit. Reviews like that tend to be pretty subjective and in my opinion not really all that helpful. Everyone has different tastes, and my favorite coffee spot might be one that someone else hates! Instead you’ll find relevant details like the vibes/decor, my thoughts on what I ordered, recommendations/tips, and if I enjoyed my visit or not. This way you can decide if you want to give the place a shot. Interested in my other coffee-related travels? Check out the rest of my Will Travel for Coffee series!

Wake Up. Drink Coffee. Travel. Repeat.

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Found Coffee

I’d heard people rave about how great Australian coffee is online, but before visiting Found Coffee I’d never tried it myself. They market themselves as ‘Specialty coffee with Aussie flare’. The interior had a very welcoming clean girl aesthetic – basic with lots of pink and white. This small coffee chain has multiple locations around Toronto: Front, Bellwoods, College, and Roncesvalles. As the name suggests, the particular location I visited is located just a few blocks away from the University of Toronto campus.

I’ve slowly started to realize, thanks to this series, that I like something with a stronger coffee flavor than a latte (it’s just too much milk sometimes!). So when I saw The Doctor on the menu, I knew I had to have it. This double ristretto in a 6 oz cup was easily the smoothest and best cup of coffee I had in all of 2025. And with everything we had planned for the afternoon it was ‘just what the doctor ordered’ (sorry for the pun, I had to). I paired it with a smashed avo toast, which unlike some other places they did NOT skimp on the avocado. You can’t go wrong with a classic hot chocolate or cinnamon knot either!

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The Library Specialty Coffee

This minimalist coffee shop looks like it has seen better days, but don’t let that put you off from stopping in. We stopped into the Dundas location, but they also have another over on Queen. Unlike at Found, you should plan to take everything to-go because they don’t have much in terms of seating. Even the floor tiles outside the front door say ‘Standing Room Only’. If you’re planning a visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario, this is a convenient spot for coffee as it’s just down the street.

Our order consisted of two scones (chocolate and bacon cheddar), hot chocolate, and an iced vanilla bean latte with oat milk. I definitely would get it again, as it wasn’t overly sweet like I’ve found some vanilla flavored drinks to be. The scones were definitely the highlight of the visit though, they were delicious!

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Everyday Gourmet Coffee Roasters

We had a little bit of a hard time finding Everyday Gourmet at first inside of St. Lawrence Market, because I didn’t realize it’s located in the lower/basement level. They have a coffee bar on one side, and an area to buy freshly roasted beans in bulk on the other. The selection of beans was really impressive, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that much variety at a single roaster before!

The special they had on the day I visited, an iced maple black walnut latte, sounded interesting so I opted to try that. While the flavor was good, it unfortunately had an off-putting mouth feel that was weirdly grainy and chalky. I’d probably give them another shot, but order a classic latte or cappuccino instead.

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El Pacho

This was a spur of the moment stop, as I felt like I was going to fall asleep on my feet and needed caffeine ASAP. I just did a quick Google Maps coffee search and we were off. I liked the vibe stepping inside, sort of hole in the wall-ish with unique urban decor inside an industrial space (I really liked the Mona Lisa in the back). Unfortunately, I’m honestly shocked they have such high reviews on Google. Maybe their espresso drinks were better, but the cold brew was just awful. I had to force myself to even drink half of it! It tasted super watered down and bitter.

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For Next Time

Subtext Coffee Roasters – 130 Cawthra Avenue, Unit 104, Toronto, ON, Canada.
It’s a bit surprising how highly rated this coffee roaster in the West End is, considering they’re only open Monday through Friday! So I’m assuming the coffee must be amazing.

Moonbean Coffee Company – 30 Saint Andrew Street, Toronto, ON, Canada.
A cozy neighborhood cafe and specialty roaster that has been in the Kensington Market area since 1995.

Mallo Coffee & Bar – 785 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, Canada.
This quirky spot decorated with wood, neon lights, and fun artwork is a coffee bar during the day and serves beer/wine in the afternoons.

La Gloria Mexican Coffeehouse – 453 Parliament Street, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Per their website, this is Toronto’s first Mexican coffee shop – “where passion meets flavor and Mexico comes to life”.

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Have coffee spot in Toronto you think I should try next? Let me know in the comments!
See the button below? You could buy me my next coffee!