Hands down, this is my favourite coffee place in the city!
I have yet to visit store no. 1 (Queen East), however this location at Spadina hits the nail on the head in many ways - a great combination of atmosphere, coffee aroma, and friendly staff. And the espresso is really good too.
Dark Horse offers the best of both worlds - quick 'to go' service for people in a rush and a nice space for those that want to hang out.
I really like how they have the upper seating space that allows guests to observe the staff working their coffee magic. And the large work tables at the front make a lot of sense for lap top users. No computer charger cords to trip over here.
I'm all about ordering black americano coffee ($3) these days and I really enjoy the espresso from Dark Horse - it's caramelly-sweet and has awesome aroma - perfect. I give this one a 5/5!
Now, I need to visit the original store.
