Sam James Coffee Bar (297 Harbord St)

The legend is true - their espresso is damn good and for sure the obsession with quality that these folks are known for totally does pay off. I remember reading that they re-calibrate the bean grinder to account for atmospheric pressure. Wow.

My thoughts on the walk to this place were 'it better be worth it' - given how far from the core this place seemed to  be by foot.

Here it truly is all about the coffee as the store is small and there's only seating for maybe 5 people (8 if you include the three outside stools). I like that actually - no clutter of food and other stuff - a true focus on the coffee only.

First sip - pow - great flavours and I pick up lots of citrusy-ness. I think it's a Latin American blend. Mouth feel is clean and crisp. Nice creama on top too - perfect.

Worth the journey - this one's a winner! 

Haha it was a bit cliche to say that.

International Coffee Day

(Margaret Atwood cappuchino)

I had no idea there was an international day of celebration for my all time favourite drink - how exciting! Apparently Coffee Day has been celebrated since 2005. I decided that I needed to do a little bit of research on this and see what coffee facts I can share. There's no doubt to me that coffee is by far the most consumed beverage along with water in the world. It's also the vehicle of choice for caffeine consumption besides cola.

Coffee is the second most traded product in the world after petroleum. World wide coffee production tips the scales at about 6 million metric tonnes.

It takes five years for a coffee tree to reach maturity. The average yield from one tree is the equivalent of one roasted pound of coffee.

Of the various botanical species of coffee trees in the world, only two are extensively cultivated commercially; Arabica and Robusta. (Arabica is the better one!) 

The expression “a cup of Joe” to denote coffee, was first coined during WWII, when American servicemen (G.I. Joe) were identified as big coffee drinkers.

The largest coffee-producing nation, Brazil, is responsible for 30 to 40% of total world output.

The cafe mocha takes it's name from the Mocha coffee bean - Mocha, Yeman is famous for being the major marketplace for coffee from the 15th century until the 17th century. Even after other sources of coffee were found, Mocha beans (also called Sanani or Mocha Sanani beans) continued to be prized for their distinctive flavor—and remain so even today.

In the 19th and early 20th century, Javanese coffee gained global popularity. Thus, the name "Java" today has become a synonym for coffee. Java, Indonesia is still a major coffee producer.

Enjoy your cup today and everyday!

Crema (53 Bloor St E)

I think I blogged about this cafe before and it's greatness. Since the last time I was here they've installed a Clover coffee machine. I had to try it because I don't think I have before.

I chose the Guatemala - La Bosa brew which is described as having tropical floral notes with round texture with essence of rose hips, tangerine flavours with bright acidity (cleans your palette) and a 'jammy' sweetness.

One sip and I'm in HEAVEN. This is super complex coffee - it's like a fine wine - there's a lot going on with the flavours - wow! I do pick up most of the provided flavours from above.

Overall this is damn good coffee - it kicks drip brewed coffee's ass!

Mylk Uncookies (253 Gerrard St E)

I have a long list of cafes that I've been told I must go to and the list keeps growing. En route to Cabbagetown today I stumbled upon Mylk Uncookies and what a unique place it is! It's needless to say, but my friend and I didn't make it to C-Town once we found this place.

The cafe is clean and simplistic in design... but not pretentious. Really refreshing actually.

I ordered up an Americano which was bang on delicious and my buddy and I shared a chili chocolate cookie. I love the combination of dark cocoa and the heat of the chili, it's great. By the way all the pastries here are vegan.

Their espresso machine is very unique, it must be the first one I've seen of this kind. It's a Victoria Arduino Adonis and what a piece of art and design it is!

The service here was excellent and I'd happily return again.

Music Garden Cafe (466 Queens Quay W)

Appropriately named, this cafe is located adjacent to the Toronto music garden (a very nice park) in the Queens Quay West area.

The staff are friendly and I over heard them talking about pulling a quality espresso shot - music to my ears (no pun intended). The decor is cool - fresh and modern. They have these big orange chairs at the front, which are very welcoming.

The Americano I ordered was great. The dark roast espresso is solid - smooth and a bit roasty - mellow throughout.

Two big pluses are the Martin Goodman trail and a BIXI station - both located directly across from this place - so it's a perfect stop on a bike ride.

It was a nice touch that one of the employees came around and asked everyone how they were doing. I would come back here - attention to details means a lot.

Cafe Crepe (507 Church St)

I always admire a cafe that takes their coffee passion to the next level by roasting their own beans in-house. And that's a big reason why I keep coming back here - to buy fresh roasted beans that I grind at home. Their French Roast is awesome - really a great anytime full-bodied blend.

The crepes here are really nice too - they have everything from sweet to savoury. They also have a large selection of home-made pastries. The chocolate croissants are to die for!

This place is a refreshing hangout and my favourite place to buy fresh roasted coffee beans.

The Cafe on Main (1455 Pelham St, Fonthill)

Back in my hometown and this area is dominated by Tim Hortons, so thought I'd check out the relatively new local cafe.

This place already has become known as a cultural hangout for artists (local art is on the walls), musicians (every Thursday is open mic night), and food (local sourced offerings) - rather then for its coffee. I found the coffee (its flavoured, ugh) sub par, but the atmosphere was great - I could have been in a bustling Toronto cafe, that's how authentic it felt. You don't get this environment at Tim Hortons.

I think it's quant and fits in well with the newly refurbished old downtown of Fonthill. We found a new gelato place called Village Gelato - walking distance just up the street and this was a perfect place to visit after the Cafe on Main.