We Torontonians are serious about certain things, and coffee is one of them. Ask us what our favourite coffee outpost is, and expect to get five different, passionate answers. You’ll see a few options already listed here- Sam James, Balzac’s and Pilot among them. Dear traveller, let me confuse you more with my own choice- Jimmy’s.
You could go to Starbucks, but… why? And there's our Canadian chain Tim Hortons, but anyone with any coffee credibility wouldn’t be caught dead there. You really can’t go wrong at many of the local shops, but I keep going back to Jimmy’s. Why? For one thing, the coffee is great. I’m an espresso man, myself, and the double shot is potent and flavourful, just the pick-me-up you need. The staff are lively and friendly, and the atmosphere is funky. Mismatched chairs, eclectic reading material, an old fireplace and tin-plate roof decorated with taxidermied birds… all while the well-curated playlist churns out the latest from Canadian indie bands like Austra and Purity Ring, punctuated by some disco hit of the 70s… it’s a hipster dream.
There are four locations around the downtown area to choose from, and I usually opt for the spot at Queen and Ossington. There are plenty of spots to sit and work, and loads of plugs to charge your various items. Plus the Wi-Fi is free- a must!
Take a break from your excursions and drop into Jimmy’s- a serious cup of coffee in a very non-serious atmosphere.
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