Sip on a cold brew coffee at these Toronto cafés
Whether it’s sipped from a hipster-perfect stubby bottle, spouted from a Nitro tap system or just poured into a plain ol’ glass, cold brew coffee has officially taken Toronto by storm. In addition to the majority of Toronto juice bars serving up the sumptuous spin on the iced coffee, these home-brewed (high five) cafés and coffee houses will set you up with a chilled glass of the gourmet coffee drink.
Northwood
815 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6G 1M1This hybrid café and cocktail bar was one of the first spots in Toronto to bring in the trendy cold brew coffee, working with the locally based Two Bears brewers. The modern tavern – complete with exposed brick walls and amber-hued architectural lighting – is the ideal spot for a cold-brewed concoction by day or specialty craft beer by night. Pick it up to-go and enjoy at home all week.
Balzac's Coffee Roastery
55 Mill St, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4With six locations across Toronto – each stunning in its own way – this beloved Toronto coffee house chain hosts perhaps the most impressive cold brew coffee set-up in the city. They teamed up with Mill Street Brewery to create the Nitro system at both their Guelph and Distillery District locations, allowing the cool concoction to flow right out of a beer tap. Stop in to enjoy a cold brew original or double down on a cold brew float, which pairs the coffee with a generous serving of vanilla ice cream by local gelato maker Be Good.
Early Bird Espresso And Brew Bar
613 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2B7Although its sleek Fashion District digs are about as cool as it gets (particularly the patio, a prime spot for a summertime hang with friends or daytime work spot), the menu at this downtown espresso bar is even more impressive. A revolving selection of beans from top-grade coffee roasters from around the world (whether it’s the Brooklyn-based Lofted Coffee or our home-grown Pilot Roasters) are accompanied by specialty drinks like the espresso tonic and cold brew coffee spouted from a Japanese machine you won’t find anywhere else in the city.
Story Planet
269 Gerrard St E, Toronto, ON M5A 2G3It's a café meets…magical place (really though, there's no other term for it). In their own words, they are “committed to helping you get wherever you need to go – comfortably, safely and without intergalactic incident.” The centre is one half storytelling and creativity building zone for kids, and the other half, a cool café for adults seeking a cold brew coffee, some curated reading materials, and a peruse through the space-themed shop. The not-for-profit brings in well-known authors to run storytelling workshops with the wee ones while parents hang in the Intergalactic Travel Authority café up front.
The Rooster Coffee Company
333 King St E, Toronto, ON M5A 4R7The celebrated east-end coffee spot now hosts two locations, and you’ll find a similarly nuanced feel at both. The original café in Riverdale brings together chic Parisian and rustic Canadian vibes, featuring a black-and-white-striped awning and heavy live-edge wood furniture. The Financial District shop on King East is easy to spot with its boldly lit-up sign spelling ROOSTER COFFEE with incandescent light bulbs, and hosts a more industrial feel with warm touches like soft leather armchairs and two vintage chandeliers. Both host made-in-house cold brew coffee for a summer pick-me-up in a bottle.
Jimmy's Coffee Bar
107 Portland St, Toronto, ON M5V 2N3Known for its second-to-none backyard patio with a decades-old tree growing diagonally across, this Kensington Market café is maybe the most serene spot to find a moment of quietude in Toronto’s busy market district. Photos of all kinds line the wall – from JFK to Jim Carrey – and plush, leather armchairs make up most of the furniture in the well-lighted back area. Among fresh juices and pastry snacks, Jimmy’s also hosts cold brew bottles from the ubiquitous local brand Station Cold Brew Coffee.
Dark Horse Espresso Bar
215 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2C7This local chain of coffee houses is best known for their beautifully designed locations and next-level-delicious espresso drinks. But they also host their made-in-house cold brew coffee in oh-so-aesthetic stubby bottles at three of their Toronto cafés. Stop in at the Fashion District location in the Robertson building on Spadina Avenue and enjoy a bottle in front of the stunning bio-filter living green wall in the lobby.
Ezra S Pound
238 Dupont St, Toronto, ON M5R 1V7If any spot in Toronto is the OG of roasteries and cafés, this Dupont-dwelling coffee shop would be it. Sitting confidently on best-of coffee lists for close to a decade, Ezra’s Pound roasts espresso beans for some of the top-rated restaurants in the city. Help yourself to a cold brew coffee or some lunch fare artfully prepared by the café’s Parisian-trained chef (think crusty baguettes, fine cheeses and sweet preserves).
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