Lazy Daisy's Cafe

Cafe: Lazy Daisy's Cafe
Address: 1515 Gerrard St. E.
Phone: 647-341-4070
Store Hours: Mon-Wed 8 AM - 6 PM, Thurs 8 AM - 11 PM, Fri 8 AM - 12 AM, Sat 8:30 AM - 12 AM, Sun 8:30 AM - 5 PM
Website: www.lazydaisyscafe.ca

Wi-Fi?: Yes
Study Appropriate?: Yes
Stamp Cards?: No

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all
- 2 choices of soy milk: sweetened or unsweetened
- All teas are organic
- Freshly squeezed lemonade and orange juice

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Gluten-free bread
- Vegan and gluten-free treats
- Mostly locally grown; free-range meat and egg
- Soup made with vegetable stock with vegan choices

Extras
- Breakfast until 11:30 AM everyday
- Every Sunday there is brunch until 2:30 PM, new menu every week to keep things fresh!

Macchiato, $2.65

Review

Choice of Drink: Medium Dirty Chai Latte, $4.35

Upon entering Lazy Daisy's Cafe, I was glad how extremely spacious it was and how it had plenty of seating available. Since this was one of the further cafes I had to trek to, I was glad my efforts were not wasted when I planned to study there.

After ordering, I immediately realized how children-friendly the cafe was. At the very back of the cafe, they had baby stools available and a range of children books and toys. They even offered products geared towards children for their parents to buy! They successively tapped into a niche market when I noticed the frequency of customers that had brought their young children with them, something I rarely saw in past cafes I'd been to.

Originally, I was planning on trying their Pear Creme Tea because it was something I have never heard of before. But I realized I needed something strong so I could stay awake for my evening class. The dirty chai latte I ordered with a double shot espresso wasn't as sweet as other chai lattes I was used to but, it wasn't bitter where I had to get out of my way to add any sugar. I think it did an effective job on keeping me awake (adding on top of the regular coffee I had the morning of).

Deciding on the spot in which I was planning to create this blog, Tissa the barista, was very nice and helpful in replying to all off the questions I had regarding their menu. Her knowledge went far and beyond as I received way more information than I expected. Before she left her shift, she thanked for my visit and looked forward to my review of this cafe. It was very thoughtful of her and definitely added to my sweet experience at Lazy Daisy's Cafe.

Updated (Oct 4/13): For my earlier update of this review, I expressed I was disappointed with the cup size of the macchiato that I received. I did not realize that it was going to be an espresso cup-size, thinking that it was going to be a lot bigger due to past experiences. Dawn reached out to me in the comments below, which was sweet of her since she genuinely wanted her customers to have a great experience at the cafe.

Just when I was about to leave the cafe before 6 PM, thinking that it was going to close soon because of their old hours, I met Dawn in person! She explained to me that the macchiato she had in the past were espresso-sized. However, she was going to change the macchiato cup-size soon, enough for two shots and cream on top. She didn't want me leaving with a bad experience, so she gave me a card for a free macchiato for the next time I visit! (Though she wrote it behind a free fresh roast filter coffee card, so I'm not sure which one I would be cashing in!). That alone created a memorable experience for me as a customer!

I learnt that they recently obtained a liquor license. Dawn said she realized that there weren't many locations in the neighbourhood that provided adults with an opportunity to enjoy a glass of wine in a nice setting. Therefore they extended their hours and created night menus. They now have a craft beer menu, wine list, cocktail menu and appetizers (see above for new menus; menus' appearance in progress). In order to create that more intimate atmosphere, they dimmed the lights and provided candles on the tables. I definitely saw the change in customers compared to earlier in the afternoon! More couples compared to moms with their babies.

Once a month, they have a couple of events that they host for the community. Every second Wednesday of each month, there is a Trivia Night. Another event is their Motherload Comedy Show, which happens randomly but if you keep in check with the cafe's social media, you will be able to find out. They now also have board games available!