Bicerin Coffee

Cafe: Bicerin Coffee
Address: 37 Baldwin St.
Phone: 647-352-8550
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 AM - 7 PM, Sat 9 AM - 7 PM, Sun 9 AM - 6 PM
Website: www.bicerincoffee.com

Wi-Fi?: Yes
Study Appropriate?: Yes
Stamp Cards?: Yes

Interior

Menu

- Same as from T.A.N. Coffee (Baldwin)
- Offers Red Eye
- Offers Bicerin

Review

Drink of Choice: Bicerin, $3.50

Regulars of T.A.N. Coffee in Baldwin Village already know that the cafe has changed ownership this past summer and is now operating under Bicerin Coffee. I won't go into much detail with the menu because operation-wise, everything is still the same. You can read more from my T.A.N. Coffee (Baldwin) post. However, they did add two new drink items, Bicerin and Red Eye, onto the menu.

Bicerin is an Italian drink that I got to try for the first time. It's an espresso with dark chocolate, similar to a mocha. The dark chocolate made the drink sweeter and I definitely liked it. Not to mention, the latte bird art was adorable on my drink! If you are a mocha fan, you should give Bicerin a go if you ever stop by the cafe.

I asked one of the owners why they decided to change the interior. She told me that from customer feedback, T.A.N. Coffee did not have that homey cafe feeling to it. So they repainted the walls and made sure to add a comfy couch near the counter for a bigger group of people. I thought T.A.N. Coffee previously was cafe-like in its own sense. However, I do think that Bicerin does seem cozier compared to its predecessor. I also learnt that the other T.A.N. Coffee location at Ossington closed down.

They have stamp cards available for drinks as well as coffee bag purchases! Buy 9 drinks and get one free, any kind and any size. Buy 10 coffee bags and get one free, any kind!

T.A.N. Coffee (Baldwin) - CLOSED

This cafe is no longer in operation. Bicerin Coffee has replaced it.

Cafe: T.A.N. Coffee
Address: 37 Baldwin St.
Phone: 647-352-8550
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 AM - 7 PM, Sat 9 AM - 7 PM, Sun 9 AM - 6 PM
Website: www.tancoffee.ca

Wi-Fi?: Yes
Study Appropriate?: Yes
Stamp Cards?: Yes

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Fair trade organic coffee
- Serves Flat White, primarily from New Zealand
- Sells coffee beans that are rewarded with the Cup of Excellence
- The espresso is a secret blend!
- Medium roasted coffee are Mexican, and dark roasted coffee are Bolivian. Subject to change.
- Serves organic pop and organic local juices
- 4 types of lemonade served: regular, raspberry, manga, and lime

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Selected gluten-free snacks available
- Serves vegan and gluten-free cashew cookies
- Serves walnut brownies
- Vegan sweets from Sweets from the Earth
- Serves paninis
- Serves bagels; can be with cream cheese or butter

Small Dark Roast Coffee, $1.86

Latte, $3.50

Cappuccino, $3.50

Large Cleopatra's Beauty Tea, $2

Review

Drink of Choice: Cappuccino, $3.50

This T.A.N. (The Alternative Network) Coffee location always had that special place in my heart since I first visited last year. Why? I managed to cram and finished my essay for seven hours there (longest time I first spent in a cafe) and I was grateful for not being kicked out after so long, haha.

For this review, I came in around 4 PM on a weekday, with the cafe jammed pack! I didn't recall it being this full when I was previously there and I was ready to take my drink to go when I was waiting to order. Luckily, a table opened up and I was able to snag it just in time. Since it is winter, it got dark pretty quickly. The atmosphere really reminded me of Starbucks, without the Starbucks set-up. Warm and cozy with soft jazz music playing in the background, where one could fall asleep to the dim lighting while reading a book (though the lack of big couches would make that part difficult).

They also sell T.A.N. mugs for $5.99 in a variety of colours. There is also a "book corner" on the shelves, where you can take a book and leave a book. Plus, for all those handmade crafts lovers out there, the cafe has assorted art and jewellery up for sale as well.

Ree, the barista, informed me that the cafe sells specialty roasted coffee beans that are Cup of Excellence. It's a prestigious award for farmers and their coffee beans. In order to get these coffee beans, it must be bid for and once you win, no one else can sell them. So T.A.N. Coffee is currently selling the Cup of Excellence coffee beans from Nicaragua and El Salvador.

There are 7 locations of T.A.N. Coffee, two in Toronto (other one at Ossington), one in Ottawa, and the rest in Nova Scotia. If you've never been to Baldwin Village, I suggest you go check it out along with T.A.N. Coffee!