Cafe Neon

Cafe: Cafe Neon
Address: 241 Wallace Ave.
Phone: 647-352-8366
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 AM - 5 PM, Sat-Sun 10 AM - 3:30 PM
Website: www.cafeneon.ca

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

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Offers Devil's Nectar
- Coffee beans from Kitimai

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Offers baked goods, such as chocolate chip cookies
- Offers made in-house vegan sandwiches

Review

Drink of Choice: Latte, $4

Cafe Neon is a cafe in Wallace Emerson that has a fun and urban vibe. I am a complete sucker for pretty interiors and something about Cafe Neon captures my attention. They provide breakfast during the weekdays and brunch on the weekends. Their sandwiches are made in-house with vegan options available. One of their specialty drinks is the Devil's Nectar, which contains two espresso shots and Coca-Cola! Not exactly sure how that would taste but it sounds pretty crazy!

The employees told me that they have a great work culture at Cafe Neon. They are always asked for their input when the cafe wants to launch new food items or what sort of changes should be made. One of their barista is an artist who draws out all the menu boards. Another barista is a wedding photographer! Honestly, he has some of the most gorgeous wedding photography in Toronto I have seen. You can check his site out at: www.nivshon.com. Trust me, you want to click it. I wished I am getting married so I can get some photos done!

Cafe Neon is simply a cute place that I recommend checking out if you are in the area for coffee or brunch.

Bloor Barista

Cafe: Bloor Barista

Address: 1280 Bloor St. West

Phone: 647-748-3319

Store Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM - 8 PM, Sat-Sun 9 AM - 5 PM

Website: N/A

Wi-Fi?: Yes

Study Appropriate?: Yes

Stamp Cards?: No

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all

- Offers unique teas from China 

- Organic fair trade coffee beans 

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Only vegetarian

- Offers products from Haddad Bakery

- Offers baked goods from LaRocca Creative Cakes

Regular Medium Coffee, $2

Review

Drink of Choice: Rose Milk Tea, $5.50

Bloor Barista is a sweet cafe that emphasizes on quality products at a reasonable price. The cafe offers a vast variety of tea for you to choose from. I decided to try their Rose Milk Tea, which was the first time I ever had milk tea. For every tea order, it comes in a cute teapot with a small candle to keep the tea warm. The drink was very frothy and I enjoyed the experience because the atmosphere, which was quaint and inviting. I enjoyed the adorable wall decals especially. I saw a family that decided to stop by for a bit and spent some quality time together over tea and coffee while I was there.

The owner was really generous as he made me a free cup of coffee as well after I finished my tea! The coffee brew was delicious and light to the taste buds. I think Bloor Barista is perfect for the tea lovers in the Wallace Emerson neighbourhood. It's also a nice study spot.

Haven

Cafe: Haven
Address: 615A Brock Ave.
Phone: 416-551-6177
Store Hours: Mon-Sun 7 AM - 7 PM
Website: N/A

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

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Rice milk available
- Lactose-free cream available
- Roasted coffee beans from Rufino Espresso
- Teas from Tealish

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to vegan and gluten-free
- Cookies from Sunnydale Cookie Company and Cookie Martinez

Review

Drink of Choice: Mint Hot Chocolate, $3.50

If I remembered correctly, I had a hard time finding Haven. When I did, I was surprised by how small it was! I've been to small coffee shops before, but I think this one is the smallest yet! You can tell from the outside and inside shot how tight the space is. Despite the size, it didn't stop the cafe from being crowded! The cafe acts as a community hub and the locals love it there. One of the regulars even made an Instagram account for the cafe!

During the warmer months, they host movie nights where they set up a projector outside of the cafe and use the wall as the screen. I thought that was a pretty cool idea and a great way to bring the local community together. I was told that they will be opening a sister shop right by focusing on brunch called North Haven.

Sadly since it was such a tight space, I wasn't able to sit and drink my Mint Hot Chocolate as I planned to. Instead, I enjoyed it at a library nearby. If you are in the area and a mint chocolate lover, definitely try their Mint Hot Chocolate!