The indie Coffee Passport has been a fun adventure throughout the city. You pay for the pass and get a drink at each of the thirty participating cafés. It’s a great deal and it gets you out and exploring different neighbourhoods throughout the city or I guess your city as Ottawa and now Montreal have joined in. This is the second Toronto run of the Passport and I went to each shop and blogged about my impressions of each. I actually managed to hit every stop on the 2011/2012 pass. It was a lot of work and I had a couple of weekend s where I drank way to much coffee as most of my indie coffee adventuring had to be done on the weekends. This time I did come up a bit short I missed Barista Espresso Bar in Liberty Village and the Only Café out on the Danforth. I do like the Only though mostly because they have a an outstanding craft beer selection on the bar side of the establishment and you can happily wander over and find a comfy chair on the café side. Below is a round up of the café’s and what I had to say about them.

 http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/31694662871/coffeepunk-balluchon-raymond-inc-221-sorauren-ave

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/31693930095/coffeepunk-joes-250-sorauren-ave-september-16-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/31692428983/coffeepunk-cafe-260-260-richmond-st-e-september-15

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/31690301541/coffeepunk-toronto-coffee-company-685-lansdowne-ave

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/33938300237/coffeepunk-redline-coffee-and-espresso-bar-october-13

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/33937748094/coffeepunk-fahrenheit-coffee-october-13-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/33936995434/coffeepunk-monarch-tavern-october-9th-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/33935515660/coffeepunk-csi-coffee-pub-october-9-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/33934643915/coffeepunk-full-of-beans-october-6-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/33039626397/coffeepunk-rise-espresso-october-6-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/33036614169/coffeepunk-el-cafecito-october-6-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/33035530896/coffeepunk-t-a-n-coffee-september-29-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/33032809804/coffeepunk-cafe-novo-september-27-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/33033937313/coffeepunk-cafe-unwind-september-29-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/36030622194/coffeepunk-merchants-of-green-coffee-november-18-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/36030064016/coffeepunk-si-espresso-bar-november-18-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/39885167124/moonbean-coffee-december-15-2012

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/43403209756/coffeepunk-the-green-grind-february-09-2013

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/42971679747/coffeepunk-ideal-coffee-february-2-2013

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/42719357360/coffeepunk-lazy-daisys-cafe-january-20-2013

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/42725123670/coffeepunk-grinder-coffee-january-20-2013

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/42717867600/coffeepunk-the-abbott-january-19-2013

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/42714701002/coffeepunk-the-black-canary-january-19-2013

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/42710679732/coffeepunk-alternative-grounds-333-roncesvalles-ave

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/44899177367/coffeepunk-noir-coffee-and-tea-march-3-2013

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/47402921165/coffeepunk-the-grind-house-march-17-2013

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/47184130395/coffeepunk-the-mad-bean-march-16-2013

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/47403758208/coffeepunk-i-deal-coffee-march-23-2013

Previously, I went out to the Ideal Coffee in Kensington Market and was impressed with the attempt to have the décor match the neighbourhood
a concept that most stores really ignore making a lot of areas interchangeable and bland especially in the suburbs. I definitely applaud I Deal Coffee for once again
making the attempt to have their 162 Ossington Avenue store blend with the feel of the area they inhabit. Ossington is a hub of reclaimed spaces. Shops of yesteryear turned into cafés and bars usually with a vintage feel and aesthetic. well accomplished here with walls painted and stripped to look like vintage wall paper, neat furniture that’s nicely worn away by use. Also the huge windows shower the shop with tonnes natural light and bring out a glow in the vintage appeal. Although it can get quite warm in the shower of sunlight.
I went off the beaten track and went with a cafe Mocha. I don’t ever take sugar in my coffee so it didn’t work for me but I can see someone who does like their coffee sweet and chocolatey revelling in it. The chocolate banana muffin was pretty delicious. Spring is upon us and the patio outside will get some great use in the coming months I’m sure I’ll be out there from time to time.

http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

http://idealcoffee.ca/

I’ve picked up my produce and have enjoyed a sun drenched walk through Kensington Market and have come to one of the final stops on the Indie Coffee Passport.
The Grind House is at 281 Augusta Avenue and is a great little coffee house. Coffee, tea’s, smoothies baked goodies and other food are for sale and all looks quite good.

The shop itself is comfortable, they opted for matching tables and chairs along side a comfortable L shaped bench rather than nigh typical reclaimed furniture route. I’m also fond of the window seating at the front of the store as it provides some excellent people watching as people make their way through the market.

I also love the logo that’s on their shirts and will pick one up sometime. A coffee cup over crossbones bringing to mind the other side of their name slasher or horror films ground out on a tiny budget.

I’m looking forward to dropping back in and trying some of Grind House’s non coffee fare and picking up a shirt.

***sitting here editing this post in my Grind House shirt. The coffee was even better than I remembered and I think this is my new favourite coffee spot in the market.

http://thegrindhouseto.com/?page_id=74

http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

The Mad Bean is a charming pleasant space with enjoyable coffee. It feels alot more organic than most of its neighbours. Out at 519 Eglington West the Mad Bean feels out of place with it’s interior consisting of bare brick, chandeliers and clever art on the walls. It seems more like a place you’d find in the west end. Perhaps Parkdale, my neighbourhood of Bloordale or maybe the burgeoning Junction. On Eglington West it feels parachuted in to a land of detachment and blaise boutique stores.
That being said, it is nice to know of a dependable cafe no matter where you are in the city and the Mad Bean is surely that a fine little coffee house no matter where it was situated.

http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

http://www.themadbean.com/

What a fun Indie Coffee Passport Adventure. A street car ride across the city to along St. Claire west, then stepping out into big fluffy snowflakes and into this beautiful café. Gorgeous Asian décor and a wonderfully delicious latte are a pretty killer way to win me over to a café. It’s a bit out of my usual territory, though once its warmer and I’m out cycling through the weekends I can certainly see spending time here wiling away a Sunday afternoons. Going by my latte the coffee is exceptional. Noir also has a large selection of teas ,an all day breakfast (including waffles!), soup and sandwich specials and other wonderful sounding food. Also a tempting array of sweet things including seasonal pies (mmm pie)
Very much a cafe I’d suggest for a date or meeting up with friends it’s elegant decor and charming atmosphere would definitely earn points for effort in finding a pleasant place to share.

http://www.noircoffeeandtea.com/

http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

The Green Grind sustainable coffee and tea cafe was a busy indie coffee spot today. Located at 567 College at Manning.The Green Grind is a bright inspiring spot with a big following of patrons both for its lovely sustainable offerings and eclectic space. I was hoping to visit for the afternoon and catch up on my scribbling and and mashing of keys. Unfortunately for me the bright arty space was completely full the nook of comfy chairs and even the communal table surrounded by others working away. So I handed over my Indie Coffee Passport and took my americano and went back out in to the snowy streets.

*do to the shop being so busy rather than being rude I decided not to take as many photos as I’d like.

http://thegreengrind.ca/

http://www.facebook.com/groups/121173668125/members/

http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

Ideal Coffee is now brewing at its Kensington Market location at 84 Nassau. Sadly for me they aren’t roasting this morning as the juxtaposition between the frosty snowy outdoors and the being inside with the aroma of the roasting through the shop would have been phenomenal.

Ideal does roast about on one on Saturdays. They also have another location on Ossington avenue and a new store on Yonge st. I appreciate that Ideal coffee prides themselves on being part of the neighbourhood and that they outfit their shops accordingly.

Kensington store is a collection of reclaimed furniture and surfaces and really does fit in with the area. Sitting under the heater and sipping my americano while watching the snow fall and scribbling away made Ideal Coffee a brilliant place to be.

http://idealcoffee.ca/ href=”http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html” target=”_blank”>http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

 I really like how Grinder Coffee has become a stylish and comfortable café in an area slowly growing and recovering after years of neglect and damage from ill advised strip malls and parachuted in big box stores. Well made coffee and quality fresh baked good in a comfortable setting makes for a a relief in juxtaposition across from plastic food and multinational businesses who’ve little regard for the areas they plant themselves in. Grinder is a good spot and the area is full of history and the beauty of old Toronto. Another notch along the theme of the Indie Coffee passport taking me places where I wouldn’t have thought to go.

https://www.facebook.com/GrinderCoffeeGerrard

http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/19811391884/coffeepunk-indie-coffee-passport-grinder-coffee

Being a west end boy Lazy Daisy’s Cafe at Coxwell and Gerrard street east is a bit out of my usual jurisdiction. So again the Indie Coffee Passport has dragged me off to parts unknown for another coffee adventure. Lazy Daisy’s seems like a wonderful place for brunch and seemed to be a meeting spot for young Mom’s to gather.With the promise of well made coffee and a delicious looking menu and a small play area at the back for the little kids. I’m certainly intrigued to go back and try the food but for now the well made chai latte was perfect for a sunny winter walk through little India.

http://www.lazydaisyscafe.ca/our-story.html

http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

The coffee shop under the stairs. Tucked behind a fire escape at King and Spencer in Parkdale. The Abbott is a quaint comfortable coffee haven in one of Toronto’s humbler neighbourhoods. Named after Doctor Rufus Abbott who practised in Parkdale and was Toronto’s first black doctor. The Abbot is a wonderful discovery on the Indie Coffee Passport and has come in wonderfully when one of my other Parkdale favourites was closed for the day and I was able to wander around the corner and go in for a satisfying visit to the Abbott in its place.

http://chaosinmoderation.tumblr.com/post/12769690057/coffeepunk-indie-coffee-passport-the-abbot-november

http://www.indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html