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I stepped in the DOOR to walk towards the counter but there was a Barista with a broom sweeping up what looked to be a glass mug broken right in front of the counter. Stepping aside I waited for the Barista to dump the junk to order... Waited for him to clear the counter/tray full of empty cups to order...
When he asked, I saw Cappucinno to go. As he continued to put the empties away I waited. As he got ready and mingled with others behind the counter I waited. WORTH the wait as the shot pulled into the paper cup looked so amazing. He then made his signature milk pour and it was a work of art as most people have expectations for but don't realize how many hours it takes to perfect.
I had a previous ENCOUNTER here before where the Baristas where just as good and I took a seat on the upper level. It has its mix of CHIC lighting mixed with Wooden worn elements. I think it's not one of those places I can feel comfortable in, maybe I'm too RUGGED and uncool for this setting. Maybe I'm right!
Listed in: Coffee, Tea or Mixed
You know, those places where you go to relax, work, write your yelp reviews, and, meanwhile, grab a cup of decent coffee and a muffin? Dark Horse is exactly for these situations.
I'm yet to have a coffee there that is truly amazing, but I like the ambiance and the food, so, whenever I'm around, I feel attracted to it just to ask for a cup of cappuccino and sit down, read my e-mails, relax... chillout.
This place WOULD BE GREAT if they had awesome coffee and baristas that at least talk to you.
Listed in: Coffee & Muffins
Dark Horse on Spadina is an excellent spot to grab a coffee and bask in a cool and inviting atmosphere. It's situated at the foot of the Centre for Social Innovation (still don't know what's going on in this building) and is the standout coffee star of Chinatown. What they lack in bubble tea they make up for in all things caffeinated. Their espresso is always excellent. I recently tried their iced coffee for the first time and it was great. Not too icy. If that makes sense to you. It doesn't? Move along.
Obligatory Title Pun: Quit STALLION and go here now!
Menu Readability: Liquid crayon on a board as tall as Shaq.
Need to mention: My laptop was out of batteries and I was told "no plugs," so I guess no plugs.
What this place teaches me about myself: I would say more here, but I'm feeling a little HOARSE. (Bonus pun!)
My favourite place to have someone make coffee for me. :) :)
From their americanos to their iced lattes, I've never been disappointed. I even took my bf's mom there once and she actually said it was the best coffee she's ever had in her entire life.
The ambiance is pretty good but, unless I'm there with someone, I don't usually get my coffee to stay.
They have a tasty selection of baked goods -- a lot of them vegan and not really my thing but the butter tarts are sooooooo very good.
Generally, pretty great. The coffee is reliable, the staff are usually unpretentious, and the space is really nice. Just a few cons though:
1) The customers: I find on weekdays, the downstairs is a bit too much of the "Really? Talking while I type away furiously at my Macbook? How dare you!" crowd. Upstairs tends to be a bit more of the "Let's cram ninety business deals into the next four minutes" crowd, but at least they don't get outraged if someone talks in their vicinity.
2) The washrooms: Yeah, I know that this is pretty petty, but its a mystical journey to get there. Up some stairs here, around a corner there, through to a different dimension, and you'll get there. Also, I always feel like the chance of walking in on old dudes getting it on in there is high outside of business hours, though it has not yet happened.
3) The dishwashing: To be fair, this is a one time complaint. I got some tea, and upon first sip I couldn't tell if what I was tasting was the tea or lipstick. After a while, I determined it was definitely lipstick. I feel like black mugs increase the chance of mistaking dirty dishes as clean is infinitely higher.
That said, I wouldn't think twice of returning, but I may be the person who asks for a to-go cup, and stays there to finish it.
Now, I've only been to this fine establishment twice, but each time I was met with friendly service and excellent, well prepared coffee. One of the reasons I think their drinks taste so good is because they are conscientious not to over-roast their beans and the shots are pulled really well. Here, I felt the steamed milk complemented the espresso (in a latte, for example) more so than at other places, where the steamed milk is used to cover up the burnt taste.
When there is space available, it's nice to sit on the mezzanine behind the bar and watch the baristas work their magic. The drinks are priced fairly, and I must vouch for the goat milk yogurt with granola (if I remember correctly).
Anyone who decides not to come back to Dark Horse for the sole reason that it is frequented by mac users must not really care about the quality of service and coffee here.
Gorgeous space with a huge chandelier and big windows overlooking Chinatown. The little upstairs area is nice too. It feels like an artist's loft. But if you go during peak hours, it can be disappointing to find nowhere to sit. Also, the food and drinks are nothing particularly special. I find the lattes not as smooth as at some other places and the mochas a bit bitter. The staff have never been particularly personable either. And I don't really find the big wooden tables that conducive to meeting people, maybe it's just me. Mostly just people on laptops working side by side. I would categorize Dark Horse as more of a work cafe than a social cafe. Last time I went for an epic catch up session with a friend I hadn't seen in ages, and it was awkward because we felt like everyone around us was eavesdropping.
Listed in: Cafe Culture
I won't be returning based on my first visit.
First impression:
- Everyone has an Apple laptop, all set up, looking like they've been there for hours and hours, sipping the same cup of coffee ... I guess everyone who 'works remotely' lives at this place. They all looked like they were painfully trying to look cool & hip.
- The communal table would be a great concept, if people actually got up and left every so often. (see comment above)
- Hipster heaven. Lots of Rayban sunglasses, early 90's Nike high top runners & people who look they were fully dressed at Urban Outfitters.
I think this is where they all go to commune.
- No eye contact by the would-be cute server guy, until i realized i don't think he's the sharpest tool in the shed, as he asked me if I wanted my 'iced coffee' cold. ugh. fail.
While this place is a wicked cool place (exposed wood beams, etc), the people who occupy the space kinda turn me off.
Plus, the service sucked.
Too slow & distracted 'baristas', who were too busy continuing there conversations to make me my drink in any decent amount of time.
Too bad my iced coffee was gooood.
Everything else turned me off.
Quickly.
I'm giving this my first impression response...I'll probably never go back.
I went there in the early afternoon and was able to find a seat. I heard the internet here is inconvenient so I got a breakdown on that before I ordered and because I was hot coming off my bike and still quite caffeinated from my post-lunch double I opted for iced lemonade...which is made there and one of my favorite refreshers. It wasn't bad, but not good either.
I was unable to connect to the internet. I went through the instructions and had a password text messaged to me twice and no dice. I asked two guys with laptops and they said they couldn't get on either but had stuff they could do. Well I needed to sync with my dropbox before I could do any work so this "not working" forced me to leave. You get it. I went there, had four sips of my $4 lemonade while trying to connect and then left a mostly full glass of lemonade because they can't keep their bullshit internet working properly.
So it's not an entirely fair review in the sense that I didn't have their espresso and didn't stay more than ten minutes. Maybe it's a good place for socializing rather than getting work done...and the group tables may make it easy to meet people. Considering the hours I doubt I'll socialize here.
I don't like being lied to and then wasting time and money so from now on I'm going to refer to this place as Dark "Dog Food" Espresso because this place is dead to me.
Seeing as this place has been reviewed plenty of times, let's make it short and sweet:
Fantastic atmosphere
Great for studying (tables are communal, so you always have someone much closer to you than at a regular coffee spot)
Not great if you like your own space
Delish lattes
Delish cookies
They give you your own bodom for tea! (And coffee- but not as exciting)
Walk to the bathroom is lengthy, felt most comfortable to ask someone to watch my stuff before I went.
Done deal.
Go here. Itsa nice.
The, best, americano, in town that I've tried so far. Just really rich and tasty and none of that "burnt" quality you sometimes get with starbucks. I've always enjoyed hanging out there too, nice atmosphere, exposed brick, high ceilings, lots of light.
I'm kind of happy about the one reviewer that said his wi-fi was disconnected after an hour and he couldn't get extra time. You better be buying a latte every hour at least if you expect to sit in an amazing environment to do your homework for six hours, buddy. Speaking of, there are an awful lot of people hunkered over their laptops and not a lot of friendly banter. But hey, that's the nature of the coffee shop these days I suppose.
The service in this place isn't particularly speedy or friendly but damn! The product is amazing!
I've heard that Dark Horse gets packed, but now I can speak from experience that finding a seat in this place can be a serious challenge. While waiting in queue to place my order for almost ten minutes, I kept my eyes peeled for tables that looked like they were leaving. With lots of luck and a little foresight, I spotted a trio get up right as I was ordering and paid quickly (while doing my best to conceal my excitement lest someone else in line were to trace its source) before scuttling up to the raised second floor to mark my territory by laying my coat on one of the chairs. With a sigh of both relief and triumph, I then returned to the espresso bar to await my chai latte. Phewf!
The menu is simply divided into espresso based drinks, french pressed coffee, and other drinks (including hot lemonade). A sparse selection of paninis and pastries were displayed from a glass case. The chalk board solicited goat's milk yogourt with fruit and granola as a special.
Because the space was filled the entire time, the high decibel from all the chatter acted as an undiscernable veil over each table's private conversations. Seeing as that it was already so loud in there though, I thought that the music could have been turned down a notch.
As soon as we stood up to leave, we found a trio of ladies looming in. We joked that it was like being in a full parking garage, when in fact, that was pretty much exactly what it was like. I don't think that I could become a regular because of this added stress, but the beverages were enjoyable enough that I will likely stop in and pick one up to go the next time I pass by.
It's exam/essay time and I needed a place to study downtown before going to work... yelp to the rescue!
I am torn on this place and not sure how I feel about the experience for lets bring out the old score board:
Pro- Great panini sandwiches
Con- There are no plugs near one of the communal tables
Pro- Loved the hot Lemonade
Con- The WiFi only worked for 1 hour and my login information for additional time was never sent to my email
Pro- The location is great
Con- The tables in the front are very cold since they re so close to the front doors
Maybe I need to give it another try
Listed in: I'll Sleep When I am Dead...…
Best espresso/espresso-based drinks (the macchiato here is superb) I've had on this continent. The espresso is dark, thick and creamy, with a slightly sweet taste. Milk here is steamed to firm, velvety perfection and the latte art is pretty good, holding through the entire drink.
The inside is pretty cool, with wood floors, exposed brick walls and wood beams along the ceiling. My one knock against it is the lack of air conditioning...it gets really hot here on a humid summer day; the ceiling fans don't do nearly enough to disperse the heat and heavy air.
But of the various espresso joints I've been to in Toronto (b espresso, Bulldog, etc...) this is by far the best.
If I had written this review on THE EXACT DAY that I had been there for the first time. It would have been a raving review about how great their barista was and how great the shot of espresso I had was. Unfortunately, since then it's been mediocre shots at best with the barista nowhere near as good as the guy the first time I was there. He was in agreement with me, it's all about the barista and nothing has driven that point home more than the ongoing experience I've been having at this place.
A lot of people like to hang out in this place and do absolutely nothing, but seem productive on their netbooks. I'm not a fan of the 'netbook' movement in cafes, it's lame, stupid and irritating that I can't find a seat because someone is chatting on msn amongst society to feel at one with humanity. Harsh, sure, but I don't like to read low-ball reviews on places just because they won't allow you to sit there for 5 hours writing your thesis or chatting on msn when I can't even find an easy spot to sit for 10 minutes for a drink and a chat.
They sell 49th parallel coffee and espresso and also some auction lot stuff which is very cool. They've stopped siphon due to the length of time it takes to prepare...sad because they even have a halogen burner!! They have a really nice elektra on the shelf they keep their products which is a nice touch.
Nice place, GOOD coffee.
French press for two.
I met a friend there for coffee. Not knowing what do get at first, we ended up splitting a french press of delish coffee and some sort of organic low fat muffin that grew two extra tops. It was massive as far as muffin sizes go.
I love set up of the cafe. There's two massive tables in the front for those who want to get down to business then a few comfy chairs in the back.
We ended up at one of the massive tables in the front because is was pretty packed in the back. The only downfall was to that set up was a man sitting across from us having to listen to our whole conversation.
He cracked a few smiles as we discussed if we would be friends with either Natalie Portman or Keira Knightly. Silly i know.
So yah, i'm a fan of the Dark Horse. - Ride on.
Met here for a coffee catchup! Thoughts? Not the worst but not the bestest.
Sure everything is yummy! But for the price I think there should be bigger sizes. My London Fog was in a tiny tea cup! Cute! But I want more.
The space is nice and open but filled with many suits. Sorry if you're a suit, but there was a lot of you there.
What did I love? What is the reason that I'll go back? Lemon ginger scone. Enough said.
I really like Dark Horse on Spadina, which is connected to the Centre for Social Innovation Building. Centre for Social Innovation houses private and shared office space for all sorts of interesting non-profits and small organizaitons (mostly with an activist bent), including Spacing Magazine, and I imagine much of their daily clientele comes from that building, giving the coffee shop a young, hipster vibe.
I first found Dark Horse when I had a meeting nearby and was craving an espresso afterward. The espresso was strong but rich and almost creamy in texture. Delicious. They also had muffins from Industrial Muffins which were good and extremely big and full of chunks of fruit, etc.
What makes this place standout however is definitely the interior. It is very light and airy with a long communal table in the front and additional smaller tables on the second level behind the cash register. It's very cozy, with newspapers and magazines strewn about for you to read. The staff here were also very nice and friendly.
I much prefer this location to their other shop on Queen St. E. which is less inviting, has less friendly staff and seems to chronically serve their espressos at a revoltingly low (nearly lukewarm) temperature.
Fantastic cafe with a cool vibe. The large communal tables, wood, brick interior and the 2nd level overlooking the espresso bar really makes this place stand out. It's a great place to meet friends, work and while I'd like to go their to read, the large windows makes it hard not to people watch!
I went back to Dark Horse to catch up with my friend (the first time I had to get a latte to go - yes to eco-friendly paper cups!). I had the latte and the very last cinnamon bun. The latte was stronger than my usual Starbucks latte which was a nice kick and the rosetta leaf was very well done. It reminds me of my time in living in Vancouver where it seems like most of the cafes at the very least try to do some latte art on their drinks. The cinnamon bun probably would have been a lot better if I got it earlier in the day - it was a bit dry and tough but I can imagine it being mouth watering when it's fresh. My friend had the london fog, which he said was one of the best he's ever had (he's a big tea drinker). It's a bit pricier compared to Starbucks but you have to keep in mind that you're paying for more than just the coffee.
Dark Horse if my favourite cafe so far... :)
I love this place!
I stumbled in on my very first day in Toronto and was pleasantly surprised.
I had a latte and a scone. The latte was probably the best I have ever had. The staff were really friendly.
The place had a really cool vibe. I hung out for awhile and had my coffee and read a paper. I was in the downstairs section which was bustling with people chatting and working on their laptops. Also a prime spot for people watching with the huge window out to the sidewalk. There is also an upstairs area with more tables which looked quieter than the downstairs.
How can coffee cause such a commotion?
...Admittedly, it's good coffee.
I thought the coffee house would be.... darker...
But it was bright... almost like a place that would serve salad exclusively instead of coffee and baked goods.
I ordered my beverage, bold flavored... a lovely steaming cup of caffeine.
5:00 PM: Americano consumed.
...
11:00 PM: I got ready for bed, trying to sleep early.
12:00 AM: Reflecting on my day, I have fond memories of my delicious Americano.
1:00 AM: I'm confused, I thought I was tired.
2:00 AM: (toss, turn, grumble)
3:00 AM: WTF
4:00 AM: Damn you, Americano.
Then everything goes blurry.
In the morning, I enjoyed my Timmy's a bit less...
Went back to Dark Horse for a second shot at getting some work done and was quite productive! It turns out that the one hour wi-fi limit is imposed by the building that houses Dark Horse, not the café itself. Phew! In exchange for a stunning ambiance and old world charm, I'll take the tiny quirk of having to resubmit a password request for free wi-fi once an hour.
If you can find a seat in this popular café, grab it and get to work! Popular spot to meet colleagues, friends and maybe even good for a date (but take note: it closes early).
Listed in: Caffeinate Thyself
I wish I had been able to spend more time at Dark Horse Espresso, especially after reading all the… Read more »
If I wasn't hitting up Bulldog every morning, it was Dark Horse. And it's a tough call to pick one over the other in terms of quality. But Dark Horse may win out due to their luxurious atmosphere, wide array of coffee condiments -- cinnamon! -- and easily accessible wi-fi.
The main room is bathed in sunlight and it's tempting to while away the entire day in there sipping your latte, munching on baked goods and generally procrastinating about whatever it is you supposed to be doing instead.
Extra bonus points go to the staff here who held onto one of my orders after I realized my American debit card wasn't going to work and had to run down the street to the ATM. They were quite gracious and understanding even though I'm sure they get it frequently enough.
Listed in: Toronto or Bust
Great brew & ambiance! We ordered an americano, a soy latte and cranberry scone and all were great. I'm a huge tea drinker and so I was very pleased to see David's Tea being served here. The community tables, high ceilings and extra seating in the back are highlights in addition to the actual coffee. Service was good and I appreciated the lovely little leaf design in my foam.
I'm giving it 4 stars b/c although it was great, it is noticeably more expensive than Starbucks but not impressive enough to justify that extra cost. I also did not appreciate the strong smell of smoke that wafted in from smokers standing right outside the doors.
Coffee is great here - but good luck trying to find a spot! I like the warm decor with the hardwood floor and exposed brick and beams, but it took a long time to be served, and all the tables seem to be full all the time. I ended up having to take my drink into the lobby of the Centre for Social Innovation and sitting on a stoop, but then left because my butt was getting sore. There are a ton of people who look like they have sat in there all day sipping on their cold coffee and are pretending to study, but actually trying to chat up the cute guy/girl sitting beside them. And/or pretending to be from an American Apparel ad. DHE should think about getting some more seating.
To be fair, I'm not a big coffee drinker. I'm the one who goes to Dark Horse Espresso to get a "seasonal" apple cider and a cookie. But hey, I figure that cider and cookie still leaves your customer with an impression, so here it goes.
Despite the fact that it was listed as "seasonal", I couldn't help but suspect that my apple cider was nothing but steamed Tropicana apple juice (as many a place does). However, the crusty remnants of powder along the rim would lead me to believe otherwise. Average.
Picked myself up an Everything cookie after getting a craving for a cupcake (all this talk of Sneaky Dee's cupcakes on here triggered my sweet tooth!). The cookie was one of those big flat crunchy ones - had chocolate bits, nuts, I think raisins. Altogether, it had promise, but perhaps too many flavours together negating one another out? Maybe because I secretly just wanted a cupcake. For the cookie and mug of cider ran me about $5.50 or so.
That being said, I didn't show up for the nosh. I just wanted to sit there and soak up the incredible ambience of the place - it's unlike anywhere I've ever been in Toronto. Can I say that it feels "very New York"? I shared the large communal table with a pair of webbish looking guys mulling over a laptop, a focused and furious writer, a sort-of trendy businessdude who was on his laptop and cell the whole time and evidently hopped up on too many french-presses, a new-age goth guy at his respective laptop wearing polarized sunglasses and headphones, and a couple of hip lassies gabbing about their gay friend.
So on that end, they certainly exceeded expectations. Okay fine, I'll give you guys 3 stars for that.
Access to the 1-hour of free internet at Dark Horse is provided as long as you have a cell phone. But I don't have a cell phone, so I couldn't get the text messaged password for access to their in-house wi-fi. Nope, no mobile and I like it that way. Plus, I'm used to either paying for Internet at cafes in other cities or time limitations when it's "free".
But, Dark Horse is NOT about the Internet.
There's something beautifully buzz-worthy about Dark Horse. It's hard not to being engulfed in the interesting and inspiring conversations that happen here. Probably having to do with its location being situated in the Robertson building where lots of great stuff is constantly brewing. On top of eavesdropping, I usually get an Internet connection from another source anyhow. So... thanks!? I definitely got a lot done my own work done... erhm, right. The lack of plugs also helps.
Really though, work setting aside, there are so many more reasons why I enjoy Dark Horse:
My americano is always well-prepared. I don't go often enough that they know exactly how much water I want in my "short americano", and I appreciate that the baristas ask me if the amount of water is right (before pouring in the espresso, so as not to burn it).
They use beans from Vancouver's 49th Parallel Roasters, serve great baked goods that range from mildly sweet to uber sugary, and sell ceramic grinders that I've been eye-balling lately. I wish they'd add some crusty, nut-studded rolls though. I like bread with my coffee.
SIde notes: there's a curious resemblance to Intelligentsia, from the logo, design, tattooed (albeit less-so) baristas, La Marzocco espresso piece, time-limited internet, communal tables... maybe that's why i like Dark Horse so!
Listed in: Caffeine Cravings Curbed
Stop in on my way to work and while the latte is tasty, it is also lukewarm at best. When I'm paying $4 for a drink I kind of need to take more than 3 seconds to drink it. Maybe I'll start asking for an extra hot and see what I get.
The scones are amazing.
I enjoy the space of this Spadina location a lot more than its sister cafe on Queen street - they've skipped on the dank, while upping the industrial chic and keeping things open and airy.
As for the espresso, well, they've got 49th Parallel Beans (though they will be introducing more local beans, or so I've read) and great machines, so I've got no complaints. The somewhat slim bakery selections are also great, or at least my butter tart was fairly awesome.
I could use a lot more places like Dark Horse scattered throughout the city...
Listed in: Toronto's Best Espresso
I am so, so glad this place opened up on Spadines, giving us local workers an alternative to Starbucks and Second Cup. And what really knocks this one out of the park for me is the massive, gorgeous space they've got. It's open, airy, full of light and offers plenty of seating. You can chill at one of the two large communal tables or head to the cozier upstairs to lounge in a comfy chair and join the nerds on computers (I can say this because I am one of them). Free Wi-Fi!
The espresso is quite nice, making for luscious iced bevvies and tummy warming cappuccinos. The fresh yogurt with granola and rhubarb wasn't quite as amazing as it sounds (I think I wanted more rhubarb) but the maple scone has called my name on more than one occasion. And their obese low-fat muffins are pretty tempting... OH, and it's always nice to find a cafe with smiling, chatty baristas too, ya know?
One of the better espressos I've ever had -- decadently rich but very smooth, with a wonderful crema. If you drink espresso, its worth the trip alone just for a small cup of this brew.
Also had a fudge brownie, which was also decadent and went perfectly with the coffee.
The space is also great -- open and airy, with two large communal tables.
Working at Queen and Spadina I couldn't have been happier when Dark Horse opened. I was getting really sick of Le Gourmand's coffee (I honestly think people enjoy LG more for the cachet than the actual quality of their coffee, which pales in comparison to DH)
These guys really know how to make a coffee. Lattes are always served with a rosetta (or sometimes a heart) and espresso's have great crema. My new favourite is the mocha latte which uses dark chocolate so it's not overly sweet. Decor is awesome with original wood pillars and an open atmosphere. Conference style tables in the front are great for impromptu meetings and the more intimate back has individual couches and chairs for lounging.
I always love coming to this place and highly recommend it.
Somewhere in the pits of Chinatown. Nice atmosphere to do work in, big communal table with lots of natural lighting. Free wifi, free no-hassle water. Service at this location is not as friendly and a bit pretentious. Same coffee, all the same, so quite good. This location sources their tea from David's Tea.
So much have changed since the last time I was in Toronto. This is an excellent place to grab a familiar brew from the West Coast; 49th Parallel roasts some of the best beans in North America. Unfortunately I'm here for a short time but it's a lot easier to find an excuse to visit Toronto more often.
One of my favorite espresso bars in Toronto. Bright and open with ample seating, with two large community tables and several other seating options in the back of the house. I am used to more euro-style cafes with standing bars but this place is comfortably familiar and very welcoming. More importantly, the espresso is some of the best in the city. The staff has always been very friendly and professional. For cafe surfers, the free wifi and several electrical outlets make it a comfortable place to chill without draining your battery.
Give it a try and it just might become your favorite hangout.
Love the cafe latte at the Dark Horse, it comes with a heart on the foam which makes it extra heart warming. The interior feels very spacey and artsy, it is a great place to chill and catch up with friends. Can't wait to go back.
For me the bar for coffee shops is Starbucks, although I do enjoy my double double at Tim Horton's. I wanted to try this place out to see if I was missing anything. This being my first time, I wasn't sure if their menu is as extensive as Starbucks, and I was to afraid to find out. At Starbucks you can order a coffee that is 10 words long. I didn't see that sort of stuff here, but of course the base coffee types are the same.
I got an americano (for the first time) on a recommendation and my wife got an iced mocha. I also got an iced tea and they are in my wheelhouse, but unfortunately there aren't any ice tea places in the city.
I can say that I enjoyed the americano. Very flavourful, full bodied, bold (these are some great words huh?) and as a friend put it "velvety". I did however really like the iced tea. There were two kinds ready to be poured, and some other ones I could have had steeped for me. I got the english breakfast because it was already steeped. This is the first place I know of that has different kinds of iced tea. My favourite iced teas are ones that are brewed without sugar, and then later put some liquid sugar in; none of this simulated lemon flavour bs. I chugged this iced tea down.
What impressed me the most is that they get their tea's from David's tea, which I'm guessing their selections will change over time.
The only thing I didn't like about the place was that there doesn't seem to be any structure. I don't even know if that's the right word, but the milk is in one place and the station to mix you coffee is in another. I didn't even realize that the milk was for our use, because its not actually at the coffee mixing station and is the same ones the baristas use.
On my hunt to find the best cafe to write in, I must say this is one of the best: cool vibe, no pressure to leave, nice service and beautiful froth designs (whatever that means...)
I'm a huge coffee freak and I gotta say that the espresso was less than I expected, but it was decent and the place is just fantastic to bring your laptop, a book, or some friends and hang around. Even if it is on Spadina.
Listed in: Hunt for the Best Cafe
I recently heard that a friend of mine was going to be working at Dark Horse. While I really like Dark Horse, I was pretty bummed because I didn't want to have to leave Parkdale to go to Queen & Broadview to get a great coffee from him. ... Then he told me that he was going to be working the new spot on Spadina just north of Queen. Oh snap!
While walking around today, after getting my Lyle Overbay bobblehead from the SkyDome, (Side note: It will always be the "SkyDome" to me. Always. I will never call it "The Rogers Center". Never.) I was enjoying the weather and said to myself "Self, you need a nice coffee. You should go to the new Dark Horse, self, and see what's up."
The best advice I ever get is from myself.
I went to Dark Horse and was immediately awe-inspired by the decor. It's pretty beautiful in there, especially for a coffee shop. The place was pretty bumping and their communal tables were packed so I couldn't really sit down and get the drinks that I would have wanted while getting some work done. Great for them, bad for me. I got my americano go to and further enjoyed the beautiful weather that Toronto had this afternoon. I could not have had asked for a better coffee to compliment the day. I will surely make regular trips to Dark Horse on lazy weekends (much like this one) and will hopefully have the famous barista Sam James serve me up something amazing like whoa.
While watching Cityline a few weeks ago, Krups did an across Canada search for some of the best coffee houses. Dark Horse was named Toronto's best. I am always on Queen and can never really find a great place to hang out with friends over a really good cup of coffee. A latte with a flavour shot is 4 dollars. The latte art is quite pretty and it lasts until your very last sip. One of my only complaints was having it in the mug, it looses heat pretty quickly, and was cold before i finished it. The decor is stunning, high ceilings, 2 gorgeous wood communal tables, but not that mnay single seats. The best advice is if u are lucky enough to get a table hold on to it for life. This spot is a great addition to the area.
Neighborhood: Riverdale
Toronto, ON
Neighborhood: St. Lawrence
Toronto, ON
Toronto, ON
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