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Mercury Organic Espresso Bar - CLOSED
Category: Food Coffee & Tea Coffee & Tea [Edit]
126 Main StreetToronto, ON M4E 2V8
Neighbourhood: Upper Beach
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
4 reviews for Mercury Organic Espresso Bar
4 reviews in English
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Review from Greg C.
Toronto, ON
11/8/2009
I've been at least 5 times now. It's a little out of the way but when I'm in the area this is my main stop.
It used to be a second branch of the Mercury but the owners had an amicable split and this was renamed Grinder.
Like Jimi S stated, the service is a little less cheeky than the Queen East Mercury location. But thankfully, their quality persists.
How can you not love a barista that insists I drink the espressos right away or they'll oxify too much? WTF? That geek love of the craft is why I love this place. -
Review from Fil C.
Toronto, ON
7/31/2009
I used to LOVE this place when it opened up in my neighbourhood. Unfortunately I had a pretty bad experience with an employee that I cannot believe happened. Here's an excerpt I sent to the owners of the place:
I ordered my coffee and settled in at the bar along the window to do some work. Now, I know your establishment is not a library, however, I did think his shouting was too much. So I asked him not to shout. He responded by: "ooh, I'm sorry, I'll shut up."
Then he cranked up the music in the shop...loud...really loud. His friends left. I waited to see if he cooled down and a more level head prevailed. It didn't. The music was still loud. So I asked him to turn down the music. He said "no".
He proceeded to tell me this is not a library (I agree)...that this is the kind of shop where music can be this loud. He said I was rude to him when i asked him to shut up. I reminded him that I asked him not to shout, that I did not ask him to "shut up". I asked to speak to the manager...he said he was the manager. I asked for the owners' card...he said he didn't have any (I walked to the till so show him where they were). I don't feel comfortable going to your shop anymore. I don't feel comfortable that my wife goes to your shop. And I especially don't feel comfortable bringing my kid there.
The owners did apologize and said they would "take care of it"...but eventually I received this response:
I just wanted to give you a heads up and let you know that the barista you had the 'run in' with last weekend has not been let go. We were advised, due to labour regulations, that standard procedure would be to give him a warning first. This is what we have done.
Not good enough for me...I take the family to the RED ROCKET now...much happier. -
Review from Patrick S.
Toronto, ON
11/6/2008
Killer coffee & treats.
The staff here is always super nice and the drinks are awesome. They always play some great music and vibe is very relaxed. -
Review from Jimi S.
ON
11/27/2008 5 photos
i was really excited when i found out that these coffee gurus were opening up another location nearby. it turns out that it wasnt all that nearby to the original one on queen. its pretty far east on main street, which accounts for its difference in vibe and perhaps decor.
i actually think that the setup here on main street caters to a more upscale crowd perhaps. upscale might not be the right word but i dont think youll find the same music playing, or even the same type of artwork hanging here versus the one on queen. the space itself is a nice wide open room, painted in the same light bright yellow as the one on queen, but it has quite a bold and lovely shelving unit behind the counter. the tables provide imagery for the zoned out thinkers toiling away at their laptops and the chairs are simple wooden chairs that are more comfortable than the ones on queen. perhaps this one is more family oriented, as the clientele suggests. the one on queen is a bit more industrial, cheeky in attitude and style, which i like - like the sink chandeliers or the sculptures hanging from the ceiling; i think id feel more comfortable spending a couple hours (with the free internet - same at queen) here just because of the chairs, but in the summer, the patio on queen beats anything.
as for the coffee, the same expertise is put towards the creation of perfect espresso drinks that are both pretty, thick in foam, and rich in taste.
