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Orange Alert Coffee
Category: Food Coffee & Tea Coffee & Tea [Edit]
298 Dundas Street WToronto, ON M5T 1G2
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 595-5222
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
20 reviews for Orange Alert Coffee
20 reviews in English
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Review from Susan C.
Toronto, ON
3/1/2012
Came here a few times in the past.
The man who makes your coffee is a very friendly old man. He always has a smile on his face and will never rush making your drink. The drinks and coffee are very good. An extra plus that it is fair trade and I believe organic as well.
The place is hardly ever crowded, even when I walk by it. But, there's always customers sitting at the tables. Very nice place to sit in to catch up with a friend or to even read in silence.
It's an above average cafe. I wish I could come here more often (I enjoy helping smaller businesses :)), but it is usually out of my way to travel for it. -
Review from Angela L.
1/19/2012
How Orange Alert Coffee has survived for so long in that most covetable location across from both OCAD and the AGO is a mystery to me. I came in to kill time before meeting someone nearby one afternoon and found it almost completely empty. I didn't feel like a beverage, after having had lunch already, so ordered a strawberry ice-cream. Unfortunately, it didn't taste fresh or strawberry-like at all.
The elevator muzak that was playing overhead competed with the dusty seating for the prize of most unappealing factors in the store. Then, I made the mistake of entering the maze to the underground bathroom. It's understandably shared with the sushi restaurant next door, but it's not understandable how badly maintained and marked the path and actual washrooms are.
I don't recall my take-out beverage experiences in the past as being so horrid. Maybe that is the orange alert: Grab and go! Do not linger or you will regret it. -
Review from Craig B.
Oshawa, ON
8/31/2011
This is definitely amongst my top 10 coffee houses in Toronto.
The owner is friendly and knows his coffee. Lot of tasty treats to pair with your java and good atmosphere if you want to just hang out and watch the people drift by... -
Review from Leeor J.
10/2/2011
Aside from some very good coffee there isn't much else to like about this place. I'll leave it to the other reviewers who have already explained this quite thoroughly. I've had one of the best mocha's i've ever had at this place and their espresso is very good.
just grab it and go. -
Review from Bijan V.
1/22/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Orange Alert is a place of such stress for me simply because of the extremes I go through every time I come here.
For example, how awesome is it that I live next door to this place - I could be a regular! Oh wait $5 / cappuccino? ugghh maybe not
Holy crap that cappucino is actually amazing! They have some sweet's too, and they're amazing too! Oh wait $4 for a loaf of banana bread!?
Sweet they have wifi, I can do work here! Oh crap, someones using the only plug in the place and it's really uncomfortable sitting here (especially when everything you look at has a sign that says "DON'T TOUCH").
I just don't know how much more of this I can take! And what the hell they still have a stand outside advertising their great Ice-Cold Lemonade when it's -20 outside! Argh, WHY Orangle Alert WHY! -
Review from Michelle A.
Toronto, ON
2/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had a very nice bold cappuccino (topped with a heart) and a chocolate rugleach (crunchy strudel-like cookie) this afternoon, and both were delicious. The cookie was nice and crunch on the outside, chewy in the middle. I really like the coffee at this shop - it's all fair-trade, organic, and they have organic milk. The coffee is a bit expensive though. Mine was $4.25, lattes are $4.50 and mochas are $4.75 (approx).
The service is friendly, but a little bit slow. They only had one employee working on a busy afternoon.
It's also not the best spot for sitting inside and enjoying a coffee or doing any work. All of the tables are very close together, there is only one outlet in the whole place (and one of the two plugs are being occupied by Christmas lights - with a sign that says DO NOT UNPLUG), the bathroom requires a key, the bathroom is located in the basement and down two creepy hallways, and the bathroom had a massive hole in the wall. You also have to ask the busy, single employee for the wifi password, which is a bizarre mixture of numbers and letters that would be impossible to memorize.
They make their own quiche and meat pie, they have a huge selection of baked cookies, banana bread and other loaves, muffins, cupcakes, carrot cake, and fresh-squeezed juices - including the "ORANGE ALERT" - which is just fresh orange juice and sparkling water.
The location is fun - right across from OCAD and the AGO. I even saw Much Music filming outside. OMG.
They take Interac. -
Review from Catherine F.
Guelph, ON
1/12/2011 1 photo
Yes, I'm a typical Pacific Northwest coffee snob. I want my beans Fair Trade, organic, shade-grown, fresh-roasted and ground seconds before it becomes that liquid black gold I'm so addicted to (and preferably a dark roast with very little acidity). So staying downtown in Toronto and riding bikes around to explore (a heck of a lot more economical than continually paying to park), I needed somewhere for my morning fix that *wasn't* a Starbucks.
Orange Alert isn't someplace I'd hang out, nor would it even be able to compete back in Portland. But they advertised Fair Trade and organic, and through them, I discovered Dark City coffee.
Two words: Extra Butter. A phenomenal smooth rich dark roast from Dark City. I've been ordering it, a couple of pounds at a time, via the post since the discovery.
So I owe Orange Alert a debt of gratitude. Thank you for providing coffee with a conscience, and for being open -- as so many places weren't -- on Easter Sunday. -
Review from jocelyn j.
Mississauga, ON
4/24/2011
How does this place stay open??? a question Einstein would have great difficulty in answering.. It seems as if you make every drink a rediculous price there is no need to actually make good coffee.(Charbucks?)
The people running the cafe seem to be really nice and it pains me to have to be honest in my assessment of their product, but truly coffee is not their thing. Dark City coffee and a very bland environment have given me a tummy ache that has now given me a full blown Phobia of McCaul and Dundas. I should of taken the name more of a warning than a welcome.
Sorry I have been scarred in my coffee Toronto walkabouts but I will prevail and move on to keep triumphently conquering the Toronto coffee review and informing the public of any hazardous places.. -
Review from Vivek S.
9/8/2010
Wish I could like this place more. It's the closest coffee shop to my own home, but lacks character, warmth, proper seating, affordable coffee and reliable Internet access. The layout is a bit of a mess with tables thrown about with the logic (and stoned sense of wonder) of an undergrad art installation. Considering its proximity to OCAD, maybe that's the point. Don't be fooled by the books on the shelf. A note warns: please do not touch display. That's the opposite of charming.
That said, the coffee is fair trade and good enough but pricy. No real complaints there. They also serve doodads like banana bread, cookies, and ice cream. Very close to the AGO and OCAD, but you are better served by other cafes in the area.
Obligatory Title Pun: ORANGE you glad there's other options?
Menu Readability: Neatly printed on an overhead chalkboard. There are a few swirls. Yippee.
Need to mention: The street-facing barstools are a swell place to gawk at passers by.
What this place teaches me about myself: I'm going to have to walk a little further for a decent coffeeshop.Listed in: Uno Dos
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Review from Nicole H.
Toronto, ON
9/21/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Go to Orange Alert for the coffee - they do a delicious espresso! Never failed to enjoy a soy latte from there. This is, however, not really a cafe I go to for snacks or hangouts though. Orange Alert is a caffeination stop for me and nothing more - I find the location great, but the cafe itself is a bit cramped and lacks atmosphere.
Orange Alert to go, please!Listed in: Caffeine Nation: The Toronto…
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Review from Raj B.
Toronto, ON
2/16/2011
Being a supperter of all manner of indie establishments, I want so badly for this place to not suck, but sadly, it does.
You will pay an unreasonable premium for fair trade feel-goodness, and probably not stay long in its awkward, charmless interior.
A steady stream of soon-to-be-disappointed first timers and tourists keep this place afloat.
(My karmic apologies to the hard-working people who run this place.) -
Review from Helena K.
10/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
The coffee is good, as is the carrot bread I tried. It was rather dead when I visited (being the Sunday before Thanksgiving), so the place was quiet. A little too quiet, you know, to warrant staying long.
But it's in a good location, near Chinatown, the University of Toronto, and the Academy of Realist Art, etc., plus they were the only place open on, like I said, the Sunday before Thanksgiving. And the prices are reasonable. I think that it would be a cooler place to hang out or study if there were maybe a few more people there.
I must confess, I'd already had three coffees that morning and really stopped by Orange Alert just to use the facilities. However, to use the toilet, you've got to get a key and navigate down a rickety staircase, and down a long, ill-lit, mildew-smelling hallway. But, you know, at least they have a bathroom, I guess, 'cause, yeah, the situation was getting pretty dire. -
Review from Kat F.
6/9/2009
In a panic to find a decent place that had free wifi (damn me for not having access to an iPhone with the trusty Yelp app on it - YET. You WILL be mine, iPhone. Soon.), I walked into Orange Alert on a whim and was pleasantly greeted by an ice cream counter with about a dozen flavours as well as tons of tea and a huge latte menu.
I ordered a chai latte and while it was made fresh from chai masala leaves and hand-spiced with cloves and cinnamon, I couldn't help but think the standard size (it only comes in one) was really, really overpriced. $5.20 with tax. Absurd - that's even more expensive than $tarbucks. At least it was tasty.
Free wi-fi but you have to ask for the user/password - it's not an open connection and they don't advertise that they have wifi, either. -
Review from Edwin A.
1/8/2011
I was around the area, it's in probably the best location since it is close to OCAD and AGO so foot traffic no matter what.
There was 1 person working at the shop at the time (Saturday afternoon) So if you hit a bad time with a rush of people you'll be waiting some time for your drink.
We sipped back a strong cappacino and a machiato, we're both not regular coffee drinkers so don't know if this was very good or not.. but I know this drink awakened the soul haha seriously.. the coffee is much stronger than Starbucks.
It cold in this place and the decor and gray floors don't help convey warth either. Wifi worked alright. -
Review from Myrem D.
Mississauga, ON
11/2/2010
I had never had any preference for organic food, nor am I knowledgeable about places that serve organic eats.
As I was walking up on University, I came to Dundas and caught glimpse of a little coffee spot on the corner.
I walked in expecting it to be something like Timothy's etc. It has a very vintage sort of feel to it. The onwer (older asian man) was very sweet, guessing I was new.
I normally quite like carrot cake and asked him for a slice with tea.
now , the slice was quite large for just a "slice" and all together came to less than $10. Luckily I was with a friend and we shared the cake.
needless to say, it was DELICIOUS!.
we didn't sit down (its a tiny cafe with a few chairs and a comfy couch at the end with some books). We decided to be outside, so we kept walking up to a few townhouses with front steps. We sat down and enjoyed the rich Carrot Cake and tea.
We were so impressed with the texture and how rich the taste was, on the way back we both got an espresso; each.
It was quite nice, I cant say I'd go back but it definitely is a nice hidden little gem.
Don't expect super service or a starbucks type of crowd. Its seems like a local hang out spot for a few students and maybe even to do some reading on a rainy afternoon.
The place wasn't busy but I can imagine it wouldn't be , with the size of the place being so small.
If your into the organic lifestyle, I encourage you to give it a chance, If you are around the area, definitely worth a switch up from the regular starbucks.
xoxo.
M. -
Review from Catherine M.
ON
11/23/2008
For a dreamy few months last summer, I lived in Baldwin Village and spent a lot of time wandering around the general area surrounding the AGO. When this place first opened, they were still working on renovations, but the people who ran the place were very sweetly apologetic about it.
This tiny cafe is a godsend when you're hoofing it on hot July days down Dundas past the AGO and just need a quick iced coffee to keep from passing out from heat exhaustion. From what I recall all or most of their coffee is all either organic or fair trade, something along those lines, but their prices were in line with getting something at Starbucks, from what I remember. They always had a few loyal customers hanging out working on laptops or reading papers, and this sunny, quiet cafe is a great place to sit down and gather your thoughts over a coffee or tea. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
4/1/2010
I was waiting around for a few friends for dinner at Ematei, and being a cool day and I had some extra time for a stroll I decided to walk from Queen to Dundas to give this Orange Alert a try on a Saturday evening in March.
Just as expected it was nice and quiet inside with a table of 4, a couple, and even someone hiding behind a section quietly doing her work with a text and laptop. I wanted to say "I see you!"
I walked up and asked what type of Latte they suggest for a first-timer, and one of the two baristas suggested AMARETTO. I asked for it TO-GO and sat PATIENTLY near the Ice-Cream machine at the corner window while I observed what's going on outside.
I was also trying to sneak-a-peak as the barista was working on my Latte, while the second barista came over to look at the milk pour and the design.
When I got it, I saw 2 small HEART patterns which meant it was Etching rather than Free-Pour and there is NOTHING wrong with that at all as I personally still need time to practice my free-pour.
The Latte was good with a hint of sweetness more than usual due to the Amaretto. As I took a sip before leaving, I thought to myself this would be a nice & quiet place to have a Latte.
I've never been to Vancouver, but this seemed like one of those places where you have a coffee, read a fantasy while light cool drizzles outside and you can really relax and let your worries go away.Listed in: Coffee Drinks
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Review from Aaron B.
3/24/2010
After being forced to abandon Dark "Dog Food" Espresso I wondered over to this small neighborhood cafe on Dundas. Free internet that actually works, plugs available, soft music, friendly staff, healthy drinks (e.g. fresh fruit and vegetable juiced on premises...I got the apple, carrot, ginger, thing), and a nice view of AGO. The pastries look mass made and store bought so I'll avoid those. The hours are reasonable though not as late as I'd like. Not a gem, but a functional cafe downtown that provides all organic everything and a comfortable work or relaxation environment.
While here I observed some things that have degraded the rating a bit. The first is that a customer came in and stood at the counter for a while and neither of the girls working asked her if she wanted anything. The second is that meanwhile another girl came in and just straight out asked how much the cookies were and bought one. The first girl simply left shaking her head since she'd obviously been ignored. The second girl who bought the cookie immediately came back claiming the cookie was stale (probably just bad) and wanted to get something else. But the girls working wouldn't do it (they are obviously both recent immigrants from China and returning stuff is pretty unheard of in China so they have not acclimated to their environment/job well enough yet). This is certainly reason enough to avoid this place (as I'm sure both of these two potential customers will) though I had a good experience THIS time. Bad service + no responsibility for goods sold = bad establishment. -
Review from Kat T.
5/28/2009
Two stars for the fact that they serve Fair Trade, locally roasted coffee. Plus one star for it actually tasting really, really good. The location is nice for me on my way to work, and OCAD students. It's also close to the AGO, which might explain the crazy line-ups on Wed afternoons. It's a family-run business. The female half of the pair is really efficient, friendly and wishes you a good day as you leave for work. The male half of the pair is a little slow and fumbles with stuff. It makes it akward to stand there and wait for 3 minutes for him to package a muffin. With all the crowds, maybe they can hire a few more barristas? Also, sometimes they forget to turn the neon "Open" sign on and I'm not sure if they are open and head on to work.
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Review from Jimi S.
ON
11/20/2008 7 photos
I went to Orange Alert before going to the AGO, and if I wasn't in the area, or if I was (in the future), but had some time on my hands, I don't think I'd go back. I didn't have a bad time there; I had a lacklustre time there. There was nothing special about the coffee - it was great that it was organic but it was expensive for organic even (4.25 for a cappucino where I have had an organic cappucino on the east side for 3.25). I did try my friend's Green Tea Latte which, for my tastes, was too sweet but an interesting idea nonetheless. The place was playing some kind of music that you might find on a sleeping cd; it had two or three framed photos of natural things like clouds, mountains, rivers, etc in random places on bland coloured walls and a shelf that had books I wasn't allowed to touch. Weird. It seemed a bit flaky to be honest. I think everything organic is awesome and the more I can have of it the better, but there really was no vibe at all here. Not unpleasant, just kinda boring. So although when I look at the two stars I feel a little bad, if verbally they mean "Meh. I've experienced better," then that's the truth.
