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T Cafe - CLOSED
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
13 reviews for T Cafe
13 reviews in English
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Review from May B.
Vancouver, BC
9/1/2010
I was feeling pretty hungry and looking for a cheap meal when I saw a sign advertising brunch over at T Cafe so I popped in. First impression was that it was a cozy little joint. They had cool mod-style egg chairs and wall hangings of tea crate panels for indoor decor, as well a nice patio that allowed for good relaxation from shopping all day.
I just made the brunch menu (which ends at 4) and ordered me some eggs benedict with salmon on a croissant, with sweet potato chips on the side. Service was quick and friendly, no complaints.
Favourite part was the tea though (obviously.) The clerk helped me pick the perfect tea to enjoy, and I spent a good remaining part of my afternoon finishing the pot, a good sized amount of tea for 3 bucks.
When I'm back in TO, I'm making it a point to come back.Listed in: T
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Review from Carla D.
Toronto, ON
8/22/2010
My main sore point with this "cafe / lounge" hybrid is the price (as many others have noted in their reviews). When I used to live in the area, I would come here to hook up to their free Wi-Fi while enjoying some tapas-style munchies. The offerings are great, however enjoying a matcha latte and a couple of items off the menu will leave you a little sore in the pocket.
Price aside, many of the original "tea-inspired" dishes are in fact quite good. They have gone to many lengths to incorporate some element of tea in some way or another in their food to the point where it's a stretch, however a lot of the stuff is very, very tasty. In particular I am addicted to their Green Tea Onion Rings (or Fritters?), Salmon Gravlax with mini potato latkes, but am missing very much so their trio of beef sliders, why they took these off the menu I'll never understand.
Next time I hit this place again it will probably be on a payday. -
Review from Lauren M.
9/2/2010 2 Check-ins Here
T Cafe is CLOSED! As of...yesterday??? Saw it shut down this morning.
Menchies Frozen Yogurt will open up in the space soon (http://www.menchies.com) -
Review from Kat F.
7/17/2009 2 photos
When did it become OK to charge $4 for a cup of Earl Grey tea in Toronto?
I'm kind of miffed that plain tea - it's not like I ordered some exotic rooibos blend from an obscure South African farm - was so ludicrously priced. One tablespoon of loose tea Earl Grey tea leaves dumped into a strainer costs about $0.17 (I can buy 50g of loose Earl Grey tea at Tealish -- an upscale tea shop -- for $5 flat. 50g will make 30 or more cups of tea. So that's $0.17/cup.) to make. Absurd markup.
My "from scratch" chai latte (with a soy add-on, might I mention) was cheaper. The perplexing pricing brings my 4 star review down to a 3.
The cute and bubbly baristas wear matching uniforms - white tshirts with bright green scarves to go with the beautiful decor in the cafe. The white Eames shell-style chairs are comfy and clean and everything seems fresh and bright. It's a nice atmosphere to get work done in but sadly, not if you're relying on wi-fi.
Yes, wi-fi is free and no password is required, but on this visit it was far from reliable. I rely heavily on free wi-fi and don't mind paying for it/paying out my time in food and drink to use it, but it's gotta be reliable. At the time of this typing there are only three people using laptops in the cafe yet the connection is downright glacial. I don't know if the Rivers Cuomo-wannabe with the foot-long rattail across from me is streaming the entire fourth season of BSG or what, but I can nary load a fricking website here! -
Review from Melissa F.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 4/11/2010
I am sitting here RIGHT NOW.
So yes, the wifi still works and is free- but I'm not updating my review becasue of that. I'm updating it because of something adorable I just saw:
This kid beside me says he's in love with the hash browns. The mother comments to the waitress to say how much her son liked them. and then the CHEF comes to the table and teaches her how to make them at HOME. seriously- if that's not customer service I dunno what is.
So apparently BREAKFAST is where this place is at. Actually, funny enough as I was walking ot the front to get a drink- several people were commenting at how good the food was.
Who knew they had good breakfast here? well now, YOU DO!Listed in: "I'm sitting here RIGHT NOW"-…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/10/2009 ROTD 11/11/2009
I'm sitting here RIGHT now.
with my chai-mocha-soy latte. it comes in a bowl- no handle. using both… Read more »
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Review from Tammy Y.
Toronto, ON
6/4/2009 ROTD 6/15/2009
This place is darling.
With all the free places offering Wi-Fi around the city, it's hard to pick the one that has just the right combination of good location, friendly-service, nice refreshments, and atmosphere.
I popped in here two Saturdays ago armed with a Saturday Star. I was immediately struck by the design of the place, notably the slick modernesque white armchairs paired along with the otherwise noueveau-rustic look of the place. The mood is definitely set for our readers, net-surfers and brainstormers out there who need something more than drab to "get-in-the-zone". Bah. I digress.
After a quick introduction to the place and how T cafe works - food (still have yet to venture there), smell testers for tea, how the tea is organized, etc. - I went with a summery fruity peach tea (actual name escapes me) and asked for it "Iced, please!". As she was getting it mixed up for me, she asks, "Would you like some sugar added to it to sweeten it up?" I decline. The result was, to my surprise, a mini-pitcher of iced-tea that lasted me about 4 glasses, all for about $4. Amazing! Consider the fact that this also means a nice relaxing afternoon with a thick paper on a patio, and it sounds pretty darn good to me. -
Review from Eleanor W.
5/24/2009
T cafe has been open for about a month, and priding myself in having tried everything on bloor between bathurst and spadina, I thought I should pop in. The all-caps "FREE WIFI" sign was definitely a factor in that decision.
The T cafe is exactly what I've always been looking for in a cafe. Finally, a casual atmosphere with comfortable tables, elegant but understated style, and not just tea but a full on FOOD menu you order and pick up at the counter. That makes a big difference for me, keeping everything at the counter makes it still a casual cafe where you can drop in an hang out for hours with a book. Their outdoor patio seats even more than inside, and the free WiFi really seals the deal.
I had the veggie wrapped Gravlax (sounds like a planet from Dr. Who, no?) which is a kind of salmon. I never expected a cafe to have food on their menu that was compatible with my low-cal, high protein diet, but here it is! This could be my new favorite hangout in the Annex. -
Review from Leeor J.
I maybe had the best ice tea i've ever had at this place this afternoon. We asked the guy at the counter for his recommendation and he gave us this earl blue tea to smell. It was incredible! Had this subtle vanilla and earthy quality. This translated really well in the steeping process. I had mine on ice, my sister had hers hot.
The ice one was nothing short of miraculous! They steep the tea first, then put it in a martini shaker with ice and proceed to shake for about 5 minutes. It comes out all frothy and awesome. You feel like you are pouring a beer! It tasted delightful. Very refreshing too. Oh yeah, one order is more than enough for 2 people. They serve it to you in a large milk glass. So at $3 or so its a great deal.
The free wi-fi then goes ahead and makes the place perfect. I just wish the patio had a roof, not good in the rain :( -
Review from Denise S.
7/22/2010
Nice place if you want a break from coffee/espresso and great location in the Annex. Lots of students studying and people on laptops, but it still feels more laid back than the library. Nice selection of teas, hot and iced. The space is airy and calming.
The weekend brunch is a pleasant surprise. Hearty and delicious omelettes served with hash browns or salad for around $10. There is even a brunch combo which comes with one of the 2 teas "on tap". -
Review from Renata R.
5/25/2010
It's definetely a hipster place, as you can notice by the number of people using brand new Macbooks while drinking overpriced tea in a hot spring afternoon.
I asked for a bland iced tea and almost had a heart attack when they told me the price - and served me it on a fancy bottle with all the fuss a place like this wants you to believe a tea lover must wish. I'm a tea lover, I was thirsty and I just wanted some good iced tea - not something full of conservatives and sugary. Should I pay more for, hm, something simpler? Just because they serve it in a fancy bottle?
Their wireless is free, but requires password - and you have to ask for it.
The iced tea ("berrylicious") was good, after wall. My pocket wasn't. -
Review from Will L.
Toronto, ON
3/17/2010
It's a cozy little café on the southwest corner of Bloor and Borden St, they offer a great selection of both hot and cold tapas that you can share - all for under $10.
In addition to that, they have a decent selection of 48 different teas that that are of the black, green, herbal, white and rooibos tea variations that you can try out and share with your date.
During the warmer months of the year they have a spacious patio to soak up the sun while conversing over the hum of city sounds. -
Review from Jaime L.
11/2/2009
Bloor Street is becoming quite packed with cafes. I decided to try T... since I haven't really found one I love. I think Aroma is my favorite so far. EDIT: Found a favorite... It's Dark Horse. No need to go anywhere else. END OF EDIT
I ordered a cappuccino. That is probably a mistake in a cafe called "T". But it is also called a "Cafe" so I thought it would be decent. Unfortunately, it was not. I do drink a lot of caps. My favorite would be Stumptown Coffee. But that is not available in Toronto. I actually could barely drink it. I thought of bringing it up for an exchange but decided to just cut my losses.
The chairs.... not so comfy. They are molded plastic with no cushions. This is probably a good business decision so that people do not linger all day for wifi but it's not all that comfy.
And... just so you don't think I'm being totally unfair in going with one star... the table I was at was not cleared from the person that had preceded me. Oh well... lots of other places to visit in the neighborhood. -
Review from Elizabeth L.
Toronto, ON
7/3/2009
I love T Cafe! It's a lovely cafe in the midst of a sea of crappy coffee shops.
First of all: Free Wi-Fi. It's not as easy to find a nice cafe with free Wi-Fi as you might think and T happily offers it up to their customers. And when you spend an entire afternoon on their spacious patio with your face in your computer next to an empty beverage, they don't even care. They smile at you! Did I mention that their staff are always really cool? They actually make interesting conversation while you're waiting for your order.
Now the drinks: delicious, iced drinks come in a croft, which gives you more for your dollar. I love their iced teas - always fruity, but not too strong.
They also have a great menu with a lot of unique selection.
If you're in the area don't even look at a Starbucks cause then you'd be missing out on a real gem.
