Cafe Guide: East End Toronto

There is nothing quite like the ambiance of a great cafe.  Except a great cup of coffee to compliment the experience of course. Luckily there are some notable cafes in the East End of Toronto where you can get a killer coffee fix whether you are a traveller visiting the city or a local.  After tasting coffee in London, Australia and New Zealand, its safe to say I have a deeper appreciation for coffee more than ever before.  The North American filtered coffee just doesn’t cut it.  Sorry Tim Horton’s lovers!

If you are a coffee loving traveller or someone who calls this city home and on the hunt for a great cafe in the East End of Toronto, here are a few gems worth trying.

The Flying Pony

Located in Little India this brightly-coloured cafe (also a local art gallery) is filled with an array of contemporary art, quirky decor, delicious baked goods and fantastic coffee.  The Flying Pony uses their own blend of Central American, Bolivian and Ethiopian fair trade organic beans.

I opted for an Almond Latte and tried a spinach, feta and tomato savory pastry. Both were heavenly.  The almond latte was delicious! Perfectly blended for a smooth and balanced coffee. I recommend giving the croissant a try too.  Buttery, flaky and equally soft.

I really loved this cafe with its funky decor and fun laidback vibe. Whether you are popping in for takeaway or looking for a cosy spot to read or do some work, The Flying Pony is definitely worth a visit.  Depending on the time of day you go it can fill up pretty fast.

The Flying pony is located at 1481 Gerrard Street East, open from 8-6 pm daily and offers free WiFi.

Lazy Daisy’s Cafe

This cafe is another gem in East end Toronto serving up fantastic coffee and offering a wide array of farm fresh homemade dishes including daily breakfast, sandwiches, wraps and weekend brunch. The ingredients are locally sourced, seasonal and you can count on your eggs being free run.

I ventured to Lazy Daisy’s on a Sunday and it was filled with families and friends brunching away while sipping coffee and enjoying each other’s company.  You can really feel the bright uplifting vibe of this East End Toronto cafe. It has a homey feel while embracing farmhouse inspired decor.  The cafe doubles as an art gallery hosting a variety of pieces from local artists.

Lazy Daisy’s uses beans from Pilot Coffee Roasters which is locally situated in Toronto.  I ordered an almond macchiato which was richly blended and served up with an artsy heart design in the milk.  Safe to say my desire for a high-quality barista coffee was cured. I also tried one of their homemade cookies and it was to die for! Knowing that it’s homemade made it taste that much better.

Lazy Daisy’s is located at 1515 Gerrard Street East at Gerrard and Coxwell, open daily from 8 a.m to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m on weekends. There is also free WiFi.

Pomarosa Coffee Shop & Kitchen

Pomarosa is a trendy cafe in Toronto’s East End on the Danforth offering up espresso drinks, smoothies and cuisine with a Latin American flare. Even their website reads “WE LOVE AREPAS AND COFFEE.”

The arepas (Venezuelan sandwiches) are homemade and the beans used for their coffee and espresso drinks are from Pilot Roasters. Serving a wide variety of barista drink options, a must-try is the Rosa Latte which is a deliciously brewed latte infused with rose water syrup. Perfectly sweet and nothing like I’ve tasted before. I can safely say this is one of the best coffees I’ve had.  It was love at first sip.

The inside of the cafe is modern, bright and welcoming with generous natural lighting and beautiful artwork on the walls including a vividly painted cockatoo.  One of my favourite aspects of the cafe.

If you are looking for a place to get some work done on your laptop, try a tasty arepa or just have a coffee and relax, Pomarosa is a perfect cafe to do so in East End Toronto.

Pomarosa is located at 1504 Danforth Avenue and open daily.

This post is to be continued as I feel like I only touched the surface of cafes to explore in the East End Toronto.  I love exploring new places in my own city when not travelling and finding the perfect place to relax and have a tantalizing cup of coffee is one of life’s simple pleasures.

What are you some of your favourite cities you have had coffee in?  Have you tried any Toronto cafes?  Leave a comment below!

Safe Travels!

Lori