My fav cafes to write in Toronto
The thing that’s supposed to save you from the loneliness and claustrophobia of living in a tiny apartment in the city is the public spaces…
The thing that’s supposed to save you from the loneliness and claustrophobia of living in a tiny apartment in the city is the public spaces you have available as physical and psychological extensions: parks, cafes, libraries, etc. Well, part of the reason the pandemic was so hard for apartment dwellers was that for us these spaces disappeared all at once. It’s not been an easy task to claw them back into my imagination, but maybe since we’re seeing the end, at least for the summer lol, here are some of my fav cafes to write:
Larry’s Folly (Parkdale)
Best butter tarts in the world, excellent coffee drinks (and they also have Ovaltine!), vaulted ceiling and nicely skylit sitting area. The loveliest people work here too.
Light level: good
Noise level: excellent, just soft and atmospheric
2. The Cafe at the Theatre Centre (West Queen West)
Oh man, I miss this place so much. It’s been closed since March 2020 but I hope it will be opening soon. Along with the lovely morning light, the excellent drip coffee, and the free weekly communal meals, my fav thing about the Theatre Cafe is the height of the tables. It’s perfect for scribbling notes or using your laptop. My guess is that it’s 28 inches.
Light level: excellent
Noise level: mostly great, but depending on who’s working that day, loud music
3. Cafe Pamenar (Kensington Market)
This oasis! There isn’t a sign up front, and its shipping container shape won’t give you any indication that the back patio is a literal oasis (okay fine no water). Draping grapevines and plum and cherry trees give you the dreamiest writing-scape. It’s gotten bigger in the pandemic too, and I’m waiting for the snow to clear so I can walk over in the morning.
Light level: inside good, outside amazing
Noise level: inside good, outside amazing just the din of people talking
4. Milou (Dundas West)
Strictly speaking this is a French bistro restaurant, but if you go in the mornings it’s a cafe :) The outdoor patio that faces the small street (Beaconsfield) is so quiet and lovely and shady in the mornings. Best time to go.
Light level: morning sun and shade
Noise level: quiet
5. Manic Coffee (Annex)
It’s usually very busy here but there are a fair number of tables and great ambient noise. When I lived in the Annex, I alternated from here and Pamenar.
Light level: good
Noise level: good