CHLOE Magazine Spring 2016 | Page 244

while there are OODLES of places to buy a cup of Joe in the city, there is no guarantee that the coffee will be any good until you take a sip. There are four places I know and love, and I think lots of people don’t come across them unless they live in the neighbourhood. Good news travels fast, but these coffee shop gems are hidden beneath the surface. I also tried to pick shops located in different areas in the city to add some variety! There are hundreds of potential places to mention, but here are four of my top choices. I based my choices on quality of coffee, customer service and atmosphere. OUTPOST- 1578 Bloor St W This coffee shop is located close to Dundas West subway station on Bloor Street West. There is something about this shop that is very cozy and welcoming. The baristas are dressed up in bowties and suspenders first of all, and what’s not to like about that! They roast their own coffee on site and are making changes to continually increase quality. Their pastries were really cool, and they had some handmade donuts, one was pistachio and the other was a classic cinnamon twist. I would best describe their style as vintage classic. They are also trying out weekly music talent nights! I think it’s a great hidden spot in the city, almost all their customers live in the area, so This café brings a completely different atmosphere than Outpost. Although it’s a cliché term, the space it fairly hipster. I knew this when customers were sitting on window ledges, sipping their black Americanos. The store is in an up-and-coming area of the city known as Parkdale on Queen Street West.