Do you work remotely? Are you looking for a new cafe to call your new office in Toronto? I’m here to help! Today I’m ranking my favourite cafes in downtown Toronto, leaving you with the best Toronto cafe for digital nomads.
Ranking a Good Toronto Coffee Shop
As someone who worked remotely from Toronto for over a year, you could say I’ve become a bit of an expert on Toronto cafes. I’ve rank cafes based on the following criteria:
- WIFI – Is there a good connection? Is the connection reliable? Or does it cut out? Some cafes have a time limit on wifi which a no-go for digital nomads! This is by far the most important factor.
- LOCATION – Location is everything. Toronto is a big city and if a cafe isn’t in a good spot, you might as well forget about it.
- BUDGET – We can’t all be dropping $10 on a latte. If you’re looking for a good bang for your buck, you’ve come to the right place.
- AESTHETIC – Let’s face it – we all love to work in a nice environment and a Toronto cafe is no exception!
- FOOD/DRINKS – What’s the selection like? Does the food and coffee actually taste good?
Choosing the Right Toronto Cafe, Downtown
With 100s of Toronto cafes, how do you choose? Here are my top 10 picks for working in downtown Toronto.
10. Cafe23
Location(s): ðŸ“728 Queen St W
If you’re going mostly for the aesthetic, Cafe23 is a great place to work from. With that being said, you can expect to use your hotspot to connect because their wifi is terrible! They have a stunning back garden which I was hoping to work from but they usually don’t have wifi out back (I’m assuming so they can turn tables quickly). They do have an inside section with a large table but they don’t always have wifi available inside either. This cafe doesn’t exactly cater to digital nomads but if you’re doing some creative work or just have to answer a few emails, this isn’t a bad spot.
Rating: âï¸âï¸
9. Neo Coffee Bar
Location(s): ðŸ“770 Bay St & ðŸ“161 Federick St
Neo Coffee Bar is known for its chilled vibe and modern feel. Some of the seating can be a little cramped with small tables that barely fit a laptop and drink but there are some larger tables available. It would be a good spot to work if you’re already nestled in the downtown core, as both locations are quite central. It’s regular pricing for a Toronto cafe but nothing memorable.
Rating: âï¸âï¸âï¸
8. White Rabbit Caffe
Location(s): ðŸ“717 Bay St
Located just above the Eaton Centre and in the middle of the CBD, you can’t go wrong with White Rabbit. They’re known to have delicious flavoured lattes and it’s a cute little shop but one problem is its size. If you don’t get there early, you probably wouldn’t get a spot. When it comes to food, they have a range of different options, however, none of the pastries are vegan.
Rating: âï¸âï¸âï¸
7. Cafe Pamenar
Location(s): ðŸ“307 Augusta Ave
Cafe Pamenar is located right in the heart of Kensington Market. It’s definitely a quirky area with a more artsy vibe than the rest of Toronto. Cafe Pamenar is a unique cafe in downtown Toronto because it turns into a bar at 6 pm and laptops aren’t allowed past that time. Talk about a reason to get all of your work done by 6! They have plenty of seating out back but it does fill up by early afternoon. I was only able to get a spot by the bar and their wifi was a bit spotty the day I was there.
Rating: âï¸âï¸âï¸
6. Dark Horse Espresso Bar
Location(s): ðŸ“401 Richmond St W, ðŸ“215 Spadina Ave, ðŸ“120 Geary Ave, ðŸ“630 Queen St E, ðŸ“416 Front St E
At the time of writing this, I’m not entirely sure if the Spadina location is still open but that location in particular is a great place to work from. It has large open windows for a lot of natural light and a big communal table set up shop for the day. They’re known for decent coffee at a decent price and reliable wifi so it’s worth trying out!
Rating: âï¸âï¸âï¸
5. Dineen Coffee Co.
Location(s): ðŸ“140 Yonge St – ðŸ“199 Bay St –ðŸ“1042 Gerrard St E –ðŸ“311 York Mills Rd
I first discovered Dineen Coffee when I was interviewing for writing positions downtown and needed a place to prepare in between interviews. The Bay Street location was absolutely stunning but SUPER busy, even in the middle of a weekday. The wifi was strong and reliable and the coffee was great, staff were very friendly and prompt and they also have a beautiful outdoor section in the summer/warmer months. The prices are slightly expensive but fairly standard for the business district of Toronto.
Rating: âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸
4. Strange Love Coffee
Location(s):ðŸ“101 Spadina Ave
Strange Love is a small yet aesthetic cafe on Spadina and Adelaide. All of their coffee cups have beautiful designs on them and while it’s a small shop, the seating is decent. They have quite a few vegan food options and is in a convenient location for anyone living in Cityplace, Queen/King W or Liberty Village.
Rating: âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸
3. Found Coffee
Location(s): ðŸ“324 College St & ðŸ“89 Shaw
I first discovered Found Coffee during the pandemic and stopped by their College St location for a takeaway coffee. They roast coffee the Australian way with Aussie beans and have created a beautiful environment to work from. I recently spent some time working from the Bellwoods location and they had a lot of seating, the staff was super friendly and coffee was great (the standard pricing for Toronto) BUT the wifi wasn’t the best. I had to keep reconnecting, ask the staff for an additional password etc. If it weren’t for the wifi this Toronto cafe would have 5 stars.
Rating: âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸
2. Jimmy’s Coffee
Location(s): ðŸ“107 Portland St (+ many other locations)
Anyone who’s spent more than a week in Toronto will know Jimmy’s Coffee. It’s a staple. A tried a true cafe that honestly never disappoints! Jimmy’s has a homey feel to it, which is probably why they’ve been so successful in Toronto. Their coffee is good but nothing to write home about. I’ve worked from a few of their locations and they always have a strong connection.
Rating: âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸
1. Forget Me Not Cafe
Location(s): ðŸ“506 Adelaide St W
Forget Me Not is definitely the most underrated and best Toronto cafe to work from. It’s Korean inspired and owned and is the perfect spot to work in Toronto. Although it’s a small shop, they have good seating in the back and it’s really cozy on a rainy day. Their food and drinks are good and really affordable for Toronto! You should definitely give Forget Me Not a chance if you haven’t already.
Rating: âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸
Which Toronto Cafe Will You Try First?
That concludes my guide to the best cafes in Toronto! Do you agree with my top choices? Leave a comment or send me a DM on Instagram if I’ve missed any good ones! Oh and if you’re interested in getting started as a digital nomad, check out my ebook here. It’s on sale right now for Black Friday so grab a copy ASAP.
Cheers,
Amy xx
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