Dinner Party at Ruby Watchco

An evening at Ruby Watchco is like attending a highly anticipated dinner party. The portions are hearty and nothing quite compares to the love and attention poured into the flavour and details of each dish, on top of the great company and service. All the ingredients Chef Lynn Crawford uses in her dishes are from local food producers, so you’re guaranteed the freshest meats, vegetables, and spices in the market each day.

A reservation to Ruby’s is one of the hardest sought after reservations in the city right now. The latest culinary hot spot in Toronto is situated in the up and coming neighbourhood of Riverside along Queen East, where new restaurants are sprouting up like wild flowers. But Ruby, with it’s subtle signage and beautiful vintage, almost rusty interior decor, stands out from the masses. Read more

The Best Coffee Date Spots in East End Toronto Pt 2

THE GRINDER (1021 Gerrard St. East & 126 Main St)

With two locations in Toronto’s east end, The Grinder recently opened a new location on Gerrard St East to complement their original location along Main St, which is furthest east of this roundup.

One of the main reasons for their inclusion as on of the Best Coffee Date Spots in East End Toronto besides their comfy couches and throw pillows is their friendly and knowledgeable baristas. They pull some mean espresso shots with frothy crema, and have a variety of high end coffee beans that they use, namely, Intelligentsia, 49th Parallel or Te Aro espresso beans if that means anything to you.

Also, every Sunday, they serve $3 latte’s according to this tweet.

You can find them online on their Posterous blog and Twitter

TANGO PALACE COFFEE COMPANY (1156 Queen St. East)

The “grand daddy” of coffee spots in Leslieville, Tango Palace has certainly cultivated a certain charm and character over the years. The stained glass and “art noveau” vibe add to the ambiance of the venue making it feel like a 1930′s Piano bar. The cafe offers an overwhelming selection of cookies, biscotti and pastries, a sweet treat to nibble on and share with your date over coffee, chai or hot chocolate. Tango Palace holds its own as one of the original gems in Leslieville. The quieter spots would be near the windows, which may offer a tad more privacy as the popular coffee house is constantly buzzing and can feel slightly cramped at times. In the summer months, they have Muskoka chairs to chill out on in front and a cozy back patio to soak up the warm weather.

Photo Credit: Tim Shore

RED ROCKET COFFEE (1402B Queen St. East)

Red Rocket Coffee is one of the first independent coffee spots in Leslieville and got their name from being across a TTC streetcar yard. As cozy as the basement interior is, where they clearly shine is their side patio and benches, which makes for a great spot to drop by during the warm spring and hot summer months.

Photo Credit: Toronto Chub 27 and Go Ask Alice

VOULEZ VOUS CAFE (1560 Queen St. E)

Stuck in between Leslieville and The Beaches, Voulez Vous Café is the creation of owners, Sean and Julie. They are very friendly and the one thing you’ll notice is that their customer service is unparalleled.

Taking over the spot that I Deal Coffee occupied, they’ve got a very unpretentious and “indie” vibe to it. They have a communal table as one of the focal points of the café, a spacious patio to soak up the rays in the spring and summer months, and a fireplace for the warmer months.

Because of Julie’s extensive travels of her career, she brings in espresso beans from all over the world, which will definitely be an asset to their upcoming cupping sessions, which you should definitely look out for.

Voulez Vous is a great spot for a coffee date no matter what time of day or season.

You can follow Voulez Vous Cafe on Twitter.

RIVERDALE PERK (633 Logan Ave)

With a name that reminds me of the fictitious coffee shop “The Central Perk” on the TV show “Friends”, The Riverdale Perk is cute, quaint, and nestled in the heart of Riverdale. It’s about a block away from the scenic Riverdale Park, out of the way from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The thing about Riverdale Perk which makes it so special is it feels like a secret spot only Riverdale locals know about as you can only access it through the quiet side streets of the neighbourhood. They have a small patio for you to sit and soak up the sun during the warmer months of the year.

They offer a simple brunch menu and serve up yummy lattes, Americanos or whatever your coffee persuasion is. One final note about Riverdale Perk is that because it’s nestled in the heart of Riverdale, it’s very family centric (most likely kids and babies will be around), so you should keep that in mind and decide whether or not it’s for you.

You can follow Riverdale Perk online through Twitter and Facebook.

Honourable Mentions:
Broadview Espresso
Si Espresso
Merchant’s of Green Coffee
Dark Horse Cafe
Sideshow Café

What are some of your fave coffee date spots?  Have I missed any café’s you think deserve to be on the list?  What did you think of the videos?  Let us know in the comments

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The Best Coffee Date Spots in East End Toronto

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