What are you looking for in a coffee shop? Maybe you’re in it for the fine latte or espresso? Or perhaps the biggest draw is a quiet workspace? Could it be that you choose your local based on the cupcakes or the toasted panini sandwiches?
We’ve noticed all manner of unique coffee shops popping up around town in the past couple of months, providing a cool counterpoint to the big American chains (and the ever-expanding list of local chains). Here are three new places to grab a java, plus one to watch for later this summer.
FOR THE KANATA-BASED OFFICE WORKER
The Thirsty Maiden
The owner of The Thirsty Maiden bills it as “a little slice of heaven tucked away in the Kanata South concrete jungle.” It is indeed tricky to find, a chic coffee shop with a feminine vibe in a neighbourhood filled with small industrial spaces. Comfy couches and a cute patio draw a steady stream of regulars for takeout lunches or sit-down meetings.
Eat: Toasted sandwiches, soups, cakes and cookies
Drink: Coffee by Brown Bag Coffee Roasters, Sloan gourmet teas
Did You Know: Waffles and crepes are on the menu on Saturdays
Find it: 65 Denzil Doyle Ct., Kanata South, 613-294-9592
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
FOR THE APPRECIATOR OF A FINE PAN BREAD
3Cents2
Love the look! The new Bank Street South café known as 3Cents2 boasts an Ikea-meets-the-Middle-East vibe with white walls, lots of pale woods, and bright patterned carpets and chairs in shades of red. Sit on a chair at a table or go casual, sharing a coffee while sitting on a pillow on a raised platform. You could be here for the coffee, but visitors often have a dual motive — keeping the hunger at bay with an order of pan bread ($3.99-$5.99).
Eat: Fill up on a big square of pan bread, a flat bread inspired by the Middle East. Go sweet (try the cinnamon or maple coated pan bread) or savoury (think cheese or egg).
Drink: Nespresso and tea
Did You Know: Ice cream is on the menu so bring the kids
Find it: 3-1940 Bank St., South Keys, 613-733-6363
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
FOR THE SUBURBAN MOM OR DAD
Wild Child Coffee Project
Kids can get rid of their energy in the colourful playroom while tired parents enjoy a bit of downtime and the company of other grownups. Think of Wild Child as a “play café” where toddlers have some fun without facing the wrath of regulars who treat their local coffee shop as an office space.
Eat: A full menu is in the works
Drink: Old Rock Coffee is the caffeine boost of choice
Did You Know: Wild Child also hosts an array of one-off classes and workshops (think nutrition classes, singsongs for kids, and sleep advice clinics)
Find it: 314 Richmond Rd., Westboro, 613-422-4700
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
COMING IN JULY — FOR VEGANS AND SEEKERS
The Witches’ Thicket Café
It bills itself as “a home for the vegan gourmet and the metaphysically curious.” Looks like The Witches’ Thicket will move beyond pure coffee shop territory to be more of a café/eatery. But there will definitely be coffee. There will also be a full vegan menu. Oh, and daily tarot card readings and a lineup of events for the “metaphysically curious.” Watch for it to open later this summer.
Find it: 1066 Somerset St. W., Hintonburg