CocoaLatte brightens up a rather dreary stretch of St. Clair West. This small, four-month old gelato bar and cafĂŠ with a bright turquoise exterior offers a wide assortment of breakfast, light lunch, and dessert options selected and prepared by the family that owns and runs the place.

We start off with a satisfying and frothy latte ($3.50) that comes in a tall glass and is one of the best I've had recently. There's also dizzying variety of hot and cold coffee and cocoa-based drinks on the menu.

Grilled Panini ($7.50) is their specialty so we go for the one with homemade tuna salad (white tuna, diced tomatoes, French onions and a touch of olive oil). It's served with a rich and milky cream of mushroom soup that was an ideal starter for a rainy Spring afternoon.

Other items on the menu include a hearty selection of grilled wraps like the grilled chicken wrap (chicken breast, peppers, mushrooms, red onions, spinach and Swiss cheese) and the California club (smoked turkey, Swiss cheese, avocado, greens, red onions, bacon, light mayo and mustard).

For dessert we skip the gelato (too cold outside) and order the chocolate cake ($5.25). It's a densely packed three-layer wonder of thick chocolate icing, truffle filling and moist cake sprinkled with white chocolate shavings and drizzled generously with chocolate sauce. It's the perfect size for two or three people to share.

Cocoalatte's cool yet inviting interior is bright and airy and seating arrangements are ideal for small groups of two to three.

Guest artists have their work displayed on the wall alongside a world map, various mirrors and Zen-inspired furnishings. There's also a large back patio which will be ideal for the prime gelato consuming months ahead.

CocoaLatte is open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 5pm.