First Look: Crema Coffee

Crema CoffeeCrema Coffee served its first cup of joe at the end of April and already this Junction cafe is turning into something of a neighbourhood hot spot.

Playing to the sensibilities of this burgeoning neighbourhood, Crema features a range of direct trade and organic drinks and baked treats. On the menu are all the typical cafe staples including cappuccino, macchiatto, espresso, tea, hot chocolate and soy lattes. Fresh brewed coffee beans are sourced from Ethiopia, El Salvador and Honduras.

Inside, there's art on the walls as well as in the drinks. Matt, one of Crema's baristas, maintains a blog where he posts photos tracking his progress with latte art, as well as general updates about the cafe. It also includes more information about the cafe as well as the full menu.

I like the vibe of this place. The corner location and lots of big windows infuse it with light. Wooden tables and vintage chairs make it a nice place to hang out and contemplate the changes happening east and west of the cafe in what's become Toronto's most up-and-coming neighbourhood.

More photos:

Crema Photos

Crema Counter

Crema Junction

Crema Menu

Crema Coffee is at 3079 Dundas West in the Junction. The phone number is 416.767.3131. They have a web site - but it's not yet live - so a better bet for now is to check out their unofficial blog.

Reader Reviews and Comments

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Beautiful! I love how bright and clean it looks.

Posted by: Adam at May 25, 2008 12:57 PM

I've been to Crema numerous times since it opened. It's definitely the best, and my favorite cafe in the area. All the coffee is high quality and the staff are the nicest people ever.

5 stars!

Posted by: Malcolm Bastien at May 25, 2008 1:50 PM

The headline image to this article features a newspaper on the table sporting "Sex" printed in large font on the cover - I found that pretty funny.

Posted by: anon at May 25, 2008 7:30 PM

I'm pretty sure the "sensibilities" of the junction are still best played to by Coffee Time.

Posted by: guy lafleur stole my bike at May 26, 2008 12:47 AM

Any anyone from the Junction area tell me if this is a former CIBC branch? It sure has the looks of a CIBC branch.

Posted by: David Toronto at May 26, 2008 7:10 AM

the last time i went, they ran out of cup lids. and the staff was snarky. maybe they missed their morning brew?

Posted by: janice at May 26, 2008 10:48 AM

I really enjoyed the place, great coffee and ambiance ,the staff is friendly and helpful and as a perk there is free internet connection! A must-see place in the Junction

Posted by: Chris at May 26, 2008 12:26 PM

They use Vancouver's 49th Parallel Coffee. It's a nice space, but compared to Ideal or Cherry Bomb, the coffee is slightly overpriced. An Americano should be $2, especially considering the size they give you (rather small.) Basically, they need to lower prices by about $.75-$1.00 for all their drinks. Why? It's the Junction, and we're used to being cheap.

Posted by: david at May 29, 2008 11:43 AM

I go almost every day. The staff are so friendly and wonderful. The coffee is great! The atmosphere is welcoming.

Posted by: L'il Timmy G at June 13, 2008 2:40 PM

Well I think in the instance of serving a far superior quality product, sourced from superior roasters, and farms, made expertly by superior baristas, in a superior space, with superior equipment, the price they charge seems more than reasonable.

And in the interests of NOT watering down your Americano, you're better off with a smaller size.

In fact, at $2 or less, an Americano is likely to be a waste of your money, or a waste of time for any cafe actually serving a quality product.

It's time people recognize the difference in quality, and pay accordingly.
You wouldn't complain that a Bymark burger was "too expensive, given the size", because you could get 3 Baconaters for the same price now....would you?

Posted by: Cost at October 8, 2008 1:51 AM

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