The Best New Cafes in Toronto, 2011

The best new cafes in Toronto in 2011 offered great atmosphere as much as quality espresso. With more and more independent cafes popping up around the city, the best of the bunch were able to deliver that intangible "it" factor (and others, laundry drop-off services, stocked bookshelves, and of course, free WiFi).

As well as new arrivals pulling their inaugural shots in 2011, the year saw the opening of new locations of popular cafes; Crema on Spadina and the Danforth, Bulldog at Yonge and Eglinton, and TAN in Baldwin Village, to name a few.

Amid all that competition, the best were able to make themselves known, be it through cups of cold drip, homemade almond milk, or lovely latte swans almost too pretty to sip.

Here are the best cafes that opened in Toronto in 2011.

Cafe Pamenar

We all thought Kensington was at indie cafe capacity until Cafe Pamenar opened in early 2011. While the decor is rustic and comfy and the atmosphere always pleasant, it’s the solid, reliable espresso pulls that make this spot one of the best arrivals of the year. Plus, a back patio in the summer.

Fahrenheit Coffee

Sameer Mohamed left his consulting gig at Sense Appeal to open his own cafe in 2011, first opening a shop on the Esplanade and later moving to Lombard. Wherever coffee-drinkers happened to find it, Fahrenheit Coffee delivered expert pulls and incredible latte art. To top it all off, Fahrenheit introduced its own homemade goods by the end of the year.

Lazy Daisy's Cafe

From the farm to, uh, Gerrard East, Lazy Daisy’s Cafe specializes in local, natural foods sourced form nearby Ontario farms. The house chili (and accompanying jalapeno whoopie pie) is Daisy’s specialty, along with sandwiches, salads, and fresh coffee and tea. Moo-ve over artificial ingredients?