Omnia Coffee Roasters
Omnia is a cafe roasting up its coffee beans next to the motorcycle shop Flying Squirrel. It's run by Sameer Mohamed, the owner of Fahrenheit Coffee.
The inside space of this spot in Leslieville has the three motorbikes lining the wall, massive windows, and tall steel industrial ceilings.
With coffee long being linked to motorbikers due to the fact that it's become somewhat of a tradition to grab a cup of joe before going for a ride, the mashup seems appropriate.
Mohamed roasts beans from Mountain Coffee in the back. Although the origins of coffee will rotate seasonally, currently the beans are coming from El Salvador, Colombia and Ethiopia.
A combination of espresso-based drinks and Nitro cold coffees are made with a Dalla Corte XT espresso machine in the front and customers can choose which region they'd like their coffee from.
Espressos, Americanos, Lattes, Cappuccinos, Flat Whites, Cortados, and Matcha Lattes are all on the menu.
Mohamed, an award-winning barista who has been in the coffee business for 20 years, has taught barista classes from his Fahrenheit locations, as well as at the Canadian Barista & Coffee Academy in Toronto and Montreal. His fancy latte art gives him away.
Made with nitrogen gas, the best time to drink the Nitro Cold Brew is when it's still settling. With a mouth-feel of a Guinness beer (minus the alcohol, of course), the Cold Brew is smoother and much less bitter than your regular iced coffee.
Although the coffee is the main attraction here, there's also a mix of pastries and baked goods. Prepared by La Bamboche and baked fresh in the morning at Omnia, they offer a nice accompaniment to your coffee.
The selection includes croissants, oatmeal, salted chocolate chip, and matcha cookies, sweet and savoury scones including cheddar chive and white chocolate cherry, and a variety of muffins including the Breakfast Muffin with flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, carrots, and apples.
Found in the unique location and run by a barista with a coffee reputation that precedes him, Omnia Coffee Roasters is a must-visit cafe in a neighbourhood already rich with coffee options.
Fareen Karim