The Abbott - Old Toronto

This is a small coffee shop towards the back of a building, so you might easily drive or walk by it without noticing it. Inside, its on the rustic side with naturally decaying walls and patina of wear on the tables and chairs. My latte was good. My scone would have been better if it was less cold. Due to amount of butter and cheese in the dough, with it being really quite cold, it felt vey congealed but it had great flavour. I would order it again, but I'd perhaps see if they could heat it, or I'd take it home and heat it. The staff was friendly. Would I return: Yes but I think there are other options in the area that I might head to first. Would I recommend: This is a great place for people who live nearby to get their morning fix.

The Abbott Toronto. Delicious Chai Tea but the iced coffee not too good. The prices are pretty good too.

One of the last stops for me on the Indie Coffee Passport 2012 (ICP) I didn't enjoy my cappuccino last year so decided to avoid it this year altogether. I ordered a hot chocolate instead and my friend ordered a chai latte and blueberry muffin. Hot chocolate fared better than the cappuccino. Nice chocolaty taste with a big dollop of whipped cream and chocolate syrup (satisfied my dessert fix) 2.5 stars. Chai latte was pretty bad apparently and was not warm enough with the muffin not helping much either. 2 stars.

A strange and hidden location for this vintage like come hipstery decor chic coffee shop. (Yeah, that is what I wrote and even I can't believe I haven't thrown any more adjectives in it). I cannot believe how close this is to me and I had not seen it for the , at least, year it has been there. That's right! I live in the neighborhood and walk or bus by it and have missed it. if its goal is to be hidden gem, they have completely succeeded. Parkdale needs more cafes as well as shops like this but say on the main strip. This has every potential of being that haunt for the folks that live here. I give Parkdale ten years to become an IT destination. As queen west west becomes crowded this area will be where the cool will go. The Brew. All in all not bad. I would go back again with the hope of not getting the same barista. I am not sure what she had said if her first try at making it was unsuccessful or she just forgot. But her customer service skills left something to be desired. It was not as if she was pleasant but I sure felt awkward for taking a few moments to think about what I was going to order. If you order an espresso, be warned there are no lids for the cup it comes in. I wish she had said something. Had I known that, I would have ordered something else or asked my drink to be in the cup with a lid. Seriously, what do they do when someone orders a bunch of drinks and has to carry them a lidless beverage is not cool and in the winter extremely distressing. I was really upset about that.

Another one of those coffee shops that I would never have visited if it weren't for the Indie Coffee Passport. My americano was not the best I've had but certainly not the worst and it was mighty strong, so if you want your coffee drinks made strong by default venture in here. I enjoy the small space it occupies, rickety benches alongside a communal table and smaller tables off to the other side. It's a joy to look around the walls in here as they have copies of old declarations of sorts and pictures and then you look over to behind the counter and you see a Jack Layton bobble head. The barista was friendly, wireless was reliable would have liked to see a bit more food options but for a coffee shops it does enough and more. I would recommend that it be a grab and go location for you, but they have an AC so in the summer it might prove to be a very welcome escape from the heat.