Top 5 coffee shops to try in Roncesvalles Village and the Junction Triangle, Toronto

Coffee shops are great spots to meet friends or just grab a quick caffeine boost.

One Toronto area—Roncesvalles Village and the Junction Triangle—has a plethora of great cafes to check out.

Roncesvalles is a busy street full of trendy shops and restaurants. Its European settlement history dates back to 1850. In the early 1900s, when streetcars came, more residents moved into the area. After the Second World War, a wave of Polish immigrants arrived.

The Junction Triangle is the area just northeast of Roncesvalles and was historically home to industry. There are still factories here but also residential pockets along with the Museum of Modern Art, Henderson Brewery, restaurants and cafes.

Here are five coffee shops to try:

Cherry Bomb

Customers can easily spot Cherry Bomb Coffee.

This small cafe opened on Roncesvalles Avenue in 2005 to provide premium, locally roasted coffee and fresh-baked pastries in a fast, take-out setting, their website states.

Line-ups often snake out onto the sidewalk outside on weekend mornings. There are a few window seats available inside but most people just grab and go.

Located at 79 Roncesvalles Ave. this place opens at 7:30 a.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. on the weekend.

Reunion Coffee

Founded by award-winning coffee roaster Peter Pesce, Reunion Coffee Roasters started as Reunion Island Coffee in 1995. There is now a 46,000-square-foot roasting facility in Oakville along with the flagship cafe on Roncesvalles. This place is bustling on a weekend morning but staff handle the crowds quickly.

The Canadian, family-owned specialty coffee roaster carries organic, fair trade, direct trade and Rainforest Alliance certified varieties. The facility in Oakville operates out of one of Canada’s largest renewable energy-powered roasting facilities.

The cafe is located at 385 Roncesvalles Ave. It opens at 7 a.m. during the week and 8 a.m. on the weekends.

Coffee and All that Jazz

This coffee shop has been in the neighbourhood for decades. As the name suggests, they have a focus on music and usually host live music on the weekends. Those looking for a chill place to relax and hang out have found it here. As a bonus, they serve Reunion Coffee.

This place is located steps away from Reunion at 72 Howard Park Ave. They open at 7:30 a.m. during the week and 8 a.m. on the weekend.

Ethica Coffee Roasters

Located near the Museum of Modern Art, Ethica is in a high-ceiling industrial building decked out with craft furniture, art and greenery.

The name Ethica is inspired by Spinoza’s Ethica Ordine Geometrico Demonstrata. Benedict de Spinoza is considered one of the great rationalists of 17th-century philosophy and he emphasized unity and valuing life for oneself and others. Ethics are a cornerstone for this shop in its sourcing of green beans and sharing farmer’s stories.

They serve espresso drinks and pastries. The chocolate babka is particularly tasty.

This place opens at 8 a.m. daily and is at 213 Sterling Rd.

Propeller Coffee Co.

Propeller Coffee has a cool space in a converted 100-year-old factory building. They host weddings and events when it’s not a community coffee hub.

Direct trade relationships and energy-efficient approaches are key in this low-footprint roastery. They use biodegradable packaging and offset transportation with Bullfrog’s bio-diesel program.

Located at 50 Wade Ave., this place is near Lansdowne TTC station and opens at 8 a.m. during the week and 9 a.m. on weekends.

Propeller has recently expanded with new cafes inside Indigo at The Well and in the Indigo at Yorkdale Mall.

A few other coffee shops and cafes to check out in the area include Extra Butter Coffee, SAVA Crepes and Coffee, Wallace Espresso and Hale Coffee Company.