Toronto Coffee Shop Series (#4): Hot Black Coffee

As mentioned in my previous post, I decided to create a Toronto Coffee Shop Series to remember the good old days when I can drink coffee.

The cafe I am going to feature this time is located on Queen Street West in Toronto and it is called Hot Black Coffee. I used to shop on Queen Street a lot and that's how I discovered this gem.

Hot Black is one of those places that seems to do everything well - great service and awesome coffee/treats. The owners clearly care a lot about their customers and it shows every time.

My go-to here is their vanilla latte (iced or hot depending on the season) and it's always on point. It's a little on the expensive side but you get what you pay for, and the quality and attention to detail really shows.

In terms of interior, it has a modern and minimalist atmosphere with red, black and gray as the main colour palette. It also has an oversize communal table, skylights, copper pendant lighting, red and black stools and a large red concrete bar. Its outdoor patio is also a cool spot and serves as a perfect place to escape the busy Queen Street.

I heard the outdoor patio during the winter months is fully heated, along with a fireplace, which sounds great to me! To all honesty, I haven't been back to this cafe this past winter as I was pregnant already and could not drink any coffee!

One thing definitely set this cafe apart from others, and it is also a bold decision, is that they do not offer wi-fi at all. The point they are trying to make is that they want their customers to talk to one another and bring back the sociability of coffee v.s. looking down on your phone or laptop. Awhile ago, I wrote an article about coffee shops which do not offer wifi and that post generated a lot of conversations.

In summary it is one solid independent cafe amidst the sea of chain cafes in the area (Starbucks, Second Cup...) and I love it!