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Cafes

Bisogno Espresso Bar

  • Currently 3.08/5

Rating: 3.1/5 (62 votes)

Posted by Staff / Posted on October 23, 2007

28 Comments

Bisogno
Nestled among all the new loft developments on Sherbourne sits Bisogno, a cozy little cafe that brews tasty coffee and espresso. There's a great communal table with comfy chairs and tons of free magazines.

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28 Comments

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J-MO / January 24, 2008 at 07:11 pm
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Von's espresso is the best in the city!
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/ April 4, 2008 at 09:03 pm
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It's SO much better than Starbucks - everyone who really likes coffee needs to go
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Gabe / May 11, 2008 at 04:28 pm
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I was in town from San Francisco for a conference, and stopped by based on a coffeegeek.com review. This place is amazing. Von(the owner) and Isaac(barista) were amazingly kind, and the cappucinos were off the chart. The bean selections are great, and specially tailored to the type of drink being made.I tried a few other recommended espresso places in town(all leagues above $arbucks and other chains), and Bisogno was by far the best. Amazing coffee, relaxing environment, and knowledgeable and fantastic staff. Do yourself a favor and stop by.
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/ May 30, 2008 at 07:50 pm
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Great coffee, friendly service. I've has espresso all over the city and this place is tops in my books.

Freshly baked food and excellent espresso-based drinks make this a destination for me almost everyday.
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caffeinebliss / June 26, 2008 at 03:00 am
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This place is definitely in the running for best espresso in Toronto. They offer 3 types of espresso beans to choose from, a must visit destination for coffee lovers.
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/ July 6, 2008 at 07:33 pm
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Von's the best!
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Annette / July 9, 2008 at 07:05 pm
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Von it the best - he remembers everyone's name and makes the best latte in Toronto.
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the true feeling / July 26, 2008 at 02:46 am
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Great Great coffee and service! Enjoyed the sweet Dante's Water...irresistibly cute!
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Karen / December 17, 2008 at 12:52 pm
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Anyone aware if Bisogno will be open on Boxing Day? Anyone know what is their phone number? I'm hoping to meet up with someone and we want to make sure it will be available and not show up in vain.

Thanks!
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Victor / February 6, 2009 at 11:50 pm
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I met Von today, a supernice guy and he speaks Italian very well which adds to the whole coffee bar experience.
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anonymous / April 30, 2009 at 12:25 pm
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By far the best lattes and espresso-based drinks you'll find in Toronto, I live in the neighbourhood and I'm happy and not-so-happy about it because I spend $10 a day on espresso drinks there, they are so damned delicious and addictive. The espresso is rich and beautiful. The way they pour the drinks, there is an art to it, and the staff are so friendly and appreciative of your business, they never fail to thank you on your way out, this level of attention to product and the customer makes you forgive the decor, which is not that hot, but if you're in there for a kickass espresso, and friendly, professional, and upbeat staff, and not the decor, then you're in the right place ...
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Richard / June 15, 2009 at 09:10 pm
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I can definitely agree with the 'best coffee in the city' comment. If Von is pulling it for you, get a double americano with the 49th Parallel Black Cat beans and settle back to enjoy a coffee that's head and shoulders above any other in the city I've tried. Creamy and with an hint of aroma of black cherries, I let it cool for about a minute in the cup, which seems to maximize the mellowness of this particular bean.

I quite like Crema Coffee (they generally pour the 49th Parallel Organic) and Dark Horse (who generally pour the 49th Parallel Epic), but Von has a depth of knowledge about coffee and a dedication to each pour that I've yet to see topped.
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Arby / July 22, 2009 at 02:40 pm
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I try to sample all the independents in To and have managed to get to a lot of them. Bisogno isn't too far from where I work. But I have to go past work, whereas with Dark Horse, the one on Queen East is between my job site and home. So I've stopped more often there. And they've been okay. The baristas have always been nice enough. But every time I'm in I remember why I need to leave work a few minutes sooner and go to Bisogno. They are driving me out with the overly loud tunes.

Recently, Dark Horse's coffee has been crap as well. Don't know what that is. It could be anything. Aside from that, It could just be me, but it seems that the macchiatos I get at DH on Queen are not much hotter than room temp. I try to defer to the judgment of experts (baristas in DH) on that, so I might mention it, but I don't insist on any change. They do offer to make my macchiatos hotter. I'm not sure how they'd do that, other than heat the cup with hot water.

Relatively speaking, I'm into Bisogno more often than a lot of the other indendents and I am really, really happy I found this place. It's got a great vibe. I have to compare the drinks with the other shops, of course. That's important. After all the time I've spent at DH, where they have made me many of the best Americanos I've had, I still can't say they outperform Bisogno. The macchiatos - 3 in a row because they were that good - I had last weekend cemented Bisogno's top spot for coffee for me.

Really nice baristas and a hands-on, enthusiastic and friendly owner who help make a great vibe here - where you end up talking to strangers - means that Bisogno is a destination for anyone who's in the area and knows about it. I do wish Bisogno was in an more interesting location. But that's a quibble.
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Sarah Sunday / July 24, 2009 at 03:46 pm
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Bisogno is one of the only places I will consume espresso. Von is an artist and pulls a great cup every time. He is also very personable and friendly, he always remembers your name and drink, like a great bartender. He also is in the habit of introducing customers to each other, this habit has lead me to other cool people in my own neighborhood. Bisogno is more like Cheers than a coffee shop. Lucky for me I live in the building! I wish could find a place this good around University and Dundas, for espresso while at work. A girl can dream, right...
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john replying to a comment from Victor / July 26, 2009 at 05:20 pm
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He is actually a fake!
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Suzanne replying to a comment from john / March 9, 2010 at 11:47 am
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Sounds like someone is jealous....
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Dave replying to a comment from john / April 2, 2010 at 02:13 pm
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A fake what?

By the way anybody know the phone number for the place?
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Andrew / April 24, 2010 at 10:42 am
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Agreed. Easily the best pulls I've had just about anywhere. Go there twice, and Von will remember your name and your order.
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Del / August 9, 2010 at 01:35 pm
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Next time I get to Toronto, I'm going to stop in and try Von's coffee. Von used to be an actor and played Ronald Sandoval in Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict, one of the lead characters and the only character to regularly appear in all 5 seasons. Good to see him doing something he really likes after the whole acting thing...
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causemark / October 18, 2010 at 11:45 am
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I live in this area and just found Bisogno recently. They have the best cappuccino in the city!
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Pezza / March 23, 2011 at 04:59 pm
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Hi all is there any news about von has sold the cafe recently as von and his wife are very nice and coming back to Toronto soon on holiday From Germany cheers
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myreallifetips / May 2, 2011 at 07:55 pm
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Hi Pezza,
My workplace used to be around that area and I love getting the latte and coffee at Bisogno.

Von has sold the cafe to another lady. She is very nice and friendly too. She has similar outgoing personality as Von.

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internet television / June 30, 2011 at 03:46 pm
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Este es un maravilloso recurso útil que usted está proporcionando y que le dan gratis ausente en el precio. Me encanta ver los sitios web, que comprenden el valor de proporcionar un recurso de calidad útiles de forma gratuita. Es la vieja lo que va, vuelve el programa.
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Mat / September 1, 2011 at 11:11 am
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This place is amazing.
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curious george / September 19, 2011 at 07:42 pm
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Do they have free wifi?
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Anthony / September 24, 2011 at 03:32 pm
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I've had the best americano and capuccino of my life here. I go to Bisogno or Dark Horse when I 'visit' Toronto.
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espresso yo'self / January 24, 2012 at 04:11 pm
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only been in a few times, not too bad. not always consistent though, but it's up there for the area. barista's are super friendly and there's a total babe working there through the week!
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Karen / May 11, 2012 at 09:44 pm
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I LOVE THIS PLACE! So cheap for such great quality. Very happy to have found it.
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Location and Contact Details

61 Sherbourne Street (Get Directions)
King East
DineSafe History

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