Broadview Espresso
817 Broadview Ave 
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Phone: 416.553.3833
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So long, porno shop... hello Broadview Espresso! Wait, what? You heard me - Broadview Espresso is a 17-year-old porn store turned toasty cafe. And although it's barely four months old, the place already sees a steady stream of caffeine-craving customers come through the door (that alliteration was not intentional but it stays, dammit).
Owner Mike once had visions of fine coffee, positive ambience and a community vibe that he has since brought to life at Broadview and Pretoria (just north of Danforth). Customers walk through the door and he knows their orders, local art hangs on the walls and good music serves as a backdrop.
Living in the area, Mike felt the gaping lack of coffee shops and decided to do something about it. He chose locally roasted, always fresh beans as his centre piece and rounded it out with homemade baked goods (care of Boy Oh Boy). He stresses the importance of a good sense of community, which includes allowing his staff and customers to hook up their own iPods. Mike remarks that customers often comment on the "positive vibe" in the room as he carefully prepares their lattes and americanos.
For $5, I demolished a fresh piece of zucchini loaf and a foamy hot chocolate - perfect comfort for a torturously brisk day. And now that local Broadview dwellers can stick to their area instead of venturing further east, it looks like things are comin' up Broadview Espresso.
Bonus: you can call Broadview Espresso at 416-553-DUDE (a little Victorian flavour from the west coast native!)
Comments (9)
Looks like a cool place! I'll have to tell my friends who live just down the street.
Note to new websites: If a site is under construction, please at least include basic contact and "where to find us" information.
I can see it from my window, and yet only realised it was there after reading it here at BlogTO. (I think I've mentally blocked out the porn shop with its paper-covered windows, so the change had gone unnoticed by me.)
A wonderful development on 2 counts. First that the seedy porn shop is no more. But even better is that it is replaced with a shop like Broadview Expresso, something the locals hopefully will appreciate and support.
I live in the area as well, and I have been going to this cafe since it opened. The expresso is excellent, affordable, and the owner and staff are friendly. It is a great place to go on the weekend, read the Sunday Times and enjoy yourself. Highly recommended.
I popped in for 'fine on the way home this afternoon and was a little surprised that there was NO food on offer, none at all, and all the food display stands etc. were gone. The woman in queue in front of me asked and was given the explanation that "were changing bakery suppliers and were cleaned out". One hopes that the story is true and not a cover for "we couldn't pay the bakery bill". In any case any past review of the food is moot since it will all be different when (let's assume not if) they get food back.
This is quite possibly the best coffee place in the city. There is so much love in that room, and the owner is so positive and so lovely. Want to feel good? Get a coffee at Broadview Espresso.
Popped in for a fix today and the food was back, a small selection of baked goods. For the life of me it looked like exactly the same stuff they used to have so I don't know what the "we're changing bakeries" dance was in aid of.
New art on the walls as well from local artist Bailey Bedard (who used to run the "R galle y" a couple blocks south.
I try to get as often as I can in the mornings, and with regards to baking, I think one of the bakers went on vacation and they switched to another bakery, I'll try to find out who the next time I'm in.
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