Cafes
Little Nicky's Coffee
Little Nicky's Coffee has a retro feel with muted colours, soft lighting, checkered tiles and glass cookie jars. Owner Renee Bonise opened the Queen and Peter cafe only a few weeks ago, but I could smell the main attraction as soon an I walked in.
It's almost impossible not to order the mini donuts. The sweet smell is intoxicating and while I'm trying to figure out what coffee I'd like my mouth shouts against its will, "I'll have some donuts please."
Cory and I watch as they come fresh from the rolling conveyor belt as Bonise handles them by inserting a wooden stick into their holes to pick them up. We try regular and cinnamon flavoured. They're hot, doused in sugar and bite-sized. With a decent price point, it's difficult to not grab some for the road. Six donuts are ($2.75) and a dozen go for ($4.00). The best part is their size, so the sugar rush is quick and the guilt is kindly non-existent.
As for coffee, their espresso is a personal house blend while the other coffee beans come from Concord. I had an espresso ($2.00) with raw sugar and Cory ordered an iced coffee ($2.50).
Before Cory added ten tablespoons of sugar to his beverage (he likes it sickly sweet) I took a sip. The iced coffee was delicious as is, not too creamy and refreshing. My espresso was perfect to be paired with a homemade semi- sweet chocolate chip cookie ($2.00).
Bonise bakes all the cookies herself which includes flavours like double chocolate cherry and banana toffee pecan oatmeal. The sandwiches like the grilled chicken club ($5.75) come from All the Best and the croissants are from Rahier Patisserie.
The cafe's name stems from Bonise's pet Chihuahua Nikita, hence the little black pup that is stamped on every manila coloured paper take out bag. Bonise and her staff are super accommodating and friendly, and I will definitely go back for those bite-sized treats.
Bonise comments, "I wanted something unique, Canadian and I always loved mini donuts as a kid." Don't we all.
Little Nicky's is open Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., and starting this month they will also be open on Sundays.
Discussion
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Regardless, I hope it works out, that area is lacking in decent coffee options. The prices are definitely demonstrative of why there aren't many non-chains in the area though.
OUCH
About this place, it's so cute! And its local as well as Canadian. As long as they don't only serve coffee in paper cups and not having cups and saucers available.
The owner is friendly and I have always had good service!
read this review. regret decision.
The Iced Coffee was alright, nothing spectacular, just iced coffee. Their choice of radio station (an itunes 80's station) is awesome, walking in I heard New Order and leaving it was Human League, so who can complain?
What really stood out to me though, was the Raspberry Lemonade I got to go. A friendly women stirred it up for me after remarking the lemon settles to the bottom, and was very cordial. The guy who took my original order was a little standoffish, but totally fine if you're not comparing him to the cheerful and chatty barista at Starbucks you're used too.
Will def. go back if I'm in the neighborhood, great prices and I have yet to even try the donuts (first thing you smell when you go in). Seems like a good place to go with friends as well.
It's very cute inside, I loved the decor but the coffee I ordered wasn't fantastic. $3 for a double shot americano is a bit steep but what really disappointed me was that it was cold. The flavor was good though so I'm willing to give it another try.
Rene uses Reunion Island Coffee for her Europeans I believe. It's fine. I actually brought home a bag of Nicargua La Union whole bean from Reunion's roastery, where I met the farmers who produce this luscious stuff, and it was awesome, even after I had to boil water in a pot and wing it with french press ground coffee and no french press! That's what comes with moving twice in 6 months. I don't know what I did with my French Press. Those suckers are expensive!
I also got one of their chocolate chip cookies, and they were just like mom would have made them!
I would go back to this place again and again and again!!
Last week I went there for coffee and tea for my coworker, we also tried their little cheesecakes (creme brulee flavor!!) which are so delicious and grabbed a few mini donuts for the office.
Definitely recommend this place, it's awesome!!!!
Fail.
good:
- great coffee
- oh, those donuts
- some of the staff are really sweet (like the guy with reddish hair)
meh:
- the owner invariably appears disinterested. she was nicer when they first opened.
- some of the staff definitely have attitude (and i look like the target market, so if they're rude to me, how do they treat other people?)
brutal:
- the guy who thought it was appropriate to publicly ream out the nice girl who was taking orders. i get that he was frustrated, but what he said to her was so incredibly rude that at first i thought it was a JOKE.