Manic Coffee Knows Their Brew
426 College Street 
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Phone: 416.966.3888
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Manic Coffee is the new cafe on the Bathurst & College block, catering to local hipsters, computer salesmen and firefighters alike.
I stop in on a weeknight with some friends and there's room to spare. We place our order and settle into the always entertaining window seat.
The menu here is short and relatively concoction-free. With few exceptions, it's really all about the coffee. Owner Matt Lee, has a great love and knowledge of his beans and is bringing that to the Manic counter. He's even served up the legendary Panamanian La Esmeralda Special coffee for $15 a cup (and that's actually cheap!), but we're just here for the regular chalkboard offerings today.
The Cappuccino ($3.25), Macchiato ($2.75) and Hot Chocolate ($3.75) are all presented with darling coffee art creations swirled delicately into the foam.
While the coffees are (as we might have guessed) truly as good as it gets, the Hot Chocolate lacked the key element of hot - leaving it a slightly bittersweet mix of tepid chocolate.
Across the table, the owner of a Soy Chai Latte ($3.75) is falling in love with it and offers up his oversized Vegan Pumpkin Cookie ($2.50) to make up for the so-so hot chocolate.
The cookie is soft and pumpkin-y sweet... so fitting for a cool autumn evening. Just as someone remarks that it doesn't seem vegan at all, the barista, overhearing, mentions that she's heard that from others but it's true. They're just that good.
On that delicious note we decide to try something else and go for the Apple-Cranberry Scone ($2.50). Again, I can't help but notice how soft it is. I start to wonder if I'm just getting used to the dry, crumbly *other-coffee-chain* scones that somebody always brings in to staff meetings.
Inquiring, the barista proudly informs me that the scones and some other baked goods are brought in from local baker, Wanda's Pie in the Sky.
I returned the next morning for a Clover drip coffee ($2.50) and another scone, which looks to be the winning combination for starting any day off right. While it's a couple quarters more than I usually spend, sometimes flavour has got to take priority. I'll certainly be back.
Comments (49)
Was excited to go in, but when I did I asked if there was Wifi and they said no. Wifi in a cafe is as standard as a bathroom. I'll be back when they get it.
i just wanted to note that the relevance of the clover coffee, beyond being the only machine of its kind in toronto thus far, is that it is a single drip coffee maker that can get you a cup in 40 seconds.
it is the best drip coffee in the city.
and the whole wifi thing, while i appreciate it, it shouldn't be your deciding factor in visiting a cafe. the cafes on campus in some US cities only offer you wifi if you have your own account with their chosen service provider! there's enough hot spots around i'm sure you could sneak some internet. but anyway, more coffee for me then!
Well, their business model may work for them with no wifi. And pay-wifi may work other places. But I and many others will look for the ones that provide it for free, or with Wireless Toronto. Wifi is essential infrastructure in a cafe.
I believe the owner was quoted in one of the papers saying they will never offer wifi because it takes away from the cafe experience. With a lot of empty seats (whenever I walk by), I wonder how long he sticks to this policy. I guess he is banking on a lot of people wanting that $15 cup of joe
i feel like i'm sticking up for manic... but because i put flavour first, i really can't say anything but good things about these guys.
they're passionate about what they do and they are not confused at all about about what they're here to do. coffee and espresso is first and foremost what they do.
if you've ever actually dropped in or bought a coffee then maybe you'll see what i see. on a weekend they are packed to the brim with people taking over tables and, dear god, even using laptops without wifi! i've seen tables meant for two with 4 or more people crowded around and enough mugs for at least 2 cups per person covering the table.
the line ups for takeout coffee are long but fast... it's fantastic and a shame that you're missing out on such a tasty drink. what you really need is an internet cafe, now that would be putting your priorities first.
Anyone else found the service too slow (and a little rude)? The last time I was there I had to leave without a coffee because it was so slow.
purlease....if you want wifi i am sure there's a starb*#!z@ around the corner, if you want fast water downed brown dish water that passes for coffee on this continent go (see previously mentioned for wifi seeker), if you want coffee come here, clover was worth every penny although they did burn my double espresso, but hey willing to give them another go given that they actually know what an espresso is thank heavens!
fred> I think I did say I'll go to "the cafe down the block," but thank you for restating my position.
Also, a bit off topic, but folks who dig manic but disdain Starb#$% or whatever -- it's nearly the same thing. One indie, one a chain, but it's all high end coffee joints, so you're splitting a few too many hairs.
I have to disagree with the previous comment on "it's nearly the same thing" between somewhere like Manic and a cafe like Starbucks. As a black coffee drinker, there is absolutely nothing I can have at Starbucks. Chains like that cater to people who like their frothed, creamed, flavour-shot and drizzle type concoctions. Now, there's nothing wrong with loving them, but you don't need to start with a nice aromatic coffee when you're adding all that jazz. At Manic, no matter what I've tried black, it was flavourful and smooth... and that's everything to me in a cafe.
I have to agree with Tanya's comments - I don't mind Starbucks when I'm in the mood for something sweet, but when it's all about the espresso, Manic Coffee has yet to disappoint me.
I'd be happy to NOT see the cafe fill up with laptops...
Are you people daft? It's "intelligentsia" coffee. For all you people who need wifi, I'm surprised no one looked up "intelligentsia" coffee. Don't look for wifi if you can't even look up his business model with a simple google search from home. I didn't realize sophisticated "wifi-ers" would look past something so obvious....
Kathy > better than fair trade - Intelligentsia buys from farmers direct, vs a broker. You can google them and see.
Jen is right - 'Fair trade' is not the be all and end all when it comes to fair coffee buying practices. Many small coffee roasters would rather buy direct from the grower and don't bother with the official 'fair trade' and 'organic' labeling. My brother-in-law's coffee shop saves up all the tips for the year and takes all the employees on a coffee-buying trip to Costa-Rica, Panama, Ethiopia, etc where they go to coffee bean auctions, meet the small, independent growers, and help set up contracts with them directly. I've been desperately trying to find somewhere worthy of taking him for coffee when he comes to visit - I'll definitely check out Manic!
"Also, a bit off topic, but folks who dig manic but disdain Starb#$% or whatever -- it's nearly the same thing. One indie, one a chain, but it's all high end coffee joints, so you're splitting a few too many hairs."
I don't think he was saying they coffee was nearly the same. I think he was saying they have the experience of having uppity-nosed people thinking they are took good for plebeian coffee.
It's just coffee, no need to fight over it. And I love quality coffee, but geez people, can't we all get together.
"...they have the experience of having uppity-nosed people thinking they are took [sic] good for plebeian coffee."
This phrase, if coffee was replaced with beer, bread, meat, or any foodstuff, would illustrate how relative people's standards are. If one insisted on drinking Stella instead of Budweiser, one could be accused of beer snobbery as well.
Manic is serious and passionate about coffee, but not snobbish. The staff are usually friendly, open to answering questions, especially about the Clover, and more trained than the average Starbucks "barista". Some "indie" coffee shops may be snobbish and uppity (I know of a few in Toronto), but Manic isn't one of them. However, since I'm a fan and a semi-frequent customer, my opinion is very subjective.
After I tasted their espresso and cups from the Clover, I learned how good coffee can taste all on its own and what a proper latte or cappuccino should taste like. The first non-scalded milk latte I ever had was at Manic.
It's not simply a method of caffeine delivery at Manic -- it's something to be appreciated with a flavour of its own. Manic also has the only Clover in town right now -- a sad state considering that Ottawa has at least four, if not five and the size of Toronto.
Those photos were taken at least a month ago, judging from the pumpkin, and isn't reflective of how busy Manic is now.
Tservice can be slow especially in the morning and when there's a rush of people, since the Clover is a single-serve machine and they only have a two-group Synesso for espresso (i.e., only two shots can be made at a time). However, they now have an urn for drip coffee, which should speed service up a bit. As for rudeness, I've never experienced it at Manic, but I'm not discounting it because the staff are human and have bad days.
I popped in out of the cold a couple of weeks back, not having heard the hype about the Clover or the Esmeralda, but still finding the experience disappointing. Witnessing the barista's lackadaisical approach to foaming the milk, I steered clear of a cappuccino and ordered an americano. Instead, I was served a lungo, and haughtily informed--over my protestations--that this was the same thing. I know I should have refused it, especially seeing as by now the crema was already ancient history, but nevertheless I left with my sadly underwhelming coffee.
When a friend and dedicated coffee lover told me of the arrival of a cafe along College with a Clover system and the only line on Esmeralda coffee in town, I have to say I insisted it couldn't possibly this awful spot I'd tried, but alas, now I see that this is in fact the case.
Maybe I, too, caught them on a bad night, but based on my experience I sure as sugar would not trust this place with a coffee that retails for $15 a cup.
H, how about posting your real name if you're such a coffee expert?
Your grasp of coffee knowledge seems as firm as your grasp of proper English.
Also, there is no way you could've received a long espresso or "lungo" even if you bribed the barista.
Perhaps, you should take all the hot air you blow and use it to foam your own milk if you're that disappointed.
WOW! I love the presentation of the coffee - I have been a Starbucks customer for a long time..but people that are comparing MANICS to starbucks - they are t2 different leagues...
What you say is true, Garry, but you must credit "H"s use of the expression "sure as sugar". Doesn't quite make up for the complete lack of credibility in his/her comment, but my point stands.
The coffee is great, I really like the cups -- that makes a difference for your coffee.
And as far as the WIFI thing goes, would it kill you to bring a book?
I think the no wi-fi policy is a great touch. We've become so removed and insular because of computers, internet, cell phones and crackberries, that its rather nice to have a local spot where people can congregate and chew the cud. The world doesn't need anymore anti-social misanthropes. If anything, this model will probably encourage more business than it does detract.
As for the quality of coffee? Comparing them to Starbucks would be like comparing a Philly Cheese Steak to Kobe beef. While i do at times enjoy the former, the latter is truly in a league of its own.
The beautiful thing about capitalism is that we as consumers have choices! Starbucks or Manic (and the avenues to which we chose to socialize)
The place down the street Kahawa Coffee has wifi. I used it a couple of times and the coffee is great. She roasts her own beans in house.
"Are you people daft? It's "intelligentsia" coffee. For all you people who need wifi, I'm surprised no one looked up "intelligentsia" coffee. Don't look for wifi if you can't even look up his business model with a simple google search from home. I didn't realize sophisticated "wifi-ers" would look past something so obvious...."
LOL This is Toronto with its own coffee culture. We are not in Paris or Vienna - deal with it. Sophistication and pretentiousness are two very different things people
after reading all of the above, i have come to a conclusion about general toronto coffee drinker... all i've been reading is bitching about how there is no internet?!?! it is a coffee shop after all so you should be concentrating on how good your coffee was!!! although i've never been to Manic, i can safely say that matt lee has gone through a great length to introduce specialty coffee in toronto and you spit in his face?!?!?! I visited toronto just last year and have experienced toronto coffee scene (or lack of it). I dont think many of you that criticize lack of internet know what coffee is in the first place ...! sorry just a little pissed off, and Matt, good on ya for not having internet, all it does is take away the social aspect .. look at ritual coffee in SF, no soul in that place ..
over and out!
Just wanted to see if you guys bashing starbucks but lovin' the clover knew about the investment mr. shultz made into the machine. I believe he is now the owner of that company and will be installing them in starbucks locations if there test locations prove it successful. Just wanted to see what people thought about the big bad baristas at SBUX using this beloved maker of our favourite beverage.
J
No wifi = No visit? That's the single dumbest thing ever. I'm hooked to always-available internet, don't get me wrong. But once in a while, its refreshing to be able to go into a cafe that sticks to its guns about offering the best coffee experience without enticing people with wifi.
Leave your laptops, whip out a real newspaper, grab an excellent cup-o-joe, and relax. That's the way this coffee was meant to be had, and I applaud Manic for their choice.
Hands down best coffee in Toronto. I suppose you do wait longer than other places for your coffee; but after the latte I had the other day I'm convinced it's not so much the service is "slow" as that is how long it takes to make a good cup of joe. Though I will say it doesn't have a patio, which is kind of a minus for me.
Did anybody else see that Manic barista Sam won the central Canada barista championship.
Look for a tall guy with a moustache.
Go in when he's working and have a cappuccino, its the best I've had anywhere.
Congratulations Sam!
i have been looking forward to visiting this cafe for a long time now. unfortunately i was unable to try the coffee due o bad service. the baristas did not acknowledge me or my friend whe we approached the counter. we waited in the wrong line (the cash out line) for a long time (our mistake) instead of the order line. once we realized our mistake, we lined up in what seemed to be the "order line" for a good 5- 10 minutes. new people started walking in and getting served immediately, so we asked a barista why we weren't being served. they told us we were standing in the wrong line still. it seemed that we had lined up behind a group of people standing by the order area who were just hanging out.
we left frustrated. i would still love to give them another chance, now that we know the correct system, but i do have to say starbucks has much better customer service.
Yah, thats the one thing I can say I don't like about Manic either is that the lay out for ordering is a bit confusing, but there is an ORDER HERE sign directly under the menu when you walk in the front door, so you can't just put your head down and follow the cattle.
With that said, Manic is not about "following the cattle", and it's no surprise that you still think customer service is better at Starbucks.
I would assume that a multi billion dollar corporation has the money to invest in to customer service training, and setting up their stores so its really really easy to order.
I'd rather choose a coffee shop that invests their money into training their staff on the coffee, and buying top of the line equipment and beans instead of superfluous candy painted "order here" signs, and fake "yes sir, what may I get for you sir" service.
Manic is a coffee bar run by real personalities that know their coffee, and will gladly help you when you're ready to loosen up and try something other than whitebread with ketchup and mustard, if you know what I'm saying.
I also had bad service at Manic.
Don't go in if the girl with the black hair and lots of ugly tattoos is working.
She makes the worst coffee at Manic, and was extremely rude to my friend and I.
Everybody else there is generally great, and can make amazing coffee, but don't waste your time if that girl is working.
I haven't seen her the last few times I've been in, so maybe they fired her.
What do you guys expect from a bunch of hipsters? Bad hygyene, stuck up, extremely rude hipsters. I would like to go to manic more often if they didnt work or hang out there. (Maybe I should just leave college street altogether)
You can tell by Anonymous' post by the type of personalities that work and visit the coffee shop. Insulting others because they simply would like a little common courtesy. Sad!
The owner seems like a really good guy....can't say that about the rest of them.
I don't know where you guys are getting this idea that hipsters work at Manic? I've never once heard any mash-up electronic music you would commonly find on Queen St W. I don't see the employees ever decked out in vibrant neon American Apparel clothing. As for the "no wifi" policy. I'd much rather prefer going to a coffee shop that seems more alive rather than somewhere with a bunch of morose looking people on lap tops at every table, dead silent, with some quivery singer songwrite crap playing in the background.
I don't think buying out Clover will help improve Starbucks coffee. Their roasters are still not that great. It's not going to improve the burnt taste of their coffee.
Rocky... What exactly is your definition of "Hipster"? it's a term that gets thrown around so much I can only imagine you mean "young people". And in that case, young people are the majority of people working in any coffee shop, and the best coffee shops in Toronto are indeed staffed for the most part by young people (hipsters). Maybe you mean (like "bad service" did) people with tattoos, or perhaps wacky hairdo's or different fashion sensibilities. If this is what you're referring to, I'm glad to offer you a solution:
Move away from Toronto.
First of all Intelegencia is in Chicago. We are in Toronto. The biggest trend in grocery at this moment is promoting and supporting local producers and manufactures. The most effective way for you to lower your CO2 footprint is though buying local Ontario products at your grocery store. Where I am i going with this? There are far better roasters in Ontario then Intelegensia, Parrellel 49, Orgins or even Kicking Horse. So the next time you order that latte maybe you should ask if its local!
As a Sommolier i will say that Intellegencias espresso is hollow, short on the palate and lacks structure.
First of all, coffee will never grow in Ontario, or anywhere outside the tropics for that matter, so forget thinking about coffee as a local product.
It's gotta come from across the world no matter how you cut it.
As a barista, I would say Intelligentsia Black Cat espresso is one of the sweetest, well rounded espressos, with a consistent flavor profile no matter the season, remarkably forgiving to work with, as well as being one of few espressos capable of holding up its flavor to larger volumes of milk/water dilution.
When made properly, its like syrup with notes of dark chocolate, cherries, oranges, caramel, all spice, and a floral bouquet .
It would be amazing if a local roaster would step up to the plate, and fill the need for quality sourced, consistently roasted, unburned, properly packaged, roast dated coffee with knowledge and support for its customers in the competitive modern coffee industry.
It just isn't so, or all the best cafes in Toronto would be using such a roaster.
Believe me, any cafe owner would love to save the shipping costs, but it's about QUALITY.
FYI, 49th Parallel and Origins are both in Vancouver, technically further than Chicago, therefore a bigger carbon footprint, if you wanna get into semantics.
And don't even mention Kicking Horse.
6 month old Grocery store coffee for $17 a pound?
You're better of saving yourself the upset, and buying some Folgers. It would be about the same quality, for like 1/4 the price.
As a Sommolier, you should stick to wine.
ok i bought a small 10oz coffee which cost me like 2 bucks...it sucked...i buy way tastier coffee from COFFEE TIME....
Yes, but then you have to walk around with a Coffee Swine cup in your hand, and that tells people you're low class, according to studies.
my response to anonymous...if it's all to do with a cup u hold...then welcome to the world of image and giving power to image and who benefits...manic coffee, star bucks, second cup etc...and we as working class give power to these big names but at the end of the day we lose out by paying for coffee that sucks....
Dear Intel
A few weeks ago, a few of the top chefs in the city cupped black cat and 49th and found it have no consistency. These are non objective opinions from individuals who are classified as Super Tasters!
You see the difference in the wine world is that we don't care where it comes from or the story behind the product, we only care about what's in the glass. Coffee should be the same.
Also, Coffee, is currently re entering the growth phase of the sales cycle do to the reintroduction of new physical, complex physical and abstract attributes.
I would love to talk to you about your experiences in the Coffee world as it would assist me with my PHD Marketing.
Thank you
Some of you may have to do some research instead of just following the trend. We do have some very well respect roasters in Ontario. For example Classic Gourmet Coffee
Sorry but Classic Gourmet is not even in the same league as Intelligentsia.
Thats just the truth, not a trend or a game of favorites.
Classic coffee is stale right out of the bag.
End of story.
"Wifi is essential infrastructure in a cafe."
maybe so if you enjoy an atmosphere full of people glued to thier laptop computers. Personally, i prefer a cafe that focuses solely on good coffee and profound, personal social interaction. way to go, Manic!
Interesting tidbit: Starfucks bought out the Clover manufacturing company in 2008. No more sales, parts or service for independent business. boo-hiss.
I used to love it when this place wasn't crawling with hipsters and I could actually get a table. Still the best damn coffee in the city. Maybe it'll get better in the summer when hipsters are out riding their fixed-speed bicycles?
hipsters?
grow up.
If you enjoy some of the best coffee in the city, then it shouldn't matter. perhaps these "hipsters" are just individuals with a similar interest as you.
respect them, and maybe you'll learn something about yourself.
After hearing about Manic for so long.
I finally went to check it out with a friend.
First of all I know don't really know much about coffee. Although I worked at one or those franchise coffee shops for while and I adored working there. And I drink instant coffee with sugar and coffee whiter at home.I could hear the screams. This is what I know for ME, when I have good coffee I can drink it black or with just a bit of help.
Why am I telling you this. Cause I want to point out the most basic of things to all those people who are screaming at each other. Coffee is Just a Drink People! Sure we want our stuff to be good, environmently friendly and blah blah blah. But it's still a drink.
This is what I got from Manic. Clover Brazilian coffee $4 something, my friend Clover Kenyian. Although I am not going to ever spend that on coffee again. Too rich for my blood. However IT WAS GOOD !!! I drank my coffee BLACK! I am not sure if it was because of the famous clover machine or because it was brewed right or because it was the right roast or bean for me. I tried my friends, I liked mine better. Thus my thinking it was the right bean for me.
Will I go back Definatly although I don't think I will be drinking $4 coffee any more. The place was Clean, large good place to chill.
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