Orange Alert
Orange Alert sits on the corner of Dundas & McCaul, facing the fancy pants new AGO, and enticing bundled pedestrians off the slush-filled sidewalk with their warm, orange exterior. Their M.O. is written in plain sight on the window: Organic! Fair trade! Gotcha.
Inside, it's small but roomy (not as much of a paradox as you may think), with several tables and a couch. WiFi is a plus for any students who may drop in from neighbouring OCAD, or there's a shelf with a selection of books and a few board games (but what's up with the sign that says 'please do not take books'? I'm guessing they mean read, don't steal). In other words it's pretty welcoming, and filled with nice natural light thanks to the big window.
The menu bursts with a wide selection of drink options, including smoothies, juices and teas, with their roast provided by Toronto-based, fair trade & organic Dark City Coffee. I ordered a mocha latte (pretty steep @ $4.90) and an in-house made blueberry muffin, which hit the afternoon snack spot. Some other treats on the menu, including banana bread are prepared by Orange Alert, while other selections are provided out of house (but not disclosed). Rugelach, tarts and cakes tempt from the display, and their lunch menu also offers homemade soups, quiches and sandwiches, which I duly noted as a working resident of the area.
So my very scientific conclusion is this: Orange Alert may be a little more pricey than some spots, but with a block dominated by Sbux & Timmy's, it's good to know that some fresh, organic coffee is just around the corner.
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Orange Alert is very expensive, but it is a cute little place.
There is no Tim Horton's "on the block" -- it's across the street and two blocks away. The Starbucks is five to six blocks to the west, or about the same distance to the outlet at Queen and John; the Chinatown store closed. It's puzzling to hear the area described as being "dominated" by chains when within three blocks there are Avenue (University just north of Dundas), Mangiacake (just a block up McCaul from Orange Alert), Art Square and Espresso Time along Dundas opposite the AGO, and an excellent coffee stand in Village by the Grange with a huge selection of teas -- all independent, and all closer than the closest Starbucks or Second Cup.
Emma makes a good point about the proximity of tons of cafes, but two blocks for a Tim's isn't very far away. I'd count it as "in the area" since Avenue (three blocks away) is.
My boyfriend and I walked into Orange Alert after AGO's opening night, and walked back out. It's OK if other people want to pay a certain price for a product, but we thought it was pretty dang steep.
The couple who owns the place are the nicest people on the planet.
Last time I went here, I ordered a coffee and asked for the Wifi password and the owner gave me a dirty look and told me I needed to spend at least $5 to use the Wifi. The cafe was *empty* at the time and it stayed that way since I decided to leave. Silly policy and a hostile owner if you ask me.
I stop in before teaching at OCAD (and I think I saw the Blog TO Photog taking these pics on Tuesday). They are indeed the Nicest People in Toronto (the anti-Jet Fuel) and it makes up for the higher prices and what must be the slowest espresso machine in the city. Luke, I've never had anything by overly-gracious service, so must have been an off day.
I have feared, though, that the high prices and slow machine would keep people away -- something my TA and I would discuss each week last year, because they are so nice and we didn't want them to fail.
@Emma, 2 Tim Hortons are within 5 minutes walking distance, as well as Second Cup & Starbucks, which I count as definitely in the area (aka my work block from Queen to Dundas). These are the places that people tend to know by default.
been there once and thought it was rather outrageously expensive - and i have worked at coffee shops for the past three years! it was good, but probably wouldn't go back.
Good pics... can they make a good espresso?
Organic food you say? Read a breif article:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theappetizer/archive/2009/02/04/is-it-organic-author-mischa-popoff-questions-the-organic-food-industry.aspx
Best soy chai latte ever!
The guy who runs Mercury trained them so they know what they're doing.
I worked with 'em when they first started out; it's nice to see they're still making it happen.
They charged me $6 for a green tea soy latte and it was average... they specified the soy milk was organic. Or do they mean 98% organic...as it says on the label for that brand in fact. It dies't matter because in this economy "organic" is a bad selling point...
What I have always liked about the orange alert is, it doesn't fit in to the "corporate" design or schemes. It's a family run business that has a slower pace than most coffee houses. Then again, Tim;s isn't really a coffee house, it's a Mc D's that serves coffee. startbucks, second cup are just corporate yuppie junkies cashing in on your hard earned dollars. Those are places for deadheads.
Orange alert isn't a place to go if your in a hurry, if you lack patience, (a virtue) then it's not the place for you. If you know anything about coffee, it's a great place to enjoy a Dark City roast, if you know what Dark City coffee is, then you will understand. This is a family business that isn't a well oiled machine geared and fuelled by massive corporate marketers and adding heaven knows into their what looks and smells like coffee but doesn't really taste like real coffee. This is a corner coffee house where the owner struggles to get a muffin out of the baking tin and find a plate to put it on. It's a place where the attempt to look corporate failed, yet became something more successful by not having a corporate feel. It's a place that you can watch people and winter go by, as well as rumbling streetcars.
Best to have no expectations about 10 second service or perfection in every moment, it won't happen here. I love it for all of it's imperfections, as many have stated, and in that there is a sense of perfection, as sense of a family business doing something and giving us the opportunity to share in their experience. I love knowing that I'm not contributing to fuel the insatiable needs of the Yuppie Junkies, who in the 60's were all about love and peace, who dropped their flowers beads and long hair for cash, condos and cars.
I was just in there today and paid almost 3 dollars for a small mug of mediocre tea. The young girl behind the counter was sulky and rude when I ordered - I don't think she said a word to my friend and I, not even how much we owed her. 30 minutes later there was a shift change to whom I assume is the owner, who gave me a dirty look when I asked about the washroom key and questioned if I was even a customer there. I understand it's organic, but at those prices and with that service, I'll never go back.
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY ORANGE ALERT USES OUR PHONE NUMBER. (ART SQUARE GALLERY & CAFE)
pLEASE SOMEONE CHANGE IT..
I went there for the first time and had the best Americano ever!!!!!! I don't know what I paid as a friend treated me, but whatever the price, it was definitely worth it. I would go back again.
P. S. I believe there is a place (in Seattle??) where you pay $20 for the "perfect" cup of coffee, so in comparison, this place is a steal!
Huh, it's weird: Orange Alert's number IS listed as Art Square's number. And not just here, but a lot of places!
Not sure what the real number is. Mocca Choco (used to be in the same space) was at 416-591-8965 and Now thinks Orange Alert is still using that number. http://www.nowtoronto.com/food/recent_reviews.cfm?content=165409
Calling the number didn't reveal anything - no answering machine. Maybe someone can try when they're open. ;)