T.A.N. Coffee
Visiting T.A.N cafe felt like re-uniting with an old MySpace friend, when I made my way over there last week. A few months back, I had helped Melissa hang pictures for her photography show, and got to know the place almost inappropriately well.
Just like those couple of times I stayed at my high school until 11 pm, there is something about being in a public establishment when the public is gone that feels kind of weirdly intimate and... intrepid.
Even more thrilling still was the shortbread that awaited me; shortbread which had been given as a reward for mounting frames. Shortbread for which my love was so intensely memorable, that a re-encounter with Chris behind the counter brought a spark of recognition to his face... "oh, right... you guys were really into the shortbread, weren't you?"
"The shortbread" in question, would be that of World Class Bakers. The size of saucers, and bursting with cranberry (or chocolate, if you swing that way), I feel as though somebody has finally listened to my cookie dreams and made them flesh and blood (butter).
Similarly bespoke, seem the delicious, raisin-free(!) and flaky-crusted butter tart that is provided by... you guessed it:
Circles and Squares Bakery. Man, those guys get around, and I'm not complaining.
The list is rounded out with yet even more selection from Sweets of the Earth, who serve up some truly delicious-looking vegan goodies. The lure of the cashew cookie was enough to make my eye momentarily wander, until I remembered that my body runs on butter.
T.A.N. Coffee roasts their own beans on site, which are singularly-sourced and fairly-traded. They have a number of blends displayed on their shelves, and even some thematic garments & gear for sale. The "Expresso Junky" t-shirt wins extra hard for their creative spelling - the latter word adopting my (and William S. Burroughs'?) favourite.
As I mentioned, the space also doubles as a gallery, whose very successful usage I have witnessed. It holds a surprising number of people, and has plenty of wall space; deep crimson wall space that sets a vibrant, dramatic field for a variety of art works.
Along with the TD Jazz Festival performances this past weekend, the website also lists various lectures and exhibits on its roster, often with an activist angle (a model which the aforementioned show certainly fit).
The super-comfy digs allow both the steady circulation of crowds, but also encourages those of us who wish to sit and percolate on an overcast Thursday. On benches with crushed velvet cushions, no less.
The cozy area in the back (a precursor to a lovely patio that I didn't know about/couldn't use anyway as 'twas raining) had stayed particularly vivid in my mind, being the focus of my previous visit's tasks. How psyched we were to find it unoccupied, this little private coffee den where our caffeine-riddled voices freely bounced off the walls.
We savored our buttery treats for what seemed like hours in a kind of lovely, rare isolation that felt like home. Add to that the wood-paneled kitchen table (not unlike my mom's old one), and some very familiar-seeming dishware (not unlike the ones my great-aunt still has), and everything felt kinda frozen in time.
It somehow seemed appropriate that in this sepia-tinged room was where I received a call telling me Michael Jackson had passed away.
How surreal to walk onto Queen Street and be bombarded by the news we'd been missing for the past couple of hours, coming from the mouth and car stereo of every passerby. I only mention this, T.A.N. Coffee, because to not do so would seem dishonest. Our ordinary afternoon took a sad turn, and became downright historical, but have no fear: our relationship is just that much stronger. And in this post-MJ world, I need your shortbread now more than ever.
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TAN is Queen West's best kept secret. Their beans and baked goods are amazing, but even more delightful is Marilyn, the proprietor. Love this place!
Marilyn rocks!
This place is my daily coffee stop and my nightly shortbread/pecan square stop!
Can't believe it took this long for BlogTO to hash up a review but I'm glad it's here. The owner is really generous and let me hang out on the couch everytime I was waiting out in the cold to meet my co-worker.
The coffee is unique (you actually taste the bean and not the overpowering roast here)... and they make a fine flat white! (For those who don't know what it is it's like a stronger latte with no foamtop.) ---hits the spot for those days I want a stronger, milkier coffee without the fancy foam/texture. Theyre also very generous with the coffee strength. Couldn't complain as a constantly fatigued cultural worker...
If only the CAMH zombies didn't have to stop and settle in front of the store.
we are so happy that we are around the corner from t.a.n. With such a great social and eco practices we love to send our clients here for a fantastic bite and drink.
we love you guys!!
Best Americano in the city.
Marilyn does run a great little shoppe. I've been going there since the day it opened. In fact I was just there this afternoon. She's really done a lot with that space, and she is a wunnerful hostess. Me luv her! So do yerself a flavour and check out her coffee spot next time you're in the Ossington area.
Wow, I wish I am there at the T.A.N. Coffee! The decor is so artistically done and one can appreciate the amount of time, effort and thought that must have gone in to give the place such an intimate atmosphere! I could easily spend a whole afternoon there just to thaw away! Cool!
Their coffee must be great being roasted on site and the confectionery is so mouth-watering....
Those of you nearby - you are so lucky! You are being fed physically, emotionally and all your five senses are well stimulated....
I've been to this coffee shop a number of times already and they always serve simple and tasty coffee. I'm not a coffee connoisseur and I don't know what they do to their coffee, but whenever I walk by this shop I feel this strong craving and urge for that ahhhh taste and I always get drawn in. The decor is also very unpretentious and I find it very comfortable, too.
You go Girl!
This is a gem of a spot!
What sets it apart from so many other TO cafés is that they have the knowledge and confidence roast their own rather than slavishly following the crowd and buying in from 49th Parallel and Intelligentsia.
And this shows!
The baristas are excellent - Marilyn and Chris in particular - and effortlessly finish each drink off with a latte art flourish, even the macchiato. A rosetta and a heart are becoming quality kite marks and if you're not getting one at your usual café then maybe you should wonder why...?
TAN Coffee even has a back garden...to soak up some sunshine...and for those who still enjoy the simple pleasure of a coffee and a cigarette...!
Hunt this place out and support your local specialty roaster - you won't regret it.
What can we say about TAN Coffee and Marilyn that hasn't already been said?!! Marilyn is always smiling and welcoming with a wise crack or two, their amazing fair trade coffee blows starbucks coffee out of the window, and there are delicious treats for everyone, including vegans!!! Imperial Tattoo does not go anywhere else, you shouldn't either!
We send clients there because we love this establishment and it's proprietor!!!!
PS: Handsome Rob is also a huge fan of their lemonade!!!!
best coffee in the city! bar none.
go.
you will not be disappointed.
After working on Ossington for almost 4 years, having Marilyn and TAN in the neighbourhood has helped create and foster a community like no other. Not only does she run a GREAT business with wonderful coffee and sweets, she's the go-to person for all things Ossington/Queen West. She knows everyone, and makes a concerted effort to introduce her clients to one another, furthering the community feel of the area. I'm moving to Montreal in September, but rest assured, every time I'm back in Toronto, you can find me at TAN!
Marilyn knows her coffee! She strives to be the best and she is!!!
I own a shop on Ossington and feel very fortunate to have the best iced coffee in the city right around the corner!
TAN rocks!
Their iced tea was also very refreshing. It was an interesting blend of naturally sweet rooibos.
A MOST disappointing experience! When I arrived with my 12-year-old daughter this Sunday around 4h00, there was very little on offer by way of cakes and pastries and what there was looked stale. My daughter ordered a brownie, which she ended up not eating because it was, well, inedible. In fact, it was so hard that she could not even chew on it. As for me, I had the "fresh lemonade", which, in effect, involved half a glass of lemonade and half a glass of... tap water (at least, the waiter let it run a little...). The result was wholly predictable: a watery and tasteless concoction. Other than that, we had to cope with a group of 6 very loud and very unpleasant clients who appeared to assume that they owned the place, an assumption that the waiter did absolutely nothing to challenge. These people were so loud for so long that it did not make any sense that the waiter would not have asked them to tone things down a bit. All in all, as I said at the outset, a MOST disappointing experience. This was my first and very last visit to that cafe.
@ Pierre...sorry hear that my friend...you should go again, and have some cashew cookies!