Cafes
The Common
The Common, a beloved little cafe just east of Dufferin on College, is terrific evidence of an evolving neighbourhood; one that has changed a lot in recent years but still manages to maintain its low-key charm and tight-knit vibe.
Back in the days when Ossington was just a bus that I took home, not a whole lot was happening over on this end of College Street. Five years later, the neighbourhood is something of its own destination, and the result is a never-ending bloom of cool-looking storefronts that bring the bustle in spades.
The Common is cool, and has been bringing it for awhile now. It's so cool in fact, that when I first stumbled upon this place years ago I felt some trepidation about going in. Finally, one winter, I mumbled my way through a take-out order, feeling overwhelmed by such things as:
1. Absence of menu on the wall
2. Absence of personal comfort items (read: sandwiches)
3. Abundance of people intensely typing on their Macs and consequently, a lack of empty seats, which felt something like rejection to my silly self.
Since that day, I have snapped up one of those coveted spots more than once, with rapidly increasing frequency and enjoyment. Still no menu to be seen, however the staff behind the counter did qualify this for me once with "...but I can make you pretty much anything you want."
Hard to argue with, that. On my most recent visit I went straight for the fruits of their retro Elektra espresso machine. I'm not gonna lie - rich and delicious Americano ($2) served in a tall Picardie glass did taste better than those conventional mugs I drink from at home, and I appreciated the opportunity to dictate my own water pour-age.
Pots of amber-hued brown sugar, standing alongside organic milk and cream, felt luxurious, and looked even more so sinking into my friend's frothy and heart-adorned cappuccino ($3).
I have a bit of a thing for shortbread, so the scant snack choice between these buttery biscuits ($1) and a coconut cookie ($1) did not trouble me in the slightest. Fresh, yummy and eaten too quickly for me to even realize (as in, who took the rest of my cookie?).
The interior is simple and comfortable with plain white walls and a winding vine, accented by a fun collection of drawings and snapshots behind the counter. If the wall menu was sacrificed in favour of that awesome vintage Laura Secord signage, then I'm not complaining.
Long wooden benches and tables give the room a kind of unavoidably communal feeling; which on this day ended up working out quite well considering my coffee date just happened to know the two girls sitting at the opposite end of our little slice of table in the corner.
She also knew the girl behind the counter. I tell you these things because it rendered the name of the place very appropriate, whereas before it may have seemed sort of presumptuous; I mean, for seemingly appearing outta nowhere at College and Dufferin.
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The coffee is great, but the muffins are the best.
Whenever the barista is making shots, they look great to begin with, and then its like they get distracted, and let the shots run for soooo long that it gets bitter and watery, and always dilutes my cappuccino.
if you did a little bit of research you'd find that harmony treats their cows just as poorly as any 'non-organic' farm, and also puts in large doses of casein... so, basically, you're not doing yourself (or anyone else) any favours by drinking it.
i wish the common would step it up a notch and realize that harmony is a front. 'we care about you and the environment' - it's sad that such a boring tag line can manipulate so many people into thinking they're actually being HEALTHY by drinking milk.
Richest tasting americano I've ever had.
The variety of loose teas that they have is also great!
I wish their business hours were a little more extended, but that doesn't stop me from going there.
One, I don't mind at all 'not' getting snobbishness from the barista, who was pulling shots non stop for a permanent lineup. But this is not culinary coffee. Then again, They aren't charging culinary prices. Everyone was in a good mood. The vibe was good. I've never been to this nabe before. It's got a good vibe to it. I only see it getting better with time.
As for The Common, It is grimy. It certainly has character. The wifi is free but only for an hour, as far as I could tell. I'm glad I never caught a break in the lineup in order to order a tea, as I intended. I would have been nursing a tea with nothing to do on my pc while having my head pounded by loud music.
Well, If I lived in the area I'd probably be a regular here until something better came along. But the coffee was not good. I don't know what they were serving and it was too crazy busy for me to enquire. And that's that.
My hands down favourite Common. Service, quality and price. Common was the winner for all three. Reviewed - LIT - Starbucks - Pantry - Common.
The Common is a laid back coffee shop during the day and cantina in the evening. The staff are real people (that is to say, without pretense or facade), the coffee is very decent (spoken by a coffee roaster/drinker of espresso from crema, ideal, dark horse, etc) and the setting: folky and somewhat haphazard.
You will enjoy this place if:
a.) You don't pride yourself in your socio-economic status
b.) You're ok with sitting next to people between the ages of 4 to 95.
c.) You can deal with people being real: i.e. with a mood/disposition.
d.) You like having money.
What The Common is not:
The Common is not a student venue. With limited seating, and no outlets, it's not the ideal place for long study or paper writing sessions. If, however, you don't need too much space, or an outlet, you'll be ok. The Common is not a fully stocked bar, i.e. no specialty cocktails, or huge selection of single-malts. In general, if you're looking for frills or flourishes, you're not in the right place.
You will not like The Common if:
a.) You party on Richmond
b.) You drink soy-latte mocha frappacinos
c.) Your sensitive to changes in general ambiance (i.e. music volume, light levels, noise levels)
d.) You can't deal with people not pretending to love you and your coffee orders.
Cheers.
Not a combination you see often.
Marcus
AN OPPORTUNISTIC THIEF BEHIND THE BAR UNFORGIVABLE.
CONSUMERS BEWARE.