Hopper Coffee is a minimal takeout cafe at College and Augusta, spitting distance from Kensington Market. It’s run by partners Jibola Fagbamiye and Martina Kusnir, who left corporate jobs to pursue their love of coffee.

Martina actually traveled the world to find out about coffee and her passion for it, and was trained at Pilot as well as by Sam James himself. The Cut Coffee logo is brandished proudly on the door, advertising the Parkdale-roasted beans they serve here.

Martina and Jibola are also both artists, and their work is one of few zany pops of bright colour they have going on in this all-white space. Seating is limited to an artsy chunky corner bench and a couple high stools. Not only did they paint the art on the walls, graffiti artist Case decorated their trash cans.

A flat white ($3.50) is made upon request for something foamy and milky, and it comes in an unfussy squat glass.

The menu is super simple, but thankfully they do drip here, changing up the Cut Coffee blend they use for it each day. Martina wanted the emphasis to be on quality, but also speed and reliability since it’s a takeout coffee spot in a central area.

Today’s blend is the Ethiopian in the middle of this selection, which tastes very delicately of berry but overall just has a nice balanced body that isn’t too in-your-face and plays well with the milkiness of flat whites or lattes.

Midwest Bakery makes their croissants ($2.10) as well as deceptively airy French bostok cakes, made with orange, almond and two-day-old bread. The powdered sugar and char on the outside make it seem as though this cake would be dense, but it’s super light.

In addition to the plain croissants they have almond and chocolate ones from Midwest Bakery too ($2.99), super indulgent and airy with a nice bit of chocolate inside. They’re hoping to sell the occasional breakfast sandwich on Blackbird bread too, with ideas for flavours like avocado veggie and salmon and lox.

Muffins are from Pusateri’s, rotating between flavours like blueberry, oatmeal, and these triple chocolate ($2.75). A flavour like oatmeal goes for more like $1.85, and there are usually a few varieties of muffins on offer.

It is a grab and go spot, but it’s tempting to chill out in here with sun streaming in through the big front windows and relaxing but energizing, poppy but retro tunes bouncing around the room.