Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

The Library Specialty Coffee

The Library Specialty Coffee is an Aussie-style coffee shop serving espresso-based and pour over coffees.

This entails minimalist design with unconventional seating and an emphasis on presentation, and this is not the first cafe of its kind to hit Toronto.Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

Such unconventional furnishings include stumps for chairs at miniscule tables adorned with roses, nooks with teensy ledges, and milk crates.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

A cappuccino ($4) introduces the Australian style of coffee nicely.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

Immaculate latte art is set off nicely by a whimsical sprinkling of chocolate that has the added effect of imparting a tiny bit of extra sweetness to the coffee.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

Good milk from Sheldon Creek Dairy really helps to up the freshness and quality of these coffees. Milkadamia is their alternative milk, fitting since macadamias hail from Australia.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

Library is the only cafe in Toronto use high-end Sweet Bloom beans from Denver. Espresso-based beverages use their Hometown blend, actually the only coffee from Sweet Bloom that isn’t single origin.

Library Specialty Coffee TorontoWe get a pour over ($4.50) made with Sweet Bloom’s rare pink bourbon cultivar from producer Rodrigo Sanchez in Colombia.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

It’s got a juicy fruit punch/cherry acidity combined with a rounded maple syrup sweetness.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

Pour over ceremonies all take place at a special cupping station at the back, and it truly is a ritual that takes several minutes. A roasting area lies beyond this in the back of the cafe.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

At this station vials are filled with different coffee beans so they can be inspected by customers and easily accessed by the barista. Styles of beans available rotate.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

The filter is properly wet and an individual portion of beans are ground.

Library Specialty Coffee TorontoThe coffee is bloomed and brewed according to clockwork timing specifications.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

Something called a piccolo latte is exactly what it sounds like: a four-ounce version of a latte.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

Could be perfect for those that crave lattes but can’t handle too much caffeine or dairy...or just those that want to order a really cute coffee.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

They also carry specialty teas such as a ceremonial grade Kato matcha from Uji with notes of fresh cut grass, used in a matcha latte ($4.70).

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

Baked goods are apparently provided by a company started by a former employee of Blackbird. Croissants include an almond chocolate option ($3.75) and a popular pistachio ($4.25).

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

The Pitchii pitchers ($38) used for pour over and bags of Sweet Bloom ($23) are available for purchase.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

Jeffrey Ji’s DIY design mimics an Australian cafe to the letter, down to the tiling outside the door that’s a near exact replica of tiling that reads “Standing Room Only” at Melbourne’s famous cafe Patricia. He would know, seeing as he used to be a Melbourne resident himself.

Library Specialty Coffee Toronto

Photos by

Hector Vasquez


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