Two Ontario coffee shops just ranked among the best in the world

Two Ontario coffee shops just ranked among the best in the entire world, bringing the quality of the province's coffee scene into sharp relief.

Ontario residents may have the habit of letting our biases overtake us a little bit when it comes to believing the province has some of the best, well, everything, in the world. One recent ranking of cafes proves that, at the very least, we're right about one thing.

Announced on Monday, Feb. 16, at CoffeeFest Madrid, the World's 100 Best Coffee Shops are out, and, unsurprisingly to those familiar with the country's burgeoning coffee culture, three Canadian coffee shops landed on the list.

Among them were two based in Ontario.

Firstly, Toronto's Seven Mystery landed in 41st place. A coffee roaster and wholesaler headquartered in Scarborough, this sleek cafe puts an emphasis on unique proprietary blends and education, making it a standout in its region.

Seven Mystery has also previously won awards at the World Cup Tasters Championship and the Canadian Barista Championship, so it's really no surprise to see this hometown hero land in the top 50.

Next up, Ottawa's Little Victories secured the 71st spot in the ranking. The small, independent roaster sources its beans primarily through direct trade with coffee growers, roasting all of its beans on the cleanest, most consistent roaster that money can buy, including Ottawa's first Loring machine.

The cafe's stunning interior, distinct roasts and commitment to fair sourcing and sustainability all helped to secure its spot on the list. A "little victory," indeed!

The winners were decided upon through a worldwide ranking system where over 800 professional judges voted on more than 15,000 coffee shops around the world, scoring them on a comprehensive rubric including coffee quality, barista experience and technique and sustainability practices, among many others.

When it comes to fellow Canadian cafes, the two Ontario coffee houses were only bested by B.C.'s Nemesis Coffee, which landed in 15th place.

As for the top three, the U.S.'s Onyx Coffee Lab, Norway's Tim Wendelboe and El Salvador's Alquimia Coffee took the podium.