LANO by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel - The BEST Coffee House in Toronto

Doriana Mazzone, Blogger

6 days ago3 min read

Torontoeats, torontocafes, coffee culture, best coffee toronto, lano, ritzcarlton toronto, italian cafe, toronto foodie, lifestyle, blog, real estate, hotel residence, condosca, yphs, doriana mazzone — LANO at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Downtown Toronto

Well, well, well. Just when I thought I was on a mediocre streak in my cappuccino and almond croissant hunt here in Toronto, I tried a new place that completely swept me off my feet and had me moaning with pleasure.

OH. MY. GOD.

Last year, I experienced 52 new coffee houses across Toronto, Montreal, and Italy. There’s never a time when I’m not on the hunt for a great bean and pastry. And for the record, this is coming from someone who does not drink Tim Hortons or Starbucks. Please, for the love of God, have a real coffee experience.

Enter LANO at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Downtown Toronto—this place has stolen my heart and swept me away.

For years, my number one coffee house spot in Toronto was held by Le Conciliabule Lab, followed by Oretta Cafe. But this morning, LANO took the throne by a landslide. In fact, I can’t even put LANO in the same category as other Toronto coffee houses. I had to compare it to two of my absolute favorite cafés in Italy: Antico Greco in Rome and Caffè Borsari in Verona.

LANO, located inside the Ritz-Carlton, recently underwent a renovation, transforming their café into a space inspired by Northern Milanese café and wine culture. And let me tell you—they did not miss a single detail.

Not only are the pastries baked in-house by their Pastry Chef Alessandro, but their Italian cookie recipes were passed down from the chef’s Nonna. Do you know how hard it is to make an almond cookie? Very. My mother used to make them for me all the time, and I miss them dearly. Tasting these cookies brought tears to my eyes. The sheer joy and experience I had here was second to none.

The ambiance was first-class, but so was the treatment I received—from the barista to the waitstaff. I couldn’t believe I was getting this level of service for a coffee and croissant. This is the standard I’ve been searching for throughout Toronto, and I never expected it to come from here.

And let’s talk about paying at the end of the service—that is exactly what I expect, and it’s standard practice in Italian coffee culture. The attention to detail was beyond anything I’ve experienced.

I’m still writing about this, and I’m sad the experience is over—but I know it won’t be my last. Damn.

This was, unexpectedly, the best coffee house in Toronto by far. From the coffee beans to the best almond croissant I’ve ever had in my life, to the ambiance and service, LANO sets a new standard. It’s going to be hard to beat this one.

Hats off to pastry chef Alessandro—you nailed it and to Patricia the Barista, who not only knows how to make a damn good cappucino the right way, but the service you provided was the best experience I have ever had here in Toronto!

The fact that I actually named names in this post is a testament to how highly I have put this place on the map. This is the first!

Thank you for bringing an authentic Italian coffee culture experience to Toronto.