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My Hunt for the Perfect Cappuccino and Pastry
For those unfamiliar, one of the things I’m most passionate about is café culture. This passion obviously stems from my Italian heritage and my love for the hunt for great-tasting pastries.
Almost every weekend, I make it a point to visit or revisit a coffee house in Toronto. In 2024 alone, I explored 34 different coffee house locations. Some were one-time visits I’d never return to, while others were so good that I couldn’t resist going back—though those return trips aren’t included in the total count.
Year after year, I judge coffee brewers and pastries. Am I an expert? Nope.
However, I love what I love, and I’m passionate about it. I can tell when you’re not using oat milk. I can tell when your beans aren’t espresso beans but rather American ones. And I can most certainly tell when you use commercial olive oil in your baking instead of natural olive oil (my stomach pays the price, and you can tell just by looking at the pastry).So, am I an expert? By all means, no. But I do pay attention to these details, and they make a difference to me.
Every year, I love hunting down as many Toronto café houses as I can to find a spot worth going back to. Unlike Italy—where no matter where you go, from small mountain towns to city centers, there is always consistency in quality—things here in Toronto aren’t quite the same. We have a variety of ingredients from all over, pastry chefs with different levels of expertise, and baristas who may or may not love their jobs. I don’t care. I’ll find you, I’ll experience what you have to offer, and if you’re good, I’ll keep coming back and singing your praises. If not… good riddance.
Every weekend, I visit a Toronto café. Sometimes, I’ll go to my “go-to” places, which, surprisingly, isn’t a long list. I do have a shortlist of regular spots—not because they’re extraordinary but because I like the ambiance and they’re convenient.
My absolute favorite spot is Le Conciliabule. They’ve single-handedly set the benchmark for me, and I’ve been chasing down other coffee houses in the city to find anything remotely as good.
Here’s my personal criteria for judging cappuccinos and almond croissants (by the way, if you think they taste the same everywhere you go, you’re kidding yourself. Don’t even joke about something like that. DM me, and I’ll show you. Or better yet, you can take me, and we’ll find out together).
COFFEE HOUSE: LANO at The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
Type: Italian (Norther Italian Inspired - Milano)
My TOP 5 Criteria Rating for Ranking Toronto Coffee Houses:
#1 The Cappuccino
There are two types of cappuccinos: some come out thick, while others come out thin. Both are great—it’s just a matter of preference. Growing up Italian, I prefer the lighter, not-so-heavy version, which depends on the frothing. I always go with oat milk, and let me tell you, not all milks froth the same.
#2 The Bean
The moment I see that your coffee blend is labeled as “suitable for espresso and American coffee,” I’m out. No thanks. That stuff tastes like cardboard. Gross. Sure, it’s cheaper to use an all-purpose bean, but please, that’s not how you make real coffee.If you’re making cappuccinos, you need to use espresso beans—no ifs, ands, or buts. And if you’re wondering why your coffee shop has no traffic, start by changing your beans. There’s no difference between an all-purpose bean and what Tim Hortons serves.
COFFEE HOUSE: Cafe Balem
Type: Portuguese Coffee House
#3 Your Pastries
I get that some coffee houses don’t bake in-house. That’s fine, as long as the pastries are baked fresh earlier that morning and delivered at opening time. That’s the key: baked fresh.
However, I can tell if something was baked from frozen. Once you reheat a frozen pastry, it’s no longer soft and will go stale faster than you can finish it. Plus, it crumbles into pieces.
It’s also important to know the difference between a French baking pastry and an Italian or Portuguese one. French pastries are buttery, while Italian and Portuguese ones are more like bread. It’s all in the fluff and the oil.
In Europe, bakers are blessed with amazing olive oil. In Toronto, many opt for canola oil because it’s cheaper. But far too few know how to choose the right oil, which makes a world of difference—not only for the pastry but for my stomach.
If your croissant leaves a greasy feel on my hands or stains the napkin underneath, you’ve used cheap oil. Pastry chefs who use high-quality, natural olive oil (even extra virgin olive oil) create a far better experience.
For me, pastries must be made in-house. That’s a sign of freshness and quality. If they aren’t, I won’t consider returning. Sorry.
#4 Coffee Served in a Real Cup, Not Paper
Coffee wasn’t meant to be had on the go. It’s meant to be enjoyed sitting down, relaxing, and conversing. That’s why it’s called a coffee house.
Coffee tastes completely different in a porcelain cup versus a paper one. The flavor and heat are preserved better in a cup. Honestly, it should be illegal to serve coffee in a paper cup.
If your café has no seating, I’m not interested. I don’t want what you’re serving.
COFFEE HOUSE: 10 Dean | Elm
Type: English Coffee House
#5 The Design and Ambiance
Not every café needs a theme, but most have one—and it should make sense. I love cafés with stylish designs and great ambiance.
I’m not talking about spaces that look like office lounges for people to work in. I want something unique. It doesn’t have to be modern; a vintage feel works too.
Some Italian cafés in Toronto make me feel like I’m in Italy. The sound of ceramic cups clinking on marble tables, the warm atmosphere—it’s perfect. Portuguese cafés can feel like beachfront surf spots, which I also adore.
To get a 5-star rating from me, ambiance matters. I want to sit and chill in your café, not rush through it.
That concludes my take on how I rank the best coffee houses in Toronto. Be sure to check out my reviews of my favorite spots!
Oh, and one last thing: if your cappuccino and almond croissant don’t make me moan in delight, I won’t be coming back.
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