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6 Black-owned coffee shops in Toronto leaving their mark on the community

Courtesy: Mofer Coffee/ Instagram

If you live in the Greater Toronto Area you’re probably always on the lookout for good coffee shops.

Whether to get your daily fix, find a cozy study space or just to catch up with old friends.

Living in such a big city with immense diversity has made it so that we never have a shortage of delicious food and drinks at our fingertips.

And with coffee shops seemingly on every corner, it’s not hard to lockdown a fan favourite.  

This month, we celebrate Black history and take the time to reflect and appreciate the contributions of those who have shaped our city.

With that, we rounded up a list of six amazing coffee shops across Toronto that have left their mark on the communities they serve:

  1. Mofer Coffee 

With four locations under their belt, Mofer Coffee needs no introduction and is a go-to place for many people across the city.

The best part? You don’t have to travel far to go on your daily coffee run as they have a location on Queen Street, Wellington Street, St-Clair Avenue and Danforth Avenue.

The Ethiopian inspired shop prides itself on serving drinks straight from the birthplace of coffee.   

You can pick from a range of drinks, including espresso coffee, iced lattes, cold brew, mochaccino, organic Japanese matcha latte and steeped and filtered coffee.

2. Congo Coffee

Although currently closed for renovations, Congo Coffee is a must-try in the city.

A first of its kind, this shop located in Cabbagetown is the only place you can get coffee straight from the motherland of Congo. 

“We believe that it’s important to recognize the coffee bean farmers from Congo and their hard work. One of our main values is to sustainably source our coffee beans and ensure that we are always giving back to the global community,” their website reads.

Besides their delicious coffee, Congo Coffee is best known for their beignets that are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Their secret? They allow the dough to rest for two days before dusting it with powdered sugar.

3. Royaltea Coffee

A beloved addition to the East end, Royaltea Coffee is quickly climbing to the top as the go-to spot to score specialty coffee blends and some of the best African arabica beans in the city.

They also get their carefully sourced tea leaves from local farmers in Kericho, Kenya.
Since opening its doors in September 2020, Royaltea Coffee has no doubt become Scarborough’s neighbourhood cafe and is known for its signature pastrami and unique croissants.

4. Loveless Cafe

A meeting place for Toronto’s trendiest people, Loveless Cafe is the place to be for coffee with a side of intrigue. 

Located on the corner of Dundas West, this location shifts from chill coffee shop by day to lively bar by night. Their drink menu ranges from coffee, loose leaf tea, cocktails and draft beer. It is also well known for being affordable.

5. Kaspace Cafe

In the east end, you’ll find KASPACE, which is part cafe, part Jamaican restaurant and part store front in Leslieville, . 

This vegan spot really does have it all.

Whether you’re up for their peppery saltfish or just a premium coffee, this is the place to get it.

6. Buna Coffee

Another ode to Ethiopia, Buna Coffee, located on Queen Street East, hopes to bring a new found love and respect for the East African coffee trade with their combination of Ethiopian coffee culture with third wave espresso. 

All of their coffees are hand roasted using fresh beans daily.

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