THE BIG: The other Canadian coffee shop chain. This one is located right across the street from St. Lawrence Market. Good indoor space inside with some outdoor seating and selection of pastries. Street parking or parking garage available. THE BLACK AND WHITE: I came here in the morning to grab a cup of coffee before work and Balzac's showed up alongside Tim Horton's. I've never tried Balzac's before and was curious. Going inside the store, it's nice and homey inside. I found it funny they renamed the americano to the candiano. At first, I didn't understand but it took me a bit. I got a large coffee to go and it did take a while, which was interesting because all they did was fill a cup with the premade coffee. THE FINAL BAMBOO: A large coffee was around $3, which is pretty affordable. Taste-wise it was alright and nothing too special. read more

Balzac's - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Delicious coffee found here in Toronto. Servers here very friendly and across from Lawrence Market. It was a nice clean environment and very quiet inside. A nice place to just go to do some work or hang out with friends. read more

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This was the first local coffee shop we tried in Toronto! We were visiting the nearby market and decided to try this coffee shop. It was pretty busy, but the line moved fast and I ended up ordering two iced maple lattes and an iced vanilla oat milk latte. My two companions really enjoyed their coffee, personally I didn't think the iced maple latte was the best one I've had but that's just my personal preference. I still enjoyed their coffee. The ambiance was nice despite being very busy on a Saturday there was seating inside and outside. Definitely recommend to anyone visiting Toronto! read more

Time for a warm up. Grabbed an apple caramel latte with oat milk and a hot apple cider. C$14.01 It's the busiest roaster at the market. The apple cider is just barely warm, not hot. They have nice insulated to go cups for us. The Caramel latte was good. read more

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This may be a flawed review because I didn't really try what Balzac's is known for, coffee, but instead tried an iced matcha latte and cafe frappe. The matcha was so bland, watery, and unappetizing. Really had to force myself to drink as much as I can as to not put my money to waste. The cafe frappe was incredibly sweet, too sweet for me. My mom thought it was okay and it helped cool her down from the heat. Service was rude. Guy working the cash register was super impatient. My mom was having trouble paying with her card and he walked away before she could ask for help. When he returned and saw that we still hadn't paid, he sighed and told her what to do. The inside of the shop is pretty cramped with all the seats really close together. Overall, an unpleasant experience and I'm pretty disappointed. read more

Balzac's - Left: Iced Matcha Latte Right: Cafe Frappe - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

After grabbing food at St. Lawrence Market, I was craving some coffee and saw Balzac's right across the street. It's a super cozy spot and really convenient if you're already at the market. When I stepped in, the place was packed--pretty much all the seats were taken by people working or studying on their laptops. The vibe was really laid-back, and the staff at the counter were super friendly. I went for the iced maple latte, which was a nice switch-up from a regular sweetened latte. The maple gives it a different flavor--definitely sweeter than sugar--but it still felt like a healthier option. The drink was good! Not mind-blowing, but if you like a sweeter iced latte, it's worth trying. Overall, it's a great spot to grab a coffee and chill after walking around the market. Definitely worth checking out! read more

Balzac's - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The service, ambiance and coffee is amazing. Great location with great vibes. I can see myself starting every morning with a Balzac's coffee. read more

Balzac's - Salted caramel latte - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I would come here to get a coffee and get away from the bust st Lawrence market. Atmosphere: 5 stars. A very cozy place. People are reading books. Having a conversation. There are a few large desks where people brought laptops and are doing work. There is enough space to sit down. Coffee: (3 stars) The coffee is ok, nothing special. Service: Friendly staff. read more

Balzac's - Capucino and drip coffee $9 - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great coffee and the Almond Croissant was maybe the best croissants I've ever had. Love stopping here before hopping on the UP

While walking in Toronto, my wife and I started craving something to eat -- something sweet and savoury while also feeling light. As we walked back home from St. Lawrence Market, we recalled seeing a coffee shop / café a few days prior, where there seemed to be a steady stream of people going inside to enjoy a cup of coffee and some pastries. When we saw that, we made plans to go visit when we were in the area the next time -- and today was that day. As we went inside, the light and dark contrasting décor and the fresh smell of brewing coffee indicated that we were definitely in the right spot. The counter was lined up with different foods, from pastries, to scones and muffins. We weren't exactly sure what we were craving so we ended up going slightly overboard and ordered a few different items. We ended up getting a chocolate banana muffin ($3.50), a hobbit muffin (because of the cute name -- $3.50), cheese and spinach pastry ($3.50) and a raspberry and pistachio Danish ($3.50). Again, we only went slightly overboard... Since we were in a hurry, we decided to take the treats to-go and warm them up to enjoy in the comforts of our home. The treats definitely hit the spot, and even though we didn't eat them right away at the café, they were still fresh when we had them. Hopefully next time we'll have a bit more time to enjoy the ambiance of the café. read more

Balzac's - Chocolate banana muffin, hobbit muffin, cheese and spinach pastry, raspberry pistachio danish - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Perfect place to grab a coffee as the ambiance is very pleasant. Located in the heart of a busy area but this cafe feels like an escape from the busy surroundings. Seating is limited and it can get busy. They have many options to choose from. I opted to try the matcha and unfortunately wasnt too pleased. The consistency was not to my liking The cappuccino on the other hand was good read more

Nice location right by the Lawerence market to enjoy live music. Asked for a cortado for here to reduce waste, received it in a to go cup none the less. Many outdoor tables were left unbusted. Not sure why all the customers are leaving their trash. But 3 of 4 free tables had tons of trash and cups left behind. Made the atmosphere not so quint. It also was scorching hot and burnt. Meh. read more

Nice coffee shop in the bustle of St. Lawrence Market. It's located right next to it so it gets a lot of traffic but they move quick and have friendly service. We were in and out within just a few minutes! Many people stayed longer but the inside tables felt a little cramped with how popular this spot is! They also have a few pastry items. read more

Cute coffee shop. Loved the outer layers of the croissant. We had the chocolate croissant. read more

Balzac's - White chocolate hazelnut latte, oat cookie latte, and chocolate croissant. - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came here to get some tea, watercolor for a couple of hours and just chill out and recharge my internal batteries. I had the Breakfast Tea which was really good. The price tag here is cheaper than California coffee shops. The staff is super nice and friendly. I would totally come back here if I'm ever in Toronto again. read more

The carelessness was remarkable memorable for me. The barista made coffee like he worked at McDonalds fast food chain! Just poured and poured without skills! read more

Nice coffee shop with a lot of coffee and drink options to choose from! There are always a LOT of people here when we visit, but we seem to find a table despite the busy-ness. We ordered a mocha and rose tea, both "for here", but for some reason, they gave the tea in a paper cup but coffee in a glass cup. Even though we ordered a hot mocha, they gave it in a glass cup, which I thought was cool. The mocha tasted pretty good and the tea was just a regular tea bag tea (although they have unique flavors). We've tried their pastries before too, and they were pretty good. They have vegan and GF options too. They've expanded the coffee shop with the space next to the original place since we last visited, which I think was a good move. read more

Balzac's - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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This location of Balzacs Coffee is very convenient when needing a caffeine fix near St. Lawrence Market. The interior has a stunning tile pattern but is definitely not the largest coffee shop around town. During the weekend, this place gets rather busy and sort of hectic due to the sheer amounts of people that go. So it is a pretty solid place but mostly if you want a to-go/takeaway drink. In terms of the coffee, it's a pretty good brew. If you want a drip or espresso, Balzacs' pretty consistent. If you want dairy free options, they have a good variety here and they all go well with the various coffee beverages. read more

Some of the best drip and espresso in the city. Super cool atmoaphere to meet and chat. You can bring your lunch here and hang out while having their drinks. Try their "Balzacs Blend" for drip Great selection of Gluten free, vegan, sugar free treats to go with their coffee and teas. Officially addicted to their Cashew Cookie Best selection of non-dairy milks for any coffee chain in the city. The staff is always amazing, read more

Great spot for coffee that's close to St. Lawrence Market! This coffee shop is a good place to sit down and chat or do some work. It was our first time here so we took some recommendations from the barista. I decided to get the Oat Milk Cookie Latte (iced). The drink was really sweet, but if you are not a fan of sweet drinks you can get it less sweet. My boyfriend got the Salted Caramel Machiatto. I took a sip of it and it was so much better than the one from Starbucks! There was a perfect amount of expresso in the drink without it being too bitter. I really enjoyed my experience at this coffee shop. I would recommend it to anyone who visits Toronto! read more

Balzac's - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Wanted coffee and some place to kill some time. The staff was friendly and the place is spacey. I think it's a great place to get some work done. (There's WiFi). I can tell there were some regulars around so that's always nice to see. I got an americano and it was made so you can let the barista know how much water you want to add. Which was nice. Flavor was nice and more mellow than I expected which I think is a nice touch. read more

Balzac's - View from my seat. - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Stopped by the st. lawrence antique market on a sunday morning and needed my morning caffeine fix so wandered across the street to Balzacs. The sign saying organic on the door intrigued me and there were a few people on the patio and a couple inside. I ordered a latte and a croissant and my friend ordered a tea and a croissant. They heated up our croissants for us and I decided to get the salted caramel latte. Not only was the latte art gorgeous but my latte was absolutely delicious. The croissant was buttery and delicious. My friend's tea came with a small pot and then the only downside is once you sat down you had to get back up to get sugar/milk for your tea. The place is quite big and has a lot of seating. The service was fast and friendly and the coffee was delicious. I definitely would stop into a Balzac's again! read more

Balzacs Coffee is a popular chain in Toronto and therefore not the best coffee you'll have in Toronto. This location is around the corner from Kensington Market and sells all types of coffee and pastries. I ordered a latte and it took a little longer than normal to make and was just okay. If you need caffeine, it gets the job done, but if you're looking for better coffee go to West Dundas to Cygnet Coffee. read more

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Bery friendly customer service! The people working at this location are very nice. The vibe is really good. Plenty of space to sit and have a cup of coffee and chat. So many people are studying or working on their computers. Saturdays and Sundays are too busy to sit and hang out as people come from all over the city to go to farmer's market and antique market. Although since they have 2 rooms, if you find a place in the 2nd room it is quite enough no matter which day of the week. They have a nice patio during summertime. read more

I visited on a Sunday evening. I ordered a simple rose tea and my date ordered a latte and magic bar. He mentioned that the latte wasn't sweet enough and that's because the syrup congealed at the bottom! It wasn't mixed properly. The staff didn't stir it enough :( The magic bar is coconut based so I didn't like it but that might just be because I don't like coconut. So the boyfriend didn't like what he ordered. On the contrary, my tea was great. I got a tiny tea pot and the tea was pink colored so that's pretty cool. I want to give this place 2.5 stars. I'd probably visit again to try other stuff. I had a good visit. The tables were clean and the staff were friendly enough. There was plenty of seating which is always great. read more

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Best flat white! (Lactose free milk) available on ritual! Patio is nice and socially distanced :) read more

Balzac's - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This Great little coffee shop carries on the Balzacs tradition. Expect great coffee, fresh pastries and that interesting twist that makes it special. The patio is full of mid day sun, and the decor is very classy. Cappuccino's and specialty drinks are expertly made. As for pastries, expect lots of variety... Croissants, Turkish delight, Cookies, Biscotti, they have it all. Perfect for a weekend on the sunny patio. read more

Balzac's - Turkish delight! - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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In my previous review, I never got to order my item because the rude barista had a long conversation with a friend. I solved this issue today by ordering off of Ritual. (Ritual is an app that lets you preorder and pay for items on your phone, and skip any lines or rude servers.) At $5.75 a latte, this place is more expensive than typical chains or even independent roasters. Hard to justify a $6 latte that, really, isnt anything special. At least Bulldog gives me a little tye dye in my $6 rainbow latte. But i did enjoy their peanut crunch treat, at $3.5. Their cookies are $3.85 where other cafes would selll for $2.5 at most. The price is likely due to their location on market street which has failing businesses due to high rent and low traffic (except saturdays). For Balzac's, 3 stars out of 5. For Ritual, a perfect 5 stars! Jimmy's Yelp Ratings Scale for Food: [*] Disappointing. Just...no. [**] Not very good. Will not return. [***] It is what it is. Go enough times and you'll break even on quality. [****] My go-to place. Rarely disappoints. [*****] Everything on menu is good. Every time. read more

Balzac's - Peanut crunch was good. - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A great place to bring your laptop, do some work, and sip on freshly brewed coffee. The atmosphere is great and it's right next to St. Lawrence market. I like to come here on weekdays when it's not so busy. The staff there are great at helping choose a drink from their latte menu. My personal favourite will forever and always be a cappuccino. read more

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We were wandering around the St. Lawrence marketplace to look for some coffee and kept seeing these yellow cups. Finally, we asked someone and they said they got their coffee across the street. Across the street we go... Being the tourists that we are, of course we had to try the maple latte. It was actually pretty good as it was frothy and lightly sweetened. It wasn't overly sugary or had a weird aftertaste. Seems like a good substitute for honey. Overall, it was a great vibe even though it was crowded that morning, but the ambiance and decorations were fun, modern, and classic. read more

Tried the Cafe Canadien and enjoyed it a latte. It was a latte (pun makes sense now) with Maple syrup involved, and has been one of my favorite specialty drinks in Canada so far. Interior was hipster and comfy, great for focused working, dates, meetings, big groups, take out, or just hanging out. Outdoor seating too, if your heart desires some sun. read more

Balzac's - Cafe Canadien..latte with Maple syrup. Pretty dope - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

If you're a Starbucks fan... Please spend your money here instead. Quality of the coffee is x10 better, and the flavors are so much more unique. Bonus for any other mug enthusiasts out there.. I freaking love their mugs. I need to start visiting places just to buy their designated mugs! read more

Balzac's - Salted Carmel latte. No overpowering sweet taste. Lovely. - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Located directly across the street from St. Lawrence Market this Balzacs has a very comfortable and old world feel to it. It makes me feel like I took a time machine to the 40's or something. Besides that they have a selection of glass covered treats and decent coffee selection. The round tables didn't seem to move so there was no rearranging of the furniture but the spacing is comfortable and not cramped. As with many cafes you see people doing some sort of work requiring electronics and such. Along the baseboard of the wall where the bench seating is there are outlets and even USB chargers. read more

Balzac's - Counter - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I have a particular fondness for this Balzac's since it is the first I ever visited. It's a very cute café, with bare brick walls, a long bar, and French tiles on the floor. The coffee is great, the desserts delicious, and it's a pretty good price. I especially like the location. Being next to St. Lawrence Market makes it the perfect place to go before or after your shopping trip. read more

Balzac's - A peanut crunch bar and café Canadien. - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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In the past, I ordered the cafe Frappe from the Ryerson location: i remember it being very frothy/foaming. From this location, my cafe Frappe was very icy, like it was a Tim Hortons ice cap. Don't think this was correct. read more

Balzac's - Cafe Frappe - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great coffee, beautiful setting, but meh service. Robotic, zoned out, and not engaging. If I wanted that, just make your coffee slightly cheaper and self-serve. When I asked for a receipt, I was met with a blank stare. Loved the huge condiments bar though. It was nice that there was that large of a space to dress up my coffee! read more

Balzac's - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Love their cookies and drinks! The sea salt chocolate chip cookies break nicely and go so well with their lattes. They have large tables now for work/studying. Definitely one of my favourite cafes. read more

3.5 The coffee is decent and right next to st lawrence market which is convenient if you want to grab a cup to go and browse the market. However, if you want a coffee shop to sit down and work this is not the place. There are a decent amount of seats but it gets very loud in the cafe. Sound really transmits and people's voices get amplified. I tried going there on a weekend afternoon to read, but was constantly distracted. read more

We have been coming to this location almost every Sunday for 3+ years, and today was the worst service we have ever had. We ordered two cappuccinos, and the barista gave us lattes....WAY too much milk to be considered a cappuccino and flat out refused to make them correctly, trying to explain that the ratio changed because of the size of the cup. In order to help you, I have attached a recipe card that you may find helpful to train with. read more

Balzac's - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

LOVE this location, and balzaks in general. The last time I went I ordered the Parisian chai latte and my taste buds were in heaven. I loved it so much that I had to come back an hour later and buy their kusmi tea (St. Petersburg 125g tin, $22 - a bit pricy but SO worth it if you have time to make it at home). I also recommend their affogato's if it's a hot day and you're in the mood for a treat, and their espressos are always good. Staff: super friendly Interior: always clean Wifi password: balmks4949 If it's a nice day, sit outside on their front patio and enjoy a nice cup of coffee. read more

Balzac's - Parisian chai latte - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario