Great vegan friendly option, peaceful ambience. Most importantly, unique and tasty dishes.read more

I was looking for a place to do some studying cafe, and I decided to stop by STAE Cafe!…read more STAE Cafe was quite busy when I walked in. There's about 7 or 8 tables available, and I sat down at one of the smaller tables since those were the only ones available. There's QR codes on each table so you can order what you want through your phone. They also deliver your food/drinks to your table. I ordered the blueberry matcha latte, which I was pleasantly surprised about! It had just the right amount of sweetness, and the blueberry flavour pairs so well with the matcha. I'd definitely order it again! There is a 75 minute seating policy. however, I'm not too sure if they strictly enforce that. I did work for about an hour and there were people who came before me that were still there. It is a very busy cafe, so if you can't study in a noisy area, I would recommend bringing noise-cancelling headphones or going to a different cafe. Overall, the cafe has a great aesthetic and a short but quality menu. I'll be back when I'm craving a decent matcha!

A local coffee shop in a Markham plaza with quite an impressive menu, especially on their seasonal…read moredrinks. It was my first time here and i was surprised to see that they also have seating here as well. I was intrigued with their seasonal menu and I'm so glad I checked them out because their drinks were delicious and well rounded in flavour. Opted for their blueberry latte and peach jasmine cloud and both drinks were so delicious! The blueberry latte had a nice subtle blueberry flavour with the coffee. The peach jasmine cloud on the other hand was refreshing but had that savoury cheese foam on the top as well that worked well with the drink pairing. What a great local coffee shop with nicely curated drinks in Markham. Worth checking out for sure.

Cute small cafe in the area with a few tables inside. The staff was nice and answered any questions…read moreI had. They do offer decaf which was nice. We got a hot rose latte and an iced dirty matcha. The rose was subtle and not too sweet which I enjoyed. I thought the dirty matcha was a little too sweet for my liking but it was smooth otherwise. Price tag is a little high but I would come back to try other specialty drinks!

Came here on a Friday evening for dinner. Called ahead to make a reservation and they reserved two…read moretables for us to choose! Service was superb with very friendly servers - so friendly that even my toddler with stranger anxiety liked them and engaged with them! Atmosphere and view were great since it was sitting on Toogood Pond. Inside was really cute too. Tables, chairs, and even the booster were clean. Zero complaints! The only thing is the washroom is the public park washroom so it's not the prettiest and cleanest; there were some bugs and some smell. In terms of the menu, there aren't a lot of choices for pasta but it makes sense since it is a bistro. Ordered the Mortadella & Burrata and Tagliatelle al Ragu. Both were really delicious and the pasta tasted fresh even though we don't know if it's fresh pasta. Had a really good experience here and would definitely come back! This spot is perfect for date nights since there are many small tables and the vibe is just a date night vibe!

There are restaurants that earn their success through great food, relentless hospitality, and years…read moreof hard work. And then there are restaurants that win the geographic lottery. La Fonte sits on one of the most enviable pieces of restaurant real estate in Unionville. Perched beside Toogood Pond, with a patio facing west, it offers the kind of sunset view that would make a mediocre sandwich taste profound. If you're taking an evening stroll around the pond, there is essentially one place to stop, sit, sip a cappuccino, and watch the day disappear. La Fonte knows this. And perhaps that's the problem. On a cool evening, we approached the mostly empty patio with modest ambitions. No elaborate dinner. No special requests. Just coffee, a couple of treats, and a front-row seat to one of the best sunsets in Markham. The greeting? "Do you have a reservation?" No. Reasonable question. What followed was less reasonable. Instead of the traditional hospitality playbook--"Welcome, let me see what I can do"--we were informed they were busy - did I mention the empty patio? And immediately questioned about whether we intended to order food - what does what we intend to order matter if a seat can be made available? We did say we would like a seat on the deck/patio. We explained that it was our first visit and, not being blessed with psychic powers, we had no idea what they served. Snarky attitude in check - with pleasantries exiting the oral interface. A menu was handed to us and we were instructed to step aside and review it. Step aside....???!!!??? As if there were crowds of eager diners stacked ten deep behind us... There was nobody. Not a single soul waiting for a table. No line. No rush. No visible crisis requiring crowd-control measures. Just an oddly defensive interaction taking place on a mostly empty patio overlooking a beautiful pond. The conversation somehow became more absurd from there. Every answer seemed to generate another hurdle, another question, another subtle suggestion that perhaps our presence was creating administrative difficulties. Eventually, we did what any rational person does when hospitality turns into a bureaucratic exercise: we left. The funny part came later. Walking around to the opposite side of Toogood Pond, we could clearly see people casually strolling onto the patio and taking seats. No interrogation. No menu review committee. No apparent examination of intent. Just people walking on past the gatekeeper and sitting down. Which naturally raises the question: Is the secret to dining at La Fonte simply to ignore the front-of-house operation altogether? Not that we'd ever do that. Most of us were raised to believe civility matters. You wait to be seated. You speak politely. You respect the establishment's process. But La Fonte provided a fascinating case study in how that social contract can break down. Because when courtesy is met with indifference, and curiosity is met with suspicion, one begins to wonder whether good manners are simply putting oneself at a competitive disadvantage. The tragedy is that none of this has anything to do with the food. The kitchen may be wonderful. The coffee may be excellent. The patio is unquestionably spectacular. The problem is that the first course served at any restaurant isn't food. It's hospitality. Perhaps what seems to be nepotism at the gates is not the best hiring practice. And on this evening, La Fonte managed to take one of the most beautiful dining locations in Unionville and make it feel strangely unwelcome. That's a remarkable achievement, though probably not the one they were aiming for. Carpe diem, indeed. Just don't expect anyone at the front door to help you seize it. JEERS!!!

Library coffee is a meticulous coffee lab that is dedicated to roasting beans with precision and…read morebalance. That level of care really comes through in the cup; you can taste the depth and intentionality in every sip. I ordered the vanilla bean iced latte, and it was easily one of the best espresso bases I've had in a while. The shot itself was rich and layered: deep, chocolatey, and nutty striking a really nice balance between bitterness and acidity. It finished with a smooth, almost creamy note that made the whole drink incredibly enjoyable. The only downside is the size-to-price ratio. At around CAD $8.50 for what felt like a 10 oz drink, it's definitely on the pricier side for something that goes down this easily. Still, I'd absolutely come back when I'm in the mood for a more premium coffee experience. (Funny note - the barista and I had a small rant together about how people order "iced cappuccino" and macchiato expecting Starbucks milk sugary drink instead of the "proper" shot with dollop of foam. I understand their pain hahah)

The Library Specialty Coffee seems to be highly regarded by Redditors in the area, and I was open…read moreto trying it again after a subpar experience at their downtown location a couple of years ago. My cousin and I arrived shortly after opening on New Year's Eve. The cafe has a small interior with minimal seating, mostly bench seating along the wall with small round coffee tables. Even though there was only one barista working that morning, she was efficient at taking orders and making drinks despite several orders happening at once. We did not feel like we were waiting very long. I ordered a pour-over with the Finca El Paraiso Peach Colombian beans, which use a thermal shock washed process. That was something I had not heard of before. The tasting notes listed nectarine, tropical fruit, and caramel, and it was recommended since I was looking for something more out of the ordinary. I enjoyed the wilder flavor profile, but it was hard to fully appreciate because the coffee tasted overly diluted. The barista mentioned she used a 15g to 250g bean-to-water ratio, which is higher than how I normally enjoy my pour-overs. My cousin ordered a flat white with whole milk that was very creamy with strong espresso notes. We also ordered a matcha latte for my other cousin, which was apparently too creamy. Overall, the beans themselves were good, but the pour-over leaned watery for my personal preference. The bag of beans used for the pour-over was priced at $32, which is only a bit more than double the cost of the pour-over itself. In hindsight, I felt slightly ripped off and should have just bought the beans instead.

Overall rating 4.4/5 (rounded up)…read more Haven't been back to this cafe in a while, and I forgot how much I enjoy their drinks! Their coffee/espresso is solid here (Hatch beans!), so you know you're getting a good drink. I went for their sea salt cheese foam latte (iced), which was a perfect blend of espresso, milk, & slightly sweet, salty, creamy foam. I also appreciate how there is some seating available (high top table by the front windows, bench seating along one side of the store). It's not the best cafe if you want to work or have a long chat, but it's nice that there's the option to sit and relax instead of just taking your drink to go. I wish the prices of their speciality drinks were slightly less expensive though, because $8 for an iced drink (while delicious & pretty) is a lot to spend.

A cute coffee shop in Markham!…read more Hopped in here and loved to see their menu with images that clearly shows you their specialty drinks. I opted for their yuzu matcha latte and iced americano. Both drinks were great and were prepared beautifully. I can't wait to try their jasmine tea latte that is also on their specialty menu item. They have a large bench seating area that is perfect for a quick chit chat/ catch up with friends. Overall, a great spot to check out and I can't wait to be back.

I feel bad giving it the stars I did but I have to be honest that the drinks were not impressive at…read moreall. The staff was so so kind. Nothing but praise for the service. The guy working that day went out of his way to help us like our drinks but it just was too basic for me to see it as worth the price. The matcha was low quality and the iced coffee was something you can easily make at home. It just isn't worth paying for. Lots of space and nice staff but mid drinks Iced mango matcha $5.50, oat milk +.80c Iced caramel macchiato $5.65 - outlets near every table - About 16 seats - 6/10 My oat milk mango matcha tasted a lot like cereal but the matcha mango tasted good

This cafe made a really good study spot on a Thursday afternoon. The staff was nice too and bought…read moreour drinks to our table for us. We got the masala chai tea latte and caramel macchiato, they were both really pretty good! Have a lot of seats and places for you to charge your devices.

We continue to go to this incredible pastry shop whenever the mood strikes. Their creations are…read moresecond to none. The quality and the finish are at an artistic level. And I haven't even begun to talk about the flavors. Their signature dish/pastry is the Mont Blanc. It is highly sought after, and often run out before the afternoon. We made a point of going there yesterday, from my partner's birthday to get some special treats. We were not disappointed. Despite being jampacked, as it often is, there was a good supply of the pastries we sought. New to the mix, is their version of a tiramisu. It is off the charts! The pastry chef is truly an artist. If you wish to try possibly the best pastries in the entire GTA, this is the place to go. The staff are friendly and extremely helpful. It also pays a call ahead to ensure that you can get the products that you're looking for.

Has a lot of variety in pastries, croissants, danishes, chocolates and so much more!…read more Went in on a weekend and the space was crammed so we had to opt for takeout. Tried the hot chocolate and it was okay, not too sweet. Tried the Apple turnover which was a little chewy - should have warmed it up just a little. Also got their custard puff and it tasted really good. I loved how pretty their cakes looked but I didn't want to do a takeout so had to skip it.

First off, just be warned this place is pretty cold inside so if don't like AC, dress warm! I…read moreordered a buckwheat croissant and an iced matcha latte. I prefer my drinks on the sweeter side so I didn't enjoy the matcha and went up to the cashier to pay for another drink, a coffee instead. She kindly switched my drink out for a mocha cold foam iced coffee, but that wasn't sweet enough for me either and the cold foam was more cheese foam so not what I was expecting. If you like your drinks on the less sweet side, this place may be for you. I'd be back to try more pastries, but not a good place for drinks I'd say. It's a nice open space to work or study.

Love this small bakery located in Main Street Markham. It's a very cozy and comfortable spot to…read moredine if you choose to. I've been here a few times and their selection of baked goods is amazing. The staff are friendly and efficient. The filling in their baked goods are really well portioned, and I don't find their sweet pastries too sweet. I've loved every single item I have gotten here! Definitely work checking out.

One of the recent additions to Markham's cafe scene. Has some pretty unique drink options like…read moreespresso matcha latte, pineapple americano etc. interior is super cute but doesn't have a lot of seating. Service is quick and the pineapple americano sparkling drink is very refreshing. Great for summers!

Super cute tiny coffee shop. Lots of coffee and noncoffee drinks to choose from! They also have…read moresnacks and desserts as well. I ordered the large Fancy Matcha Latte, which is made with matcha, espresso, and coconut milk. The regular sugar is not too sweet, which is nice. I did taste the matcha and espresso, but not so much the coconut milk. The drink was decent. For $10 for a drink though, it's definitely on the pricier side for a coffee drink. I also purchased the set of 6 bear macarons. They are so cute! It's $23 for the set, no tax, and you're basically getting one for free since one macaron is $4.5. The macarons came frozen. I would come back and try out the other drinks, especially the non coffee drinks. Their specialty drinks sound good. Staff were really nice and they explained a lot of their menu to me.

Tried this out with friends, and the food and atmosphere were amazing! It was very busy, yet the…read morelayout is not cramped in any way so it didn't bother us so much. There's plenty of games to bring to your table to play too. The menu was very cute! It came in the form of a newspaper, so I thought that was a nice stylistic choice. Lots of variety on food. I got the Rosé Bacon Penne Pasta, which had gochujang in it and it was the perfect level of spice! I've always wanted to try it, and now I'm dying to come back to have this dish again. The only thing I would say is that it's a bit of a small portion for its price, but was still worth it to get.

It seems the business may have changed ownership already with simple renovations done, but it is…read morestill very good in terms of both taste and service. We ordered a few dinners, and each dish was nicely prepared and well presented. The quality of the food remained consistent, and the flavors were enjoyable throughout the meal. The service was also attentive and friendly like before, which added to the overall experience. We really enjoyed our visit and were pleasantly surprised by how well everything was maintained. I would definitely recommend it and would be happy to come back again.