Balzac's
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Excellent coffee and great service! I don't usually have a cold drink, but the Maple Latte is out of this world and my new favorite coffee drink. My husband has the hot apple cider and loves it. Looking for many more visits!
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.
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.
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.
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!
The service, ambiance and coffee is amazing. Great location with great vibes. I can see myself starting every morning with a Balzac's coffee.
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.
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.
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.
2 months ago
It was my first visit to this location and it was crowded for noon on Saturday. No surprise really! I was happy to see they still had Farmers Blend which I loved getting at Le Gourmand on Spadina Ave during 2000's. I got a Canadian Maple Latte and it was delicious but a little weak with maple flavour. Good, fast service as they had lots of people working today. I also loved their cup design and logo lettering on the front window! It's fun and classic! read more
Decent coffee at a decent price. Staff are friendly enough and the space is a good size with a little patio for outside enjoyment. The espresso frappe was a little on the "gritty" side and a little overly sweet, not the smooth and balanced frappe I was looking for. Maple latte was basically a regular latte-- the maple flavour was minimal. I had an oat bar and tried my partner's carrot cake; both were fine, not as good as surrounding bakeries. The washrooms are locked by a code so be sure to ask for the code to get in before going out to the hallway. read more
1 year ago
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
3 months ago
Excellent coffee and great service! I don't usually have a cold drink, but the Maple Latte is out of this world and my new favorite coffee drink. My husband has the hot apple cider and loves it. Looking for many more visits! read more
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
11 months ago
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
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
2 years ago
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
1 year ago
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
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
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
3 years ago
3 years ago
Cute coffee shop. Loved the outer layers of the croissant. We had the chocolate croissant. read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
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
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
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
8 years ago
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
7 years ago
11 years ago
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
7 years ago
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
6 years ago
Best flat white! (Lactose free milk) available on ritual! Patio is nice and socially distanced :) read more
8 years ago
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
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
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
10 years ago
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
10 years ago
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
11 years ago
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
7 years ago
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
7 years ago
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
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