Sharon M.

Intium seems like the offspring of someone who had too many ideas. "I want to open a hair salon! Oh...but people like coffee right? Let's add a cafe! What if people want to sing? Throw in some karaoke!" I had heard a lot about the hair salon/cafe combination, but the karaoke came as a surprise to me. Some friends and I came to the cafe side on a Saturday night (hair salon's closed). It's a cozy space with enough room for 3-4 large groups. The drinks themselves are on the pricey end and I think you're paying for the art on top more than the drink itself. A bunch of us ordered green tea lattes and while delicious, they weren't anything extraordinary. Latte art was on point though. The karaoke wasn't like an actual karaoke place. It's more like they have a giant wall projection and screens with karaoke capabilities. If anyone wants to sing, take a mic and go for it! The servers are very open to it (the other customers' tolerance would depend on your singing ability, I guess). There was another review saying they didn't like that the servers were doing karaoke among themselves. I guess they thought it detracted from the cafe experience. On the contrary, I found this really fun! It's like you're in a giant room with friends and everyone just wants to get their song on. I didn't think it really hurt the service, and it definitely boosted the atmosphere. It really showed that these people enjoyed working there and that translated to some great attitudes. I think the other two groups that were in the cafe at the time actually knew the owners and we were the only random customers. We weren't given inferior treatment because of this though. The servers were all very friendly. At one point, we were encouraged to "not be shy" and my guy friend took this very much to heart, belting out an enthusiastic manly rendition of "Let It Go". Surprisingly, everyone was still nice to us after the singing! I think that in itself, warrants repeat visits. (51/100) - 2016

Cindy L.

Finally made it to Initium to try out their cotton candy latte... only to be told that they don't offer that anymore! Guess it will be something I will need to DIY at future parties... I was really looking forward to it! Green Tea Latte - I know reviews below said it was amazing... but for me I would want it in a larger size and with more green tea flavour. I did appreciate that not-overly-sweetness of the drink. Also loved the latte art shapes we got. Origami heart and unicorn Green Tea Mille Crepe Cake - lacked flavour, but I did like the blueberries, chocolate and graham crackers (even better if it was the smashed up kind - the ones served were of the thin dust-like kind. Signature Initium Toast - tasty and flavourful (just a bit harder than expected), but great flavour with stuffed ham, and topped with cheese, bacon bits, onion, and seaweed! Yum! We used the yelp discount 10% which helped but it still came to $31 for 2 people, and for a snack break, it seemed a bit overpriced. For the same price elsewhere, I got a sandwich, side soup and small (individual portioned) cake. Ambience - it was nice that I didn't really smell the salon (until I got to the washroom area). Seating is a bit limited but it was a cozy comfortable cool vibe. Service - it was good! No issues. They were chill about us taking a bunch of photos and we didn't feel rushed. It wasn't busy at the time we dined, but overall staff seems pretty chill and relaxed. Overall, a good place to try out if you haven't been there yet. And a good place to go back when I am craving that toast again! :)

Kathleen W.

Location was a bit difficult to find if you are not familiar with the area. I find that this is a unique concept where you can wait for your friends to have their hair done while you enjoy some coffee and snacks. I'm not sure if there is a HUGE sanitary issue (I kept on thinking that hair would fly everywhere and it would smell like hair dye), but the cafe location was really clean. The service was great - they were a bit understaffed with only one barista but she was amazing! She recommended the matcha latte and was able to make it with soy milk! It was pretty good. On the other hand, I tried their ham and cheese croissant and everything tasted like they got it from Costco. I can guarantee the potato salad which was on the dish was from Costco. Overall, the food was really basic, wasn't terrible but you can honestly make it at home for less than $5. I'll be going back for the cute drinks and latte art :)!

Tiffany Y.

Came here for the first time on a Saturday for afternoon tea with a friend. We were seated in the cafe area where there were a few tables lined along a wall with sofa seats. My friend sat on a chair while I sat on the sofa. The tables were a bit too low in proportion to the height of the chairs so it was a bit uncomfortable. I ordered the Green Tea Latte that came with a minion design on it along with the Initium Signature Toast. The latte had a strong matcha flavour with a very smooth layer of froth on top. The latte design was a little faint but the overall taste was great. The toast is a bit heavy and filling so make sure you are hungry before ordering it. It was fully stuffed with smoked ham, a sunny side egg, bacon bits, onion and lots of cheese. It was definitely more like a brunch item than a snack. I'll definitely be back to try a few other drinks from their coffee menu. A little tip on getting to the cafe safely: If you're coming from the north on Woodbine Avenue, turn into Yorktech Drive and then into Bodrington Court to get to the plaza where the cafe is located. Otherwise, you'd be making a very dangerous and illegal left turn on Woodbine into the plaza.

Dorothy N.

So shocked when the bill came out, $17 CAD with tip (I'm American) for two custom print lattes, and a pistachio cheesecake. That for me is super reasonable. I was amazed at how smooth their green tea latte was, some places make it kind of chalky. The cheesecake was also beautiful and not too sweet. I love the rosemary and honey they decorated with. My friend and I were both pretty excited about our drinks. The laser print turned out very well and it is definitely a fun quirk that you don't find often. We were both working on something and it was obvious they were good at picking up social cues because they didn't bother us at all but as soon as we needed someone almost immediately a waitress helped us. Came in around 1 pm and it was just us and a couple more people but super quiet and peaceful.

Irene T.

Lovely place for an afternoon study session or a quite evening with the boyfriend. It is attached to a salon which makes it super convenient for the SO to sit and enjoy a cuppa while the missus gets her hair cut (or vice versa). Came by Friday evening and ordered a cotton candy latte and a black sesame latte. I really enjoyed both their drinks and their presentation. The atmosphere was also quite lovely and relaxing and the staff was very nice, friendly and patient with me as I couldn't decide what I wanted. Would definitely return.

Amy Z.

This has become my new favourite place to work and I'm ALWAYS here during the daytime (if you're ever looking for me). This is the cutest place in markham for a cute latte! Their lattes are actually strong - this is coming from a starbucks barista (me) who's seen her fair share of good espresso, a nicely made cappucino and just about everything else they offer. Why would I come here for their green tea latte when I get a discount at starbucks? BECAUSE IT'S AMAZING. The matcha is just right, and has a bitter taste just as authentic matcha powder should. Another super cool thing is that they now have a coffee printer and if you download the app 'coffee ripples', they'll print whatever you want on your coffee - even your selfie, you narcissistic bastard. Lol jk, but the coffee printer is the best thing ever. They can also hand-draw your latte art .. if Alexias is in (cool af tatted up mixed girl), ask for her to do some cool stuff on your latte and she will blow your mind. Their cotton candy is amazing - they hand spin each single one and it's definitely NOT store bought .. have you tasted store bought cotton candy? It does not have the same texture as initium's cotton candy does. Not being a fan of sweets, I still LOVE their cotton candy. Ps. where can you get such unique flavours of store bought cotton candy?? I like the maple flavour because it legit tastes like maple syrup. Sugar rush, omg. Pps. they have a secret flavour of cotton candy.. if you're nice, they might give it to you ;) Staff are amazingly friendly, all the time and I la la looooove them all. Owners are great people. On the weekends, they often stay after hours for karaoke + more fun. Also!! Cool slashie much?! Half hair salon, half cafe? Lattes while waiting for your hair to dry? Yassss. I have an appointment with KK in two weeks because I'm tired of doing my own hair - if you know me, you know I NEVER let anyone else touch my hair. Their stylists are all so cool and have their own style, which I love. Oh, oh oh! AND ALCOHOL IS CHEAP AF HERE. I'm not kidding. Stella is under $7. WOW.

Katie C.

+ 0.5 stars for good service Initium is an interesting place - upon entering, you'll find their hair salon on the right side and their cafe/restaurant/bar on the left side. I came on a weekend afternoon and ordered their green tea latte as well as a green tea crepe cake. They specialize in latte art here, but note that they charge an additional ~$2 for customization. Basically you download an app and upload a picture that you would like printed on your latte. I decided not to pay the extra fee, and ended up with a cute Pusheen cat on my latte (thanks to the barista!). Would recommend getting a hot drink for the cuteness and instagram-worthiness. Both the latte and crepe cake tasted good. They have outlets and a solid wifi connection. However, the only things that would deter me from staying long here are the strong chemical smells coming from the hair salon (it'd be nice if there was more separation) and the loud music blasting the entire time (may be dependent on the workers' moods that day).

Vivian D.

I've been here about three times and certainly getting addicted to this place. The first time I was drawn to this place, the cotton candy was the selling point for me. Cotton candy flavours of vanilla, blueberry, grape and etc can be added on top of any drink and what is not to love about that! Whatever you want in terms of latte art, this place will challenge themselves and do it. Now, they've really outdone themselves and added the coffee ripples feature. By simply downloading the Coffee Ripples app free for android and apple, YOU can now create your own coffee art! Though they are still in the baby phases of the feature to sort out all kinks, it is TOTALLY RAD! Of course when sharing the picture with my friends they all thought it was photoshopped but that's to show how amazing the feature is! Either upload an old picture or take a pic on your smartphone right then and there! They are the only place in Canada to have this concept so far. This place is located right next to initium salon and has free wifi, large projector tv's, board games and even hosts painting events! What is there not to love! I also can't thank the staff enough for all their shared knowledge and friendliness throughout every visit. Extremely genuine people. In the words of my father, "you better not get addicted." It's too late father, it's too late.

Jackie Hk G.

It is a pretty unique concept, they have café style food and drinks. Next to the café lounge in the same building they have a salon. The salon there is on the pricy side, and you must have a booking before going, and I believe their style is more towards modern Asian hair style. The lounge is pretty small, I think it has a capacity around 20-30 people max. Nice place for a mini gathering, and catching up with friends. The drinks were good, they do coffee art, you can ask for certain design and they will try to make it for you. The snack and food there is also pretty good, but expect it to be a smaller portion. Overall, I had a great experience at this place with my friends. The salon is pretty expensive, considering the full service you get for the price. I can go elsewhere and pay for the same amount and get a better service. Service: 4/5 Food: 3/5 Drinks: 4/5 Environment: 3/5 Overall: 3.5/5

Arlene B.

What do you get when you mix a salon, a cafe, and lounge? You get Initium. Ryan (one of the owners?) explained that for those visiting the salon who need to pass the time while colouring or perming hair, they need a place to hang out. These days social media has lots of people coming to Initium for the latte art and cotton candy lattes. We came on a weekday afternoon and ordered 4 different lattes/mochas: green tea latte with soy milk, toasted marshmallow latte with lactose free milk, panda mocha (containing white and dark chocolate) with almond milk, and black sesame latte. We had hoped to try out their millecrepe cakes but they were all out of cakes. We ordered a Canadian naan pizza to share. Initium just started using a fancy new latte art printer so for a limited time latte art is free. You can even get your company logo or picture printed on your latte using the coffee ripples app. Eventually I'm told they will charge a small fee for latte art. I like that the lattes and mochas were not too sweet. They have great microfoam which made the latte drinking experience better and allowed the latte art image to be preserved longer. Hubby ordered the black sesame latte but isn't a huge coffee drinker. We learned it is possible to order a black sesame steamer (not on menu). It is also possible to customize sugar level. Initium is a cool place to hang out or perhaps get a bit of work done. They have free wifi. They also have a number of tv screens (at the time of our visit dialed on to CP24). Extra 0.5 star for great service and friendly staff :) (88/100)

Chris C.

Cool idea with the salon/cafe in one single store front. You don't have to get your hair done just to have a drink here. The salon is separated enough so you really don't have to watch people get their hair cut. On the cafe side there are TV's for watching sports but its not really a large area and probably only seats about 20-30 people max. The menu is small with some drinks, snacks/desserts and even full meals. Because of my sweet tooth I was really excited to come here after seeing all those cotton candy espresso pictures being posted. When I looked at the menu there was no mention of cotton candy. After asking the waitress I was told its not on the menu but can be ordered. (So how did people find out about the cotton candy espresso in the first place?). Anyway, we were told that you can add cotton candy to pretty much any caffeinated drink on the menu. Caramel Macchiato (hot) $5.25 + $2.70 for cotton candy wrapped around your cup for a grand total of $7.95 before tax. (Yikes!) The presentation was really nice with the cotton candy wrapped around your cup and the shot glass on the side with the espresso. The drink was done right and tasted great. Toasted marshmallow mocha (hot) $5.25 +$2.70 for cotton candy. $7.95 before tax (Double Yikes!!) Tasted slightly sweater than the above drink with the marshmallows and tasted just as good. We also got a croissant for $3. Nice and flaky. We would have ordered more but they told us before we ordered that all desserts were out of stock except the matcha crepe. I was going to order it but after seeing it was $12.95 I had to decline. Wow this review made me sound so cheap but I'm really not....lol Its a nice place overall but I find the prices a bit high. Don't forget to get the 10% off Yelp check-in offer. You also get 15% off on your next visit if you shown them your receipt.

Anh T.

Ok so I didn't come here for the haircut, I came here just for the cotton candy latte and their latte art. It's interesting at how they designed the space as connected next door is a hair salon so customers can wait for their appointments while drinking some latte. However, I hate to say this but I didn't like either of the lattes I ordered. Sure the drinks looked nice, but that's pretty much it. -BayMax Latte: It's just a regular latte with Bay Max latte art-ish. The latte itself is OK, I have had better in downtown coffee shops. You can ask the barista to customize other latte art design if you like. -Cotton Candy Latte (pina colada flavored cotton candy) Not sure if I got a wrong order or maybe the menu had it wrong, this was not a latte lol. It's essentially cotton candy put on top of a cup filled with just espresso.. The cotton candy itself is store-bought. No, don't tell me that it's fresh, just don't. The cotton candy was extremely sticky and very sweet. I even saw the staff took the candy out of a plastic box that is similar to the one I saw in Metro. It didn't taste like pina colada either. They gave us another one which was the maple syrup flavored cotton candy, and it was good but too sweet.