Originally opened in 2007, Manic Coffee underwent renovations in 2016 that reshaped the cafe into a more modern incarnation. Moreover, new food items were added to the menu, such as pastries and ice cream, improving the overall quality of the food.
The 40-seat café is brightly lit with a large window at the front to let in natural light. With Kensington Market, home to a number of coffee shops, Manic Coffee sets itself apart by offering more than its competitors. “With so much competition, the quality and freshness has to stand out,” says Tony. "We [also] do not have Wi-Fi as we would like to keep the café as a conversational and interactional environment.”
If you’re in the mood for some potent cold brew coffee, Manic Coffee offers one of the best in the city that will give you the buzz you’re seeking. Complete with a gelato bar and other classic coffee flavours with creative coffee art, this is definitely one for the list when you’re out there café crawling and looking for something new to try out. Their baked goods and snack treats cater to vegan sensibilities, and yes, you can actually have conversations with your friends in this joint as, praise the lord, there is no wifi to hide behind.
Manic Coffee and Gelato is a community staple at College and Bathurst, where Kensington meets Little Italy. Manic is a warm, welcoming space and with its commitment to remaining WiFi free, customers can be caught engaging in conversation over hand-crafted espresso drinks – especially cortados. With freshly baked pastries and a selection of gelato and sorbet, all made fresh and in-house, Manic beckons from its cozy interior to just sit and stay a while.
Since 2007, this College Street café, just down the street from the University of Toronto, has been serving up some of the greatest lattes North of Queen St. Enjoy the Wi-Fi with a scone, muffin, or even gelato. The space is quiet enough to get in some deep thinking.