Dark Horse Espresso Bar

I’ve visited this Dark Horse Espresso Bar twice, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite spots for a quiet break. It’s a great place to work or study, they have plenty of tables and even a cozy space at the back that feels a bit more private. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with beautiful chandeliers adding a nice touch of charm. They also have a small market section where you can pick up chips, wine, and other goodies, plus some merchandise. The coffee is high quality, I really enjoy the flavor and consistency here. One area for improvement would be the pastries. It would be nice if they could warm up or toast items like croissants, as that would make them even more enjoyable. That said, the overall food and drink experience is still very good. The staff is kind and professional, some are a bit more serious, but they do make an effort to provide good service. The washroom requires a bit of a “mission” to get to (you’ll need a key and a short walk), but it’s not a big deal once you know the process. Prices are standard for Toronto coffee shops. Cleanliness is generally fine, though sometimes tables take a while to get cleared, especially if people leave without tidying up. Overall, I recommend visiting. I’m giving it 5 stars because the experience is good and consistent, and I hope the small areas for improvement will be considered.

I came to Dark Horse many moons ago and found myself here again this morning. It opens at 7am some days, which makes it one of the better options for early morning. It’s a bright open cafe with big windows and clean, comfortable tables to bust out your laptop and do a few things. Coffee is good and they have a bunch of other stuff for sale too - which I didn’t look at but may be appealing to someone else - such as pastries, sandwiches, snacks, wine and coffee/tea supplies. Also to note, the cashier was very friendly and welcoming.

I have been going to Dark Horse on Spadina for many years now, for about a decade, and as I was seeing recent reviews on decline in the quality of service, I doubted so and told those around me that it is still a good cafe to go. The last few visits were fine, as well, except for the last visit on January 21, after which I will likely not return to the cafe again, and the below is the reason why. I have a ~14lbs dog (not a service dog), and I took him to Dark Horse on Spadina about 2 times before this last visit and sat in and dined. What I do as a non-service dog owner when I visit cafes in Toronto with my dog is first check if there is a sign on the door that explicitly bars animals besides service animals and if not, then ask the staff if they are allowed in (whether it is for take out or sit in, whatever the situation is at that time). The first time I brought my dog to this cafe, I asked the staff, and they said it was fine to bring the dog. In fact, there was another dog when I sat in one of the tables, not sure if this was a service dog or not, but did not have any visible tag of it being a service dog in any event. This time, I ordered food and drink, went to the table to leave my belongings and came down to grab the sandwhich I ordered that was being heated up. Then, a person claiming to be the manager of the cafe who was not there before asked "is that a service dog?" I looked at the barista, looked at her, and said "no," and she asked the same question again for some reason, and I replied "I said no." She proceeded to explain that they are going to be in trouble if a health inspector comes in and sees a dog, so I asked then if she was asking me to leave, and she said no, you already ordered food and what not, but "I am just saying if someone comes and inspects, it will be on us." There was some discussion about how there are indeed cafes that are dog-friendly and you can dine in, and she kept asking if that is true, that sure, for a take out but not for dine in. It was not in her place to doubt me on this point, and what even was the point on disputing this with me in any event? I ended up leaving voluntarily and said, as a lawyer myself, I suggest they have better protocols and signs for the cafe because this could be a ground for dispute for someone who may not want to leave voluntarily, unlike myself. For a manager, I did not find her to communicate well, because what is the point of complaining to a customer that they may be responsible for food safety violations and then still say, as if they are doing the customer a favour, that the customer can stay despite all of what she has already said? I would think it should be either don't say it at all or just tell the customer to leave. I always found the staff to be otherwise attentive and cordial, but if she was indeed a manager, this manager has ruined the reputation of the cafe for me that all other staff there that I had interacted with over the last decade built, so that is unfortunate. Especially now that I am a dog owner, I respect if a cafe is not dog-friendly, then I just go to these places when I am not with my dog, but the way this manager handled things is not the way to communicate their policy to a customer, which was equivocal at best. The attached photo is from Jan 7 when I brought the dog to the cafe and dined in.

Lovely cafe! Lots of space and natural light. They have two levels for sitting. Staff is friendly. Enjoy their coffee and delicious pastries.

Had a long Monday morning and wasn’t able to have breakfast, walking on the street I found Dark Horse just looking for a coffee and quick bite and was greeted by Dua and her energy is amazing. Such a friendly vibe and recommended one of her favourite coffees and pastries. Made my day better, coming back for sure!