Cafe Culture: Balzac’s, Toronto
Balzac’s Coffee Roasters has two Toronto locations — one in Liberty Village and one in the Distillery District. Both are great spaces that have been around for quite awhile, but it’s the Distillery spot I really dig. It’s in an old building with high ceilings and tons of character. Think exposed brick, wicker chairs, a giant antique looking chandelier, and a staircase to a more private upper seating area. 
And then there’s the coffee, which is rich, bold and always very fresh. Balzac’s uses their own beans, which can be bought for home use, and also offers the usual rundown of espresso-based drinks and a selection of tea from the prestigious Mariage Freres brand from Paris. I’ve never had a bad drink there.
The cafes don’t have Wifi, which I assume is a deliberate choice since the space seems much better suited to reading books than reading iPads.
