Green Beanery
June 19th, 2008 | Published in Cafes, Reviews
Shhh…there’s a new joint in the Annex – so new that the two-month-old caffe didn’t have have business cards when I when I visited a month ago.
Walking in the entrance a few days after spotting it teased my aesthetic tastes as I saw minimalist, glass box displays offering a selection of Bodum. Venturing a bit more, I realize this place is big: big because in relation, it has enough space to accommodate the shop, the few pieces of art hanging in the back wall, the spacious crescent counter, a lounge-like sitting area, and a window counter, in a distinctly discrete, yet homey and unified way.
Not deterred by its apparently abandoned state – the one lonely customer scribbling away on his writing pad – I venture to the counter with its short menu. They have pastries in the display glass just below the counter: croissants, muffins, and danishes. I order a latte (Regular $3, Large $4), and happily gave the barrista the toonie and loonie I owed. Espressos were $2 and $2.50, coffee $1.50, and they had their selection of Tetley teas as well.
Getting the small 9oz Bodum double walled Pavina cup (for cup fanatics) a few minutes later changed my mind about the place being cheap, but judgment was suspended until tasting.
Taking a seat at the back corner looking out to Honest Ed’s, I gave it a shot: a little on the strong side; slightly acidic; hot enough to numb the tongue momentarily, but not enough to sue for. I tried again and added, “Definitely has a sour tinge. It’s not the best, but the even $3, comfy chairs, and nice atmosphere has sold me.”
The carnations on every table were real. Since Green Beanery started as a distributor, the cafe gets its beans raw, and roasts on location. Their beans are on the racks too, for anyone interested.
I noted the constant traffic flow throughout my three hour stay. There was a steady stream of ones, twos, and threes walking in to pick up orders or buy cups to-go that infused soft ebbs of voices and movement into the serene quietness. There was a peak consisting of 10 people, comprised of a few individuals reading newspapers by the window and two lively tables. Yet, unlike many cafes that seek the cascade of voices as an ideal atmosphere, the Green Beanery uses its lofty ceilings and well organized space to preserve a quietude backdrop despite the foreground of hyper voices close by.
No, their coffee is not the best, but it’s quite good. For its clean-yet-fun design, quiet and spacious comfort, subdued animation, and relative anonymity, it’s definitely on my list of lounging places.