Get it cold and ready at cafés and juice bars, sure, but if you’re one of those caffeine junkies who’s fallen hard for cold brew coffee, here are some unexpected spots you can duck in to for a quick fix or a few bottles to go.
Little known fact about Toronto’s quintessential record store emporium: it also hosts a cold beverage fridge for thirsty shoppers. Browse the aisles and aisles of top-of-the-line vinyl and keep up the energy needed for a marathon shopping session by sipping on the invigorating cold brew coffee, or purchase one on your way out for a post-buy pick-me-up.
This petite Roncesvalles food boutique specializes in made-in-house preserves made from locally sourced ingredients, but it also hosts a revolving selection of hard-to-find one-offs like morel mushrooms from the Northwest Territories and artisan maple syrup. Pick up grocery items like organic milk or a few cheeses from the oh-so-tempting dairy fridge, a bottle of Toronto-made cold brew coffee, or a few loaves of freshly baked bread. This sweet bodega is even open late (until 8 or 9 p.m. depending on the day) for nine-to-fivers picking up some specialty items after a long work day.
This Annex health food store isn’t just a go-to for your favourite organic cooking ingredients and all-natural health and beauty products – it’s also the spot to pick up the trendy coffee-in-a-bottle mocktail. The local team at Two Bears Cold Brew Coffee supplies cold brew to the healthy-minded chain’s Bloor Street and Yonge Street locations, making it easy to pick up a week’s supply the next time you stop in.
Add cold brew coffee to your grocery list and stop in at one of Toronto’s most beloved independent markets, just north of Christie and Bloor. The local- and organic-loving grocer carries some of Toronto’s most mouth-watering food brands, prioritizing local businesses that produce clean eats. Healthy and alternative options like gluten-free baked goods and vegan desserts are also available, as are ethically sourced items like free-range Ontario eggs and free-run poultry and fish.
Junction locals have it pretty good with this natural grocer selling organic, local and alternative food items close by. The medium-sized market on Dundas West has the perfect balance of good selection and small-enough space to avoid the overwhelming feel of big box grocers. Pick up all your Ontario-fresh produce and meat for the week, or stop-in and treat yourself to something special – like a few bottles of cold brew coffee or some speciality Ontario-sourced preserves.
While you’re picking up your weekly stock of specialty flavoured sausages, Ontario steak or fresh-range chicken at this Kensington butchery, don’t overlook the range of unique pantry items that will add a little kick to any dinner or lunch. Cold brew coffee snuggles up to barrel-fermented pickles and spicy rubs and sauces on the shelves of this artisan butcher shop, offering more than a few options for a tasty hostess gift or dinner party upgrade.
This intensely aesthetic boutique on Adelaide is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. The clothing store meets high-end magazine stand meets cannabis culture shop is home to many carefully curated and unique finds, and also hosts a made-for-coffee-connoisseurs café that sells bottles of cold brew coffee and sweet selections from Gloryhole donuts. A street-art–revamped garage door welcomes passersby, as does the front stoop and chic sidewalk patio.