macFAB

Rated this place:

600 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M6J 1E3

Fabric store: Great staff. Sarcastic fun. Good selection of zips, buttons, design supplies, notions, and Amy Butler fabric. Head west to Niche for coffee.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• fabric store

The Common

Rated this place:

1071 College Street, Toronto, ON, M6H 1B2

Coffee: Sweet little place with free wireless but more importantly, divine coffee and banana hot-chocolate in the cold months. Just east of Dufferin on College (don't blink, might miss it on south side). Cool owner, great music, minimalist/shabby chic decor, communal atmosphere. Might end up sharing a table. It's a perfect spot to go after hanging out with your urchins at Dufferin Grove or for an intimate meeting with a fellow arts group members. (After which you can wander just east to Marquee Video.)

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• coffee

i deal coffee

Rated this place:

1560 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON, M4L 1E9

Coffee spot: It's a hideaway on Ossington...but there is a wandering free wireless and the coffee is excellent. Good music (contemp Cdn/UK alt/folky when I was there last) and the sun beams in as the day progresses. They appear to have a few muffins on offer...didn't test 'em. Looked nice.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• coffee spot

Cherry Bomb

Rated this place:

67 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON, M6R 2K6

Coffee: The vibe is oh so sweet seventies/ikea/friendly/cool graphics/tight squeeze/fresh-baked and the coffee (espresso, for me) is fresh, free trade, dark, never burned, never bitter, always divine, and with a stupendously perfect crema. Plus they make their own yummy scones, killer pain au chocolate... and the line moves FAST but you can hang out in the window seats. My kids love it, too.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• coffee