Amani Earls – Indie Coffee Passport
We’ve managed to visit a few Indie Coffee Passport stops around the city, but our very very very first one together was at Amani Earls in The Junction. Last month, we opted to walk the hour or so over to the furthest west spot on the Indie Coffee Passport 2013/2014 map on the first day of snow.
It was also a good excuse to go outside, and it seemed like the perfect excuse to go to Pho Huong for vegan pho, and visit Bunner’s on their third anniversary.
If you’ve seen the vegan restaurant/Indie Coffee Passport stop map I put together, it’s only logical that we would visit both of these places with the Amani Earls trip!
Like all of the Indie Coffee Passport participating cafes this year, Amani Earls is a newcomer to the Toronto coffee scene. They opened up in June of last year, and it’s is a cozy, but simple space with lots of large pieces of art on the wall (at least when we went in – there was work by Brice Hall) and some bar style seating at the front, and a collection of tables, benches and chairs in the back. When we walked in, there was one person typing on a computer in the space, and the server – but of course, it was a Decemblizzard, so barely anyone was outside.
They have a variety of the usual cafe coffee options – espressos, Americanos, lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and teas. I noticed they were brewing coffee from Pilot Roasters (formerly known as Te Aro Roasted) as there was a nice wooden Pilot sign leaning against their big shiny Synesso espresso machine – Specifically the Big Bro Espresso Blend of direct trade coffee from Guatamala and Costa Rica.
One the Indie Coffee Passport option they also have a cortado and a honey black listed. A Cortado is an espresso with a small amount of warm milk added. And their honey black, which was described as an espresso with warm milk and a whole bunch of honey (And so, it’s not the vegan option on the menu.)
JC and I just got lattes made with soy milk. They didn’t have any non-paper cups, but I like their stamp job on the one above. There is no extra charge for milk-alternative, and on the day we went in, they were using Natura soy milk, and almond milk from Almond Breeze.
JC ordered an oatmeal peanut butter banana muffin, & they mentioned that they usually have some kind of vegan treat, like a cookie or a muffin on the day we went in, the muffin was from Desmond & Beatrice.
It was nice to check out Amani Earls and it was worth trudging through the snow and wind to give it a try and hang out. It’s really cozy, service was nice, and there is space to work or chat.
Amani Earls Coffee & Tea Bar
3178 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON
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Other Indie Coffee Passport stops we’ve checked out so far: