Masumi K.
Yelp
Dropped into the Summerhill location on a Sunday morning. There was no queue and we were promptly welcomed by the barista, which I appreciated. I was looking forward to enjoying an Americano over a catch up with a friend, and although that aspect of the visit was lovely, I did not enjoy the overall experience of the café.
Though not an issue for purists I'm sure, I take my coffee with cream. Cream is not on offer here. The barista explained that they provide high quality, farm sourced, whole milk only. And though I do not doubt the pedigree of the milk I did not enjoy it in my coffee, hence, I did not enjoy my coffee. We sat in the back of the café and it was cold, both literally and figuratively. The seating was difficult to navigate because of the design and one had to almost climb into it. The table was dirty and full of crumbs. I did not visit the upstairs space or loo. Being only mid-April, the patio area was open but perfunctory.
I did not feel charmed by my experience at Boxcar Social. The aesthetic, apart from the front bar area, was not for me and the lack of cream was also a dealbreaker. A large, decaf Americano and a small flat white came to under $12, with tip, and were served in paper cups, even to drink on premises. That being said, the midtown location is good, just across from Summerhill LCBO, and I am sure there is a demographic that thoroughly enjoys what is on offer at this coffee shop/ bar hybrid. Like much of the city itself this café does not appeal to my sensibilities. It's not you, it's me.