Contra Café

Cutest Neighborhood Café . A Must-Visit! This is the cutest café in the neighborhood and a true local gem you have to support! Their seasonal coffee options are always fantastic. I recently got their grounded coffee to brew at home, and I'm loving it. Service is good and fast, coffee is always great. Check them out!

A lovely little coffee shop in a beautiful, peaceful area, perfect for starting the day. The coffee is rich and delicious, the baked goods are fresh and flavourful. Prices are reasonable. The cozy patio adds to the charm, making it a great spot to relax or catch up with a friend. Highly recommend!

The atmosphere of this cozy café is warm and welcoming. It’s situated on a quiet street, with a couple of tables outside, good coffee and some great pastries. As a fan of small cafés with character, I really appreciate that. The only reason I’m not giving it five stars is because I don’t think an iced coffee, half-filled, in a small plastic cup without a straw (they should have straws) should cost over $5. Other than that, it’s a lovely spot.

Inviting, laidback setting. Choice of indoor or outdoor tables in sun or shade. You’ll see an abundance of cute dogs out on their walks as well as cyclists in this residential area. Lots of wi-fi, baked goods and tasty coffee. Croissants sold out; eggs cups might be less fresh. The service is good but might be an adjustment because of quiet, subdued manner. Recommended!

Lemon Bichon and cappuccino were my go-to at Contra Cafe when I used to live nearby. I missed them so much but it takes so much time for me to go there from uptown now. Thanks the staff for letting me know when are the Lemon Bichon available so that I won't miss them! Delicious as always. Love them! It made my day💛💛💛 If the store has delivery service, i think i will order a dozen😂

Really great pastry, I ordered an iced dirty chai and didn’t really get any chai flavour but still enjoyed the coffee. The guy at the till didn’t say anything to me at all while I ordered, which I found rude but slightly entertaining - not sure if it’s the culture here or just him having a bad day but I enjoyed pondering about it while sitting outside. I would return xo

Quick and easy grab in the morning. No fuss, no frills. They seem to have a local following with lots of locals carrying their cups, seen in the neighbourhood.

I love this location, it’s quiet (despite the current construction) and the staff here are top notch lovely. The baked goods are really interesting and delicious (cherry brioche didn’t even make it to a picture), the coffee is awesome as to be expected and seating was all over the place including a sweet patio. If you need a change of scenery or a treat, and Contra is nearby…. You know what to do.

I love that they had gluten free friendly options as I just developed an intolerance, and I also love how this cafe is nestled and tucked away in a cute neighbourhood so it's not as busy, but quaint and out of the way from prying eyes. It's great for stopping by and doing work here and if I lived closer to the area I would come here more often. I recommend getting the Magic moon tea and a pistachio cookie. Their desserts are sooo soft without it being dense or heavy, which is great because I've found that most places who fail to do gluten friendly thế correct way tend to have extremely dry desserts. Please give this place a try!

Good coffee, delicious pastries, and lovely decor. Grab a patio spot if you can, those tables are hard to come by! There can sometimes be a long line, the baristas try their best but there can be a 5-10 minute wait at peak times. Also is slightly more pricey compared to some of the other coffee shops.

Ordered a latte and croissant that had turkey, Brie, apples and arugula. So tasty. Latte was good as well the only thing is the vanilla shot didn't taste much like vanilla. Other than that I'd recommend.

If you're a long-time west end resident, you might not even know about Contra because it's tucked away in a sleepy residential neighbourhood between Christie Street and Ossington Avenue, just south of Dupont Street. The quaint café is located in a converted corner house and has an open and minimalist vibe with plenty of exposed brick, black accents and marble. In addition to the shop's stunning design (the owners are architects by trade), the coffee and baked goods are magnificent - especially when they can be enjoyed on the large wrap-around patio. Contra is the definition of fantastic coffee, and it's the type of shop that you want in your 'hood.

Contra Cafe is a local neighbourhood coffee shop located about a 10 min walk from Ossington subway station at the corner of Shaw and Yarmouth. The small cafe is a neighbourhood gem and community meeting spot where many locals visit to get their caffeine fix for the day. The cafe is minimalist on the outside as well as the inside where they serve a variety of beverages, baked goods, and sandwiches. I had been meaning to stop by Contra Cafe for the longest time and was able to visit them recently. Due to pandemic restrictions, the coffee shop is takeout only where they only allow 3 customers inside at a time (of course while wearing masks). I stopped by Contra on a Tuesday late morning and was surprised to see a line outside the door. All the customers were respectful of social distancing and waited their turn to enter the cafe. Once inside, a wide selection of baked goods were presented in a glass case. I opted for an apple Gruyere scone and a flat white with oat milk. Definitely a hard decision as all the baked goods looked delicious. In terms of the items I ordered, the flat white was made well and the apple Gruyere scone was amazing. The combination of the apple and the cheese worked well together with the buttery scone. Overall, great community neighbourhood cafe. Definitely check out their beverages and baked goods if you have a chance to!

Must say that I loved their coffee (ordered a flat white) but also tried their almond croissant and it was just fine. The customer service is very good. They are on top of everything that their customers expects. Very friendly and nice to talk to. Love their patio outside .. there were about 7-8 tables with 1-2 seating each which is quite nice of a sunny day. Otherwise the interiors are modern and classic that fits the current liking.

Such a cute neighbourhood spot but ... thats all I can write in the positive. It's a cozy spot but I wished the drinks matched the atmosphere. It really seems the neighbourhood really embraced the spot as there is a constant flow of elder couples and super young families popping in for a sip and snack before meandering elsewhere. The service here is ok.. nothing special but the drink is not very good. The bean is super strong and heavily oily. Touch on the astringent side... traditional rough cappuccino that feels more about getting caffeine than flavour. I could barely take more than a few sips. Its a clear winner for the neighbourhood but for anyone trekking to this spot to see if the coffee is good. No... please look elsewhere. There are too many other great independent spots that can offer you the coziness without sacrificing your tastebuds

Simple clean cafe in a quiet neighbourhood. Lots of seats inside and out, with one communal table at the back for the larger groups. I ordered an Americano. Pretty delicious. I also ordered a Brie and pear sandwich. The bread was very crusty so it was a bit tough but once you get going and you taste the Brie and pear melt together, it's so delicious. Sandwiches are reasonably priced, around $6-7. I am on crutches so I appreciated the 'mind the gap' ramp and that the door wasn't too heavy to handle on my own. Kids and babies are welcomed, but there isn't much room inside so if you have a larger stroller it's easier to sit outside. Overall a great spot to get work done while enjoying a good cup of coffee. With everyone working away, you will oddly feel motivated.

This is our favorite cafe! I keep coming back for their croissants and iced mocha latte!

Beautiful space, nice tables and the basement smells delicious. Very chill atmosphere with almost exclusively patrons under the age of 35, typing on their laptops or hanging with their newborns. I got - what else? - a matcha latte. It was disappointing, very small in size and as per most matcha lattes, just tasted like milk. However they do use unsweetened matcha powder (unlike Starbucks) and the space is big enough to hang with friends (unlike Crossroad Kafe) so I could see myself returning.

No one eats more than I do. Seriously. I am a fat, fat man, in a little man's body. All I do is eat, then walk to the next restaurant to burn off a couple calories to eat again. I've eaten all over this great city but only started writing reviews now because the Ball & Chain's sister got invited to Yelp Elite and she can't even boil water and only eats where I tell her, so here we go: This is going to sound weird, but I hate coffee and I've never had coffee here BUT the Ball & Chain (read: wife) is a coffee addict. I suspect she drinks it to put up with me. Anyways, she says it's her fav Americano in the city so I'll have to trust her amazing taste (she's married to me after all)

Bad Coffee and Rude Baristas The almond croissant is pretty good, the coffee is not very good quality. Our cups of coffee were made with an excess amount of milk and not filled close to the brim of the cup. The ambiance is not very welcoming, we heard the baristas speak rudely about us. (They could tell we're from out of town and we're staying across the street with friends.) We will not be returning or recommending Contra to any friends or family in the area. Finds us getting coffee on Bloor instead!

Contra - Toronto. Amazing coffee, amazing almond croissant. I didn't like the chai latte though, just for this I give 4

It was a nice surprise to come across this cafe in such a residential neighbourhood. The decor is simple, but inviting. We had a coffee and an Americano. Both were great. I also had a salted chocolate chip cookie that was incredible. Do add a treat into your drink order because they all looked delicious. Reasonably priced, so why not support a local establishment?

Coffee is always served at LITERALLY the most perfect temperature. Perfect to drink. Never get a scorched tongue. Always happy. Never thought I'd find a place with perfect temperature of coffee. Life changing.

Great spot. Cute locale, friendly service, and AMAZING BAKED GOODS! All made in house. The pastry in the quiche is to die for. In terms of coffee: pretty darn good! I've seen some older posts for Contra that trash the coffee, but when I was in today my cappuccino was perfectly made, the bean could be a bit better but it was extremely well made with the espresso they had. The acidity of the bean works well to cut through milk. I'd be interested to have it on its own or in an americano. Check this place out, and definitely get a baked good. So flakey!

For years I've been buying coffee and beans to take home from this place. Since changing ownership the service has become consistently rude, and I don't appreciate being asked to tip for simply purchasing a bag of beans. There are plenty of coffee places around and I've decided to look for another to patronize.

A quiet neighbourhood gem with great coffee and food. Beautiful interior, and a patio in the summer.

Great place. Good breakfast sandwich, coffee, Chelsea bun. Fabulous patio on a quiet street. Hidden gem.

Modern look and feel coffee shop at the former home of the Hub (and a not so nice corner store). Don't live in Toronto but do stop by for a coffee when I am there and they do a great job. Nice atmosphere and food looks good though I have no tried it. Stop by if you are in the hood.

The coffee was mediocre and the staff, specifically the only woman working the cash and making the drinks, was unpleasant to interact with. She seemed bothered to even have customers, and even more irritated that we asked for items that required slightly more than the bare minimum effort to prepare (although, not that much effort was required of her - a regular coffee and a tea, keeping in mind that this is a coffee shop where you add your own milk and sugar at a side station). I'm not asking for Starbucks-levels of smiles or first-name-basis intimacy, but I'm also definitely not going back to a coffee joint that makes me uncomfortable to order.

I have been here many times with my dog since in good weather they have tables and chairs outside and you can enjoy your drink with your dog. In the past year, I have noticed that depending on the barista, my latte can be too cold and too milky so I haven't been back as often. The baked goods are tasty though. If you are looking for a consistent coffee place nearby, I prefer going to Spark Espresso and Fresh Bar. If you are out with your dog, then this place would be more convenient.

Just went here for the first time - must say the coffee is great and decor is beautiful, but the staff (specifically the dark haired girl working at the cash) was snobby and pretentious from the get-go. There was no greeting, didn't ask what we wanted, and no thanks, no smiles whatsoever. Meanwhile was friendly and chatting to other customers she knew. I try to support local and am always on the hunt to seek out neighbourhood cafes and will go out of my way like I did today to give this place a try but I can't support a business who hires staff like this - I'm not sorry that I don't dress like a hipster.

No real complaints other than the lack of much for food options, but the coffee was good, the pastries were great and the service was mostly friendly, although one was a little shy. The aforementioned (from a previous Yelp review) barista is in fact pretty tall! At 6'2", he still had me beat by a few inches for sure. :-p Too bad he's leaving in a few weeks, as their Yelp presence is 50% his height! Hahaah

Cool looking place, great tasting coffee and great service. What else do you need from a cafe tucked in a corner or a residential area.

Great neighbourhood coffee shop on a fairly quiet residential street. Good coffee, friendly staff, bright space, outdoor seating (weather permitting), delicious breakfast sandwiches, and other yummy treats. Prices are pretty reasonable ($1.25 for a good size chocolate chip cookie; $3.75 for a cappuccino - I mean, I guess that's average). Also, the music is usually pretty chill and not jarring or obtrusive.

Love this place. Such an incredibly calming and minimalist aesthetic. Walking distance from my apartment so starting to become a regular there. It is such a hidden gem as it is located at the corner of a couple of quiet streets but it makes it to be the perfect peaceful spot if you chose to sit outside. Was also really excited to see that they sell Blackbird bread!

Cute, minimal cafe with friendly service, lovely food, and excellent tea. The music was pleasant and not too loud, and there was a nice amount of people coming and going without it being too crowded or busy. Worth going out of your way for. The only thing is they do turn the wifi off on the weekends, so not a place to go for a Saturday spent studying.

Nice chill spot right on the Shaw bike lane - it does get busy on the weekend, but it's not too far of a walk to Christie Pits if there is no space to sit down. Pretty friendly baristas in my experience and they make a mean cortado! Love the water station and selection of newspapers and magazines.

Love finding those local spots in the middle (or in this case, on the corner) of a residential neighbourhood. Located at Shaw and Yarmouth, Contra is a great coffee shop with a wrap-around patio and Scandinavian interior design of whitewashed exposed brick, wood tables with retro school chairs, and modern architectural accents like marble and concrete. In addition to coffees and teas, Contra offered delicious looking baked goods (with some vegan and gluten free options), sandwiches and breakfast options like yoghurt with homemade granola.

The barista is very tall but seems like a nice guy. Awesome atmosphere for working, very sunny, and excellent baked goods. My favourite in the area.

Clean, white, modern space on a quiet residential street. Great coffee and scrumptious baked goods. Plenty of seating inside and out.

I love this cafe of minimalism. Excellent coffee and a really cozy but not cramped interior. It's a great place to get some solid work done which I really appreciate. It's on the corner of a residential street and it's such a quaint and unintrusive establishment which I'm really grateful for existing. Hooray for cafe's like Contra.

Nice little place. Full of ridiculous hipsters but that may just be the area. Nice staff. Good coffee. Yummy pastries. If I'm in the area again I'll be back

Toronto is full of espresso bars and cafes, and most talk a better game than they deliver. Contra however has genuinely excellent espresso and milk drinks, and very relaxing simple decor which manages to be both elegant and unpretentious. I'll make an effort to stop by when I am in this neighbourhood, even if I don't have time to sit down and savour the double shot. Their espresso beans are roasted by Social Coffee & Tea Co., who I have ordered form online since trying them here.

Really sweet place. Very clean aesthetic - good environment for getting work done and it's nestled in the middle of a neighbourhood so it feels like such a pleasant find.

My boyfriend were on a very very long sweaty walk and this oasis popped up out of nowhere in front of us. We drank a lot of water and shared a delicious cappuccino. Very cute interior too, and a nice quiet patio to sit in outside. The clientele was friendly and chill. The pastries looked good too although we're on the expensive side, while I thought the 3.50 cappuccino was good. I would definitely come in here again if I was in the area.

Great place to get a few e-mails done and then to avoid doing e-mails. Nice ambience. Cool and quiet clientèle. Pastries above average. Very solid service and they play Cake on a loop.