The Elm Cafe

Very very lovely experience at the Elm Café! I arrived close to closing, but I was still served with kindness. The chai latte with oat milk was delicious! Highly recommend stopping by!

When I was planning my trip to Kingston, I saw a lot of videos and read blogs. Everyone had mentioned this cafe as a must-visit. Surprisingly, our AirBnB was just across the street from this cafe. This cafe delivered everything. From authentic and cute interiors to delish coffee to the incredible food, it was amazing. You might not notice it from the outside but please please do visit it if you are there! The tables are compact and it feels like all of you are sitting together which I loved by the way. Their chicken sandwich and Falafel wrap blew my mind. So fresh, so full of flavours. I cannot get over it anytime soon and I am definitely going back. The barista was so sweet and nice and she let us film her while brewing the coffee. We were recording our YouTube vlog.

Gorgeous little cafe, delicious fresh food and coffee. Small place but doesn’t feel crowded even with people there. Portion sizes are perfect for a quick and light bite to eat, are kind, friendly and knowledgeable, eager to share their favourite drink recommendations!!! A must visit in the downtown area 🧡

Cute little coffee shop, limited seating but on a nice day there is a patio in the back with more seating. Good strong coffee and they have sandwiches there you can request to heat up. Beers in the fridge and some pastries available.

Small and charming spot located just outside the downtown hub. Great spot for a light bite and a large coffee, also quiet enough to study in but not a lot of seating so get there early if that's your plan! Service was excellent, definitely a go-to for locals.

I come here every week on my way to the dog park, order the same things every time.. the staff are always friendly and hard working, they remember my name and the product is constantly excellent. Would come here everyday if it was closer. Love Elm Cafe, love Pilot coffee!

Very nice Cafe! Picked up several times coffee and some croissants there. Would definitely come again.

Warm and delicious comes to mind. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming with delicious breakfast sandwiches, hot chocolate and cookies. The super efficient and friendly owner took a moment to pose with my Florida's school's travelling bumblebee. Our theme is Growing together to bee better. There were some regulars, also teachers, and they got into the whole theme too!! Even patrons are bee Utiful. We will definitely Bee back.

Checked out Elm Cafe, as recommended by a local. Definitely a cute cafe, right on Montreal Street. Loved the lavender latte with almond milk. Also tried the hazelnut chocolate croissant. Both were decent for a quick snack and drink. The outdoor patio is lovely with the vines and a few small tables. However the air conditioner (or some other type of machine) is quite loud, which impacts the ambiance. Would definitely pop by again!

Beautiful hidden gem, cheap delicious desserts and baked goods, a mean iced chai latte! will be coming back!!

Warm and delicious comes to mind. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming with delicious breakfast sandwiches, hot chocolate and cookies. The super efficient and friendly owner took a moment to pose with my Florida's school's travelling bumblebee. Our theme is Growing together to bee better. There were some regulars, also teachers, and they got into the whole theme too!! Even patrons are bee Utiful. We will definitely Bee back.

Really good coffee, cool vibes, bad location. This area of Kingston is kinda sketchy, but definitely worth visiting for this cafe. They use pilot roasters which is delectable and although we didn't sample any, the baked goods looked fire. Would return.

First impression; friendly, clean, decorative, good coffee, with no line up, and a few young people sitting by themselves and reading. A local place which I enjoyed supporting.

This is a cafe with great coffee, great food and great atmosphere. Highlight for me are the sandwiches: whether for breakfast or lunch, they do not disappoint. Don't forget to get an egg on that BLT!

So... I heard about The Elm Cafe from a friend when we were discussing spots outside of the downtown strip that would have less traffic than everywhere on Princess, so I wandered over today. The walk along Rideau was gorgeous, I happily enjoyed the sunshiney view, the warm breeze and old homes, before cutting up and over to Montreal Street. It was such a nice walk that I thought to myself-- "I'm going to do this every day!"... YES I was ready to LOVE this spot! As I approached, I was struck by how cute this business is, in an otherwise bland little stretch of town. When I stepped inside, I was stuck by how clean, bright and appealing the space is. There are 7 tables inside (one of which is mini!) and a couch, a wingback chair, and a low-trunk table. Unfortunately for me, there were people occupying every table... 3 couples and the rest solos... A lovely guy heard me asking if there were any extra chairs or tables in the back (I thought maybe it looked like there was a back patio, but there wasn't...)... and he offered me his table, saying that he was heading out. YAY, I thought, I got a table! I chose a coffee and a butternut squash sandwich, as per the girl's sweet recommendation, and was pumped to sit down and do some reading and enjoy a late brunch. After paying, a table in the back had opened up, so I snagged it instead because I knew I'd prefer a quiet spot vs a table in the midst of other peoples' conversations. Coffee was good enough. Nothing special. Tasty. Sandwich was gross. I'm really not hard to please when it comes to food. I just love food, and that is that. Haha. But these guys are pre-made, put in the fridge and then transferred to a plate. Unfortunately, big cold chunks of slightly mushy squash is not my thing and the bread was chewy because it was cold. A couple of wilty pieces of arugula. It was akin to having a refridgerated with a cold chunky butternut squash soup smushed into the middle. Gag. After trying one bite, the optimist in me figured I'd ask for it warmed up or grilled, because I figured it would be delicious if done right. Sadly, I was informed they don't do that... I ate half, drank my cuppa coffee and left in search of something palatable. Overall: Great look, inside and outside. Not much seating, real chance you won't get a seat. If you've walked from downtown, this could be a disappointment. Also, the manager or owner on duty took up an entire table with a laptop, and then was just up chatting with the server girl the whole time. Maybe if customers need a spot, this could be offered? Baked goods look really tasty. Coffee was fine. FYI...No decaf and no matcha tea on the menu. Sandwiches cannot be grilled or warmed up. Be careful what you order! Ha. Service was fine, owner and girl both called out wishing me a nice day once I was out the door. I personally won't be going back, but maybe you'll have a better experience than I did. It's always nice to support local little spots, and I guess this one is worth a try-- maybe just don't set your expectations as high and happy as mine were!

Great coffee (they use Pilot) prepared well. Small selection of baked goods made in-house, and delicious sandwiches. I'm told they have nice soups, which I'll try when it's not 30°C out. The space is nicely appointed, welcoming, and immaculate. Seriously, this is the coffee place we've been waiting for in Kingston, made by people who know what they're doing. If you're in the Inner Harbour, this is your place. For those who live elsewhere, make the (short) trip.

Beautiful decor showcasing local artwork. Food and drinks are amazing and made fresh to order. Staff is friendly and helpful. Will definitely recommend.

The coffee surprised me how good it was! I've had Pilot coffee many times before, but they brew it a bit stronger here so it's more flavorful! Brewed coffee and Americano so good! Cute little cafe with friendly staff and chill vibe :)

Love this Cafe!! They have amazing coffee and homemade sandwiches and treats, the owner is always there too greet you with a smile, its really clean and cozy and its located away from crowded princess street, this is my husband and mine go too Cafe in Kingston

One of the things I miss most since I moved from Toronto to Kingston are decent cafes. Since the Goat closed there is nowhere with any personality or decent coffee. Now, thank goodness, there is the Elm which has both, plus great owners and staff. The baked goods are moist and tasty and the sandwiches are excellent. It's true you might not always get a table but that's because it's such a popular spot!

So happy that this local cafe is finally open! Had a great latte on opening day and a quick look at the food offerings- all of which looked delicious and feature ingredients from nearby producers. The interior is bright and welcoming with some very good original paintings and works by Kingston artists. Kudos to the owners for making the decision to open a business a little bit outside the typical downtown core- but in a location that will quickly become a neighbourhood hotspot for all the right reasons.