Belljar Cafe

The biggest turn-​off at this place is the customer service. It’s tough to get a smile from anyone working here. And while I come here for the coffee and a decent place to read/​work, it wouldn’t hurt to be welcoming to customers — regular or not. I’d visit more often if the attitude was friendlier.

A friend had mentioned that this was a great quiet place to get things done, but she didn’t mention the horrible barista that serves in the afternoon.
Yes, I know that traditional coffees are best served with full fat milk, but the look of disgust when I tried to order a skinny drink was ridiculous. Clearly my first time at the café, but there was no signs of good hospitality/​service.
The spicy Italian sandwich I bought was yum though. Too bad about the service though. Coffee was better than Starbucks, but I’ve had better. Don’t think I’d be back again.

Walked in on a Friday early afternoon It was quiet, calm and they had a sign saying bring your own vinyl Friday’s, how cool ?
But out of no where my friend and I dared to ask the barista for a glass of water. She looked at us with utter disgust and then just pointed to a jar of water with cups near by. Instantly we knew we had to run, but there was no way out. She quickly transformed into a three headed dragon and starred at us, her fresh new pray. We then proceeded to ask for an espresso to distract the dragon. We drank those shots like they we were our last and sprinted towards safety, which was anywhere but there.
So if you do find your self at this establishment, beware of the three headed dragon disguised as a short haired, trendy barista for she will stare into your soul and you will never be the same.

Superb neighbourhood Café. Had brunch at the bar counter while waiting for my car to be serviced a few doors down. Garden Bennie was delicious with flavourful tomato salsa, plenty of spinach and perfectly poached eggs. Side of vegan potato salad instead of the usual fried hash browns or potatoes and bananas and berries in addition to the typical orange slide made for a light satisfying fresh meal. Good coffee, great background music and relaxed ambiance. Would be a frequent visitor if I live around here. Two thumbs up.

Came here for brunch on a Sunday and it definitely surpassed my expectations. I had the breakfast burrito with chorizo and my girlfriend had the huevos roncheros waffle. Both were really flavourful and fresh. The coffee is always amazing. Portion size is pretty big. Love the laid back and friendly atmosphere.

I came here on a Tuesday night. The space itself is really cute, with lots of seating and fun décor. Great music playing. I hear they have shows on some nights and I think that the space would be great for that. My friend and I shared a piece of carrot cake (really good) and a ginger cookie (not so good), and each got a tea. Decent prices and not too loud. They were serving cocktails too and they looked pretty good. Anyways, this was a decent place to get a warm drink.

Great café! Lisa is awesome and there is always something fun happening here. Check out open show Toronto to see work by talented artists. There is also live music here on a regular basis. The patio has some nice red heat lamps to keep you cozy on cool evenings. Good location with lovely people and atmosphere.

One of the best cafes I’ve been to in Toronto, or anywhere for that matter. The coffee is exquisite, the snacks are excellent and there is always something going on there. Seems to be a real culture nurturing ground for local musicians.

The best brewed coffee in the west end! Great muffins, great service. My workout buddies and I go here at 7am when the coffee’s very fresh, but I have brought home a cup to reheat and it’s just as good.

It can’t make up it’s mind as to what it is — but they are a jack of all trades. Great coffee, interesting beers, more than your average fare of pastries and cookies with yogurt, salads, burritos, etcetera.
The patio is beautiful. It’s a little loud if anything but don’t hate, appreciate, dig the vibe.

Great ambience and love the purposeful lack of wifi. It actually makes you productive!
Their peanut butter brownie is delightfully sinful.

PATIO in back and DRINKIES in the evenings! With this new addition, Belljar has it all, for everyone. Let’s go through it:
The voyeurs sip tea at the lovely bar by the window.
Those looking for breeze on their cheeks and a front row seat to the stream of streetcars adjusting up Howard Park Blvd, sit with cappucino in lap on the chairs outside the café.
Readers and recliners curl up with a latte in the sun-​bathed sofa chairs.
Writers and workerbees munch on croissantes at the tables along the wall.
And now, lunchers can enjoy their sandwiches on the sun-​dappled patio, and evening drinkers can revel in every space.
Every reason to go. This little jewel is as good as it gets.

Elegant, comfortable, inspiring. Beautiful and delicious food. Always a smile.

Used to be my favourite, but now closes very early, depending on business — 3 to 5pm. To make matters worse, they close the back half of the place an hour or two before that, leaving only the small front to sit in – not very inviting. Especially when they start mopping the floor with chemicals in that small space they’ve left to sit in the front… and it’s only 2 in the afternoon! When I have been in the front on days like that, numerous people walk by and look like they want to come in, but see the chairs stacked on the tables at the back and decide not to enter — why go into sit for a coffee when it looks like they’re about the close?
They could do with cheaper food options for the morning that are non sweet. Bagels or scones (which are only occasionally there) would do the trick. If you don’t *KNOW* that something’s going to be there, though, you’ll probably just go where you do know what they’ll have.
The coffee is still REALLY good, especially when the owner or the red-​jeans hipster girl is working, but hopefully they will hire staff to try and BUILD a customer base. Or else, just make it like Cherry Bomb and make it clear you’re supposed to buy and leave.
There is no wi-​fi anymore, if you care about that.

Great coffee. Greater people. And love the Ravi soups and simple sandwiches.
So happy that this is in my neighborhood.

Delicious coffee AND friendly service. Often hard-​to-​come-​by in Toronto’s café scene, and these guys get it right. When I lived closer, and was there for coffee on the regular, the baristas would be getting my order ready when I walked in the door, and always with a smile. One of my faves in TO!

Had a delicious, creamy cappuccino here.
Overall the place is fresh and clean and gives off nice vibes. I always like when a café includes a bar area at the front where lots of light comes in, facing the street.
Minus one star for the small size vs. price, but I will definitely be back.

What a lovely little gem! The minimalist retro décor, the warm service, the eclectic tunes, and the tantalizing array of pastries and sandwiches make sipping a cup of warm beverage of your choice on a chilly day liken getting away to a new and far away place that you somehow already know and love.
On the weekday afternoon that I stopped in with a magazine and a couple of hours to kill, Belljar Café was packed. Almost every single seat from the window-​facing stools and small two tops near the naturally lit front section to the cozy and dimmer back section was all taken. There were glowing silver Macs, strollers, newspapers, and chatty tea dates everywhere. Luckily, as my order of a Chai «latte» was up, a seat at a low, round, coffee table opened up. I was soon joined by a couple of gentlemen who were also glad to be able to grab a seat. It was hard to ignore the booming speakers which were right beside my head, but I was glad I didn’t as the owner’s explanation of how it was built to reverberate off of the wooden floors to get that unique sound was fascinating.
The only thing I could wish was different at the Belljar would be a bigger selection of teas. Don’t get me wrong, they have a few and they are of the usual and trusty variety. If you’re a tea drinker though, you’ll know what I mean.

I was thrilled when this adorable café opened in my neighbourhood. The coffee is great, the pastries are fantastic and the service is wonderful.
A great addition to the Dundas West strip!

This café is a little gem squished between a row of ugly convenience stores, auto shops, hardware stores and chicken wing eateries. I visited on a quiet Sunday morning and just grabbed a cup of drip coffee, which was just $ 1.50.The service was fast and very friendly and the coffee was strong and fresh.
The inside is pretty big with plenty of tables and free wifi. There’s a great metal bar that runs across the front window and a few comfortable lounge chairs in the back corner. In additon to coffee drinks, he also has a lot of baked goods and sandwiches. The sandwiches are pre-​made, but looked quite fresh. One of the options was a turkey breast sandwich served on thick muesli loaf for around $ 5 or $ 6. Apparently the baked goods are from a few different bakeries in the area, including omg.
My biggest complaint is the café’s hours. It isn’t open on weeknights, closing at 4 p.m., so, it’s not very convenient if you like an afternoon or evening coffee.