Johan Sebastian Bach wrote cantatas and oratorios to celebrate the glory of God and the wonders of Creation. I wonder, however, what miraculous music the great German composer would have written to celebrate the deliciousness of the Apple Fritter (capital letters intended) at the Paradise Cafe. It is a revelation. I am happy to do a 7 km walk round trip from my house just for a single bite of what is the best apple fritter I’ve ever tasted - and I’ve been on a quest to find the best for years. Get there before 14:00 hours to find one. They go quickly. Still, should you arrive and not find the fritter, try the chocolate brownie, pain au chocolat or the focaccia and take a loaf of their sourdough bread home. Everything they make is the best in its category in Toronto- and maybe the whole of Canada. I want to stress how delicious and authentic the olive or tomato focaccias are; delicious olive oil and just the right dose of salt. Understand that I’m no carbohydrate amateur. I’m from Naples, Italy: home of pizzza and various related baked items; and in Naples breakfast is often a croissant with coffee. So, understand dear reader, that I understand the subject about which I’m deliberating. I am writing this review; because the baker at Paradise Cafe deserves the highest praise, as do the lovely staff who serve them. But I was reluctant to do so: these fritters, croissants, breads and brownies (and then some) are so delicious that I was trying to keep this wonder of carbohydrate excellence all to myself. I realize now that after this review is posted, I will have to leave the house at least two hours earlier to make sure I find my fritter. But in the finest catholic tradition, I was taught to share what is good. And the baker at Paradise - not so accidentally perhaps - is aiming to please divine clients as we as ordinary ones like me. Let’s just say that Dante Alighieri would surely have been a fan.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ian Goff
Great foccacia!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephanie Brandon
The soup was incredible and affordable. The staff are sweet and its clean and beautiful. I love coming here to study and will be back to enjoy more of the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
LauraB
Cafe Paradise offers great service and French bistro-like atmosphere with tasty brunch, lunch dinner in a relaxing, light-filled space. Food is good value. Servers at the cash for takeout and at the table are very pleasant.
Gianluca Brienza
Rude staff I just got up and left. They actually said, "if you don't like it you can always leave" from Elaine the manager so I did. Cause I asked for another table. Glad I did cause the food didn't look all that great
Food: 1
Service: 1
MikaM
Café Paradise is a neighbourhood gem. Not only is the space beautiful but the food and value is exceptional. The baked goods are superb, the menu options are fantastic and the service super friendly. My new fave spot, hands down.
Rafael Alejandro Jiménez Contreras
This cafe is a gem. It is very pretty, has great attention from the staff and is very welcoming. Every time I come to this part of the city I come here. I love it. ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michel Neray
Really relaxed vibe and the friendliest service ever!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gaby Alanes
A beautiful space, but that’s it. The coffee and food is ‘ok’. Their wifi and seating rules make absolutely no sense. It is clear they want to be known as a restaurant and not a cafe. However, they should consider different rules during the week in the middle of the day when the entire restaurant is empty. There was one time I came to eat lunch and I needed to work at the same time. after being seated, I was told if I had a laptop I had to move from my seat to the ‘laptop area’ which was full. Another time I was working in the laptop area and my wifi stopped working after 45 min. I went to buy food and I also asked if something was wrong with the wifi (I didn’t know I had a 45 limit) and I was told during busy hours it’s 45 min limit per person only. This is after I ordered a $25 salad. I had to convince the staff to make an ‘exception’ and provide me with another wifi code.
I've enjoyed breakfast here on two occasions, and each time, the service was very friendly, and the food proved to be delicious. While there are cheaper places for breakfast, I think Cafe Paradise is excellent value.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ronald Tam
Great lunch spot, everything is tasty and reasonably priced. Attentive service and the food menu is bigger than your typical coffee cafe menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Focaccia, Stuffed Mushrooms
Shar Huang
We had the breakfast plates on a Sunday morning. The food was ok but on the pricier side for what we got. The bacon was nice and crispy without being too overdone and brown...though they were on the smaller side Our favourite part was the smashed mini potatoes. We also tried a croissant which seemed freshly baked since it was crispy on the outside, but unfortunately had a strange taste like the batter was in the freezer for too long. The coffee was nice and would have been perfect if it was hotter. Enjoyed the misto but was weaker than expected - ordered a double. Love the fresh, bright, clean space here but could use some real live plants instead of all those plastic plants by the window. The service was okay...a little strange that they'd bring you the breakfast plates but you need to go up and get the baked goods and coffees yourself.Kid-friendliness: They have a kids menu with smaller portions.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
roxy ema
i love this cafe but to the chef: pleaseeeee bring back the quejadas. they were my favorite dessert ever!! slightly lemony and i loveeeeeeed them. (they maybe had glutinous rice flour, sort of mochi like texture)im a baker and i LOVED these, no idea what they were exactly but would love to eat them again
Johan Sebastian Bach wrote cantatas and oratorios to celebrate the glory of God and the wonders of Creation. I wonder, however, what miraculous music the great German composer would have written to celebrate the deliciousness of the Apple Fritter (capital letters intended) at the Paradise Cafe. It is a revelation. I am happy to do a 7 km walk round trip from my house just for a single bite of what is the best apple fritter I’ve ever tasted - and I’ve been on a quest to find the best for years. Get there before 14:00 hours to find one. They go quickly. Still, should you arrive and not find the fritter, try the chocolate brownie, pain au chocolat or the focaccia and take a loaf of their sourdough bread home. Everything they make is the best in its category in Toronto- and maybe the whole of Canada. I want to stress how delicious and authentic the olive or tomato focaccias are; delicious olive oil and just the right dose of salt. Understand that I’m no carbohydrate amateur. I’m from Naples, Italy: home of pizzza and various related baked items; and in Naples breakfast is often a croissant with coffee. So, understand dear reader, that I understand the subject about which I’m deliberating. I am writing this review; because the baker at Paradise Cafe deserves the highest praise, as do the lovely staff who serve them. But I was reluctant to do so: these fritters, croissants, breads and brownies (and then some) are so delicious that I was trying to keep this wonder of carbohydrate excellence all to myself. I realize now that after this review is posted, I will have to leave the house at least two hours earlier to make sure I find my fritter. But in the finest catholic tradition, I was taught to share what is good. And the baker at Paradise - not so accidentally perhaps - is aiming to please divine clients as we as ordinary ones like me. Let’s just say that Dante Alighieri would surely have been a fan.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great foccacia!
Food: 5
Service: 5
The soup was incredible and affordable. The staff are sweet and its clean and beautiful. I love coming here to study and will be back to enjoy more of the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cafe Paradise offers great service and French bistro-like atmosphere with tasty brunch, lunch dinner in a relaxing, light-filled space. Food is good value. Servers at the cash for takeout and at the table are very pleasant.
Rude staff I just got up and left. They actually said, "if you don't like it you can always leave" from Elaine the manager so I did. Cause I asked for another table. Glad I did cause the food didn't look all that great
Food: 1
Service: 1
Café Paradise is a neighbourhood gem. Not only is the space beautiful but the food and value is exceptional. The baked goods are superb, the menu options are fantastic and the service super friendly. My new fave spot, hands down.
This cafe is a gem. It is very pretty, has great attention from the staff and is very welcoming. Every time I come to this part of the city I come here. I love it. ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really relaxed vibe and the friendliest service ever!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A beautiful space, but that’s it. The coffee and food is ‘ok’. Their wifi and seating rules make absolutely no sense. It is clear they want to be known as a restaurant and not a cafe. However, they should consider different rules during the week in the middle of the day when the entire restaurant is empty. There was one time I came to eat lunch and I needed to work at the same time. after being seated, I was told if I had a laptop I had to move from my seat to the ‘laptop area’ which was full. Another time I was working in the laptop area and my wifi stopped working after 45 min. I went to buy food and I also asked if something was wrong with the wifi (I didn’t know I had a 45 limit) and I was told during busy hours it’s 45 min limit per person only. This is after I ordered a $25 salad. I had to convince the staff to make an ‘exception’ and provide me with another wifi code.
Great coffee. Excellent and friendly service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
the interior is so pretty
I've enjoyed breakfast here on two occasions, and each time, the service was very friendly, and the food proved to be delicious. While there are cheaper places for breakfast, I think Cafe Paradise is excellent value.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great lunch spot, everything is tasty and reasonably priced. Attentive service and the food menu is bigger than your typical coffee cafe menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Focaccia, Stuffed Mushrooms
We had the breakfast plates on a Sunday morning. The food was ok but on the pricier side for what we got. The bacon was nice and crispy without being too overdone and brown...though they were on the smaller side Our favourite part was the smashed mini potatoes. We also tried a croissant which seemed freshly baked since it was crispy on the outside, but unfortunately had a strange taste like the batter was in the freezer for too long. The coffee was nice and would have been perfect if it was hotter. Enjoyed the misto but was weaker than expected - ordered a double. Love the fresh, bright, clean space here but could use some real live plants instead of all those plastic plants by the window. The service was okay...a little strange that they'd bring you the breakfast plates but you need to go up and get the baked goods and coffees yourself.Kid-friendliness: They have a kids menu with smaller portions.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
i love this cafe but to the chef: pleaseeeee bring back the quejadas. they were my favorite dessert ever!! slightly lemony and i loveeeeeeed them. (they maybe had glutinous rice flour, sort of mochi like texture)im a baker and i LOVED these, no idea what they were exactly but would love to eat them again
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5