Address: 639 Queen Street West
Main Floor of the Burroughes Building
Neighbourhood: Queen West/ Fashion District
(website) @litespressobar
LIT Espresso became the first of the BIG household Toronto names to open their third location. Having successfully launched in early December, it was great to see these guys move into the iconic Burroughes Building and bring charm back to the quickly developing 'hood.
The historic Burroughes Building (est. 1907) acted as a flagship store for King Sol and became the current incarnation after extensive renovations in 2006. Don't be fooled by the ample amounts of furniture that are on display for Design Republic , these guys have taken partnerships to a new level.
Machine:La Marzocco GB5 - 3 Group
Doser: Mazzer Robur with Delta Timer Mod.
Turnover: Heavy Traffic
Beans: Stumptown - Hairbender
(Secret Blend of Latin America, East Africa and Indonesia)
Music: indie hip, rock, and blues
Indie Coffee Passport: NO
Disloyalty Card: Techinically YES
Opening day; new machines, new burrs, new set-up all equated to a sweet shots of espresso, but it also produced one that wasn't living up to the Hairbender status. I'm sure temperature fluctuation and an inconsistent flow affected the shots on my first visit. Since then they've acquired a new grinder and they've seemed to work out the opening week kinks by dialing in and fixing those blurbs.
One let down, is the bursts of cold air every time someone walks into the store and the deliveries from the back area lets in crisp wind. Remember that retail space is a premium within TO, and don't to forget the burgeoning cafe scene means that incorporating a LIT Espresso Bar within an existing space serves both parties.Definitely worth the trip down to pull some sweet shots of Stumptown.
Come for the designs, stay for the coffee.
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