Pit Stop: Louie Craft Coffee on King St.

Finding a great coffee shop around where you work is harder than it seems.  There are a few things to consider if you are looking to become a regular on your breaks.

1) Is the coffee good?
2) Is the staff friendly enough that you'd want to come back?
3) Is the food decent? 
4) Is the atmosphere alright?

Sure, some people will just jog over to the nearest Tims and call it a day, but for the rest of us discerning little worker bees, sometimes a great latte is the difference between a mediocre Wednesday and one that holds promise.   Since my work is located in the heart of Liberty Village, I've been circling around our coffee shops for months like Goldilocks trying to figure out why none of the local cafés met my list's criteria.  One was really friendly but their coffee kind of sucked, the other made great coffee but their staff scowled at you every time you asked for a danish, the third had alright coffee but their atmosphere was so generic you grew bored of sitting there after awhile.  Finally, right as I was about to give up and just start bringing my coffee from home Louie Craft Coffee opened up on King St. at the corner of Fraser.  

Louie Craft Coffee is the kind of place you mention to others when they ask "Where can I get a decent cup of joe around this joint?" It's a shop run by two sisters and named after their dog.  The interior is what I'd describe as minimalist-bistro without being cold.  The door is always wide open (at least in the summer) and inside is a beaut of a coffee machine and the kind of scones and cookies that would make anyone's mouth water.  My personal favourites are the triple chocolate cookie and their bacon scones.  They also have a selection of baguette sandwiches that pass the taste test of someone who is frequently bored by sandwiches. Great bread and ingredients like brie, turkey and apples all help jazz up a basic sandwich.  One of their workers even makes lemonade from scratch, which I've been meaning to try.  Oh, and did I mention that the staff is helpful and friendly?  

So the next time you're in Liberty remember to stop by the coffee shop that starts with the letter L.