Bluebird coffee, Micro Coffee Roasting House

261 Dalhousie St.
Ottawa, Ont.
K1N 7E3
Bluebirdcoffee.ca


I wasn't sure if was going to review outside of the Hamilton area, but I was really excited to go to a new coffee shop in Ottawa and was eager to share the shop I did find :). I have to admit other than having the address and general idea of where I was in relation to our hotel, I really don't know where I was. My two sisters and I wandered around the the Byward Market after spending a couple hours skating on the Rideau canal and were all agreed to go into the Bluebird Coffee shop.

My first impression was excitement with the obvious coffee roaster in the corner, cool/hip music and wifi access offered at the cash register. The server was very open in answering my questions and quick to offer advice on coffee, lattes and other beverages. I really enjoyed the ambience, the assortment of beans to purchase that are labeled and roasted in house and the variety of sweeteners and whiteners to put in the fresh brew.

1) coffee- $2 for large 16 onze, $1.85 for small 8/10
2) Roasted locally - in house and by the country of origin 10/10
3) Service- 81/2 /10 Friendly, helpful
4) accessibility- ? Byward Market (is that accessible?)
5) Flavour- 9/10 fresh, bold and sweet
6) Eco-friendly- 10/10 composting, china cups, almond/soy no extra charge, locally roasted
7) Cup size- 9/10
8) food- n/a (made in house, biscotti looked really tasty but not tried)
9) Ambience- 9/10 Great music, fun people, could use more lounge type chairs
10) wifi- 10/10 Free, openly offered at cash :)

*fun atmosphere, downtown location and great music! Definitely a great spot to drink delicious, fresh roasted coffee on your own or in a group 'cause there's lots of room!
*overall 9/10 (I love the independent shops for quality and originality).

Manual Labour Coffee

The traveling espresso bar
Info@manallabourcoffee.com
93 Plains Road West,
Burlington, Ont.
510-410-2149
Twitter- @MLCoffee
Facebook- Manual Labour Coffee

I was looking forward to trying MLC, they have been located at a booth in the Terra Winter Market in Burlington for the last couple weeks. They are amongst a group of local shops selling their wares for the winter months at the garden center on Hwy#5, between Brant and Guelph Line. This funky and cool coffee shop is a traveling coffee trailer normally but set up to sell coffee, freshly roasted by the cup.

I am particularly fond of locally roasted coffee and this was delicious, but they also suggested the bean that would suit my particular way of drinking it. Maggie has her coffee with soy (which was available) so was offered Brazilian beans, I drink coffee with a spot of sugar and got Columbian. I am so pleased, informed and satisfied with some fantastic brew! Coffeetastic!

1) coffee- $2.50 9/10
2) roasted locally- Detour coffee beans in Dundas 9.5/10
3) service- amazing, friendly and informative 9.5/10
4) accessibility- tons of parking at the greenhouse, normally mobile in Burlington and west Hamilton 9/10
5) flavour - Columbian roasted beans, sweet and mellow with full flavour as Detour does 9.5/10
6) Eco-friendly - compostable paper cups 8/10
7) cup size- one size 7/10
8) food - n/a
9) Ambience- super cool servers with tons of coffee expertise 10/10
10) Wifi- no, mobile service makes it impossible

Colombian drip, Brazilian with soy

Mezza Caffe, November 11/12

I had the best experience today at a cafe called Mezza Caffe in Ancaster, Ontario.  It was pretty much the "Valhalla" of coffee lovers.  I was immediately charmed by their slogan, "serious about coffee" because Lordy, Lordy they sure are and so am I :)

As you enter the front doors you will be swept away by the best coffee equipment you can buy, imported from Italy in its finery, shiny and new.  Neil and I went the cafe part and looked at the choices of drinks and treats.  I asked a few questions and settled on cafe americano, and Neil on a latte.  I was really torn about what to accompany my lovely coffee and it was gelato with fruit (came with a glass:).

1) Cafe Americano - $2.95

2) Beans are roasted in Italy - 7/10

3) Service - 9/10

4) accessibility - lots of parking, easily found off #403 or hwy #2

5) Flavour - full body, beautifully roasted and smooth

6) Eco-friendly - soy milk is available (although not today), nice china for drinking in house

7) Cup size- lovely size cup 

8) Food - fresh made sandwiches, frozen gelato from Italy

9) local ingredients - not especially a point 

10) Wiifii? - No

Fresh coffee made is $1.75 for medium, $2.00 for large

1142 Wilson Street W C8&9

Ancaster, Ontario L9G 3K9

www.mezzacaffe.ca