whyilovetoronto: Why I Love Balzac’s: J'aime le café Artisanal, sustainable,

whyilovetoronto: Why I Love Balzac’s: J'aime le café Artisanal, sustainable, local and natural are the four pillars of Ontario coffee brand Balzac, which I recently found out has 13 locations across the province. This makes my quest of visiting Balzac’s more difficult - I am currently eight for 13.  The brand started back when owner Diana Olsen was studying in Paris. Olsen fell in love with the enchanting allure of cafés and how Europeans celebrated coffee. She successfully brought the European/French-style café back to Ontario. Prior to opening her first location in Stratford in 1996, Olsen went to San Francisco to learn the art of coffee roasting.The café is named after celebrated 19 century French novelist Honoré de Balzac who once said, “coffee is a great power in my life.” It is said his works were fuelled by strong black coffee, which he enjoyed multiple cups of throughout the night. (Courtesy of Biography.com)Brining European beauty to OntarioTo great success Olsen has achieved her goal. In my opinion, her brand does celebrate coffee and brings the social traditions of a Paris café. Today, Balzac’s has 13 location in Ontario and sells its coffee at select supermarkets including Loblaw. In terms of locations, I have visited eight. The outstanding locations include: UP Express, Kitchener, Guelph, Kingston and Port Dalhousie. (Distillery District Balzac’s from Pinterest)Here are my highlights from the locations I’ve visited thus far. Distillery District As soon as you walk in to the Distillery District location you are greeted by a stunning chandelier. With exposed brick,greyed walls,  a large mirror, a yellowing clock, balcony and more, the location feels more like an antique store. Liberty Village Working in Liberty Village, I often frequented this location. The venue is a bit more modern with its light fixtures, white walls and brick around the windows. They have exposed air vents and beams giving it an industrial feel, fitting for the area.Ryerson Image ArtsThe most distinct feature are the large windows at this location. The building is located in a modern glass structure, but the decor brings the old time charm of the other locations. It also illustrates how something like a classic coffee shop can be infused with a growing modern city.Toronto Reference LibraryLet’s be honest, this location is perfect. Balzac himself was a writer, so its fitting this location is in the Toronto’s flagship library. Niagara-On-The-Lake Ariel and I biked to Niagara-On-The-Lake one summer and stopped to grab an iced coffee. The location fit perfectly with the area, but the most memorable feature was the seat made out of luggage. For me luggage represent travel, which translate to going to Europe.Market StreetThis was a perfect addition to the revitalized Market Street. With a cobblestone street, the cafés European charm fits perfectly with the oldest area in Toronto. The only downside is it lacks natural light.StratfordThe first location was the most recent one I visited and it was beautiful. Before I knew it was the original location, I noted to Adam how it looked a bit older. However, it is not an insult. On the contrary, the location has aged gracefully. Uptown WaterlooThis location is in the heart of the university town, steps away from the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University. The location is very modern and clean, but has traditional floor of most locations.  -- source link

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