Café Saint Henri

Café Saint Henri is unique and ordinary all at the same time. The garage lamps providing the ambient lighting against the grey walls lead to a familiar, rustic feel, while the wooden pews provide a unique way to sit and enjoy your coffee. There are still plenty of tables to sit and work at, and the quiet indie music in the background leads to a very nice atmosphere for studying and reading. I found myself talking in a hushed voice as to not disturb anyone studying or reading.

Among it’s uniqueness is the coffee itself. In the back they roast their own beans, aptly named “Saint-Henri”; their in-house beans line some shelves for you to purchase, among other hardware like the Aeropress. I tried their Holy Cow espresso bean, which was delicious. Loaded with chocolatey, nutty aromas and a nice and syrupy texture, it was everything I like about espresso. I of course had to try their regular coffee as well, which they offer in regular drip fashion, Aeropress, and Chemex (2 cups). I had a cup of their Kenya brewed with the Aeropress — a personal favourite method, and was pleasantly surprised. The barista warned me that it would have some fruity notes, but to avoid having the same bean twice I went with it anyway. It was actually well-rounded and I enjoyed it.

They offer up some tasty looking treats like cookies, croissants, from a local bakery called Sweet Lee’s (sweetlees.ca). For those looking for something more substantial they also have some vegan burritos. I went for a chocolate cookie with dark and white chocolate chips and was pretty pleased.

To wrap up, I think Saint Henri is a very nice and quiet environment to go read, study or just sit and enjoy some pretty damn good coffee. I wouldn’t necessarily bring a friend or date to chat with, as the noise level doesn’t really promote conversation.

Food and Amenities
Coffee Roast: Saint-Henri
Foods: Pastries, Cookies, Donuts; Burritos
Sitting Space: about 35 spots
Electrical Outlets: yes
WiFi: yes
Points Cards: no