Second Cup

I realize this place is small, but I’ve still managed to rack up many study hours at this location. The comfy chairs and fire place are really cozy during the winter days, and the window seats are nice during the summer to sit and people watch while enjoying an iced coffee. They have a few patio seats outside as well, more than the normal one or two at other small coffee spots. The food is good here, and by food I mean squares and cookies. What I like most about this coffee shop is the convenient bike parking right by the front door. When I lived close by this was my spot

Let’s set some expectations: this is not a large coffee shop. There isn’t much seating and some of it can be a bit on the cramped side. I suspect they wouldn’t survive without their «to go» business.
That said, it’s a great space. Warm, cozy, and inviting. A good space to have a meeting or a small group conversation. I wouldn’t suggest it for larger groups but it might be good for a coffee date.
Staff are very friendly. Options are good. Food selection is a bit more limited than I might like but the stuff that they do have is good. Prices are reasonable (as far as cafes go…).

First thing’s first, I worked five years at the now closed Spring Garden Road Second Cup (which was why I never reviewed it even though I was the duke there since forever…) so I know a thing or two about Second Cups and what to look for.
Even though I’ve moved on, I’m still very much a fan of the company and try to go there when I can. Luckily, the Quinpool location isn’t *too far* out of my way and I sometimes come by here.
Unfortunately, I do still consider it off the beaten track for me (as I live in the north end and work downtown) so if I come here, I have to be prepared to have a back-​up planned nearby or be willing to continue walking to find somewhere else downtown. This is because this location is quite small and more often than not is full. When I go to a café, I typically go to read for a bit.
When there is space, it usually works out for me. They have a 90-​minute limit sign posted in-​store, which I understand why but having such a sign posted feels unnecessarily aggressive to me. (for clarification, my stay at a café is usually an hour. I get antsy quite easily.)
Needless to say, the service is typically grand and the products, which I am all too familiar with, are swell. My only qualm is that they don’t have either Chillate or Icepresso in the Winter (both of which are two types of blended ice coffee drinks — I know, I know. It’s winter but they’re my preference). While the Frozen Hot Chocolate is a more-​than-​suitable replacement, sometimes I want a blended coffee beverage. Most Second Cups will usually have at least one of the two…

A sign at the counter indicates that it is official Second Cup policy to charge a customer $ 1 for a glass of water.
It is my official policy not to frequent businesses that charge a dollar for a glass of water.
(I can understand their charging a dollar for a cup of hot water or other requests, but really, a dollar to for a cup of water to accompany my coffee and muffin???)

Smaller than my regular Second Cup hang out on Spring Garden I really like this little corner coffee hang out.
There isn’t anything WOW, BOOM, KAPOW about the physical location (though the people watching opportunity is pretty good no matter where you’re sitting).
So why does this place get four stars?
I’ve only ever had exceptional customer service from here. Seriously, every time I’ve gone in there the people working make me feel like they actually want to help me. And while it seems that serving someone a cup of coffee shouldn’t be too difficult I actually want to engage in conversation with these guys cause they just look really happy to be there.
You don’t see that too often in a place where you’re going to spend on average less than 2 minutes interacting together.
And the coffee is pretty good!

I tend to go there whenever I don’t really want to stay at home but still not go very far.
I do prefer the set up and the décor better than when it was Perks.

They did a fabulous job on reviving this corner on Quinpool. I went to Dal and very rarely went here when it was Perks. Had it been this Second Cup, I would have been there all the time!
This Second Cup has a warm and inviting atmosphere. The staff are very friendly and want you to enjoy your experience in the store. You can tell the owner trains her staff to have the same passion for coffee as she does. I believe she also owns the one in Halifax Shopping Center. I wish all the stores were like hers! Everything is always in order, her staff seems happy to be at work, the drinks and service are perfect! It’s so refreshing to walk into a clean and happy coffee shop when I come home. I can’t wait for next time!

I was never a Second Cup person mostly because I was never a coffee person until a colleague got me hooked on Starbucks lattes back in the early 2000s. (That’s never going to sound as cool as the Seventies, Eighties, or Nineties, will it?) By the time I had warmed to the idea of appreciated espresso and the like, I was a slave to the ‘Bucks, and then by the time I had blossomed into a coffee craver, I had pretty much moved on to some of Halifax’s fine local cafes, missing the mark on the olé 2C all together.
When I happened upon the Dartmouth Crossing location, though, it opened my eyes to the lovely direction this chain has taken things. Their newer locations seem brighter, cleaner, cozier, and more like places I would enjoy spending some time. Luckily, this new edition on Quinpool is no different. They’ve brightened up a formerly dark corner by Video Difference with a charming exterior and a small but surprisingly comfortable seating area inside.
During my quick visit, staff were smiling and seemed to be having fun which always makes a heck of a difference and all the usual products were in fine form — no opening jitters here. And while I’m not usually a late-​night café customer, folks will definitely appreciate the hours — 11pm most nights, midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

When this was a Perks location, I couldn’t be persuaded to stop in — it always looked dark and dour, and it didn’t seem all that inviting.
But, in the last couple weeks as the bright new look for Second Cup came along, this corner of Quinpool has become much more inviting on the outside.
The interior of this coffee shop is small and cosy and just as inviting as the exterior. Basically, there is a high counter along the front window (Quinpool side) for seating and a few armchairs adjacent to that, and on the opposite window there are tables and chairs in close proximity to the serving counter. It’s cozy, and I’m okay with that, just a bit surprised at just how cozy it is.
The server was polite and friendly, and everything was very pleasant. The baked goods looked awesome (I didn’t indulge) and there were even gluten-​free biscuits which I’ll have to come back for.
If you’re not a coffee drinker, at least come in for an Italian soda (always one of my favorites at Second Cup) and enjoy the window seating. It’s a great spot to enjoy the sights of Quinpool road, which will always entertain.