T A N Coffee

This place has the best espresso in Ottawa in my view. (The Bridgehead Roastery location is good competition though.) They actually roast beans in the store — the big impressive looking roaster machine used to be in the main area with the tables, though more recently they’ve moved it to the back and added a huge wooden table in its place to accommodate more people.
Anyway, you can’t get more freshly roasted espresso in Ottawa unless you roast at home. The espresso is dark and very European. As a bonus, all espressos are doubles, though they charge what other coffee shops charge for singles.
Well worth going here if you’re in the area, and particularly if you’re strolling along Rideau. It’s not too far off the beaten path. It gets a little busy around exam times for the local university students, otherwise it’s a very chill place to relax and work/​study.
I haven’t tried many of the pastries or foods, but the few I’ve tried have been delicious.

Locals know it as the best little coffee shop in Ottawa. Reasonable prices. Lots of space. Excellent coffee.

This fantastic coffee shop is definitely off the beaten path, but it’s worth seeking out if you’re looking for a quiet space to work, read, or chat with friends. As mentioned, they roast their own coffee, and the place has a very «community oriented» feel to it. You can purchase some local groceries here and they always have a selection of stuff for those with dietary restrictions.
Their latte is one of my favourites in town, and they have a great selection of snacks, lunch fare and treats to satisfy. I’ve noticed the customer service isn’t always great. Rarely am I greeted with a friendly smile, but they do get the job done, and my latte is always perfect, so I guess I’ll let it slide! :)
The wifi is stable, and there are plenty of plugs and room to make yourself comfortable. A great spot for those who are in need of a work or study space and need a bit more quiet than a bustling Starbucks.

Wonderful coffee shop. It seems to be attended mostly by locals as it’s basically in the residential area though few blocks away from Rideau Street. Everything is very fresh and coffee is great. The stuff is very friendly and caring. The atmosphere is lively and very friendly. Not too crowded though. Good ambient music — nothing distracting Many folks come to hang out with the laptops. Of course, free WiFi is available. You can park on the street in the vicinity normally. I’m not living locally but I know where to hang out for a bit if I’m in the vicinity so if you are visiting Ottawa downtown and want to spend few hours working — it would be a great place even though it’s a bit away to walk.

TAN is a nice study environment and I choose to do work there quite often.
Baking is tasty, loose leaf teas are inexpensive a good quality.
BUT, the service is pretty bad.
Staff are not very friendly and not great at customer service. Even the manager is fairly negative towards clients.
but overall, It’s a decent place

This is one of my favourite places in town for so many reasons! Whether it’s to buckle down and get loads of work done, meet with friends, attend an interesting event, or try some amazing coffee/​tea and food, it’s always a great experience (this last reason is always a given)!
I kind of stumbled into here a few years ago because of a Unilocal review, and I made it my number one spot to work out of the office when I would visit Ottawa while living in Montréal.
When I moved to Ottawa, I would still make this one of my regular haunts, especially by bringing friends here, or telling them about how great it is here.
The environment is really chilled out, and there are lots of friendly people that come here (families, students, young professionals, construction workers, etc…). I like the background noise that’s always around, it’s never too loud, and there’s always a few people either working, studying, chatting, but it’s never gotten too loud. There’s also lots of options for seating.
In terms of beverages and food, the coffee and tea here are always superb. I’m a fan of the lattes, and the iced lattes. They freeze espresso in the shape of coffee beans and use this as ice in their iced lattes, it’s pretty badass! Most of the food is pretty reasonably priced and tasty. Special mention goes to the samosas (chicken or veggie), with the tamarind sauce, highly recommended. Lastly, their baked goods are all amazing so far! I’ve tried the cookies, brownie, and a few other things, but they are all bang-​on.
This is an Ottawa institution, and you should definitely check it out!

I have been to TAN Coffee a number of times now, and there are two things I can say about this café: (1) Service is awful, (2) Their coffee is delicious.
EVERY time I visit, without fail, I am ignored by the barista until it is convenient for them to serve me. Just earlier this week, the barista was making a wrap (not for a customer, I was the only one in the shop) and totally ignored me until she was done. Again this morning she was making a salad with her back turned to the woman in line ahead of me and myself, and didn’t stop to serve us until she was done making her salad. Initially I thought the salad might be for the woman in front of me, alas, it was not. What the heck? Though I wasn’t in a rush, it was almost enough to make me speak up. The amount of time she spent ignoring us was almost unbelievable, I caught myself laughing in line for my coffee.
That said of their service, their coffee is so good. I’m pretty certain it’s all organic and fair trade and it’s always hot. I tried one of their brownies there a while ago, and it was delicious, though I’m not one for sugar, and so stay away from the pastries they serve here.
Overall I really enjoy the coffee here, but service could be improved ten-​fold. It’d be a nice touch if they had some frequent coffee buyer cards printed– truth be told, I’d probably stop in more if they did. I will probably be back as I really enjoy the large, bright space and the coffee.

Tucked away in a neighborhood, you have to want to go here, as you probably aren’t going to find it by walking or driving by.
Clean and spacious, it has a relaxing décor, lots of tables and a calm feel. Oddly yet perfectly ok, no background music, just the bubbling of quiet conversations.
Coffees and teas i’ve tried so far have been great. They do host some live music.
It’s a bit off the beaten track for us, so we don’t make it here often, but always like it.
Would I return: yes.
Would I recommend: Yes, if you are north east of UOttawa campass this may be the place for you.

Great location in Sandy Hill near Ottawa U
They sell fair trade coffee that is also delicious, and offer milk alternatives (almond and soy) which is different to find in Ottawa.
Also gluten-​free sandwiches and baked goods along with the rest of their menu, prepared salads and daily specials.
A large space, with a variety of seating.

Good strong coffee, good food (limited selection) and pleasant service in a nice, quiet atmosphere; great find for this extended business trip.

I love this place. Since they took over the grocery store space it is my go to spot for meetings. You can always find a free table and a plug. The staff is incredibly friendly and seem to know everyone.
I the regular brewed coffee is good, not amazing but certainly enjoyable. However the food is an area where they really stand out. The grilled wraps are inexpensive and tasty, the baked goods are always top notch and the BBQ tofu is incredible.

T.A.N. has great espresso and coffee, but also a wide selection of fresh, homemade munchies from other local businesses. I appreciate that there are several gluten-​free and dairy-​free baked goods (as well as the «normal» kind) and vegetarian savoury selections. All the coffees are fairly traded and organic and there are lots of different tea choices. Try the g-​f pumpkin cake, a butter tart, or a samosa.
The clientele is a mix of students working away on their laptops (free wifi) and neighbourhood folks reading the paper. The food co-​op mentioned in other reviews has moved across the street and T.A.N. has expanded to fill the space, so it’s now possible to get a table at most times of the day. There is a small patio in the summer.

Love it, cappuccino like it’s supposed to be made. I was a repeat customer during my stay in Ottawa.
Americano very delightful as well (as per my coffee compadre’s comments).
A double Plus.

Another local coffee roaster that actually has commercial space! Drop in and try all the different types of coffees and find out which one best fits your caffeine addiction before you purchase a bag of recently roasted coffee :)
There are a handful of tables and you never feel like a sardine in a can at this coffee shop. Yes there are cramped coffee shops in and around the downtown core of Ottawa. The only downside of this is you never get to listen in on an awkward date: P
They also have a grocery store attached for the hippie in you. Get some groceries in the back while you’re here. I haven’t tried the food here but the coffee is pretty solid and bags of coffee beans are pretty damn fresh!

Natural light, a variety of table choices, and plugs. What more could a girl want? How about great coffee and snacks? Check them all of the list because this TAN delivers.
Sharing space with a natural grocery story, TAN boasts coffee roasted in house. And they do it in that, this is our kitchen, kind of way. It reminds me of their other location on Queen West in Toronto.
T1he coffee is good and the space served me well — I was there for a number of hours meeting with some new friends and click-​clacking away on my laptop.
But what really wowed me was the chili. Oh. My. Lordy. What made it so good? I don’t have the magic answer here, but I do believe it has something to do with love, and beans. I wolfed it down with no concern over burnt taste buds or a tomato orange moustache aftermath.

Single-​origin, roasted on the premises Fair Trade coffee, only open since April and already the «best coffee in Ottawa» via word of mouth. Great service, spacious seating, specialty Arabicas… really, do I need to give you more reasons to go?
For the sake of the planet and your pallet, forget Starbucks and give T.A.N. Coffee a try – there’s even a food co-​op out the back!