Covernotes

Very cozy, cute café if you’re looking to get away from the crowded and predictable franchise coffee shops. It’s a very versatile place that suits people looking to independently study or socialize. Food and drinks can run a little expensive but they have healthy and unique food options which generally come at a price. As far as taste and quality go, it really depends on the staff. I’ve been both satisfied and disappointed with the same meal on separate occasions. The only reason for 3 stars is because of the inconsistency of the service and quality of the food/​drinks. More often than not the food/​drinks are great and arrive quickly, but other days it’s a subpar experience. Overall it’s a great place to grab a drink/​dessert and admire the local artwork and unique book selection. Definitely a must try!

3.5 *
Different, cozy old architecture glam meets antique vibe but not unique.
I like they support/​sell local artist from the pottery to art work on wall, the beans are small batch roasted and everything is made fresh. Prices are a tad more than Starbucks especially just a drip coffee here is $ 2.85/medium while $ 3 gets a tall latte at Starbucks!
I Love their decaf Peruvian dark roast, so much I bought a pound for home and this is saying ALOT.
It is hard to get parking behind if an event is running next door, great if you live nearby and can walk over. I came at 2pm on a weekday to chat with a friend and atmosphere felt like a library (no music, just a do not disturb feel) but on other nights they have more lively events going on. My friend has rented the back room for small private function which is neat.
Mixed crowd from teens, trendy moms, to bookworm and a few odds and ends (tip jars are not free money for the public)
Would come back if in area, but nothing worth the drive over for.

Really cute café! I like how it’s also a mini library as well. I haven’t had the chance to try out a lot of the items on their menu but the prices seem to be reasonable. The latte was okay, nothing too special. Overall, a very relaxing and cozy café.

This coffee shop/​used book store has a nice ambience. Their coffee is ok, but the baked goods are very dry and tasted stale.

Good Stuff
— very cozy and quiet
— sorted library
— plenty of small tables for 1 – 2 people
— couple sets of large tables (I remember 2 or 3)
— hidden gem
— 2 entrances lol
— kind and helpful service
— comfortable seating, atmosphere, etc
— clean bathrooms
— perfect lighting (not too dim)
Grr Moments
— the water pitcher and glasses were filthy
— found a dead bug ‘swimming’ inside the water
— the table weren’t cleaned (only happened once though)
— the expensive menu haha (can’t be really helped)
— drinks aren’t worth paying a lot of money for
— my Iced Tea tasted like water
— Lemonade was mediocre and was a bit less than Minute — maid’s quality and taste (s)
Overall worth studying and going there but don’t buy from their menu.

I love exploring different cafes. After discovering Covernotes on Unilocal,I decided to swing by the coffee house when I was in the area. The place is a decent size — there were tables around the sides and in the back. For a weekday afternoon, most of the tables were surprisingly occupied. I ordered a cappuccino — it was okay, nothing wow — I wasn’t tempted enough to try the other foods. There were many shelves throughout with books of different genres. I found an interesting read while I was there. Did wish they had more comfortable chairs though.

Coffee, sandwiches and books. The coffee and food is nothing spectacular, and the prices aren’t particularly cheap either, but the place is cute and it’s a neat little place to stop by in the afternoon. Their lunches are pretty good, if you work in the area.

Saturday lunch and this is the only place open worth eating at. In fact probably the only place worth eating at period.

Great little coffee shop/​bookstore. Something you’d find in a hipster neighbourhood downtown with the prices to match. Coffee drinks are better than average, food is also good but again, prices reflect the quality and then some. The bookstore part is awesome and it’s a great little cozy place to have coffee with a friend or just to hang out in a quiet spot.

Walked in and was pleasantly surprised when I was greeted by a group of singers dressed up in Christmas costume perfectly harmonizing carols. Tis the season to be jolly!
This place is like a mini library, and I can envision it being a good place to study. However since it’s holiday season and also a weekend, it was quite busy and got noisy later in the afternoon (some people were likely grabbing a coffee before a show at the performing arts centre). Ordered a strawberry scone, which was alright. Baked goods are normally not so good for les arteries, but I can tell they went light on the butter. They have a wide variety of different loose leaf teas. The pomegranate vanilla lemur tea is very fragrant and pleasant. Would come again.

No one can deny if I call it a mini library. Close to local artist museum. Barista and owner Nancy was very friendly and she loved my ugly Christmas sweater. Yujie’s banana split and my morning glory muffin were so good. Warm and fancy,

I needed 40 corporate gift baskets so I thought why not deal locally and great coffee and treats is a great thing to get. Only problem no one answers the telephone… ever…or even has voice mail… so I cannot buy this from them

I am not sure what the place is trying to be. The ambiance is a little off. A coffee shop that serves sandwiches, crepes and salads. All of this amongst an old used bookstore feel. The food was okay but it takes a long time to get it. The washrooms are sub par and had no way to dry my hands. I think quicker service and attention to detail can improve the experience.

What an awesome and quaint place in Richmond Hill. Brings some soul into a pretty cookie cut area. Relax, unwind, this is the kind of place you come to, to get away.

The fact that I am now 4 weeks sober (of coffee that is) hurts my heart. Especially knowing that one of the best independent coffee shops in the GTA is serving it up and I cannot partake.
I like to frequent this spot weekdays when I need a place close to home to get some work done. It likely has the best location in all of Richmond Hill, proudly situated within the old Richmond hill school house at Yonge and Wright street. I’m also surprised that given this prime location it isn’t busier, folks if you’re looking for a great cuppa-​joe I highly recommend you stop in here for some (they roast their own beans just 20 minutes away in Newmarket).
Everything about their menu is fresh, gourmet and fantastic. It’s all freshly made to order and done with care. While the Smoked cheddar and bacon grilled cheese is wonderful and a comfort food fave, I’m especially a fan of their vegan quinoa, and their made to order crepes. Although more difficult to make I encourage you to order the Gatsby with egg and ham inside. In addition to their fresh lunch fare they also have backed in house goodies like muffins, scones and gluten free options!
I’m awarding Covernotes 3.5 stars (rounded up) on account of the fact that after nearly a year of promises they still have not offered their own WiFi and request that guest piggyback off the nearby Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts signal, which is patchy at the best of times. Also, if you’re looking for plugs, good luck that situation is extremely limited.
Final note, if you’re looking for used books, Covernotes derives its clever name from the fact that they offer thousands of second hand books for sale throughout their store. You actually never know what you will find here!

This is a nice coffee house. It’s a nice setup with book stacks in the back, kids books keep our one year old occupied. The service is friendly but very very slow. Food is good but no great. There are various gluten free options.

The place is never too busy. If you can’t find a table in the main area, there is a semi-​private room in the back with a large table boardroom-​style.
Most of the store is taken up by bookcases, floor to ceiling, or used books. I’ve picked up a lot of great bargains here over the years.
Coffee, lattes, teas and some pastries. Everything is good quality.
There is ample parking around the back but good luck finding a spot if there is an event at the centre for the performing arts.
They don’t have their own WiFi but you can usually mooch that of the arts centre next door.
The small room in the back is frequently used by local business networking and community groups. It is probably good for up to 10 – 12 people.

I love this little place. Covernotes is a perfect spot for a Sunday morning coffee and a quiet read.
The place has just enough seating to not get over-​crowded, which is more than I can say for the average Second Cup or Starbucks in town. It’s clean, bright and unique atmosphere is comforting, especially in the winter.
My last visit to Covernotes was the first time I stopped in for lunch. I was desperately trying to find somewhere to do my payroll and of course at 12pm on a Sunday a spot in a local coffee shop is hard to find.
It was freezing outside, I had already driven around for half an hour and I was hungry and getting very grumpy. So, I decided to give it a chance.
Normally when I’m in this mood I would just go home to avoid being with the rest of society, of course for all your sakes. Ya, you’re welcome. But here the staff are so sweet and bubbly that they immediately improved my mood.
Once I set up my work station, I went to order. I was surprised by the types of food they served; lattes, crepes, sandwiches, soup, salad and desserts. They have an awesome selection. Since I already knew their coffee was excellent, I started with that, and then I ordered the chipotle chicken wrap.
The wrap came in about 10 minutes. Decent time since it was made to order. It came with a few slices of pineapple and quinoa salad on the side. The wrap was very good, it had great spice and the chicken was nice and tender. I was very happy with my lunch choice.
I plan to head back to Covernotes soon to try a crêpe and a spicy hot chocolate, which unfortunately I saw they offered after I already ordered coffee. And, I also plan on searching through their used book selection in the back, all of which are pre-​loved and for sale.
The only down side to Covernotes, especially when going to do work, is that the wireless is finicky and there are no outlets to plug laps tops in. Next time I will make sure mine is fully charged.
So if you’re looking for a new coffee spot, I definitely recommend here. Stray off the beaten Starbucks path and try something new. Give back to a good cause by trying some local coffee and supporting small local businesses.
Trust me, while all the black-​rim glasses, floppy hat and cashmere scarf wearing «worldly» kids are sitting at Starbucks, you could be sitting at Covernotes thinking locally and giving back to your community.

Just NORTH of Richmond Hill’s Centre for the Performing Arts there is a beautiful 2-​storey historical red-​brick building standing on it’s own with a black banner and NEON green lettering «Covernotes» that says Tea and Coffee House, so I HAD to go check it out.
It was just as CUTE inside if I am allowed to say that. It reminds me of Green Merchants near Leslieville or just a typical independent coffee shop near Kensington or Little Italy, so it’s a nice SURPRISE to see something like Covernotes appear in the suburbs out of nowhere.
It is basically a USED bookstore with a Coffee & Tea shop inside while posting various art pieces that are for sale or just display. I can definitely see myself study here if I live nearby as any other coffee shop within the radius is either Starbucks or Tim Hortons.
Locally, ORGANIC coffee by JP Lindsay Co (
). There is a wall with various Teas for purchase as well as another wall with a few Coffees for retail. I had the Single Espresso ($ 1.95) and it was a light clean smooth flavour that definitely reminds me of organic coffees. I also had the Cappucino ($ 3.20) but it wasn’t as good and it was almost a complete Latte as it was more milk than foam.
The young gentlemen and only person attending to the shop prepared my drink with LOTS of detail and even re-​did the drink a second time, unfortunately he is still a young-​hand on this matter but I can see his efforts and determination and that makes it worth a SECOND try for me sometime in the future. He even brought both of my drinks to my table, that’s SERVICE I’ve never seen before at a coffee shop.
I will STICK with coffee, espresso and TRY the TEAS as I noticed a great selection that peaked my interest with the combinations. I would be happy to see this rarity of an independent coffee shop in the suburbs be able to serve the locals and in return the community can embrace this combination of Bookstore/​Drink shop.

The coffee here is great. I loved their tea selection as well. The seating is cozy with a library feel to it. They have lots of books in the shelves. A must try!