Balzac’s Coffee Roasters

Specialties

Nestled in the heart of the Ryerson campus, in the newly renovated Image Arts Building, this café has become a favorite gathering spot for students, faculty and visitors. The glass walls and natural light offer one of the prime vantage points from which to observe the exciting bustle and energy of academic life on the pedestrian designated Gould Street.

Balzac’s values are infused with everything our customers experience in our cafés. Artisanal, Sustainable, Local and Natural are the four cornerstones of our business practices. Each product is thoughtfully and diligently sourced. While we endeavour to keep an eye on efficiency and affordability, we will not take shortcuts with our quality or preparation techniques. We strive to offer ‘Slow Food’ prepared quickly, not ‘Fast Food’.

Balzac’s has been offering Fair Trade Organic coffee, sugar and cocoa since 1997 and all milk used in our beverage service is organic and locally sourced.

History

Established in 1996.

In 1996, the first Balzac’s café was opened in Stratford, Ontario. Today, Diana oversees all aspects of café operations and coffee roasting from the Balzac’s Roastery in Stoney Creek, Ontario.

Balzac’s has been offering Fair Trade Organic coffee, sugar and cocoa since 1997 and all milk used in our beverage service is organic and locally sourced.

Our café on Ryerson’s campus opened in May 2012.

Meet the Business Owner

Diana O.

Business Owner

While earning a university degree in French Literature, Diana Olsen, President and Founder of Balzac’s, discovered a kindred spirit in Monsieur Balzac and his genuine passion for coffee. Upon graduating, she immersed herself in authentic French culture, spending a year and a half in France. Passing many enchanting afternoons in the Grand cafés of Paris, Ms. Olsen was inspired to bring this sophisticated celebration of coffee and social tradition back home to Canada.

San Francisco was her next stop in 1993, to learn the craft of coffee roasting and bean selection at the West Coast Specialty Coffee Training Institute. In 1996, the first Balzac’s café was opened in Stratford, Ontario. Today, Diana oversees all aspects of café operations and coffee roasting from the Balzac’s Roastery in Stoney Creek, Ontario.

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