Balzac’s Coffee Roastery

Toronto, Canada

4.2

Open now

20 reviews

Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 416-207-1709
Website:
www.balzacs.com
Address:
55 Mill Street Bldg 60, Toronto, ON, M5A 3C4
Distillery District
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
440 ftTrinity Street
770 ftLower Parliament Street
860 ftMill Street
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Bussiness info

Accepted Cards
Credit, Debit
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Good for Working
Yes

Today

Today 7:00 am – 8:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Toronto) 15:48 Wednesday, 11 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 7:00 am – 8:00 pm
Tuesday 7:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wednesday 7:00 am – 8:00 pm
Thursday 7:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday 7:00 am – 10:00 pm
Saturday 7:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Balzac’s specializes in the technology and craft of coffee roasting and bean selection. Balzac’s offers Fair Trade Organic Coffee, sugar and cocoa. Balzac’s micro-​roasts the finest selection of arabica coffee beans from around the world. Each varietal is carefully roasted and blended to preserve and enhance its uniquely enherent qualities. Balzac’s beans are roasted exclusively with 12-​kilo micro-​roasters. We employ no automated or continuous feed technology. Our cups and most other paper are 100% biodegradable.

History

Established in 2002.

Toronto’s only pedestrian village is the site for Balzac’s second location, opened in 2002. This national historic site with its exquisite Victorian Industrial Architecture is alive with arts and culture, boasting some of Toronto’s finest boutiques and food shops.

Balzac’s has transformed the circa 1895 Pump House into a two storey Grand Parisian style café. A giant Vaudeville chandelier casts a soft glow for sitting back and watching the bustling activity of this unique district.

Meet the Business Owner

Diana O.

Business Owner

Diana discovered her passion and afinity for Honore de Balzac in the course of earning her degree in French literature from the University of British Columbia. From there she immersed herself in authentic French culture, spending a year and a half in Paris before settling in Toronto.

In 1991 she travelled to San Francisco to study at the West Coast Specialty Coffee Training Institute, gaining hands-​on knowledge of the technology and craft of coffee roasting and bean selection methods. Diana continues to oversee all aspects of coffee roasting from the Balzac’s Roastery in Stoney Creek, Ontario.

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Diana O. says,

«Stop in for a bite before perusing the stacks, grab a coffee to fuel your reading time, or just take in the beautiful architechture.»

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Diana O. says,

«Fuel your explorations of Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market, or settle in for a relaxing stay with a great drink and locally-​made treat.»

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20 reviews of Balzac’s Coffee Roastery

No registration required
Place rating: 4
Dallas, TX
Fun, friendly, clean and has a great loft area upstairs where it kinda makes you wish you could covert that shop into your living space. They know how to make good espresso and a tasty hot chocolate. The pastries are ok, but you can go down to brick street bakery and grab yourself something as well. Stop in if you’re in the area. Great stuff.
Place rating: 4
Toronto, Canada
Balzac’s is a Toronto original and a worthwhile destination if you’re visiting from out of town. Located in a huge heritage building in the unique Distillery district, it’s been fairly tastefully done up and has ample seating in an upstairs loft area. The drinks here are really, really good — you’re looking at Starbucks-​comparable prices for a significantly better quality product. (For something different, try their signature Café Nordique — a latte with just the right touch of honey, vanilla and cardamom. Not overpowering or over-​sweet but actually accentuates the espresso nicely.)
The interior is unique. I don’t love everything about the interiors — seating is not particularly warm/​inviting/​comfy clearly designed to get people to move on quickly, and the fake old advertising images on the walls feel tacky to me. (I know other people love them!) The vintage tin advertising signs similarly feel very «cheap pub» to me, not befitting the elegance and history of the building. And I do wish they had better pastries/​sweets and food options generally. But as a café, and especially to go, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Place rating: 4
Toronto, Canada
Lovely place! The coffee was really good, I ordered a Cappuccino with non-​fat milk and my girlfriend ordered one with soy milk, both were beautifully served in a real cup (not paper cup) and it was impossible to differentiate the milk, great job!
The decoration is also amazing, worth the visit!
Place rating: 2
Miami Beach, FL
Cappuchino was not very tasty here, far too watery. The shop was very cute and interesting. Seems more like a tourist trap than a high quality coffee kind of place.
Place rating: 5
Hamilton, Canada
Warm, cozy and lovely Café. Go and grab one warm coffee to lighten up ur day XD try their special coffee and bakeries. Won’t let u down
Place rating: 4
Los Angeles, CA
This coffeeshop is really charming and is located in one of the coolest areas in Toronto, the Distillery District. I took a bunch if photos the minute I walked into the shop because of how cute the place was.
The ladies behind the counter were really helpful on helping me pick a coffee drink and even help me pick coffee beans to take back home as a gift. I bought the beans two months ago and we just had some of the coffee tonight and it was as tasty as if I had just bought them. This is why I always try to buy beans instead of grounded coffee, but either way it tells me I bought pretty good coffee from them. She also took the time to tell me the story behind the particular brand I bought.
The only reason I did not give them 5 stars is because they do not serve food. Which really wasn’t that big of a deal because there was a cute breakfast/​bread bake shop a few doors down so it was no biggie.
Definitely try this place out if you visit the Distillery District!
Place rating: 5
Toronto, Canada
My favourite café in Toronto. Great coffee with flourishes of that little something that most coffee joints miss. With enough attitude to stand out but stay cheery, I’ll never stop going to Balzacs
Place rating: 5
Vaughan, Canada
Am a little surprised I have never reviewed this coffee shop as I have been here many times. It can get quite busy, and sometimes it’s quite a challenge to find a seat. I love the décor in this shop in particular, and I love that Balzac’s coffee is always different and works around the décor in the place. On this visit I just enjoyed an espresso, which was delicious, and nice and strong. Other members of my party had coffee which they said was equally enjoyable. I have never eaten food at Balzac’s locations, only enjoyed their coffee and it has always been a good experience.
Place rating: 4
Markham, Canada
After cycling on the Don Valley trail from Sunnybrook Park to the Distillery District in Toronto, we made a pit stop at Balzac’s for a caffeine boost to power our return trip to North York. The building is an historic two storey pump house c.1895. They offer many specialty coffee and tea selections on their menu. Being a purist at heart when it comes to java, I went for a dark roast. It was strong, bold and rich. (Just how I like my men) *ba-​dum-​ching*
Seriously, tho, it was so beautiful chilling outside where it’s great for people-​watching and just enjoying the summer vibe. We chatted with some friendly tourists from the states They had plenty of bike racks around back where we could park our rides.
The bike ride was amazing, too. If you’ve never explored the Don Vally Trail, you should make it a point to check it out before Old Man Winter arrives. I’m always amazed at how many people I’ve met aren’t even aware this trail exists. You can travel for miles on an asphalt path without ever seeing a car (except for one crossing)
Place rating: 2
Toronto, Canada
The place is nice when it is not too busy. But often there are lots of tourists.
Also why is it called roastery? I don’t ever see coffee being roasted here.
Also the espresso shots taste very similar to starbucks, but Starbucks is cheaper.
Place rating: 4
Toronto, Canada
This is my favourite coffee place in the distillery district! It’s in a beautiful little building, exposed bricks, lots of light and high ceilings. Coffee is awesome, service is friendly and they have a patio outside that I love hanging out at when it’s nice out. They also have this delicious gelato/​espresso thing that I have gotten way too many times — so good! The space inside isn’t too big but if you include the patio I can usually find a spot. It gets busy on weekends though so if you have more people in your group it might be hard to find seating.
Place rating: 4
Hudson, MA
I was passing by this place, when I was invited to have a sample of their cold brew. It was delicious. When I went in I saw this beautiful unique pleasing vintage décor. Excellent service. Excellent cappuccino. Great place to do some work or study.
Place rating: 4
Brampton, Canada
We came here to cool off on a hot Saturday afternoon. I loved that they have free water to enjoy while you have your coffee (cups and water is where you find the milk/​cream). A very nice touch!
As soon as we walked in we were offered free samples of Turkish delight (one type was pistachio and one rose). They have boxes at the front to purchase for about $ 11. They were delicious so I bought 3 boxes as gifts!
We grabbed a seat inside and ordered one cold brew with cream (although unlike starbucks they make you put your milk/​cream in yourself), one cold brew (on tap!) with gelato, and I got a decaf iced coffee. Similar to starbucks, they were able to offer me a decaf Americano iced coffee. Drinks were refreshing but we all seemed to prefer our iced coffees at starbucks.
The servers were very friendly. Well worth a visit if you are in the area!
Place rating: 4
Willowdale, Toronto, Canada
Really nice coffee and nice place. They have temporary place now but it is still nice.
Place rating: 5
Montreal, Canada
We visited Balzac’s Coffee around 10:30am on Saturday, and it was already packed full of people! We barely found anywhere to sit. When you first enter, you are able to see just how popular this café is in the city. Their espresso bar is full with all kinds of edible goodies, including cookies, oatmeal, croissants, you name it.
They also had organic hand pressed juices, but the price was too expensive for me to try. :($ 8.95! This roastery and café is the first of their many locations around the city. They focus on getting every drink right, and even use organic milk!
The place is in two floors, with the second floor being more cozy and quiet than the lower floor. The café has beautiful brick walls giving it such a cool ambience. The big chandelier is such a beautiful piece, lighting up the entire café.
My husband got their double shot of espresso with a hint of milk. We don’t particularly like acidic coffee, but hubby said it is acidic at a comfortable level, you know, not so acidic that the coffee tastes bitter.
I, not being a coffee lover, tried their Parisian Mist — a latte made with French Breakfast tea. I fell in love immediately! It tastes kind of like a chai tea latte, but it is still black tea, if that makes any sense. There is a hint of something that makes it completely different from other black tea lattes out there.
If you’re around the area, I suggest you get a cup of their coffee! You will certainly not regret it.
Place rating: 5
Aurora, Canada
Great spot, nice and cozy! Very friendly service as well :)
Great drink selection with vegan options for my vegan fiends. I will be back to enjoy a coffee and a book very soon.
Place rating: 3
Boston, MA
This is such a gorgeous, gorgeous space. You could just order a coffee, as I did, just to be able to shoot a few photos. Or, of course, to hang out on the top floor and read a book in the afternoon (and I love the old school desk in the corner, on the way to the stairs!) That said, it is rather difficult to find a seat, although their layout is pretty good if you’re ordering coffee or adding milk — just not for hanging out during the afternoon. Speaking of the coffee… it was okay, and a little less strong that I would have liked. The view is what brings you here.
Place rating: 5
Maple, Canada
I think i go to the Distillery District just for the Jane Corkin gallery and Balzac Coffee
It was a chilly afternoon but the area was lit up with the afternoon golden light. The place was nearly full as usual — and there were several pigeons inside to everyones chagrin. Service was prompt and friendly. The barrista really knows her stuff and is comfortable chatting about the coffee origins
They offer a great selection of coffee and teas and some pastries but save some room for Soma chocolate. The ambience is just so cool with the exposed brick and french country charm. The $ 10 000 chandelier from a french château helps if you look upward but really its about taking a break, some casual conversation and a nice cup of coffee.
5 stars because they went extra effort to create a memorable space unlike a formica counter and swivel chairs bolted to the floor.
Place rating: 5
Mississauga, Canada
I love this place. The décor is awesome, if you watch American Pickers on History channel you will love this location. They got signs posted on all over the walls and good portrait to go with it. The chandler in the middle gives the place an older more rusted look to match the surroundings.
The coffee is good but the specialized lattes are around $ 4.50 and you have to pay $ 0.65 for flavour shots. The seating is very limited and the place does get packed on weekends.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
Very cool space! There’s seating on the main level, upper level, and outside. Staff was friendly, and I really enjoyed my Café Canadien which was made with real maple syrup.
FYI, the Distillery District has its own free wi-​fi so take advantage while you enjoy your Balzac’s.