Cefiore Frozen Yogurt

If you think potential business owners in the GTA have some stiff competition when it comes to froyo spots in town, you haven’t been to the Annex. I can check into four (FOUR) frozen yogurteries (word?) from my HOUSE. That said, the market isn’t quite saturated, because they all seem to offer something different:
– Menchies is candyland
– YoYo’s tastes like actual yoghurt
– Mon Berri is the place to get away from gluttonous self-​serve
Sadly, Cefiore doesn’t really seem to fit in. If it has any gimmick at all, it’s that it doesn’t have a gimmick.
It’s not self-​serve (slightly smaller portions than Mon Berri), has limited toppings, the yogurt isn’t distinctive; they just don’t really have anything properly unique to set them aside from the others as far as I can tell.
When it comes to the actual product, the yogurt is decent. There are three flavours on offer. When I was there it was green tea, strawberry and something (possibly chocolate or vanilla). They have the usual fresh fruit and some cookie/​candy toppings. Like I said before, it’s limited but not an outright problem.
If Cefiore wasn’t in an area where there was already huge variety in the styles of froyo, I would probably have enjoyed my trip there more. Unfortunately, when Menchies has my sweet-​tooth, YoYo’s has my health-​kick and Mon Berri has my self-​control, there doesn’t seem to be any of me left for Cefiore. Sad face.

First off, my apologies to David, the franchisee of this location, and the staff for posting a review saying they’re closed when they’re not. The misleading thing is that their address says Bloor but they face Walmer Road so if you’re driving by it’s easy to miss.
Their location is great if you’re coming off the subway as they are right across the street from the Walmer exit. However if you’re driving good luck. The busy Annex neighbourhood makes parking tough to find so your best off parking in the green P and hoofing it back a block. There is no parking on Walmer.
The décor is modern and shiny. Cefiore is well branded and keeps their location clean and chic. As a basis for comparison I kept to my usual froyo flavour and toppings. I had the fruity flavour of yogurt (in this case raspberry-​pomegranate) and topped it with strawberries and mandarin oranges. The strawberries were fresh and the oranges sweet. The yogurt was tasty but was weak on flavour.
Cefiore’s prices are on par with other froyo places as you’ll pay $ 5 to $ 8 depending on the size. They have other snacking options such as smoothies and froyo on a waffle too.
Overall this is a great place to enjoy some froyo if you’re in the Annex, just don’t be expecting to be wow’d by anything different from every other Pinkberry-​esque place.

I am sitting in Cefiore right now. Right now, and I am writing about it because they have free wifi so I don’t even have to pretend I am doing work, I can blatantly not do work and tell you how content I am right now.
I lived in New York last summer when the froyo craze hit the east coast and I wasn’t into it. I’m still not, but whatever, I just ate a burrito and wanted something sweet. Plus I live down the street from here and must have passed it about a thousand times. Cefiore totally hits the spot.
Why do I like it? Because the place is comfortable, mod, and has a wicked deal for three toppings for 43¢ each. And the fruit selections are great — I got pomegranate seeds with blueberries and raspberries. That is major points in the antioxidants section and after being exiled from the Middle East for a few years, I am ALWAYS happy to eat pomegranate seeds (and not look like I committed bloody murder by scooping the seeds out myself).
There are a few flavours on tap — original, green tea, raspberry and pomegranate, and chocolate — and about sixteen or so toppings. The original yogurt isn’t too sour nor too sweet, it’s just right. They have smoothies and other beverages and nice staff. It smells like waffles in here.
At the end of November, a healthy and sweet something is greatly appreciated.

People who know me know that there is little in this life that makes me happier than a little fro-​yo. Even just saying «fro-​yo» perks me up a bit. And in Toronto, where there is a wealth of ice cream and gelato (YES) shops, it’s nice to see fro-​yo get a little more attention.
Ce Fiore follows the business model of the fancier upscale yogurt shop. If you’re familiar with the California-​based chain Pinkberry (or its many imitators), you will know what I mean. It is less diet-​worship-​y than Tasti-​D-​Lite and a little more slick than your Yogen Fruz. It’s a yogurt shop for people who love frozen yogurt for what it is, not as some sort of basterdized version of low-​cal ice cream. And unlike Yogen Fruz, they don’t tout «probiotics» as if the only reason one would eat ice cream is for its inevitable effect on your GI tract.
Ce Fiore has a beautiful, shiny, glossy interior with sleek clean surfaces and sleek modern furnishings — it’s like if you could walk inside of an iPod… which served you delicious frozen yogurt. Let’s hope its high-​traffic Annex location won’t strip it of its charms too quickly. The easiest way to get there from transit is to take the Bloor line to Spadina Station and exit out of the Walmer side exit as opposed to the main Spadina exit. When you get to the doors you will literally be gazing upon its glory.
OK, let’s talk fro-​yo. At Ce Fiore, they have four varieties: original, green tea (matcha), acai berry and raspberry-​pomegranate. All three «flavored» yogurts serve as a souped up version of the creamy, tangy original yogurt. Raspberry-​pomegranate is the sweetest, with a fruity tang and a floral scent. Acai is a little milder of a flavor with a hint of berry and a lovely pale color. If you aren’t sure which flavor to try, the staff is very friendly and generous with samples.
Next, toppings. Wow, they have a lot. My go-​to fruit topping on frozen yogurt is always pineapple. Last time I went to Ce Fiore (not long before they closed), they were out of pineapple. And what good fortune, because for once I actually seriously considered the other choices — they have many kinds of fresh fruit, as well as candy toppings like gummi bears, as well as a couple of syrup-​type toppings. I chose pomegranate kernels to go on my Acai berry yogurt. Pomegranate on frozen yogurt is amazing! The little juice pods get cold and delicious without getting chewy or hard. Tasty.
The yogurt isn’t too cheap, but reasonably-​priced for its quality and considering the similar cost of nearby frozen treats such as Greg’s. A small yogurt with one topping will run about $ 4. If you want cheap, hit up the Metro and buy a pint of store brand. Even the Baskin Robbins will run these prices.