Sam James Coffee Bar

Great for espresso based drinks.

If you like bolder, deeper coffees, this is the place for you. If you like more laid-​back, natural, lighter roasts, Sam James most likely won’t be your coffee lifeline. Despite how much I wanted to love this place, from its charming setup to its friendly baristas, I sadly couldn’t wrap my taste buds around this. I’ve had both their regular coffees and their lattes, both of which were either too monotonous or too monotonously bold for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against bold coffees — but the SJBC brew in particular fell a little too strong and flat for me. Ah, such is the world of personal preferences. If you like strong roasts, give this place a shot — there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy it. If you like more laid-​back, calming roasts — perhaps this place isn’t for you.
Located right by the doors separating the Exchange Tower and the Sun Life building, be warned that this place gets quite busy. For a latte, I paid around $ 3.70, give or take a few cents.

Since the weather had started getting colder, I needed to find a «better» place for my espresso fix within the Path. I was so happy to find out that Sam James had a new location just a few minutes walk from Scotia Plaza. Not only do I get a nice walk during my break, I also get the best Macchiato the Path has to offer!
Only thing preventing the 5-​star from me is the lack of a Cortado in the menu that I crave for every once in a while. Otherwise, this would have been perfect.
I have been a regular for the past 3 weeks and I am looking forward to getting my dose in the future.

Favorite and best coffee shop in toronto. Glad its in the PATH.

Hands down, one of my preferred places to have an almond milk latte/​cappuccino. Soy-​based espresso drinks are easier to hit the mark with, but the elusive almond milk beverage… Oh, don’t get me started. Firstly, it depends on the brand of almond milk being used (I noticed they use a higher quality almond milk than other cafes I frequent). Equally important are the quality of the bean and finesse of the barista, both of which the very hip folks at SJCB have in spades, so the end result is some damn fine coffee.

Consistent enough across the different location. This location on King St is always busy. With no shortage of coffee joints in First Canadian place underground, this is definitely one of the best choice of coffee in the financial district. Unless you’re pressed for time, then don’t get in line waiting for your to go latte or americano. Definitely a strong coffee to try. The good thing is, the baristas try to give your java doses as soon as possible. Just remember to perk and open up your ears, be ready to pick up your java with the long queue.

Good spot to get a nice coffee and pastry when on the go. I like stopping here while on business trips or when I have to go downtown.
The staff is also very friendly.

Perfect.
From a gigantic coffee snob. Great drinks
Killing the espresso game. Awesome staff. Wicked baked goods from local Toronto bakers.
Cash only.
If you’re a milk and sugar type, i dare you to do without… unless it’s the foam on your cappuccino, of course

This place has some of the best coffee in the Financial district. If you haven’t discovered it, you should, because a run of the mill coffee chain cup will never do you justice ever again. It’s a shame people still frequent Bucks and Tims for their java when they could leave the minors and play in the big leagues. Also, if being «hip» puts a spring in your step, check this place out!

I finally tried SJCB. Unfortunately, I somehow missed the memo of cash only? I was shocked that I wasn’t better prepared. Luckily there was an ATM handy… unluckily the additional fee I agreed to pay was a bit extreme. All is well. However, this cappuccino ended up being almost double the price. Most definitely was not worth DOUBLE the price… that aside it was really good and the SJCB baristas were pleasant. I am not versed in my cappuccinos because I am more of a black Americano consumer, but I asked the girl who took my order what most customers loved.
It is just a stop and order place in the PATH. but there is seating steps away. The little cave they have carved for themselves is really beautiful though. I look forward to going back with cash and trying out something I would normally order to really be able to compare.

For coffee joints I assign stars based solely on the coffee. I bought an SJCB latte some time back and swore out loud after tasting it. It’s really f***ing good.
I’ve never been disappointed each time I’ve gone back. I go out of my way to go there for coffee if I’m walking the downtown during the workday.
I skip lunch for SJCB coffee.

One of my favourite places to get an Americano in the PATH– I definitely go out of my way to come here.
Lattes have nice pourover art but a touch too sweet for my liking.
Cash only!

Where would I be without you SJCB? I have been going to this place for quite a while, and whenever I want some good hipster coffee, but am stuck in the financial district, this is my go to. Lattes come fast and with pourover art, with shots always coming out nicely. It’s a little pricier than the nearby competition, but you can definitely see where the extra money went. The coffee is roasted right here in Toronto, and delivers on freshness and taste.
The pastries are also quite good, and in the mornings and afternoons there’s always a lineup of suits waiting to get served by the often tattooed hipster baristas. It’s a great sociology case of meeting of two cultures, right in the PATH.

Sam James Coffee Bar has great coffee. Honestly, if you’re downtown skip Starbucks (they don’t know how to make a good cup of coffee). It can be a bit tricky to find. Go to the Sunlife building, head downstairs and follow the path. You’ll see it on your right hand side. The coffee doesn’t come in silly american sizes — just normal coffee sizes. Be warned though: it is cash only!
Enjoy :)

I have made it a point to find the best latte in the PATH, I think this may be it thus far. So far I have tried Mos Mos, Timothys, Starbucks, and Second Cup (skipped Tims, not a fan sorry Canada). SJCB just seems to have it down pat. Their espresso is rich and just bold enough, I hate when the milk over powers the espresso. I tried the vanilla latte the first time, save your change it is not worth it, you cannot detect vanilla in it.
They do the beloved froth art that is always so picture worthy. The only issues I would note is that the large… not so large, therefore the price is a bit steep. They only accept cash. And the staff, while friendly and expert latte makers can be pretty slow. It is a relaxed place however so I guess it’s part of the charm.

I walk by SJCB every single day for work and I’ve never stopped by. On passing, I noticed the lineups and wondered to myself why anyone would by coffee from a random coffee shop along the PATH. On my second day at a new office location that no longer passes this part of the PATH, my co-​workers decided to get coffee here. I ordered a mocha and all I can say is wow! The coffee was amazing. It’s probably the best mocha I’ve ever had. Now I’m sad that SJCB is no longer on my route to work. I guess I will have to find an excuse to come here more often.

Hipster-​ish coffee bar and love it. If I lived in Toronto and worked in the financial district, this will probably be my go-​to coffee place. I got a macchiato and it was good. Also tried the almond croissant — it was smaller in size than the usual ones but that also means I ate it up guilt-​free.
Cash only!

SJCB, catchy name along with coffee that keeps you going back.
My friend took me here a whole ago, and I wasn’t sure of what to expect. The place itself is sort of a hidden gem in the path, you would only know about it if you work in the financial district. It’s located just off Of FCP.
The coffee here is absolutely great. It has a distinct bold flavour. It reminded me a lot of a coffee store called Blue Bottle which is also based out of Seattle, where they are known for having the best coffee.
The service is good, make sure you bring cash only. They do not accept any other form of payment. So save your change!
The place itself is eye catching when you walk by and has a very hipster feel to it. But overall has a really fresh vibe.
I’ve only had the coffee and none of the special drinks and I was already blown away. I’ll definitely be checking it out again to the different items they offer.

Coffee run has become one of my daily routines when I get to work. I always need a cup of coffee on my table to help stay focus and usually a good cup of coffee will make my day that much better! After hearing many of my colleagues mentioning about Sam James Coffee Bar (SJCB), I decided to come here one of the many mornings.
This place reminds me of Mos Mos, which is also nearby, a small coffee/​treats coffee store/​booth that specializes in coffee. SJCB provides you more options than Mos Mos when it comes to the coffee (lattes, cappuccino, americano, etc), but I personally think Mos Mos is better. This is mainly due to two factors:
1) Mos Mos quality is pretty much the same as SJCB, but for the same size, you can save at least $ 1 at Mos Mos
2) The coffee here tastes a little too bitter for me and I’m not a big fan of very bitter coffee, but if you add more sugar, it would offset the bitterness. I personally enjoy my coffee with barely any sugar, so adding sugar would not be my ideal solution
Overall, this place serves very decent coffee comparing to the big chains close by with the their prices at Starbucks level or slightly higher. If I have a choice, I would prefer going to Mos Mos which is just 5 – 10 minutes walking distance away.

Best coffee bar in the financial district. There really needs to be more in this area other than tims, second cup, and Starbucks.
My usual is an Americano or a latte. When a place does espresso well, why get anything else.