Extra Butter Coffee

This is our daily local. We've been coming here since it opened. The coffee is excellent, the snacks delish, and the bench out front is fantastic -- countless hours spent on that bench during the covid times, making friends with neighbourhood folks. But what keeps us going there day after day are the staff -- the owner and staff are all funny, smart, remember my order, and treat us like friends. The owner hires good people, and he treats them well so they stay for a long time. I feel like now that we work from home, coming for a quick chat with the staff while I pick up a coffee is like checking in with co-workers. I really appreciate our conversations. They are a part of my community, and I hope I am a part of their's. We just got back from a trip to Paris and the staff was eager to debrief with us to hear about every cafe we visited. But what I really wanted to tell them was that a coffee without the accompanying chit-chat with my fellow villagers just wasn't the same. Being away always reminds me how much I love being a regular, and I especially love being a regular at Extra Butter.

A couple weeks ago on my wife's birthday with two cranky kids in the car, I went in to have a caffeine hit and to get two to-go espresso cups so my children could drink their juice without spilling everywhere. After buying three pieces of gluten free (average at best) banana bread for my wife, and an iced Americano for myself, I exited the store. I was completely caught off guard and beyond shocked when the barista chased after me on Roncesvalles and accosted me, demanding that I never return to the establishment, simply because I had questioned the cost of the to-go Espresso cups and that had caps that did not fit properly, and told them that I, as an environmentalist, loved the concept of the BIA giving away a free take-away mug. Perhaps my tone was interpreted as being sarcastic or even rude, even though I was being genuine, but in any event, to run down the street after a paying customer, and to be that aggressive is absolutely unacceptable. I even returned to the store to give this person an opportunity to apologize, but this did not happen, and it was obvious my peacemaking efforts were falling on deaf ears and an adamantly stubborn and unreasonably difficult individual who continued to impose this ban on my returning to the shop. Not to worry, I can assure you, I will never return there and advise others to follow suit. I am not sure if this person is an employee (they should be reprimanded by employer) or owner-operator (how do you run a business like this?) but in any event, consider this your chance to apologize publicly. In fact, I really should be offered a full refund for the purchase I made after I was treated with such a lack of civility and unexplainable rude aggression. UPDATE: Within minutes of posting, the owner called me to profusely apologize on behalf of the staff member's egregious behaviour and sent me a full refund. I appreciate that.

This is my favourite coffee shop in Toronto! The coffee tastes great. Prices are reasonable and customer service is not bad. There isn’t enough seats to dine in nor a patio but it’s the best coffee for caffeine junkies.