A new Queen West coffeehouse for the laptop-toting crowd

A new Queen West coffeehouse for the laptop-toting crowd

Early Bird Espresso and Brew Bar
(Image: Caroline Aksich)

In 2008, a six-alarm blaze tore through the south-side block of Queen between Ryerson and Bathurst, razing half the buildings. Since then the strip’s been reoccupied with a raft of trendy new businesses including an eyewear store, a resale clothing shop and Early Bird Espresso and Brew Bar, another Queen Street indie café. The new space has all the coffeehouse essentials—exposed brick, a laptop-friendly farmhouse table and beans from Pilot Coffee Roasters—plus a few special quirks, like mid-century light fixtures salvaged from a Polish chocolate factory and a cold brew contraption imported from Japan. Italian sandwiches, stuffed with prosciutto, pesto and fresh mozzarella, are best enjoyed on the roomy back patio.

Early Bird Espresso and Brew Bar, 613 Queen St. W., facebook.com