Tucana Coffee

OUR ARTICLE

They say good things come in small packages, and Tucana Coffee has us convinced that’s true. We can’t say for sure if this is Toronto’s smallest coffee shop, but it’s quite tiny. Despite its size, Tucana Coffee is making a big impact on the coffee scene in a way that can’t be overlooked.

Tucana Coffee sits in a small building squished between two larger buildings, but it’s holding its own with a lilac exterior, large neon “Coffee” sign, and a cool vibe. Inside, the space is simple with a floral back wall and a small bar with a few stools.

The skull and cross palm trees logo of Tucana Coffee exemplifies how two things that don’t seem to fit together can, and Tucana is itself something like that.

The coffee shop logo is a skull and cross bones but with the bones replaced by tropical palm trees. This theme of death and life, dark and light, finds its way into other parts of the shop in logo-designed skateboards, creatively designed coffee mugs, and local art that pops off the wall. It’s quirky and laid back, designed to bring visitors in for a chat with the owner and a cup of exceptional coffee.

The coffee beans come from Pilot and the drinks are mostly espresso-based, however, they do sell a good regular cup of joe. Espressos, vanilla lattes, chai lattes, cortados, and mocha are all made with the intent and hope that customers will learn to appreciate the flavor of coffee without additional flavoring like sugar. When coffee isn’t enough for a customer, they can also grab vegan and non-vegan cookies and muffins, and occasionally a specialty drink like matcha and charcoal lemonade.

To top it all off, Tucana is situated in Little Portugal, a trendy spot in Toronto that gets the overflow of artists, hipsters, and youth drawn to the artsy neighborhood next door, Queen West.

The skull and cross palm trees logo of Tucana Coffee exemplifies how two things that don’t seem to fit together can, and Tucana is itself something like that. In a world where coffee shops are getting larger, grander in design, and bringing in more tables to entice customers to stay for hours, Tucana is not. It’s standing out as a quick stop for good coffee and conversation and a small space for art in drink and design. That’s what makes it unique and a go-to destination for anyone in Toronto.