Reviews of Balzac's Guelph (Coffee Shop)

Scott H

Good food and coffee, but a bit pricy for the g/f brownie.

Laura Mousseau

Fun atmosphere and staff very friendly, but it is busy and chairs leave a little something to be desired in comfort rating! I would imagine this is on purpose so one doesn't linger the day away here - something that would be easy to do!

Giuliana Giancotta

Small, student-friendly coffee spot. Usually filled with people quietly studying or having interesting conversations. Good coffee.

Aidan MacCready

Great service - fast, friendly and efficient. Convenient location, nice patio and just as important, tasty brews.

Sukhman Dulay

Nice atmosphere. Food and drink are all great. A little pricey for me, but average for this type of coffee shop.

John Erik Rasmussen

Incredible staff and great coffee

Lee-Anne Milburn

Coffee was great, as was the pastry we ordered! Little disappointed we were forced to move as we brought our small dog with us to the patio, but understand. Still disappointed.. but the coffee was worth it.

Sheryl Palmer

I used to like the atmosphere and the tea/coffee at Balzac's. Lately, it's become an Internet users' cafe. Trying to find a table for two is impossible. Also, some staff don't understand the concept of customer service, such as helping a disabled customer carry two mugs and two teapots (without attitude).

Lisa Dent

Great coffee and biscotti after a chilly December ride on the GORBA trails

Ben E

First time I had been there. Great coffee and a big selection of cookies and pastry. I'll be back.

Kate Bishop-Williams

Superb coffee, excellent barista skills, friendly and engaging staff-for the mostpart.

Maude Stephany

consistently great coffee, pleasant service, delicious baked goods!

Richard Schwarting

Nice cafe with some good pastries and lovely craft colas. Lots of room for working if you want to bring a laptop and work.

natasha marie-tysiac

Nice place

Jong Leu

The highlights of this place are their unique lattes and the pastries. So good!

Sunny Birdie

Good selection of coffee in Guelph. Very clean

Mohammed Shinoy

Nice cafe with big cookies and specialty coffee and tea drinks.

Matt Brodie

This is a great place for a student to go and get work done on a laptop. The coffee is great but on par with Starbucks for pricing. The seating area is small but I have never had an issue finding a seat as they also have the patio in the warmer months. It is a cozy little shop that is very welcoming and trendy. I usually get a latte and so far have never had a single complaint about it. Overall a great shop that I really recommend checking out.

James Lucas

Nice place. Well served

Jeanne Castellanos

Good drinks

Emily Alzaidi Zheng

Nice small chain coffee shop. The service was good.

Kuljot Grewal

Overpriced coffee with little to no selection of any actual beans. Pretentious and overbearing staff look down their noses at you unless one is a part of Guelph's ever present hob-nob art-fart hipster community. Definitely wouldn't waste your money here.

Irvin Johal

Balzac's is pricey but delicious and the aesthetic of the cups and interior is beauuuutiful ????

Shafik Diwan

Great coffee. Limited parking.

Ramtin Amiri

My favourite place to get my vanilla latte, and when I want something a little different -- I'm never disappointed with any of their other drinks!! Plus the staff is always super friendly :)

Esther Ham

Service

Savreet Sood

A place with a good enough ambiance to take someone out on a date and the coffee's a re brilliant too. Mocha is a favourite and really with almost anything on the menu, you couldn't go wrong :)

Turkan Attar

Amazing coffee and seating setup, only problem no parking for cars

Jim Hall

Best coffee in town

Deborah Warren

Great service, quiet location, coffee is top notch but also pricey.

r Sm

Service is awesome. coffee is good. location has its charm. Had a scone and was asked if I wanted it warmed up automatically. then they gave it to me with jam on the side. brilliant

Chanel Perry

Despite being a franchise or chain spanning multiple cities, Balzac's remains one of the best places to get your coffee.

Drew Caplan

One of the more expensive coffee shops in downtown Guelph. Nice, big menu and tasty drinks. Love the hot apple cider. Patio is a bit noisy due to its proximity to Gordon Street.

Marta Mercado

Great place for a good cup of coffee.

Tim McEwan

Wide selection, friendly staff. Free Wifi.

Tara Signorelli

Always been a huge balzacs fan but the 2 new girls that are working there (which are super friendly and nice) but honestly just don’t know how to make espresso, flat whites are always made with 0 effort and the crazy high prices ie: $7.00 for a mocha...... very disappointing. The iced mochas on a hot day are 5/5 though

Steph B

tasty snacks, delicious coffee, warm and rich atmosphere. My only complaint is that it's a bit more expensive than I wish it were... but hey? what isn't?

Zed Dean

Good local Ontario coffee franchise. Great snacks

Haley Rose

Very cute place , baked goods and sweet treats are amazing, parking is a little awkward if you don't know the area, the staff were super friendly, seating due to restrictions due to covid are limited so don't plan on sitting inside when it's busy

Andy Coulson

Great atmosphere, perfectly prepared coffee and espresso.

Bethany H.

Great vibe with very friendly staff. One of my favorite stops for a coffee or tea. Bar makes for a nice location to work or chill.

Vinay Joshy

Great spot to watch dogs

Mohammad Melebari

I love Balzac's. Just moved to Gueph and thrilled there is one close by. My daughter and I have enjoyed some morning "coffees " together and they always ensure the kids one isn't too hot. Huge fan of the macadamia nut milk that they have as a non dairy alternative. Try it!

Irvin

Great service and food.

Ahamed Hisham

Great coffee and awesome service

Maya Low

Great spot to work. Very short term parking only. 15 minutes max.

Mike

A decent latte and nice staff.

Yeshourun

Tasty coffee and pastries. Mostly friendly staff, but refuse 50$ bill - why?! Loved going there, recommend!

Marie Morden

Beautiful space, really chill vibe, friendly staff. Just outside downtown Guelph. My first stop here I had a cortado which was very good. Well balanced roast.

Kiera Petrie

Very clean staff is always friendly was very happy to see there patio open Just needs more vegan options.

Elisha Nessan

I love this place for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon sit down. Their lattes are great and they have yummy cookies too. I love the interior and it’s always clean. The staff are also friendly. Only downsides is it’s often difficult to find a seat because people are taking them up with laptops, so sometimes you just end up leaving and I do find it a tad pricey. Overall, I love coming to Balzacs.

C. Ronnenberg

Excellent quality. Just wish they served nitro cold brew year round.

Aaron talks

Staff are are friendly, coffee is good, cozy ambiance

Rod Sehnke

Great atmosphere and the coffee is good

tim secord

Came in today with 15 students and only 2 guys serving but they were incredibly fast and friendly!

paul woodward

Great coffee and Kusmi Teas. Nice atmosphere. Delicious pastries. Especially recommend the Stout Decaf and the peanut butter crispy. Right opposite the Farmer's Market, so nice for a little break. Great place for study as well, lots of power plugs. Prices are reasonable too. Only a shame they close so early!

Tara Walsh

Friendly guy

Patrick Kozierowski (WickedAwesomeAgent)

Fantastic coffee and fast, friendly staff.

jaime simon

Great coffee, nice atmosphere, efficient staff, friendly patrons. What more could you want? I like that they've put a bar along the Gordon St. window.

Richard Loat

Pretty nice place, great coffee try their maple late of they still have it so tasty.

Mectec Packaging Machinery

Favourite coffee selection in guelph

Patrick O'Donovan

Cafe Nordique and the Pumpkin Latte so perfect... Always...

Shasta Helene Carr-Harris

Fantastic coffee and hot drinks with a good selection of edibles. It would be nice if they offered an extended menu like sandwiches though.

Scott Jones

A great place to meet for a coffee. I've loved the atmosphere at every Balzac's I've been too. The high ceiling and tile motif floor offer some kind of artistic ambiance that you don't get at other chains. Staff are friendly and helpful and the sweets are oversized and abundant like many coffee shops. One thing I like about Balzac's are the mugs, and I keep them in rotation. If you're looking for parking at this location, you won't find it if google maps takes you there because the address is on Gordon street, a major thoroughfare. You'll have to park around the corner or down a side street. The closest parking is for 15 minutes only. Situated next to a couple of really neat activity centres (The Round Table & a Medieval gaming centre)

Erin Hesselink

This is a friendly and warm place to enjoy downtime or work. Kind staff, quality coffee

Gordon McCague

I think this may just be the best coffee I have ever had. So bloody good...

Garth Graham

Love this cafe, but parking is difficult.

Mary James

Good coffee and good atmosphere. The fifth start is for the delicious seasonal items like affogato (pictured) in the summer.

Emmanuel Filippakis

Lovely, cozy and elegant. Delicious latte and desserts!

Dylan McMahon

Best Coffee in Guelph.

Cristina Nannarone Tran

It carries on the Balzac theme well. Loads of natural light is the best thing about their cafe. Very pleasant inside.

Bonnie MacKay

Very overpriced. Food is 5/10 coffee is 8/10. Waste of money

Lisa Bucher

Cold brew was a pleasant surprise. Staff was nice, internet was fast. A nice spot similar to starbucks.

Jolanda Broekema

Nice little coffee shop with great latte

Denise Redmond

Amazing coffee/atmosphere! I love this place

Eve Geisler

Such a lovely cafe. Their menu is great, all of their drinks are high quality and delicious. I also love pastry, and their pain au chocolat is amazing. The seating is varied and comfortable with huge windows providing a lovely view of the busy street, I just wish there were more seating as it can be hard to find a seat at peak business hours. Their wifi is good, they have a nice patio outside, and the service is polite, helpful, and professional.

Chelsey Cunningham

Great atmosphere and friendly staff

Franco Amalfi

Had a great Chai latte! Vibrant surroundings

Timothy Bartley

Nice little cafe. Good service and good food.

Samuel Taylor

Coffee is excellent. Not too sweet for specialty drinks. Lots of treats like cookies, squares, and biscotti to choose from. Some seating on the patio and limited seating inside which is often taken over by the laptop crowd.

Alicia Newell

Damn good coffee! Come here often and is always a treat.

Melissa Pollard

Much better at home, damn fone coffee though.

Patrick Kloeze

Great staff! Excellent coffee!

Amanda Turner

I've never had a bad visit at Balzac's. Great tea, coffee and lemonade. Lovely patio in summer.

Amer Rustum

Great coffee nice vibes

Bren Irwin

Good coffee. Could be more variety in snacks, and I wish they were open a little later. Overall a nice place.

Jenn Halden

Great ambience. Great coffees. Scones are delicious. Parking is a problem. Otherwise stars.

Paul Bailey

Great drinks, nice atmosphere, expensive.

Mark Peters

Nice group study location

Shannon McIntyre

Not especially cozy, few tables, closes early; fairly standard coffee and treat options - but the staff are always friendly.

Jenn Tomlinson

Average coffee. Expensive tea biscuit. Not the greatest decor.

Lucas Coombs

Yummy drinks

Austin Brown

Good place for coffee. Weird seating area and building always seems to be cold. Nice patio for a nice day.

Karl Weinstein

Cute place, good chai latte, nice snacks. A bit pricey, but normal for upscale coffee.

Tim L

Very friendly staff and a relaxed atmosphere.

DuncanIdaho redux

Best coffee around.

Sabina Gosai

The coffee is only OK, but the staff are friendly and the space is nice.

Mitch Burgess

????????

erica wrixon

Beautiful decor and tasty treats. Would be nice if some healthier options were available.

Tuco Salamanca

Safe but Sweet - its unique design and atmosphere gives it a semi royal lasting impression. Its menu is at par with shops like Starbucks and it makes a good place to chat with a friend/coworker one on one - not so great in groups. 4/5

Sebastian Lathangue (Sebastian)

The coffee machines are too much in your face when you are sitting there. Above average coffee.

Ty Cadeau

Good coffee. I ordered a cappuccino two different times. There oatmeal raisin cookies are good! Sandwiches are very $$$$ and not made fresh.

Jess Massarski

Great coffee and atmosphere!

Chloe Perrier

Meal type

Miranda Drexler

I visited the Café for the 2nd time last week during my visit to Springfield. A few months ago when I stopped by, I enjoyed a hearty lunch. The tuna salad sandwich is excellent and the selection of homemade cookies are amazing.

Shanaye Thomas

Wierd

James Meloche

Great coffee.. Great people

Meg Ecclestone

warm apple cider is an absolute must try this time of year! Was to die for

Justin St-Maurice

Coffee and pastries after a visit to the Guelph farmer's market

Jessica Beattie

As someone who has grown up in Brantford I was more than a little excited when I turned 19 and was finally able to go to the Casino, because lets face it, other than the movie theatre there really isn't too much to do in this city. I found myself, however, disappointed, which should not have been surprising,

Cathryn Haight

First time here. Very nice. I'll be back

Fırat Ateşok

Great coffee, really nice folks, very clean patio

Joel Bryant

Excellent coffee and latté's. Their specialty coffees aren't as sweet as Starbucks which is nice.

John Fraser

Hands down the best coffee in guelph. Have tried the Latte as well as the Cappuccino. Both are really good.

Sarah Amoah

Great coffee and service. Well run and organized. Always consistent.

Mark Tucker

coffee, atmosphere and barista's are great...oh yea I forgot the patio thumbs up!

afp

Independent coffee chain. Great coffee and good surroundings

Anthony Fauré

Love this location. Possibly my favourite location. Always clean. Always friendly. Always with the most delicious coffees and treats! Hot tip their muffins are out of this world. Try one warmed!

Lindsay Watt

Friendly staff and delicious coffee!

Jonathan Puddle

This is my favourite coffee shop in Guelph for ambience. Top 2 for espresso. I found the espresso to be full-bodied, smooth and robust. Like most popular coffee shops, seating for groups of 3 or more is difficult. There's parking on the street. Expect to parallel park. Conveniently located across from the farmers market.

joel blacklock

Great coffes

Zimm Zimmster

Delicious coffee!

Chris B

Probably my favorite coffee go-to in Guelph! Great staff, and the coffee is great! If you're ever feeling under the weather order the Citro-Booster!! Also, they're lunch box friendly, which I really appreciate

El Barron

Love it here.

ATC Boy

Cute coffee shop! Not too much seating but still a lovely atmosphere and good coffee.

Natasha Fagin

Great coffee place. I love all the Balzac locations I have been to.

Christiaan Baikie

Good cappuccino!

Tom Redman

Always friendly, best vibe in the city. Also best Wifi. Baristas are real pros. Love this spot. Photo is of a Cafe Nordique. Highly recommend.

Anne Marshall

Excellent. Try their Cortado!

Greg Taillon

Their coffee and smiling team members make this a great place to grab coffee and meet people in downtown Guelph.

Sharon ptchef

Great Lattes

Fabio V

Tasty drinks, good atmosphere.

Jade H.

I understand

El-Candy Ajayi

I love this place. Great vibe and amazing coffee. I just wish it were bigger!

Hamish Hains

The capuccino was amazing.

Andrew Dean

Great coffee, great food, nice service good seating.

Farsheed Roshani

Gorgeous coffee shop. Wish we had one in oshawa. Super jealous

C. R. Reay Hutchinson

My wife's favorite coffee shop, bring your own food is welcome and the coffee is delish and not too pricey

Lara Saliba

The staff is always friendly and the drinks are beyond delicious. One of my favourite places to work and have a coffee with a friend.

Joseph A. Sebok

Good coffee

Alan Aitken

Kind of like Planet Bean. Great treats. Tried their blond roast, it was ok. Small coffee shop. Nice atmosphere. A bit pricey... 10$ for two coffees and a brownie.

Calum Harper

Save your time and go to Starbucks , better location and service . This shop charges more then Starbucks for coffee .

Vlad Gligor

A nice place to grab a coffee with a friend or sit down to work for a while. Very busy, so it can be hard to find a seat.

Patricia Kopec

Good coffee but a little hard to find seating.

KFThierry Fogang

The staff are amazing.

Kristian Smith

Really good coffee.

Cory Bonneville

Perfect Americano! Good quality stuff, but a bit pricey!

Mario Fenech

Nice place to chill or grab a cup to go. The staff are great and bend over backwards to make sure you are happy

Sergio faria

Cool atmosphere and good coffee.

Tyler Herbert

Great coffee and environment!

Bill Mackenzie

Nice location, cookies are lacking edibility.

noah robinson

Will not serve you unless you wear mask. Despite physical barriers and staff wearing a mask and social distance in the store.

Patrick Harkins

Take out

Sam T

Delicious coffee.

Amanda Grace

Spot on coffee every time. A bold statement but I would say it's one of the best espresso in Guelph. My go to place for a client meeting!

Vero Roni

Consistently good. The Balzac's Guelph is also helped by the café company and product being great. Good service here, and it has a nice environment. However, it must be pointed out that in the corona era, there are people dining inside Balzac's in groups of more than 2 or 3, and who are not putting on their masks once they are finished with their beverage or food or when remaining at the café. Many places now implement and share a reminder to guests to put on their masks once they aren't eating or drinking for a while. Balzac's must do this as well, for health and safety. The location is also small, which comes at a price and means more protocol. There are still people camped out with their laptops (which happen to be plugged into the cafe outlets) for a lengthy time. Sorry, but those days and behaviours are done. It is not fitting and is out-of-place in the new normal or pandemic era. There are places these days they could go to that are office space centres designed specifically for hourly or daily rentals, with good rates, a kitchen, and designed with distancing protocol in mind. We all have to do our part, otherwise we won't have places around such as Balzac's.

Peter Jaspers-Fayer

Great spot for a coffee or snack.

Jerney Geier

Favorite coffee shop to catch up with friends. Great staff and Baristas!

Chaitan Ghanekar

Wonderful atmosphere and great beverages!

New Leaf Farms

Best coffee hands down in guelph Great staff

Kevin Post

Nice cafe, good coffee and friendly service

Sue Teeter

Quality coffee and a great atmosphere

David Brubacher

Fast and friendly service.

Umar Sattar

The service is great and the drinks are delicious! The only reason I don't give 5 stars is because the seating is not the most comfortable.

Cristiane Mesquita

Great spot, excellent service, exceptional coffee

J D

I had carrot cake and it was amazing. 2 thumbs up

Jimmy Stewart

Best coffee in town! Friendly staff, nice cozy environment.

A Gupta

Really love this coffee spot! Great coffee, very friendly and happy staff! Love the atmosphere!

raj pillai

Great coffee!

E Landa

Great coffee

Kathy McLeod

Great interior, friendly staff, awesome coffee and pastries! I’ve been to this location about 3-4 times now and each time I’ve had a good experience. Their iced lavender latte is really good too!

Rasool Tahmasebi

Nice place.. but not easy to park near.

Frank Quinto

Great service and great coffee. This is now where I buy my beans from!

John Kuzyk

Best place to get a coffe when you're at the Farmer's Market.

Murry Rusk

Quiet in a great place to get a cup of coffee.

Jackie SV

Great coffee and tea

Ze'ev Gedalof

They are very covid conscious here so that makes seating less available. We were very lucky as a young lady said we could have her seating. Otherwise there was no where to sit, inside or out. The Buttertart was good. It had raisins in it. My matcha was a lighter tasting one. The lemon tart was delicious. A definite lemon taste. The mocha was good as well. It is very much a younger crowd for the most part. More than half of the people had laptops.

Niroshan Udith Bandara

It has the best vegan hot chocolate I've ever had, even better than my own! I mostly credit the "Milkadamia" (macadamia milk) that they offer. They also offer soy and almond as alternative milk options. They have hot miso broth in a cup in brown rice and chickpea flavours, but use a spoon to prevent it from settling along the bottom. They even have some (packaged and gluten free) vegan cookies, and ginger chews (mango flavour). Lots of outlets for laptops but consequently seating fills up. They own offer actual meals, but invite you to bring your own lunch and eat it there while you drink their beverages. The staff are fun and skilled. Go today!

Bailey Smith

The british(?) Gentleman who works here is simply fantastic.

Matt Collins

Good coffee and great service!

yoav schatz

Nice spot! Classic Balzacs, parking can be tricky. Will be back!

Karen W

Our first visit here to enjoy an afternoon coffee & snack with friends. Very nice establishment, clean and aesthetically pleasing. Pleasant Staff with a great selection of beverages & snacks to choose from. Outdoor patio seating. Will definitely be returning.

Seth Partridge

Always busy, but still can find a place to park and a seat to enjoy great coffee.

Kelly Houghland

Just had the best Americano I have ever tasted this morning!!! Thank you !!! Outstanding service at Guelph location.

Melissa Maher

Service

Rayna Lew

One time to try.

Crystal Wood

Great atmosphere and coffee.

Ori Talmor

The coffee here is pretty good. The atmosphere is a little lacking and the decor isn't that unique.

Dylan Dunstall

Excellent beans and handling. Ask for the Bird Man - he is the master of machiatto.

Todd On Site

Friendly staff good food great coffee

Raymond Antonio

Incredible espresso, baked goods and atmosphere

Trish McFalls

I love this place, I'd recommend the Café Canadien.

Alex SDB

Brunch

Manon H

Staff, coffee, muffins & setting are wonderful! My favourite pre-market go-to spot!

Keziah Yamamoto

Absolutely great coffee with a wide selection. Quiet down to earth atomosphere. I always get coffee here when I'm in the neighbourhood, even tho I have to get out of the car!

Adele D'Arcy

Nice little coffee shop. Always have had a good cup of coffee.friendly staff. Lack parking for quick access but worth the walk.

Mosuelo Sosom

Clean, modern cafe with excellent coffee. Consistent with the Balzac's brand. Vegan bakery items available, plus cow's milk alternative (soy milk at least). I spent lunch reading, but would also be a great spot to work. Big windows mean you can people watch while you sip your cappuccino.

Werner Zimmermann

The name is legit kinda weird even though its after a historical figure. The coffee, however, is off the charts. Cortado is bomb.

Brian McGowan

Coffee is great, staff is usually rude.

Susan Zografos

Overpriced big time

Linda Hall-Sayer

Long wait for average coffee

dirk darnell

great coffee, nice place everything was clean! was not over priced, those 1-star reviews here's a little tip: it's not TIM HORTANS! dessert was amazing def. recommend

Devin Jorgensen

The debit card machine broke and the server gave me my order for free. Sorry I didn't have any cash on me for a tip but I thank you very much sir!

chris arvanitis

Coffee is ok. Should be cozier. There is something unwelcoming about the place which is a real pity.

WeTube Media

Love the golden latte

J H

Good place to have coffee

Ziyad Moustafa

Expensive

Daniel Byrne

Excellent cappuccino and great service!

Denese Renaud

great coffee! parking lot is always full

meghan kirwin

Price is to be expected at a proper cafe and totally worth it! They have the best iced cappuccino in Guelph!

Dean Elliott

Good coffee thats actually brewed properly

Jordan Thompson

Tasty coffee and lattes. Love the marble roasts

Jake Wolters

Staff are super friendly in a cool, quiet atmosphere. Delicious coffee too!

Mei Con

I always like Balzac's but this location is extra lovely with the decor / tiles / deco cups. Of course, the coffee is great too.

Krista Cr

Good coffee, as expected from the Balzac brand. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Street parking only.

Cheryl Winfield

Great coffee and atmosphere. Enjoy the patio in the summer and try the blueberry scone. Staff could be a bit friendlier though.

Carol Bucking

The best coffee I've had in a very long time. I will definitely be back. I love the old world coffee shop atmosphere they've created. Yum!

Acorn

Does what it does well.

Stephanie Freeman

They make the best americano I have ever had. I would highly recommend this to anyone who needs a good cafine kick.

Winnie Hayworth

The only Balzac's I've been to where they don't burn my latte. Friendly staff, quick service, and delicious every time!

Bill Morales

Balzac’s is a Canadian institution. Friendly staff and a wide selection of baked goods including vegan and gluten free. Absolutely the BEST tasting and quality coffee whether brewed or fresh beans. A big step up from the usual chain cafes.

Michelle Speirs

Really chilled atmosphere even when busy. Great place to get some work done.

E Watson

Great little cafe, with interesting coffee choices.

Anthony Koedyk

Nice atmosphere, good coffee

Alyssa Politi

One of our favourite places for coffee or London Fogs on a Saturday

Dave Walker

Very good coffee.

Judith Hallet

Balzacs has a warmth of their coffee shop. Familiar faces and new. Great place to chat after the market

David Kazimierczuk

The best baristas in Guelph!

Tyler Cotnam

Quality is moderate, prices are extreme.

aM N

good atmosphere. since pricey only tried coffee so far but its a great coffee.

Secret Reviews

Another great coffee joint in Guelph - really embodies the Guelph spirit

Rosslyn Bentley

Great and fast service

Bella Khidhir

Nice place to seat in. It has a character

Ric Jordan

Great drinks and everyone on staff is very friendly. Excellent selection of teas!

Heather Bryans

Love this place, clean and friendly, Guelph's little gem

Ben Barclay

Great ice tea, wonderful ambiance. Ginger cookie was delicious too!

Shelley Sopher

Great experience here. Our first time to Balzac's since moving. The store is great. Love the tiles floor and the wood bar. Lovely atmosphere. Staff were super friendly and even made restaurant suggestions for us to try. Covid measures followed. Will be back

fm lemieux

Amazing coffee! Handy location and not crazy expensive.

Jonny Arbour

Competent staff, decent coffee. Thanks for being open on Mondays unlike most downtown coffee shops.

M. Ju

A great espresso and outdoor patio!

Steveno001

Great coffee and little treats, a little pricey. Atmosphere is nice and bright. I wish there was more parking though.

Joshua Culp

Take out

Krystal Proulx

Best coffee around

Manjot Singh

Very friendly staff!

Kevin Pelling

This is my favourite cafe in all of Guelph! Every drink I have gotten is perfectly made & tastes better than any drink I've gotten elsewhere. The best part is that they don't charge extra for the non dairy milks! Oat & macadamia are sooo yummy. The baristas are always so friendly and we always have good chats when I'm in! Their baked goods are all awesome too, you can't go wrong. Thanks for consistently being a gem, Balzac's.

Gracen Geier

Great coffee, great atmosphere, great staff. I love coming here for my Sunday coffee.

David Tsoulis

Hassan and Rob were very helpful and kind the other day (as always) and it was much appreciated. I always find the service excellent. The Yirgacheffe coffee is very flavourful and thankfully Balzac's has not yet succumbed to the pervasive third-wave coffee shop trend towards lighter and lighter roasts.

Leanne Bing

Many people in Guelph love this coffee bar. I don't enjoy how tightly packed together the seats and tables are. I dislike that the proximity of the tables and chairs means having to shift and move every time a person near to you arrives or leaves. I didn't enjoy how noisy the place was between coffee and drinks and food being made and people talking and chairs scrapping across the floor and tables needing to be shifted to accommodate the variant numbers of arriving or departing people at those tables. I had been invited to Balzac's for a meeting on a Saturday after the Farmer's Market had closed, and found it very challenging to find a reasonably priced item on the menu. After settling on a tea, there was a very long wait time for my beverage as few people were working that day and several lattes were in the works ahead of food needing to be plated. Narrow passageways meant a lot of shifting and negotiating space with people arriving to the counter and pile ups as the line grew with waiting patrons. As staff moved around and people attempted to exit or wait for the restroom, things felt increasingly disorganized. When I finally found a spot to sit and the meeting began, it was incredibly challenging to hear what the other person was saying and all the shifting was disruptive. My visit occurred on a cold winter day and the patio was closed, so it is likely that the place was more populated than normal, but it was not a comfortable visit. I have not been back since that visit and have no intention of returning. The in-store menu did not seem to have a lot of suitable options for me as a gluten free vegan, and the website doesn't give a clear indication of what to expect in store. The prices were unappealingly high and the congestion sealed the deal. If I was the type to work at a laptop in a café, this would not be the place I would choose.

Andre Auger

I used to love coming to Balzac’s because they had the best matcha lattes. However, since the summer they have not been the same. The matcha clumps up in the bottom of the cup (both hot and cold). The flavour is not consistent throughout the drink. Great atmosphere and coffee, but if you want a good matcha go to planet bean or Starbucks!

Denise Scott

You could tell just by walking in that the coffee was good, as the smell was incredible. There was a large selection of pastries that looked so delicious, it was hard to choose. I had the chocolate croissant and it was tasty. The staff also provided excellent service. I would have rated it 5 stars, but the washrooms weren't open.

Richard Montgomery

My coffee in a cone was fantastic!

Kon T

Busy and fun atmosphere. I could sit and watch for hours

Katie Buczkowski

A little pricey but the best coffee I've ever had. You won't be disappointed by the vibe, friendly staff, or delicious coffee.

M. Shadowwalker

Great coffee, quiet atmosphere and nice staffs. Delicious pastries. Especially recommend the Stout Decaf and the peanut butter crispy. Convenient for shopping at the Farmer's Market weekend, So nice to have a little break. Great place for relaxing, lots of power plugs for surfing online

Nick Bell

Friendly, helpful staff, and good coffee.

Celia Payne

Love their atmosphere and their service. Their baristas are friendly and knowledgeable. Was one of my favorite places to visit before I moved out of town !

A Teeter

Everything about the place is great except the number of students that buy a drink and sit for hours occupying the limited seating.

Mike Gr

Definitely a Canadian coffee institution! That being said this location is better than the downtown Toronto one

Nathan Brown

The best tasting coffee and the cafe is adorable clean and very organized! It just made my Saturday morning!

John Kosior

Great coffee, full of hipsters this morning

Owen Marshall Young

Great coffee, exceptional staff, and an overall good environment. Worth the visit!

Alex Chong

Great coffee and great ppl

Adam Bialecki

Not the greatest seating and not dog friendly.

Peter McSherry

Great coffee friendly staff

Rebecca F

Great atmosphere, the staff is friendly and fast. Lots of great pastry/ bakery options to go with your latte ????

Todd Speirs

Good Coffee, Good Space, Good Location.

Trevor Pedley

We loved our visit to Balzac’s cafe! Best specialty coffee we’ve had so far in Canada - hard to find good coffee in North America when you’re used to Australian coffee. Staff are so friendly & made us “Aussies” feel so much more at home. Dairy free milk options are available too which was so good. Great decor! We loved it. Highly recommend!

Catherine McC

I love their coffee

John Atkins

Beat coffee in downtown Guelph.