Reviews of The Only Cafe (Coffee Shop)

Heather L

Best patio in Peterborough and delicious sandwiches!

Bryan McKellar

Very tastey eggs benedict with home fries, godd prices. Cold plate made the food cool down quickly.

Robbie Mauger

Funky little cafe that is self serve. Quirky atmosphere and delicious food.

Joshua MacGregor

Always a great time with friendly staff

Danny A.

The only has one of the best breakfast ive had around here.

Scott Reishi Maylen Somerville

All the cool kids come here

Matthew Barnes

Trendy place, good for small or large groups

Evan Alexander

Such a lovely shadey patio

Vicki

Great patio!! Haven't tried the food yet, but the drinks are expensive.. $7.50 for a Sandbagger or a cider! Whew! Can't afford to have more than a couple while hanging out there, that's for sure.. but nice place to duck out of the sun & cool down! Also looks magical at night time :)

Johnathan Agaton

Great atmosphere and they sure know how to make a good sandwich!

Yak Man

Awesome food !! I give this little gem a 4. Service was a little slow but the one guy cooking did an amazing job. Kudos to him!! The overall boheimien decor and vibe is fantastic. Craft beer selection is good. Try the cherry wheat beer with desert. Overall nice experience. Cheers!!!

Adam Burns

Pros: great beer selection, shuffleboard, amazing patio in the summer Cons: if you're not part of the in crowd you'll get treated a little different - got kicked out of our table for playing the aforementioned shuffle board to make room for the regulars. Them got kicked out of a 'kids' space. At 1am on a Saturday. Not a lot of kids there at that time.

J Az

After coming back to my go to bar back in the day 15 years later, I'm happy to see that The Only is just as rad as I remember. Cool space, easy drinks, cool crowd and down right spectacular service.

Nimkii Nini

Good place to chill, have a drink and eat some delicious food.

Sparks Sparks

Hasn't changed in 20 years. Still the ONLY place for breakfast!

Teresa Gainey

Great patio and friendly staff but the drinks are expensive and there is no table service or anything on tap.

Richard Von Zarquon

Great prices, good food. It's not fast food though, it's a place to talk. Give yourself lots of time.

Christopher Allen (On Point Contracting)

It's a neat place. I'm not much for bars but wanting to be social with my friends I went any way. Had a good time and enjoyed the decor and environment.

Dakota Leahy

Great foos, laid back relaxed atmosphere

Cole LeBlanc

Quaint creekside seating with tasty food in the heart of Peterborough.. this is one of the best watering holes around.

Yaysi Solanyi Gonzalez

Very nice, good food.

Aleesha Gostkowski

Great atmosphere

Amy Parsons

Love the cowboy breakfast, coffee (is that cinnamon?), and random thrift store mugs. One of my fav places in ptbo!

theresa pavy

Great food, awesome beer selection. Male staff wearing only 1/2 there mask. When asked about it was very snarky told that I’m not wearing one and he didn’t care. So if your concerned about safety, all the other staff wear their masks but a few choose not too wear properly.

Colin Rous

good beer selection, good food, a good patio and shuffleboard

Simcoe

Friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Great food and patio. The washroom stalls are the only one's in town where you can look at your buddy in the eye and wipe your are at the same time. If you are looking for privacy...you'll get more behind a garbage can outside. This hasn't changed in over 20 years. Lol

Dylan Radcliffe

I spent all my OSAP here.

Clifford Rutledge

Great spot. Open and friendly.

David McLachlan

Really enjoyed our visit today. Strangely I know another "Only Cafe" in the metropolis to the south but this one gets my vote for friendly staff, yummy inexpensive food and a great setting. Plus no one told me there was a mystery creek right beside the restaurant. My one suggestion would be to put another copy of the menu out by the sidewalk in larger text so that groups don't clump while ordering together during covid times. That way people would show up to the window ready to order. Cheers

Maureen Hyde -Balfour

Very friendly atmosphere with lovely people

E B

Good place, chill atmosphere, very relaxed. Good selection.

Brenden Di Vittori

Cool, cozy, simple bar. Has a shuffle board table!

Senior “Danno” GuyMan

Great atmosphere and love the music. Food is the dark horse. Much better than one would expect from such a limited sized kitchen.

Sean Callahan

Creepy people. Very rude.

Cailin Robert Campbell And Green

Decent all day breakfasts in a funky pub.

Matt Rowlandson

Good selection of imported beers, great atmosphere, small. con: only takes cash. no credit. -1 star

Sarah Bencic

Such a great place for a summer patio drink or a pleasant drink any other time. Has shuffle board and vinyl nights. Great place to have a chat, or even meet people who are respectful andbwont grab your butt. Which tbh in ptbo is a problem.

Kimberly

The food is really good and affordable and the server was very nice.

Markus Peck

Awesome

Donavan LoForte RPN, RCRT, LCRT

The "café" served is drip. Not quite a bar, not quite a café, not quite a restaurant. Love the rodents. Thx for the wi-fi & cell charge. Funny thing is that it's not the only Only.

Fox Jones

A crude bar with bad food and local brews. The staff are rude and lazy, but no one's here for the service. Great stop for a pint before the bus outta town. You never have to worry about the wait staff bothering you with pesky things like menus or food or drinks, which is great 'cause they realize there's nothing worth eating. Great big 'river'-side patio (aqueduct, city sewage runoff?), groovy music, eclectic vintage music decor. It's a mystery anyone comes back, but i always do! <3 u Only!

Lori Tomkinson

Awesome lunch. Great patio. Cool decor!

Neil Voutt

Some of the slowest staff in the world when it comes to the menu. But Jesus do they make good food. Paired with some of the largest beer selection in town. It's great in the summer

Zoë M

What a local bar should be! The Only is the heart of Ptbo. Great lowkey ambience, magical patio, good selection of beers. The food is also really good (their jerk turkey sandwich and ginger mick salad is such comfort food). Can take a little while, especially for breakfast, so don't go if you're starving, but worth the wait. They had a reputation for grumpy servers, but they have overcome that in the past few years.

Eugene Shin

Local store in downtown Peterborough, food is good and very reasonable prices.

Kimberly Golden

Despite the staff changes that inevitably happen over the years The Only has been a consistently good vibe place you can always count on. I really hope they are being supported by the community during this pandemic, you guys deserve it!

Ben Wendt

Definitely the best bar in Peterborough.

Drew Ginter

The best place in town!

Meagan Christou

Very relaxing atmosphere, beautiful patio. Excellent service and excellent food and drink options. Definitely the go-to meeting place for friends.

Timothy Hunter

Trendy bar full of young and interesting people. A rotating selection of craft brews ensures that you never get tired of coming back. Definitely the best student bar in Peterborough. Always full of interesting people, with a raised table in the back that makes you feel like a king.

Aaron Hogan

Had breakfast here once. Never again. Service was bad, no water, Runny eggs

Marcus Elia

What can I say... I've been going here since they opened almost thirty years ago, and it's worth the no-nonsense service, funky bathroom, wonky floors and patio, and wobbly tables. Going again tonight in fact. Perhaps I'll see you there!

Bruce Burbidge

Friendly and atmospheric with a nice patio space

Tracy Ford

awesome

Tyler Smith

If you're looking for overpriced sandwiches on dirty dishes from servers with foul moods. This is the place. I've played the Gordon Best Theater above The Only multiple times and I don't understand how the staircase between the two changes …

KerryJane Day

Far and Away the best patio in the city. If they are busy, Your food will take awhile to get to you, but there's lots of pictures to look at, cool music on the stereo, and friendly people all around you, time just flies. The World's Best Sandwich is aptly named. I also love Patti's petit déjeuner: scrambled eggs, buttered English muffin, sliced avocado, cheddar cheese and Fried Tomato. I get fried mushrooms substituted for the Tomato, and add peameal bacon when I'm starving. And check out the house made baked goods It's also a very positive place for children, perfect for stay at home parents to get out and socialize. Their covid-19 protocols are thorough, but not intimidating, they make it easy to go out and have fun safely during these tough times. If it's your first visit, you should know that you must order at the bar, and they only take cash

Joslynn Burford

Been a favorite of mine firever..I used to frequently go in my 20s....always great food and drink..patio...and upstairs there is a thearter for live performances.

Alexander Kretov

The best Canadian Club Sandwich ever time!

Curry Gray

A must-visit if eccentric cafes are 'your-thing'.. floor to wall decor. Awesome staff. Extensive menu selections... Peterborough Historic ????

Tanya Eastman

Amazing atmosphere, unique and great variety of drinks. Fantastic food!

Leigh Rose

Having lived in Ptbo (and surrounding) for close to a decade, I can say that The Only is a perfect place to grab a pint and lunch. I recommend Sunday brunch. Worth the wait. Oh and for you newbies, they are English style service. Which means you have to approach the bar with your order and they will serve you after that. And yea, the servers can be rude, but that adds to the charm.

Matthias Brettle

One of the gems of Peterborough's evening cafes, mid afternoon pint perhaps while doing some readings. The patio is excellent and the interior decorated for an evening sit and chat is a collage . Nestled along Peterborough's subterranean Jackson Creek The Only Cafe is a perfect spot for a pre or post dinner drink. Music - great (playing metals by Feist was great). Sandwiches - unreal ($9.00 for the world's better). Some would describe as expensive, and they only take cash, but it's not a "bro" party space.

Sarah Mourning

Cash only, unique good, good drinks. The atmosphere is what draws me here. It's so cozy. The patio in the summer is magic overlooking the river. We've been going here for decades.

Sean Behan

Great for get togethers with friends

Naoki Loki

Bianca

Federico Chaux

Straight up vibes

Steve Burnside

Homey feel. I've only encountered friendly staff. Good food. Gordon Best upstairs hosts some wicked intimate concerts.

Dan Salhani

This is a classic bar. Great atmosphere, great beer selection, and great decor. Service is good and staff have lots of character. It is a cash only location but they do have a ATM. They sometimes have live bands play upstairs. There is a great patio for the warmer months. All in all a great place to go drink. Food is pretty good as well.

Cork and Bean Oshawa

Great little eclectic spot, great patio, amazing sandwhiches and good beer, freat relaxing atmosphere.

lance Subrock

Sandwiches are amazing and so is the service!!!

Faith Ven

Terrible customer service experience multiple times

Damien Lee

Da bestest place in town.

Sky Lisette

Amazing cafe and bar with a stunning riverside patio. Food and dessert is amazing, and the selection for alcohol is great. The staff are fun and friendly. One of the best hidden gems in the city!

Ana Roa V.

Beautiful place with a tradition of being a cultural hub for more than 2 decades. Friendly staff and nice food. The patio is amazing to hang out, have drinks and a bite or do some work. I had a nice time there!

Dennis Favro

Food is fantastic, the atmosphere is wonderful. It's a little slow and a bit eclectic but definitely worth it.

Jay Gamble

Great atmosphere and staff

jeffrey macklin

Nicest patio in town. A fav.

M. Lock

The best place in Peterborough. Love the only.

Jason Chessar

I always enjoy the experience and atmosphere here.

Oris Dorch

The only is what it is. Love it or leave it.

H. Foster

The inside has a nice atmosphere.

Bryan Wall

Interesting atmosphere, not in a bad way. This was our first time here, and the bar staff was very helpful with helping us make a selectiin from there well-stocked craft beer and cider selection. Our drinks were a little pricey, but we would go there again.

Rob W.

Great patio in the heart of Peterborough. They also have a good selection of beer for enjoying on those hot patio worthy days. Cheers!

Shawna Blackwood

Cool space, amazing patio, great prices, amazing food and an excellent staff. My favourite bar in Peterborough, hands down!

Kelly Grear

Best pub in town, would recommend checking out their turkey sandwich options. The servers are great and there's a cute ginger man that works there. LGBTQ2 friendly. Great patio for games night bring your friends and have some fun along side the river

Andrew Vanderschaaf

The other customers were friendly, but the staff was rude to me. Food tasted one or two days old. Good selection of beers on tap. Can't give more than one and a half stars because staff went out of their way to ignore me.

Sean Forrester

Good music, good food, great beer selection, and the best patio in Peterborough!

Piper Deck

Classic spot to get a pint in Peterborough. Artsy decor, great music, beautiful patio

Duck Yu

Little bit of Europe..... Visit and brunch!

Dave Higgs-Vis

I'm here right now. And drunk. And loving it. Great bar. One of the greats indeed. Hell. Yes.

Vafa Hamzehpour

Cozy and lovely coferestaurant. The walls, every where is covered by singer, writers and artist's photos. The beer and food is yummy, music that was playing, was adorable. I highly recommend it.

Rajat Verma

Lovely place

Diana Scanlon

They have the absolute best sandwiches followed with a nice craft beer.

Jake Dean

Incredible atmosphere, great staff, good selection of food and drink. Patio is very nice by the river. Cash only.

Ben Carkner

Amazing beer selection! Amazing atmosphere but often gets too busy as is the way with most good places!

M

My first time here, tried their Amsterdam sandwich. Fell in love with it, the ambience and the little Café. Glad I was introduced to this place. The only place in Peterborough!

Aditya Joshi

Amazing place. Love the decor and service! Visited this place for just a couple of drinks! Would definitely visit again when in the area!

Albert Horne

Never been there always thought was a gay bar?

Christopher Michael Spain

Best banana bread I've ever had. Great escape from the world feeling patio beside a rambling river. Helpful and friendly staff. Spotty WiFi.

Andrew Nurse

people need to learn what a review is. personal judgements of individuals does not reflect the overall quality of the place. Try the jerk turkey.

mike goodie

Great place for brunch on a Sunday. 4 stars for the tight fit.

John Forsythe

Relaxed atmosphere, walls are totally covered with old photos and art. Decent beer selection, though you'll have to eyeball the fridge as there doesn't seem to be a full beer list. The big cookies are great.

Warren Lepp

Good drinks good people and always good times

Kevin Allan

Peterborough icon

baka baka

A hippies wet dream come true. No wasted food, probably left overs made into a dish to save money and be "GREEN". Overpriced food to help you feel that you are party of a entitle special "green" group.

Beth Warder

Great reasonably prices food and drinks! Amazing service from our bartender. She was a sweetheart :)

Anton

Relaxed pub. It's the only pub in town like it. See what I did there? The Only pub ... Haha

Annisha L

SLOWEST SERVICE IN THE WORLD. its a really nice venue but bring a laptop or a book or something and make sure your prepared to be your own waiter basically. Not the best experience. We waited 45 minutes for two breakfast orders. Its a one-woman kitchen so obviously wait times will be high but first of all, as a server it is your responsibility to convey this, I don't care how hipster and unconventional your bar is, and second of all do not have a full length breakfast order with over 20 options if there's only one person preparing your food. Terrible business model...I could go on.

Adam Zinzan

If you're bothering to read this you are most likely new or visiting Peterborough – this place is a total staple and community hub. Probably number one on the essential PTBO experiences list. Good food and beer selection as well.

Taras Pater

Funky space. Great patio by Jackson's Creek in the summer. Great for breakfast.

Andrew Smyth

Super cozy atmosphere with some awesome beer selections!

Lorianne Stenson

Amazing and very homey!!!!

Toby de Graaf

Great place! But you need to bring cash because sometimes the ATM isn't working.

Luke Harris

Quiet, quaint and secluded. Great food, amazing atmosphere.

Joshua Ufor

The service at the night was great as well as the drink options! However, in the morning, there’s this one girl with a nose ring that has the WORST attitude. She sounded very uninterested in anything and as though she just wanted the day to be done with. However, the food was good and they only take cash....that one waitress was so irritating though

Swarup Sharma Druba

Nice and cozy pub for fun night.

Caleb Pedosiuk

Hard pressed to find another place locally that has deeper, richer, cultural roots. In it's spectrum to experience, for breakfast/lunch it refuses to be beat. Requesting a vegan version seems only to heighten the amount of care and creativity that goes into its culinary art.

Matthew Thurston (Mthursty)

Such a comfortable retro/vintage feel. Great local beers on tap. Perfect for a quiet night out.

Mario Villano

An a mazing spot to chill with friends and drinks

eric kelso mckibbon

Awesome food and funky decor

gary duckett

Awesome place awesome staff and eclectic like crazy

Ashley Fearnall

Hard to describe this place and it's magic. Definitely a place where the community gathers, easy going, and I have many special memories from this cafe. The food is great, the jerk chicken salad and breakfast items are great - and it is home to the world's best sandwich (truly). Food is cooked fresh and may take a bit to arrive, this is a place to slow down and enjoy downtown and friends in the city!

Paul R

every kind of beer. great decor. the best patio. go go go !

Monica Vereana Williams (The Detangler)

Love. Have always and always will.

Jodie Ferguson

Great atmosphere

Siege Jay

Came here since 2000 being a Trent green horn. Glad they are still around and survived the covid plague times …

Cauta Pacea (Caută Pacea)

The Only was good today. We had pancakes for breakfast.

Joshua Burnett

Delicious food, great staff, #1 patio in downtown

Andrew Curzon

Arrived at 2PM Tuesday afternoon. ordered a beer and and BLT Sandwich.... 3:45 PM and Sandwich was still being made. Slowwwww! Very few customers and staff not really interested in your wait time. Will not be back

Ryan Chen-Wing

Reasonable beer selection. Friendly, competent staff. Pictures and vintage signs of bee, music, architecture, bric-a-brac etc. A platform with a table carved with messages over the years. A world map from 1981. Would go back and drink beer.

Rachael Sayeau

Beautiful patio, cheap drinks and hipster vibes

Natalie Krill

Hands down beat breakfast in the city. Consistently great!

Debbie Fischer

Yummy sandwiches, nice staff

Josh Mau

Great environment for the casual visit or serious date! Can't recommend the atmosphere enough!

Fatima Tostao

Amazing music, nice food and great bartenders, defenitly going back

MultiMonkeymunch

Terrible service. Very rude. Food is great though

Glenn

Great bar. I visit it's long lost sister bar with the same name, in toronto on the danforth. Same theme. Visit both!

Jeffrey Chalmer

Went there once last summer. The staff was rude, and after waiting almost two hours we realized they forgot my order altogether! Also, I think I saw a rat...

Richard Massey

Great place!

Joel Carter

Good coffee, good drinks, good atmosphere.

Rosalee Emerick

Great customer service very knowledgeable and helpful.

Kirk Hendsbee

Love this joint. Patio is crooked, but charming. Eclectic beer selection. Delicious and quick eats. Great place.

John Veitch

Shuffleboard, awesome people, great prices on everything and really cool tunes. Oh yeah, it's small but nobody cares and everybody gets along. Really had an excellent time and it does help that my cousin who I went with knows half of the patrons... lol Everyone loves her lol. Can't wait to go back there and have fun again.

Janis Mansbridge

Patrons are awesome.. so are the staff and owners

Stan Mercer

This is a nice small town Pub/eatery, where friends meet for a nice meal and a cold brew, and of course a friendly smile from the serving staff. Well hidden, but a really nice find. Enjoy.

Robert Cameron

A neat place for breakfast. (I believe its offered all day?). Friendly staff, cool vibes.

Connie P

Loved it, very unique experience. Lots to look at, and it was easy to find a little nook to hide in. Staff was friendly and quick.

Aaron

A fascinating little hole in the wall, well loved by its patrons. This spot is decked out in tons of varying artwork covering every inch of the walls, and the staff are marvelous, friendly, and proficient. A surprisingly good cup of coffee can be found here, as well as a broad range of food (including stellar jerk chicken) and a few brews to boot. Highly recommended to anyone planted in Peterborough or just passing through - visit at least once, just to be able to say you've been to The Only Café in Peterborough.

Rachel Hyde

Love this place!! my fiancee and I had our first date here and still love going to the only!! Awesome staff and fun times! I've also heard the breakfast sandwiches are very good! ....one day I'll have to try them!

Alan Rush

Quiet spot when we were there. Love the feel of the room, but had to stay off the patio that cool day.

blopy blahblah

Go here in the summer!! Awesome patio.. The Only could use a huge clean up though. Clumps of dust 3 inches thick make a nice home on top of the many beautiful pieces on the wall.. just waiting to fall into your food or on your clothing.. there are a number of pieces on the ceiling that are coming unscrewed and look like they're about to kill someone.. lamp shades are broken and torn and chairs are about to break at any moment.. just clean the place up man, I'm trying to eat. I will only go here in the summer where I can sit outside. I get it if you're trying to be eclectic.. but there's a difference between run down and giving up and eccentric. If where the customers sit is a hazard I would hate to see how the food is kept.

Shelby Miller

Cool little late night stop spot , good drinks and nice servers :)

Zac Ryan

The only is what it is. Love it or leave it.

Ron Christopher

A cool place to relax. A good selection of beverages and fresh food!

Guesse Kraig

Sat on their wonderful patio, had a few beers listened to a good rotation of tracks being played.

Alyson Allen

Great atmosphere and food! Has vegan options available and everything is made fresh. Will definitely go back.

Jude Jones

Great food. Wonderful atmosphere. A must try when in Peterborough.

David Millen

Great food... worth the wait. Cash only

Michael Leung

unique pub-style dishes and soups

Scott Irvine

Been a longtime favourite place for me, it's got a little bit of everything. Always good are the cow boy/girl/poke breakfasts and the western sandwich. If it's busy it will be slow and the food depends on who is working the kitchen, so heads up. True local spot.

Karolyne Roy

Food and ambiance is awesome!!

Carmen Milewski

Great food, great service. Only takes cash though!!

Nick Robertson

THE reason i come to Peterborough. Truly the worlds best sandwich!

cheeky bastard

Love the atmosphere,gin and tonics are fantastic,good service

Sarah Walker

One of my favourite places.

Iaian Watkins

Great experience, always.

Andra Lo

Local joint with a great selection of beers.

Jacob Burns

This is the only bar in PTBO

Stephen Davis

Highly recommended

Leo Delaire

I have been here once to meet a friend. I always thought this was a gay bar. That's what I was told years ago.

Bock Choy

This place is a bit better than the far left bar across the street depending on who is bartender. It is not a comfortable place for the average person to relax with friends.... expect harassment from their regulars if you don't fit their standards

Sean Goodberry

Probably the best known secret for a casual lunch or drinks with friends. Excellent selection of beer.

Tory Stoddart

Great vibe and amazing food!

Anne Wilson

Nice place, great music by Ptbo Live!

Wendy van Monsjou

Great beer selection

Leanne Bing

Yummy breakfast - I went for the petit dejeuner, passable coffee, friendly staff

marianne nahayo

I had the most amazing salad here...the herby gerby I think it was called. Flavour and customer service were a solid 10/10. Would definitely recommend.

G Lee

Cool place to come for breakfast, cash only. The toast served is great, friendly staff.

Ken Arndt

Earthy pub. Great patio. Food. Nice selection of drinks.

Tyler Holt

Good selection of beer. Good atmosphere. Pretty alright food. Cash only.

Jedediah Dewey

I,ts a good place to chill or find someone to chat with.

Joanne Elliott

Love the food love the ambiance. ..great experience

Darlene Delong

Awesome.

Zoe Scheuring

Nice atmosphere, yummy food and friendly staff!

Drew Glenn

The only is always amazing. Really great and friendly service, food is always great. Their salad dressing is the best I've ever had!