Reviews of The Elm Cafe (Coffee Shop)

Heaven-Leigh Labelle

Great coffee, amazing atmosphere, fresh food. We needed something like this in our neighbourhood, I'm a big fan.

Chris Anderson

Great coffee, delicious breakfast sandwiches, friendly staff, nice décor and changing artwork displays. Looking forward to being able to enjoy a coffee inside again once COVID restrictions ease up!

Stanley Smith

Quiet environment

Sarah C Jenova

Such a gem. The staff are always friendly, the food is delicious and the baked goods...devine! They make a fabulous flat white and macciato!

Ingo Wolfert

Their chocolate chip cookies are the best in town - thin and with a caramelized layer on the bottom

Rob Tanzola

Cozy. Good coffee.

Suzanne Poldon Maracle

My favourite kingston coffee shop! The staff are wonderful, the coffee is good, and the treats are yummy! It's also far enough from campus that it's not over run with students, though it can still get busy!

Melanie Patricia

Good for cold sandwiches and coffee. Not a lot of selection but my sandwich was good.

Alex Melvin

Great coffee and a really cool space.

Geoff Vincent

We were in town overnight and did a google search for a place for breakfast and Elm Cafe caught my eye. GREAT place for superb coffee and delicious egg sandwich. We enjoyed our meal on lovely back outdoor patio. Very friendly staff. Cool neighbourhood. We'll be back.

Wesley Weima

This is my favourite local haunt! Delicious food, perfect atmosphere, THE BEST COFFEE in Kingston. This café is run by wonderful people and brings constant joy and caffeine to the Skeleton Park - Inner Harbour neighbourhood!

Alana Hamelin

Such a quaint neighbourhood cafe with great food!

Henrique Martins

Best bacon, egg and cheese sandwich I had.

Janice Wilby

Coziest little cafe. Great food too!

Harrison Saulnier

Bringing a homey charm to a developing neighbourhood :)

Gloria Li

I came here last year and their coffee was alright. This year is way better. I love their selection of pilot coffees :)

Betty Jo Penner

Coffee and cookies are homemade!

Bill Hughes

Love The Elm. Great atmosphere. Food has been fantastic every visit. Power for laptops and good wifi.

Christine Chomyn

First visit. Super yummy breakfast sandwich! Had the "Whole Shebang" (very filling!) and a decaf latte (really good!) The peoples behind the counter were very nice. Hope to go back again soon!

Joshua Hill

Kind, friendly staff. Quick service, good prices, and tasty drinks and food. Love this place!!

Leslie Sexton

Cool spot! Tea was excellent and I recommend the ginger molasses cookie for a delicious treat.

Daniel Pauley

It's a cute café with a nice, small patio. Hours are super short (close really early) and the wifi on the patio is not good (a wifi extender would fix that), but service is good and the coffee is good!

Alastair Usher

Great, great coffee and wonderful staff. The decor is tasteful, comfortable, and bright. Exactly where you want to be on a morning free.

Tyler J

Fantastic place to visit with a friend!

gil shalev

Nice staff, great espressos. Excellent baked goods!!

Maggie Garrard

Wonderful cafe, wonderful coffee, wonderful owners... Wonderful!

Chaimongkol Saengow

Their loaf is fantastic so as their muffins. Didn’t have a chance to try their coffee tho.

Sarah S

Nice little local cafe.

Matt Baxter

Awesome spot, some of the best breakfast sammys in Kingston!

Nicole Phillips

The sweetest little cafe. I came for some lunch and had a delicious turkey and havarti sandwhich and an oat milk latte. I love coming to cafe's where the staff (even when not drowning in customers) have a sense of efficiency and urgency in serving their customers with genuine care. This place has that. I will definitely be back again!

Sohee Yun

Great coffee, nice sandwiches, and cute place to chill!

Michel Buzzell

Peaceful, good snacks and coffee

cup and mug

Our family found the Elm café just down the street from our home. From the first time we walked in we immediately felt the warmth and welcoming atmosphere. This cafe is hands down our favourite spot, so much that it's become our weekend routine...we love The Elm Café! ❤☕❤ Shanae, Jesse, Rohan, Damion and Everett

Linda Fair

Wonderful hot chocolate and yummy curry chicken sandwich!

mathieu dubois

(Translated) Very nice place! Good service and perfect BLT to start the day! (Original) Endroit très agréable! Bon service et BLT parfait pour commencer la journée!

Barry Horn

Perfect americano every time

Laura Meggs

Lovely little cafe with wonderful staff and coffee! Homemade vanilla liquid sugar is to die for :)

Jordan Toohey Carignan

Quiet café, good for getting work done :) nice owners and staff as well

LaurelE

Friendly staff, great coffee, and a nice indoor atmosphere.

Danielle Chater

Delicious coffee and treats with a great atmosphere.

David Marshall

Artist vibe, lovely people, great food and drink.

Viara Mileva

I've been a huge fan of Elm Cafe, ever since I discovered them a few years ago. I'm a wedding photographer, and I love to meet with clients for consultations in cute little spots that are close to their place. Elm street on the East end just happened to be the best place to do that! After that, it became my frequent spot for any casual business meeting. It is cosy, *super* stocked with delicious cookies and pastries, sandwiches and other items... the cappuccinos are to die for... *and* there's usually local artist's art hanging on the walls. Logan (the owner) is incredibly community oriented, which I love. It shows all over her amazing cafe. So yeah, once the restrictions are over, I cannot wait to get back to the Elm Cafe, and I hope to see you there! (PS I loved this place so much I went and took some photos of it, back in 2018, starring Logan and her then-baby daughter ❤️ I hope it helps to convey just how cosy and welcoming this place is!)

Nikolas Jackson

Delicious coffee & fantastic atmosphere. Great hidden gem in Kingston. ????

josh lyon

Some of the best coffee in Kingston! Lovely staff, warm and welcoming community vibe.

Shawn JP

Loved this café! The food, drinks, service and atmosphere were all top notch. A Kingston gem, highly recommend!

paul mars

Great coffee and the sandwiches are out of this woooorld. Friendly faces and yummy sweets too.

Michael Muir

A quiet cozy little place that would go unnoticed if it weren't for people like myself. Short little walk from downtown.

Laura Stanley

A wonderful addition to the neighborhood. Excellent coffee and baked goods. Interesting local art. Friendly staff.

Dugan Maynard

Great coffees, teas and snacks. A neighbourhood gem.

Nikki Pitula

Great for a quick breakfast on the go!

Adam K

Good atmosphere, good lunch foods, and better coffee, Friendly and knowledgeable staff, I'll be back soon!

Gordon Harding

Great coffee and pleasant atmosphere.

Dustin Mitchell

I enjoyed the coffee here, and the food was well prepared and tasty. The place is pretty small with a lot of tables for two. Some laptops, some tables talking quietly.

J Emerton

Great service and good coffee. The staff is friendly and they often have coffee house nights or pop up food and events that are a lot of fun!

Adam Dulmage

Great coffee and atmosphere, we love it here!

Tim & Tracy Lyon

Such a cozy, tasty place to slow down and convene!

Paul Andrews

Good coffee, welcoming staff, and genuine neighbourhood atmosphere.

Doug Gray

Awesome staff and food

Wesley Bridges

Great coffee. Great baked goods. Always nice to see neighbours and friendly faces in there.

Melissa Hounsell

Calming atmosphere, delicious coffee & food, prices are fair as well. I adore this cafe.

cassie norman

the breakfast sandwich was so good. They substituted baby spinach due to running out of lettuce and I preferred the spinach therefore they should offer it as a substitute all the time, IMO. It was the veggie breakfast sandwich that I chose, I can't recall the actually name. It sure hit the spot and the prices weren't terrible either. I will go back and recommend it to my friends and Family. Oh and the service was top notch as well

Elizabeth Stevenson-Aird

Fantastic coffee and prices.

Claire Grady-Smith

I would go to Elm every day if I could! The coffee is amazing and the society even better. It's the artists' hangout. <3 this place

Swan White

Pleasant space, cool art, delicious tea, excellent staff.

Paul R

Small and pleasant café. Good coffee, soup and sandwiches. Nice people. Cosy

Lyle Robinson

Go for the coffee, stay for the soup!

Brittany Lazar

Amazing breakfast sandwiches and lattes!

Andrew Collins

Came to the cafe yesterday with my daughter. Great customer service and atmosphere! We both enjoyed a delicious ham sandwich, tea latte. My daughter had a fruit muffin and I had the last slice of pumpkin loaf. Both fresh and delicious. We shared a yogourt parfait with mixed fruit and homemade granola on top (none of the sugary packaged stuff) yum! We were both full! Definitely recommend

Benjamin Shaw

Visited for my first time a week ago to grab some Pilot Coffee, and was stumbled upon this awesome Café! Very nice place with a very nice atmosphere, definitely one of Kingston's little treasures. Will be back!

Maryse Bourbonnais

Delicious coffee, latte, sandwich and pastries! Great music, lovely staff. Would stop again when in Kingston

Meredith McDonnell

As said by another reviewer, definitely a hidden gem. Best latte in town.

Penny Stewart

Wonderful little local shop great coffee great service.

Monica Kahindo

Worderful cafe with Pilot Coffee and delicious treats.

Jennie Marshall

Keep up the good work, Elm Cafe! The food, atmosphere, and the service work for me. Cosy and friendly.

Jordan McGregor

Cute little spot!

Anna Panchenko

Excellent coffee, they serve even cortado, and bakery

Brett Klima

A neat little coffee shop, it has a great atmosphere and the coffee is delicious.

Lauren O

Absolutely love this spot! Such a cute cafe, with absolute TOP KNOTCH coffee. What I love most about it is you get amazing quality coffee without a luxury price tag! Fabulous spot.

Dylan Lodge

Amazing food and coffee! With a competitively affordable price point, for what their menu offers. All in all, a great local gem I would say.

Maight

Update: temporarily closed due to a pipe burst since Jan. 20th. Keep an eye on their website or Instagram before visiting. Looking forward to them re-opening!

Jolene Simko

Great little cafe off the beaten path.

Rami Maassarani

Perfect place to sit down while enjoying a good cup of coffee and a homemade treat.

Matt Grills

Since the loss of Small Batch this is the best local coffee shop in town. It might even be better... delicious Pilot coffee and snacks. Comfy decor and excellent service.

Alex Wilkie

best coffee in town. easily.

Mike Dougall

Cozy independent cafe. Good coffee.

Roisin Beck

Lovely cafe, great atmosphere, amazing baked goods

Ivan Biketov

Very cool café with a cozy ambiance and very friendly staff! The atmosphere is so comforting that you feel as if you're at your grandma's house! A hidden gem in Kingston

Katherine Wieser

Excellent coffee! Try the rare beef sandwich and add a chocolate chip cookie for dessert. Very nice addition to an amazing neighbourhood.

Thomas Vaughan-Johnston

Beautiful little cafe, one of my favorites in Kingston. Food is nice, and they have treats for your dog. Good range of coffee and specialty drinks (nothing exotic, just solid lattes, flat whites, etc.).

Image-In Designs

I'd like to see some not sweet nibblies and I think the decor could use some color. You won't stay long (hard wood chairs) but the coffee is so good you'll be back!

Renka Gesing

Charming place, with a fabulous chef. Lots of outlets to charge your devices.

Michael Hanley

By far the best coffee shop in Kingston! If you go here then everywhere else will be in comparison to this place. You will never enjoy another sip of coffee anywhere ever...... a really awesome place!

Tessa C

It's cool

lloyd ingraham

Cozy little coffee house. Very friendly. Great coffees!

darren decoff

Super cute trendy place. Coffee prices on par with starbucks. Coffee is good and staff is friendly.

Laura Dyer

usually busy but cozy and they make great tea lattes

Mark Griffin

Beautiful atmosphere and great baked goods.

Rysia Andrade

I heard of the Elm Cafe online and in local magazines and it's been on my to-visit list for a while. In terms of decor and general vibe, the place was great! Delicately beautiful and full of (local) poetry framed all over the walls. It's so nice that The Elm Cafe is integrated into the community and supports the Skeleton Park Arts Festival. Just by over-hearing the chatter around me, I could feel how this spot acted as a place of inspiration and artisitc exchange for the Skeleton Park community. My coffee was absolutely fantastic as well! I would like to see more options in terms of food/treats but for such a small place, it impressed.

ANIL KUMAR DUGGEMPUDI

Best coffee in town

Kedar Warriner

Great coffee and croissants!

George Semple

Great coffee with small selection of nice backed and fresh small eats like salad, soup etc. Popular as local hub.

oktay aydin

Very nice neighbourhood café.. Friendly atmosphere and baristas and delicious bites..

Viraj Bangari

Update (2018): Elm Cafe is a fantastic place to buy Coffee beans. They use pilot roasters, and the beans you can buy are pretty fresh (usually a couple days, if not one day old). However, the coffee they serve is lacking. I don't know what it is, but there's this weird sour, grimey aftertaste that all their coffee has. But when I buy their beans and make it myself at home, I've never had this issue. I feel bad, because these guys genuinely care about good coffee, but there's just something strange in the equipment they use. Original review (1-star): Awful cappuccino. Beans are not fresh at all. Extremely sour. Turned me off completely.

Ford Mitchell

Trust, I’ve been to every cafe in Kingston this is the best. Coffee is excellent and fair priced and cafe is soooo cute. Classic little cafe well worth a shot.

J Sutherland

A little piece of Amsterdam!

Cat London

Super friendly staff, lovely community vibe, great tea lattes, wonderful baked treats. So happy they've landed in our neighbourhood.

Alison Wright

Great service! Goid selection of teas :)

Cody O'Neil

Great staff and fresh food and delicious coffee.

brandie hartwig

this cafe is such a fantastic addition to this neighborhood, the coffee and homemade baked goods are incredible, it's like stopping by your best pals for a chat. if you haven't had the chance to swing by I highly recommend you take 5mins and check them out. in a day where it's all rush rush rush, stepping into their beautiful relaxed atmosphere is as lovely as their tasty brewed java !!

James Barris

Wow, what a great find! Truly fantastic coffee, tasty and healthy food, quick service and very friendly staff! We're definitely going back!

Jasmine Silver

A low key environment with excellent coffee. Arguably the best cafe in Kingston.

Tim von Hahn

The best coffee around, great food, and wonderful staff. Plus it's locally owned and operated. I love Elm Cafe!

Bandana

Amazing little cafe. Service is always super fast and friendly and the food and beverage is unique, delicious and priced fairly.

Righteous Rebellion

Mmm cookies are an amazing combo of crunchy and chewy...also had an exceptional breakfast sandwich. Kind of impressed. I came to try based on reviews and I wasn't disappointed.

Erik Petersen

A lovely family owned business!

Jeremy mayer

Passed by around 4:15pm on a wednesday and was told "there is no coffee because we close in 45 mins and I don't want to waste it"...snooty girl must have seen my surprise so offered me an americano. Not the best customer service I'd say.

S Clarke

Great coffee!! Had a latte!!

Ian Pereira

Good place for news!

Jacoba Lilius

The treats are so tasty and fresh. Awesome sandwiches! I am addicted to their vanilla lattes. The baristas are so consistent! Wonderful owner has hired a lovely team. My favorite coffee shop in Kingston!

Ruth Allen

I enjoy the atmosphere, helpful staff, and the locally sourced items on the menu. Great addition to the neighborhood.

Matt Dillon

Great coffee and food

Nicolas Ponroy

Welcoming, ideal to relax place with the best coffee cups in town

Garrett Tomalty

Great coffee, communal atmosphere. A hidden gem in downtown Kingston

M Kerr

The best coffee, delicious food and great service .. super friendly staff and a welcoming space . Love the continually changing art by local artists ..

Alana Bodi

Such a cute spot! The staff is very friendly and the breakfast sandwich is scrumptious! Definitely a hidden gem.

David Currie

This place is really good it was my first time being in this little cafe today :-). The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, the coffee and food are was awesome and they have cool art on the walls! I will definitely be back! They have poetry readings and open mic nights on the last Thursday of every month. This place is definitely worth checking out!

Graeme Mitchell

Wow! Discovered this place yesterday! Food and coffee was awesome! A couple of additional baked good choices would be nice but a solid experience. Already went back today - this place will become a regular.

jessica nolan

Amazing as always

Ello Arene

An independent cafe that sources local goods, it's also a community hub and a fun place to eat.

Jacqueline Santos

Best coffee, best sandwiches, best staff! You all rock my mornings are definitely better once I’ve made my coffee stop! Iced latte with lavender and coconut syrup is definitely a favourite!

Shawn Barber

Fantastic place. Funky, warm, kid friendly.

Camden Lake

The tea latte was awesome!!!

Wendy

It's unfortunate that I can only see the store front during this lockdown, but I still do recommend that you venture off from the beaten path of Downtown Kingston sometime to take a look. It honestly is quite hidden if you weren't looking specifically for it at the moment with no major signage, but it's definitely there amongs the residential houses! Take your treats to the less crowded waterfront here and you have a perfect afternoon ready.

Hiren Mistry

Friendly staff, great coffee selection and tasty food.

Maria Magee

The cherry brownie was my favorite and I loved how they served my tea in a cute teacup!

Ivona Shaver

Nice place but staff need to be more attentive to clean up of tables. I cleaned my own table off of left over crumbs and in the 30 minutes I was there 2 other customers cleaned there own tables also while staff chatted amongst themselves and spent time on their cell phones.

Nicholas Darling

Really good coffee, really cute spot, fresh baked goods and could easily charge more for their coffee.

Xavier Philippe-Beauchamp

Great place with good coffee but why is it always so freaking cold there ? Could the A/C stop running sometimes ?

Bernard Fitzgerald

Great coffee, sandwiches, staff! Locally owned and operated!

Sheldon Hart

Reasonable food and nice staff. Thank you.

Tony Orr

Nice place for a coffee or tea and some food.

Kate Betts-Wilmott

Very pleasant, coffee during the day, drinks in the evening, loses a star for not being open on Mondays. Mondays require coffee.

Chris Bird

I feel like I am in my great grandmother's kitchen when I am here. The food and coffee is as real as my memories of her.

Naoko N.

One of the best in town ????

Emma Kushnir

Favourite coffee shop in Kingston! Delicious coffees, yummy treats and the best service. I miss when I used to live in the hood and stop by every weekend - so now I go out of my way to visit. Recommend to all in Kingston for amazing coffee and atmosphere!

David Worsley

Great breakfast sandwiches, coffee and cookies!

Patrick Johnson

Great sandwhichs and coffee..chill atmosphere

Glen George

Just like a NY cafe -great ambience -limited but great food -internet access

Audrey-Ann Freeman

The best cafe I have ever been to! Outstanding coffee, treats, and exceptional staff :) highly recommend!

Chris Davey

Perfect little spot. Cozy and friendly.

Cheryl Shurtliffe

Excellent way to finish my work day or any time of the day for that matter! Fabulous REAL food, excellent coffee and amazing service!

Tammy Kelly

The staff are super friendly and there coffees amazing and they use Eco friendly products

SN

Amazing atmosphere and great service. Not the biggest fan of their coffee but I would still go to do some work or meet up with a friend. It does get busy and it’s a smaller cafe so either go early or later in the day if you want a table.

Mr G

Like this place a lot!

J H

Love this little cafe! Always so cozy and inviting!

Paul Sylvestre

I. Love. Elm. This has been such a great addition to the North End! The food is simple and satisfying. The sandwiches are a go-to for me. Coffee is delicious. What really makes the place, however, is the community vibe that the space, and the folks who run it, works to create. It's a spot where I'm always bumping into folks I typically don't get to see.

Dianne W

I have tried the coffee a few times not a fan, however they have a tasty lunch menu.

Living Freedom

There are fresh made pastry choices, premade sandwiches and seating for about 15-20 ppl comfortably. Accessible entrance in the back and seating though limited space to maneuver. WiFi available and common spot to see students and others working. The coffee is brewed to order with lots of options; including decaf cappuccino and lattes! Closing time is 5pm daily with happy hour 2-5; buy a pastry and get cappuccino for $2! Staff varies in their friendliness and enthusiasm (watched one barista get thanked by 7 different ppl without a single response!). However, it doesn't overly impact the quaint feel of this hidden gem.