Reviewed: Three unique Hamilton cafés
The coffee is hot, the digs are cosy and the conversation is flowing
Ark + Anchor
The Ark + Anchor is moored amid the steady stream of traffic on King Street West, near Queen.
We walked into a narrow room that stretches back to a few tables and a wood-backed corner banquette. High ceilings make the space feel bigger and give it an airy vibe. Morning light streamed in through the café’s all-glass front.
A wall shelf at the entrance is lined with books and I asked the young man behind the counter about their affiliation with Epic Books which I had noticed on their Instagram page. He told me the café hosts a science fiction book club, and has done some meet the author events as well. And dice nights, when they played games like Dungeons and Dragons.
I got pretty excited because when I think of gamers and sci-fi fans, I think “detail oriented.” And after tasting the macchiato, I was not disappointed. Deep, lush and rich and, even without the undercurrent of milk, it would have gone down smoothly.
My dining companion’s cappuccino was a milkier version of my drink. With the beans (from Clean Coffee, in Toronto), the grind and all the other details that go into making espresso, both cups were fantastic.
Along with the drinks, we got the “bread and spread.” Cream cheese, peanut butter, jam and butter with spears of De La Terre bread from Grimsby made for a nice snack.
And we couldn’t resist a Donut Monster du jour — a soft and light yeasted variety with a dark glaze that had a small pinch of salt and delectable orange overtones. And the chocolate croissant (also from De La Terre) with a dark layer of chocolate running through light, flaky dough.
Egg salad and a hummus plate are also available.
After we polished off the sweets and finished relishing the drinks, I realized there was an upstairs and went to check it out. Like the downstairs, the room had an elemental feel. No pictures on the white walls, nor was there music playing.
It was an atmosphere that seemed to whisper, “you are an adult who doesn’t need distractions ... just quality espresso.”
Shady Grove Lukaya Cafe
This rustic little spot is in a standalone shop on Upper Wellington, between Queensdale and Brucedale.
When my companion and I walked in, we were met with a counter that had a four-cup, pourover coffee station and a host of homemade treats, although it is identified on its Facebook page as a tea room.
A certificate on the wall caught my eye; it stated that owner Julie Bobiak is a certified tea sommelier. I had never heard of such a thing but Bobiak, who was behind the counter, explained that she had taken a course which went into details such as where tea leaves are grown, and how to identify different varieties.
She showed us her collection of canisters lined up across from the counter — she mixes individual varieties to create her own blends, which are sold under the Shady Grove label. Her favourites include Escarpment Sunrise, a breakfast blend, and Olive Calm, an herbal mix.
We made our away from the counter into the cosy sitting area (wooden floors, tables, benches and chairs with wicker seats, offset by light green walls). There was a piano (there is live music some nights), and something about the setup made me feel as if we were at a café in cottage country.
My companion enjoyed her creamy Earl Grey. My macchiato was fairly bitter, so I got a pour-over coffee instead. Shady Grove uses Relay coffee, which is a f air trade, organic and roasted here in Hamilton. It tasted as if it could have been ground a little finer to bring out more flavour, but was fine to sip.
Our scone and banana bread were tasty to munch on as well, but the butter tart was outstanding. A light and ethereal crust; the filling at just the right viscosity to ooze out a little but remain intact, for the most part. And just the right amount of sweetness to somehow please both myself and my sugar-loving companion.
We sat, chatting, in leather arm chairs in one corner. Looking out the window, I never would have guessed we were on Upper Wellington, a busy Mountain artery.
Shady Grove felt removed, somehow, a pleasant getaway for tea and a tart.
Durand Coffee
There are few businesses located in the Durand neighbourhood.
But Durand Coffee had caught my eye several times, as I biked past after work, with its “Hamilton” graffiti art on the side of the building.
So my companion and I headed over Sunday morning just as church was letting out across the street: Charlton Avenue West, at the corner of Caroline.
The café was almost full — one couple was perched on the bright red patio chairs out front. I counted at least seven individuals attached to computers doing solitary work. Clearly the Wi-Fi password is an important feature here. Other customers chatted away throughout, while the back room, with its book club meeting place feel, held a small group.
The lineup was steady almost the entire time we were there. So we hopped into the queue. I noticed hexagonal shaped shelves lining the wall that hold an old-fashioned grinder, a selection of Sloan teas, and glass coffee to-go cups along with a world atlas of coffee.
My suspicion that the owners are not just coffee lovers, but fanatics, was confirmed quickly. As we got close to the counter, a sign listed the coffees in Grinder 1 (Propeller, their standard go-to) and Grinder 2 (Coffee Collective’s Akmel Nuri espresso). There were other selections for filter and pour over (Colombian Huila and Ethiopian Girma Eshetu) and bags of the beans for sale on the shelf below.
Could I tell you much about any of those? Not a lot beyond what I know about the places where the beans were grown. But Chris Redmond, who owns Durand with his wife, Christine Larabie, gave us a quick rundown of a couple of them and clearly knew the flavour notes of each.
The lack of music playing suited the relaxed, subdued — but not too quiet — atmosphere. The building is on a street corner, and morning light spilling in from two large front windows and onto light-coloured wood floors added to the vibe.
I felt I needed to order a macchiato to stay consistent for this story, and my companion got a pour-over, to taste the subtleties in the beans. The macchiato was a lighter, brighter version: a little acidic, almost herbal. I savoured each sip.
The pour-over was also one to linger over. My companion loved the nutty overtones and I agreed. Again, it had a lighter flavour profile, with subtle nuances of flavour, if you were paying attention.
Then, the snacks (pastries from Circles and Squares Bakery; they also offer gluten-free treats from Dolled Up Desserts). The Danish was beautifully light and delicate with a dreamy filling; the raspberry scone had a light sugary crunch on the outside, just sweet enough.
Carrot cake was our last snack, though they sometimes have a quinoa salad on offer. I thought the cake was a bit unstructured and too moist but my companion begged to differ, insisting there is no such thing as a too-moist carrot cake.
While I was in line at one point, they were searching vigorously for a customer who had left the counter while their espresso was cooling off, so the drink would not be compromised.
For me, that said it all.