Dark Horse Espresso Bar

Dark Horse Espresso Bar: Toronto’s Maverick of Specialty Coffee

Dark Horse Espresso Bar stands as a vital thread in Toronto’s specialty coffee tapestry, renowned for its innovative spirit and deep community roots. With multiple inviting locations across the city, each café radiates a warm, bustling atmosphere—high ceilings, communal tables, and a clientele that spans the city’s creatives, professionals, and loyal locals. Far more than just a pit stop for caffeine, Dark Horse is where relationships thrive over outstanding coffee, thanks to fifteen years of dedication to craft and hospitality. The café’s playful edge is on display with their pioneering robotic coffee Automat, an industry-first collaboration that fuses artisanal expertise with futuristic tech, serving made-to-order specialty beverages with both precision and soul.

Dark Horse’s coffee program is anchored by a carefully curated espresso blend featuring top-tier origins like Brazil’s Fazenda Santa Ines (home to a former world record holder for highest scoring specialty coffee), Ethiopia’s Yirgacheffe, and Guatemala’s Huehuetenango. Their espresso is renowned for its rich, spicy, and cocoa-forward profile, designed to shine both as a straight shot and as the base in milk drinks. Beyond espresso, the seasonal menu boasts inventive matcha creations, an impressive range of pastries, cakes, and laminated treats, all selected to complement the coffee. Whether you’re picking up a quick cortado, settling in for a meeting, or booking an event in one of five unique spaces, Dark Horse’s passionate baristas and sense of community ensure every visit is memorable—making it one of Toronto’s essential destinations for true coffee lovers.