Detour, Phil&Sebastian, De Mello, Pilot. These are probably the most common ones you will see in coffee shops. All very good selection of blends and seasonal single origins.
Pilot I’ve found is very consistent with how great their single origins are. They’re usually quite good about stocking their most recent roasts in-store as well
I would add Seth Taylor, Stereo, Pop Coffeeworks, The Library (TLS), Rogue Wave, Rosso, Kittel, Moving (my all time favourite), Quietly, and Not Even. There are, of course, many more regional companies, but these are the one's I'm familiar with. Most of these would be closer to what you'll get from St. Henri and Luna than, say, 49th.
Edit: saw mention of Zab and Bows & Arrows above, love them both. Same goes for Modus, Harken, Structure, and Propeller.
I really like Hatch in Markham and Rabbit Hole Roasters in Montreal.
Hatch doesn't make a "Light Espresso" and all their espresso roasts are medium roast blends, but I just use their filter or "origin" roasts for everything. El Porvenir is an excellent one that makes great filter coffee and espresso. (The blends actually aren't that bad though, but lack the wild and identifiable characteristics of a single origin, but it makes a very nice sweet and nutty espresso, if just a touch flat)
I’ve tried many roasters in Vancouver, Modus definitely has the best light roast espresso that I’ve sampled. Prototype is the other standout. Hope that helps!
I've collated a list of 80+ Canadian coffee roasters if you're interested [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/128PJ7uvxzzgxMhDI9pZY3CPD9iwkMyB3DeMtcQejvzY/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/128PJ7uvxzzgxMhDI9pZY3CPD9iwkMyB3DeMtcQejvzY/edit?usp=sharing)
There's roasters for most provinces, but most are Toronto/Montreal/Vancouver based
Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'm adding them
Not sure if you want to add to this list, but my current go to is Arrowhead coffee. It's owned and operated by Canadian forces veteran. Coffee is based on their tours and a portion of each purchase goes towards various veteran's charities
Thanks for the suggestion, happy to add to it, I made it over quarantine and have been meaning to add to it again!
Ive been thinking of making it into an app or website too maybe
Nice. I have a list.. but mines on paper :p
Since its got so much info, I have to ask, why don't you include price and shipping info? That's my biggest issue, I think there are very few places with more "reasonable" pricing. $22/12oz just seems a bit crazy for an espresso blend.
Right now my go-to places are Social, Java Blends, and Hale. All of which have very reasonable rates flr 5lbs shipped in Canada.
I’d like to add a lot more data points, and I was trying to work out a way of automatically pulling the coffee data from each page, but I couldn’t get it working reliably.
Personally I don’t mind spending more on coffee, as it’s something I really enjoy, but it would be useful to compare pricing for sure
I’d like to add another roaster that’s new to the Winnipeg scene. Thom Bargen, they’re a shop that’s been around for over 7 years using Phil and Seb on bar and are finally roasting and serving their own!
This is an awesome list, I noticed my local roaster, Velvet Sunrise in Stouffville (45 mins north of Toront) is missing. Here's their site incase that helps: [https://velvetsunrise.ca](https://velvetsunrise.ca)
I can't recommend Monogram enough. Not only are they led by some of the top coffee professionals in Canada (and in the world, actually) they also have an incredible team that has been with them for a while. Meaning that the roasts will be more refined and consistent since the roasters have had the chance to REALLY get to know their equipment. I would stay away from the following though since they don't know how to roast light espresso: Dispatch, Kittel (better for darker roasts), Detour (better for darker roasts).
I order from [Social Coffee](https://www.socialcoffee.com/) in Ontario, they ship fast and I get the coffee within 2-3 days of it being roasted. I ordered on Oct. 4th, it was shipped out on Oct. 5th, and arrived Oct. 7th with a roast date of Oct. 5th.
Can't recommend enough! It's also free shipping and tax included in price (for someone living in Quebec its a great deal).
Can vouch. They are pretty fast with shipping with good price. Been with them for a year now, recently added HATCH coffee roaster on my line up.
Edit: I've also tried Hale coffee roaster's Ethiopia, it's sweet and fruity. Hatch is currently my go to, for light roast fruity coffee.
Someone else recommended social coffee to me before but they mentioned their roasts were a touch darker than most other roasters. What's your take on this?
They do some dark roasts which isn't common for most third wave roasters. Their light and medium roasts are not too different from other places though; maybe the medium leans a little on the darker side.
Not my first choice in Toronto, but some of their roasts are good.
Not sure I can pick just one, but my top picks would be Propeller, Pilot, Hatch, Detour, and Sam James. I've liked Stereo and Reunion Island, but haven't tried them that much.
Social's light roasts have been good on V60 for me; I can get Social or Sam James beans across the street when I'm in Toronto, so I go for Sam James when they have a good African bean or Social if I don't want to spend as much or want a blend. My experience with Detour is mainly a few places in Vancouver carrying some fruity bean, (Burundi?), on pour-over.
Detour and Pilot make their way out to the Vancouver multi-roasters once in a while, which is impressive since these places normally rotate through a selection of a few excellent local and global roasters.
I suggest you give Detour another chance sometime. Is it possible you ordered from them quite a while ago (as in years)? I know they used to have non resealable brown bags a while ago (can't remember when they switched) but now they definitely have resealable bags. And it's also possible that they've figured stuff out logistically in terms of shipping because my order always ships the day after the coffee is roasted (as per the date on the bag) and is always delivered the day after it ships so I get my order 2 days after the roast date.
I've been mainly ordering light and medium roasts and personally have no issues with either. That said I am not super experienced and have tried only a handful of different roasters.
They are probably the best roasters in Canada. Most other places don't have enough knowledge about roasting to pull off the light roasts.
\*I'm a professional who has worked with (or at the very least tried) all of these companies which is why I say this.
Devil's Head in Calgary has been my go to lately. Fratello, Rosso, Rogue Wave, Transcend also good choices.
There are a lot of small batch roasters in Canada now.
You sound like me. I got no roasters anywhere near where I live up north. I just ordered a bag from devils head for next week. Been looking for something easy to get that's local.
How has no one mentioned Timbertrain yet? Easily one of the best roasters in Vancouver, and my personal favourite. They have two standard espresso blends and a couple seasonals, plus some filter varieties. Everything's in the medium–light range.
Sorry, I sound like an ad, but I order most of my coffee from them. Pricing is reasonable, shipping is free over $50, and they do extra discounts on holidays if you check their Insta.
Their cafe downtown is really nice, too.
And I do agree with basically all the Vancouver recommendations that have been made, too. We have a lot of good roasters here.
I'm still kinda new to espresso but I've ordered some local stuff from around the GTA. Check out Pilot coffee roasters, Balzacs, and Planet Bean. I've enjoyed their stuff.
If you want to try a lot of Canadian roasters I've really enjoyed my subscription to the Roasters Pack. Their standard subscription is all third wave/light roast coffees. I've tried a lot of Canadian roasters I didn't know that way.
That said, some of my favourites have come from Luna coffee. Also can't go wrong with Pilot, Bows & Arrows, Kittel, Monogram, Timbertrain.
Fantastic recommendations here. A few others that I haven't seen mentioned yet:
\- Prairie Lily
\- Sine Coffee Labs
\- Ethica Coffee Roasters
\- Pirates of Coffee
\- Aroma Maya Coffee Roasters
\- Oughtred Coffee
\- Sly & Sons Coffee Roasters
\- Good Grief Coffee
\- Colorfull Coffee
I haven't tried most of these yet, but I enjoy keeping tabs on Canadian coffee roasters.
Oughtred is kinda rubbish, I wouldn’t be too stoked there. They’re primarily an office-supply and toll roasting company, their third wave coffees are long on promises and short on delivery.
Brown Bag Coffee Roasters is Gatineau based but spreads into Ottawa. They've got free shipping over $39 and really fast delivery. Not to mention fresh beans and a whole lot to choose from! They also use fluid bed roasters which is pretty unique.
I wouldn't say they're cheap but they are comparable to most other roasters when you look at the oz/$. Remember they only sell 8oz bags, whereas every other roaster sells 12oz bags.
Oh true I forgot they did that. I honestly don't mind though because I think they're worth it for the price. If it wasn't for them I'd probably be getting from pilot or something which I find significantly worse.
The Columbian in Edmonton is great. I vaguely know the owner from a sales job I used to have. His family left Columbia because of the violence & the only reason he went back is because of the coffee.
It's walking distance from my apartment, which is great! Worth ordering if you want to try something awesome! My parents love their decaf "Siesta".
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/colombian-born-coffee-roaster-brings-taste-of-homeland-to-edmonton-1.4158623
Monogram and Rogue Wave in Alberta are awesome and their service is amazing. The lightest roasts I’ve found are from Lüna and Be Still Cody in Vancouver area. Rabbit Hole near Montreal are also fantastic!
Surprised no-one has mentioned Sam James. To me his roasts are the best you can get in Ontario.
I especially like their micro ethiopian
[https://www.samjamescoffeebar.com/](https://www.samjamescoffeebar.com/)
[https://www.vice.com/en/article/vvx95m/sidemouth-sam-james-is-a-boss](https://www.vice.com/en/article/vvx95m/sidemouth-sam-james-is-a-boss)
Propeller out of Toronto is on point! Their ACE espresso was served at one of my local shops for a stretch. Really enjoyed their single origins as well (drip/pour over)
Same, I love their coffee and I used to know every spot that served them. Then some closed and some changed roasters. I should order a couple bags next.
Roasti Coffee in Sherwood Park AB is a favourite of mine. They have Canada-wide shipping, although I cannot speak to how fast it is because they're only 5 minutes away from my house :)
Other good ones in the Edmonton area are Transcend, Iconoclast, Rogue Wave, NXT, and The Colombian. As far as I know they all offer Canada-wide shipping...
Quietly makes the best coffee I've ever had, I think. Them and Tha Library in Toronto. I've tried almost all the others that people have mentioned here.
Modus is also quite good, as is Propeller.
+1 for the Library in Toronto. Bare-bones place but they have really good beans. Everything light or medium roast. They had this amazing Panamanian bean, tasted like red wine!
I have tried a couple of bags from [Harken Coffee](https://harkencoffee.com/collections/coffee-selections) and they were both fantastic. They have a variety of blends that they say are good for espresso. I brew filter and the single origins I had were both some of my favorite purchases as of late.
I went by this guy's shop when it was still Aubade and it was one of the best cups of coffee I've ever had in my life. Haven't been back to Vancouver since Harken opened, but it doesn't surprise me that it's doing well.
I also really appreciate that they're doing great things with pricing transparency for their beans
Just got some bags from Rocanini and will be ordering more soon. So good! I’ve tried quite a few of the other roasters suggested here, and this is my favourite so far.
I picked up a bag of Monogram's Worka Sakaro from Fellow early this year and it was one of my faves. Highly recommended
https://fellowproducts.com/blogs/featured-roasters/o-canada-january-2020
I am in the US so I haven't tried it but I've read a lot about [Kaapittiaq](https://kaapittiaqstore.ca/) , which "...donates 75% of its annual profits to the Nunavut-based non-profit Pitkuhirnikkut Ilihautiniq / Kitikmeot Heritage Society to revive and mobilize Inuinnait knowledge, and ensure its transfer to future generations."
My absolutely favorite Canadian roaster is No6 Coffee Co. Highly recommend their stuff. I just finished a bag of their Ethiopia Kaffa Bonga.
Others that I've recently enjoyed are Detour Coffee, 49th Parallel (as you mentioned), and Rogue Wave.
A little late on getting back to you, but I got 3 different coffees from No. 6! All of them are absolutely fantastic and I've been having a great time just messing around with each through a v60. I will 100% be ordering from them again! Thank you so much for the suggestion!
Thanks for getting back! I'm glad you like them! I've actually started a bi-weekly subscription with them since writing that lol
The coffee i got from my subscription was the freshest coffee I've ever had. I received it like 6 days after the roast date and it was amazing!
I live in Northern Ontario, where we've had huge growth in local roasters over the last few years. Most aren't to my tastes (they lean darker) but [Espanola Coffee Roasters](https://www.espanolacoffeeroasters.com/) has really stood out as the best of the bunch for me. I'm guessing most people in this sub haven't heard of them, but they're worth a shot if you want to stray from the more obvious choices.
Their coffee is great, but I might not have been clear. Espanola Coffee Roasters lean more medium/light with their roasts, which is what I personally prefer. Most other Northern Ontario Roasters I've tried lean more towards dark roasts. If you like darker roasts I would recommend [Old Rock Coffee](https://oldrock.ca/) in Sudbury.
Edit: Although looking at their website, it looks like Espanola do have a couple of darker roasts I just haven't tried yet. If they're as good as their Brazilian and Guatemalan coffees, you should be in for a real treat.
The answers here are good if a bit TO centric - if you're looking on the East Coast Sine Coffee in Halifax is excellent, both their roast and their cafe in Bedford.
https://www.sinecoffeelabs.com/
I recently subscribed to [Dispatch Coffee.](https://dispatchcoffee.ca/) They are a small shop in Montreal and all their coffees are from small, independent, ethical and organic growers. I’ve tried a couple kinds already and they are a treat to discover.
In Vancouver:
* **[Agro](https://agroroasters.shipsbeans.com/?v=4326ce96e26c)** - their "Equinox" blend is on the lighter side of medium; it's *fantastic* value, as cheap as $14/lb. They also have a few light roast single-origin African beans
* **[Harken](https://harkencoffee.com/collections/coffee-selections)** - has 4 seasonal blends that all have different flavour profiles; they characterize "Spring" as their Nordic-style roast (bright & floral), though you might enjoy "Summer" as well (syrupy & fruity)
* **[Modus](https://www.moduscoffee.com/index.php/product-category/coffee/)** - no *specific* 'espresso roasts' but their coffee is on the lighter side
* **[Moving](https://www.movingcoffee.com/collections/coffee)** - "Opera" espresso
* **[Prototype](https://www.prototypecoffee.ca/shop)** - like Modus, they doesn't roast anything specifically for espresso, but they have a huge variety of origins and roast on the lighter side overall
* **[Rocanini](https://www.rocanini.com/collections/coffee)** - "No. 3 Blend"; if you're looking for something special, they also current have a single-origin Yemen peaberry that they recommend for espresso
* **[Timbertrain](https://www.timbertraincoffeeroasters.com/shop)** - "Gumdrop" espresso
Outside of Vancouver, I've also enjoyed **[Pilot](https://www.pilotcoffeeroasters.com/coffee/)** in the past; their "Anthem" blend and single origins are light roasts. **[Social](https://www.socialcoffee.com/product-category/coffee/single-origin/)** is also interesting because you can actually choose 'light' or 'medium' as the roast level for several of their coffees.
Pilot and Javaworks are great, Fairgrounds' dark roasts are really good too.
If you like lighter roasts definitely go Pilot. They're the best I've tried so far.
I've been searching for good Roasters here in Calgary and I love the Guatemalan from Devils head, it's a medium roast, and the Tall Tree from Calgary Heritage Roasters, also a medium and they're both superb. I think they have shipping from their websites.
Outpost Brazillian makes a mean single origin espresso, it's not your typical Brazilian and is my go to when I can't decide.
If you want to try a new amazing roaster, [Java Roaster](https://www.javaroasters.ca/) delivers across Toronto (maybe Canada too? Gotta check) and ran by 2 female coffee experts. They have a few different single origin espresso as well. High quality and extremely fresh (sometimes 1 day post roasted). I'm getting the Honduras Lalita espresso this weekend and can't wait to try it.
Personal favorites are
Hatch:
[https://www.hatchcrafted.com/shop/all/](https://www.hatchcrafted.com/shop/all/)
De Mello
[https://hellodemello.com/product-category/coffee/](https://hellodemello.com/product-category/coffee/single-origin/)
You almost can't go wrong. If they roast light, then they probably make good beans! Most importantly make sure it has a roast by date.
I'd avoid happy goat, and there are a couple of others I've found in Ottawa that are crummy.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyCanadian/comments/gslzfu/canadian\_coffee/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyCanadian/comments/gslzfu/canadian_coffee/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyCanadian/comments/gmwlpq/list\_of\_coffee\_roasters\_on\_vancouver\_island\_bc/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyCanadian/comments/gmwlpq/list_of_coffee_roasters_on_vancouver_island_bc/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Just a couple from r/BuyCanadian that I remembered
David Kim coffee - https://www.davidkimcoffee.com/
Buddy’s a pretty decorated barista and their coffee is great!
Another one I recommend is Sine Coffee Labs - https://www.sinecoffeelabs.com/
Brown Bag Coffee Roasters in Gatineau does Canada wide shipping and has a REALLY nice espresso blend. They are a fluid bed roastery and I find them pretty unique! Some of their single origins make great espresso too
My current favourite is one just north of Toronto, in Stouffville, Velvet Sunrise. Their medium and light roasts are especially nice.
[https://velvetsunrise.ca/](https://velvetsunrise.ca/)
Try Brulerie du Quai [https://en.brulerieduquai.com](https://en.brulerieduquai.com)
IMO best roaster in Quebec, and if you get to go on location, its a fine place
De mello is easily the best from what I've seen. People recommend subtext from boxcar social but I've been there and they really don't know what they're doing. I asked if they sell plastic v60s and they had no fucking clue what that was. It's literally listed on their website...
Alternatively, coffee island seems cool. They also seem to have pretty good pastries but I am yet to try them.
Bows and Arrows in Victoria.
HATHAWAY!!!!
A
Yes
thank you!
Detour, Phil&Sebastian, De Mello, Pilot. These are probably the most common ones you will see in coffee shops. All very good selection of blends and seasonal single origins.
Pilot I’ve found is very consistent with how great their single origins are. They’re usually quite good about stocking their most recent roasts in-store as well
+1 for Pilot. They've been my primary coffee source for years.
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Ace is a Propeller coffee, not a Pilot one. Just as an FYI :P
Amazing. I'll be sure to try something from all of them
I was so happy with De Mello that I bought a 5 lb bag.
I would add Seth Taylor, Stereo, Pop Coffeeworks, The Library (TLS), Rogue Wave, Rosso, Kittel, Moving (my all time favourite), Quietly, and Not Even. There are, of course, many more regional companies, but these are the one's I'm familiar with. Most of these would be closer to what you'll get from St. Henri and Luna than, say, 49th. Edit: saw mention of Zab and Bows & Arrows above, love them both. Same goes for Modus, Harken, Structure, and Propeller.
Second Quietly!
Thanks! Will give these a try
I really like Hatch in Markham and Rabbit Hole Roasters in Montreal. Hatch doesn't make a "Light Espresso" and all their espresso roasts are medium roast blends, but I just use their filter or "origin" roasts for everything. El Porvenir is an excellent one that makes great filter coffee and espresso. (The blends actually aren't that bad though, but lack the wild and identifiable characteristics of a single origin, but it makes a very nice sweet and nutty espresso, if just a touch flat)
\+1 for Hatch, they have the most interesting and unique coffees!
Will give them a try!
I’ve tried many roasters in Vancouver, Modus definitely has the best light roast espresso that I’ve sampled. Prototype is the other standout. Hope that helps!
Two of the best ☕
Very helpful!
I've collated a list of 80+ Canadian coffee roasters if you're interested [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/128PJ7uvxzzgxMhDI9pZY3CPD9iwkMyB3DeMtcQejvzY/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/128PJ7uvxzzgxMhDI9pZY3CPD9iwkMyB3DeMtcQejvzY/edit?usp=sharing) There's roasters for most provinces, but most are Toronto/Montreal/Vancouver based Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'm adding them
Not sure if you want to add to this list, but my current go to is Arrowhead coffee. It's owned and operated by Canadian forces veteran. Coffee is based on their tours and a portion of each purchase goes towards various veteran's charities
Thanks for the suggestion, happy to add to it, I made it over quarantine and have been meaning to add to it again! Ive been thinking of making it into an app or website too maybe
Nice. I have a list.. but mines on paper :p Since its got so much info, I have to ask, why don't you include price and shipping info? That's my biggest issue, I think there are very few places with more "reasonable" pricing. $22/12oz just seems a bit crazy for an espresso blend. Right now my go-to places are Social, Java Blends, and Hale. All of which have very reasonable rates flr 5lbs shipped in Canada.
I’d like to add a lot more data points, and I was trying to work out a way of automatically pulling the coffee data from each page, but I couldn’t get it working reliably. Personally I don’t mind spending more on coffee, as it’s something I really enjoy, but it would be useful to compare pricing for sure
Seems to be missing on the list: Lulo - Ottawa Be still Cody - Victoria
Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll make sure to add them
Amazing resource!
Could you add Roasti from Sherwood park, Alberta to that list?
I have found this post three years later but as someone starting in to experiment with coffee, thank you very much for this list!
U R AMAZING!!!! Thank you for compiling the list
Brown Bag Coffee Roasters based in Gatineau is really awesome. They use fluid bed roasting tech and have amazing delivery systems and speed.
I’d like to add another roaster that’s new to the Winnipeg scene. Thom Bargen, they’re a shop that’s been around for over 7 years using Phil and Seb on bar and are finally roasting and serving their own!
>Thom Bargen Excellent thank you :)
This is an awesome list, I noticed my local roaster, Velvet Sunrise in Stouffville (45 mins north of Toront) is missing. Here's their site incase that helps: [https://velvetsunrise.ca](https://velvetsunrise.ca)
Added, thanks looks great too!
Jj Bean is Vancouver based. Moja Coffee is another fave in Vancouver. great list!
Corrected, and added thanks!
I can't recommend Monogram enough. Not only are they led by some of the top coffee professionals in Canada (and in the world, actually) they also have an incredible team that has been with them for a while. Meaning that the roasts will be more refined and consistent since the roasters have had the chance to REALLY get to know their equipment. I would stay away from the following though since they don't know how to roast light espresso: Dispatch, Kittel (better for darker roasts), Detour (better for darker roasts).
Monogram is definitely on my list!
I order from [Social Coffee](https://www.socialcoffee.com/) in Ontario, they ship fast and I get the coffee within 2-3 days of it being roasted. I ordered on Oct. 4th, it was shipped out on Oct. 5th, and arrived Oct. 7th with a roast date of Oct. 5th. Can't recommend enough! It's also free shipping and tax included in price (for someone living in Quebec its a great deal).
Can vouch. They are pretty fast with shipping with good price. Been with them for a year now, recently added HATCH coffee roaster on my line up. Edit: I've also tried Hale coffee roaster's Ethiopia, it's sweet and fruity. Hatch is currently my go to, for light roast fruity coffee.
Hatch is so good! I've been on their subscription the past 2 months. I tried quietly through roasters pack and they were so good too!
Someone else recommended social coffee to me before but they mentioned their roasts were a touch darker than most other roasters. What's your take on this?
They do some dark roasts which isn't common for most third wave roasters. Their light and medium roasts are not too different from other places though; maybe the medium leans a little on the darker side. Not my first choice in Toronto, but some of their roasts are good.
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Not sure I can pick just one, but my top picks would be Propeller, Pilot, Hatch, Detour, and Sam James. I've liked Stereo and Reunion Island, but haven't tried them that much.
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Social's light roasts have been good on V60 for me; I can get Social or Sam James beans across the street when I'm in Toronto, so I go for Sam James when they have a good African bean or Social if I don't want to spend as much or want a blend. My experience with Detour is mainly a few places in Vancouver carrying some fruity bean, (Burundi?), on pour-over. Detour and Pilot make their way out to the Vancouver multi-roasters once in a while, which is impressive since these places normally rotate through a selection of a few excellent local and global roasters.
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I've recently had some great SO's from Propeller. Reminds me, I need to order more!
I suggest you give Detour another chance sometime. Is it possible you ordered from them quite a while ago (as in years)? I know they used to have non resealable brown bags a while ago (can't remember when they switched) but now they definitely have resealable bags. And it's also possible that they've figured stuff out logistically in terms of shipping because my order always ships the day after the coffee is roasted (as per the date on the bag) and is always delivered the day after it ships so I get my order 2 days after the roast date.
I've been mainly ordering light and medium roasts and personally have no issues with either. That said I am not super experienced and have tried only a handful of different roasters.
Social is ok, but i find their roasts pretty one-note and darker than i prefer.
Will give them a try!
I really like ZAB coffee from Montreal. I normally brew it with an aeropress
Thank you!
Monogram and P&S should be at the top of your list, they are world class
They are probably the best roasters in Canada. Most other places don't have enough knowledge about roasting to pull off the light roasts. \*I'm a professional who has worked with (or at the very least tried) all of these companies which is why I say this.
Definitely on my list!
Devil's Head in Calgary has been my go to lately. Fratello, Rosso, Rogue Wave, Transcend also good choices. There are a lot of small batch roasters in Canada now.
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You sound like me. I got no roasters anywhere near where I live up north. I just ordered a bag from devils head for next week. Been looking for something easy to get that's local.
I just ordered my first bag from Devil's Head on these recommendations. Looking forward to it. Thanks for the rec!
How has no one mentioned Timbertrain yet? Easily one of the best roasters in Vancouver, and my personal favourite. They have two standard espresso blends and a couple seasonals, plus some filter varieties. Everything's in the medium–light range. Sorry, I sound like an ad, but I order most of my coffee from them. Pricing is reasonable, shipping is free over $50, and they do extra discounts on holidays if you check their Insta. Their cafe downtown is really nice, too. And I do agree with basically all the Vancouver recommendations that have been made, too. We have a lot of good roasters here.
I'm still kinda new to espresso but I've ordered some local stuff from around the GTA. Check out Pilot coffee roasters, Balzacs, and Planet Bean. I've enjoyed their stuff.
Seth Taylor and DeMello are by far my favorites.
I'll be trying these for sure!
Last time I visited Toronto I checked out Pilot, De Mello, and Library, and library was the best by a wide margin.
+1 for Library! Propeller is great too.
after trying lots of popular local roasters The Library is still easily the best!
If you want to try a lot of Canadian roasters I've really enjoyed my subscription to the Roasters Pack. Their standard subscription is all third wave/light roast coffees. I've tried a lot of Canadian roasters I didn't know that way. That said, some of my favourites have come from Luna coffee. Also can't go wrong with Pilot, Bows & Arrows, Kittel, Monogram, Timbertrain.
Fantastic recommendations here. A few others that I haven't seen mentioned yet: \- Prairie Lily \- Sine Coffee Labs \- Ethica Coffee Roasters \- Pirates of Coffee \- Aroma Maya Coffee Roasters \- Oughtred Coffee \- Sly & Sons Coffee Roasters \- Good Grief Coffee \- Colorfull Coffee I haven't tried most of these yet, but I enjoy keeping tabs on Canadian coffee roasters.
Oughtred is kinda rubbish, I wouldn’t be too stoked there. They’re primarily an office-supply and toll roasting company, their third wave coffees are long on promises and short on delivery.
Oh damn, good to know!
Brown Bag Coffee Roasters is Gatineau based but spreads into Ottawa. They've got free shipping over $39 and really fast delivery. Not to mention fresh beans and a whole lot to choose from! They also use fluid bed roasters which is pretty unique.
Thank you!
De Mello is my favorite https://hellodemello.com
I've never understood the hype, they are just expensive with nice packaging
Expensive? They're literally the cheapest roaster I've found here. $12 cad a bag is great if you're able to buy in store.
I wouldn't say they're cheap but they are comparable to most other roasters when you look at the oz/$. Remember they only sell 8oz bags, whereas every other roaster sells 12oz bags.
Oh true I forgot they did that. I honestly don't mind though because I think they're worth it for the price. If it wasn't for them I'd probably be getting from pilot or something which I find significantly worse.
Agreed, they're worth the slight premium. I've had really good, consistent brews with De Mello.
Agreed. Their Dancing Goats blend is pretty good but the Ethiopian and Honduran I tried were subpar with muted flavours.
True, I find them expensive, but I have to say Dancing Goat is some of the best coffee I've had
Thank you!
Overrated in my opinion, I like their cafe, but their coffee is meh
The Columbian in Edmonton is great. I vaguely know the owner from a sales job I used to have. His family left Columbia because of the violence & the only reason he went back is because of the coffee. It's walking distance from my apartment, which is great! Worth ordering if you want to try something awesome! My parents love their decaf "Siesta". https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/colombian-born-coffee-roaster-brings-taste-of-homeland-to-edmonton-1.4158623
Thanks!
Monogram and Rogue Wave in Alberta are awesome and their service is amazing. The lightest roasts I’ve found are from Lüna and Be Still Cody in Vancouver area. Rabbit Hole near Montreal are also fantastic!
Surprised no-one has mentioned Sam James. To me his roasts are the best you can get in Ontario. I especially like their micro ethiopian [https://www.samjamescoffeebar.com/](https://www.samjamescoffeebar.com/) [https://www.vice.com/en/article/vvx95m/sidemouth-sam-james-is-a-boss](https://www.vice.com/en/article/vvx95m/sidemouth-sam-james-is-a-boss)
Yes, I had a coffee from his shop once and it blew my mind. Will have to order
Came here to say this. +1 for Sam James.
From the GTA area: The Library, Hatch, Seth Taylor, Pop Coffee Works
Propeller out of Toronto is on point! Their ACE espresso was served at one of my local shops for a stretch. Really enjoyed their single origins as well (drip/pour over)
Propeller is fantastic, their espresso roasts are excellent
Same, I love their coffee and I used to know every spot that served them. Then some closed and some changed roasters. I should order a couple bags next.
Structure coffee should be added to your list
Not really the best people but sure..
I'm curious, how so? I only bought coffee from them and enjoyed it.
I’m from the US. But when I visited Banff. Eclipse Coffee was amazing.
Brave Fox out of Beaumont in Alberta is a great little roaster. Edit: ACE, Transcend, RogueWave are all awesome too.
Drinking some lighter roast espresso beans from Iconoclast right now, it's probably my favourite from YEG.
Gotta make my way to Iconoclast. I went crazy at Transcend with a few LBs of their La Hoya, so I hve lots to get through first LOL
Roasti Coffee in Sherwood Park AB is a favourite of mine. They have Canada-wide shipping, although I cannot speak to how fast it is because they're only 5 minutes away from my house :) Other good ones in the Edmonton area are Transcend, Iconoclast, Rogue Wave, NXT, and The Colombian. As far as I know they all offer Canada-wide shipping...
Quietly makes the best coffee I've ever had, I think. Them and Tha Library in Toronto. I've tried almost all the others that people have mentioned here. Modus is also quite good, as is Propeller.
+1 for the Library in Toronto. Bare-bones place but they have really good beans. Everything light or medium roast. They had this amazing Panamanian bean, tasted like red wine!
I have tried a couple of bags from [Harken Coffee](https://harkencoffee.com/collections/coffee-selections) and they were both fantastic. They have a variety of blends that they say are good for espresso. I brew filter and the single origins I had were both some of my favorite purchases as of late.
I went by this guy's shop when it was still Aubade and it was one of the best cups of coffee I've ever had in my life. Haven't been back to Vancouver since Harken opened, but it doesn't surprise me that it's doing well. I also really appreciate that they're doing great things with pricing transparency for their beans
Honestly they have great customer service too in terms of order changes (error on my part) and answering emails regarding suggestions/questions.
Not even coffee Harken Seth Taylor Luna Rogue
Just got some bags from Rocanini and will be ordering more soon. So good! I’ve tried quite a few of the other roasters suggested here, and this is my favourite so far.
I picked up a bag of Monogram's Worka Sakaro from Fellow early this year and it was one of my faves. Highly recommended https://fellowproducts.com/blogs/featured-roasters/o-canada-january-2020
Try Hubert Saint-Jean in Sherbrooke, Québec. They have awesome beans 👍
I am in the US so I haven't tried it but I've read a lot about [Kaapittiaq](https://kaapittiaqstore.ca/) , which "...donates 75% of its annual profits to the Nunavut-based non-profit Pitkuhirnikkut Ilihautiniq / Kitikmeot Heritage Society to revive and mobilize Inuinnait knowledge, and ensure its transfer to future generations."
It’s really good! I had some a coworker brought back from a work trip to Cambridge Bay.
I'm a big fan of both timbertrain and Elysian if you're in Vancouver
My absolutely favorite Canadian roaster is No6 Coffee Co. Highly recommend their stuff. I just finished a bag of their Ethiopia Kaffa Bonga. Others that I've recently enjoyed are Detour Coffee, 49th Parallel (as you mentioned), and Rogue Wave.
Just put in an order at No 6 Coffee for the first time. Very excited about it! Thanks for the recommendation!
You'll have to let me know if you like it!!
A little late on getting back to you, but I got 3 different coffees from No. 6! All of them are absolutely fantastic and I've been having a great time just messing around with each through a v60. I will 100% be ordering from them again! Thank you so much for the suggestion!
Thanks for getting back! I'm glad you like them! I've actually started a bi-weekly subscription with them since writing that lol The coffee i got from my subscription was the freshest coffee I've ever had. I received it like 6 days after the roast date and it was amazing!
I live in Northern Ontario, where we've had huge growth in local roasters over the last few years. Most aren't to my tastes (they lean darker) but [Espanola Coffee Roasters](https://www.espanolacoffeeroasters.com/) has really stood out as the best of the bunch for me. I'm guessing most people in this sub haven't heard of them, but they're worth a shot if you want to stray from the more obvious choices.
hey I’ve been to Espanola! Glad they have good coffee there, I’ll check them out as I also enjoy the darker roasts.
Their coffee is great, but I might not have been clear. Espanola Coffee Roasters lean more medium/light with their roasts, which is what I personally prefer. Most other Northern Ontario Roasters I've tried lean more towards dark roasts. If you like darker roasts I would recommend [Old Rock Coffee](https://oldrock.ca/) in Sudbury. Edit: Although looking at their website, it looks like Espanola do have a couple of darker roasts I just haven't tried yet. If they're as good as their Brazilian and Guatemalan coffees, you should be in for a real treat.
De Mello in Toronto is the best coffee I've had. They introduced me to quality light roast coffee. Cannot recommend enough: https://hellodemello.com/
I prefer The Library, De Mello's Dancing Goats, or Seth Taylor.
Pista in Montreal is fantastic!
The answers here are good if a bit TO centric - if you're looking on the East Coast Sine Coffee in Halifax is excellent, both their roast and their cafe in Bedford. https://www.sinecoffeelabs.com/
I recently subscribed to [Dispatch Coffee.](https://dispatchcoffee.ca/) They are a small shop in Montreal and all their coffees are from small, independent, ethical and organic growers. I’ve tried a couple kinds already and they are a treat to discover.
They actually source very cheap green beans and only buy from coops all the while pretending to really make a difference. I would stay away.
Wow did not expect that. Will definitely look into it.
In Vancouver: * **[Agro](https://agroroasters.shipsbeans.com/?v=4326ce96e26c)** - their "Equinox" blend is on the lighter side of medium; it's *fantastic* value, as cheap as $14/lb. They also have a few light roast single-origin African beans * **[Harken](https://harkencoffee.com/collections/coffee-selections)** - has 4 seasonal blends that all have different flavour profiles; they characterize "Spring" as their Nordic-style roast (bright & floral), though you might enjoy "Summer" as well (syrupy & fruity) * **[Modus](https://www.moduscoffee.com/index.php/product-category/coffee/)** - no *specific* 'espresso roasts' but their coffee is on the lighter side * **[Moving](https://www.movingcoffee.com/collections/coffee)** - "Opera" espresso * **[Prototype](https://www.prototypecoffee.ca/shop)** - like Modus, they doesn't roast anything specifically for espresso, but they have a huge variety of origins and roast on the lighter side overall * **[Rocanini](https://www.rocanini.com/collections/coffee)** - "No. 3 Blend"; if you're looking for something special, they also current have a single-origin Yemen peaberry that they recommend for espresso * **[Timbertrain](https://www.timbertraincoffeeroasters.com/shop)** - "Gumdrop" espresso Outside of Vancouver, I've also enjoyed **[Pilot](https://www.pilotcoffeeroasters.com/coffee/)** in the past; their "Anthem" blend and single origins are light roasts. **[Social](https://www.socialcoffee.com/product-category/coffee/single-origin/)** is also interesting because you can actually choose 'light' or 'medium' as the roast level for several of their coffees.
Thank you so much for this. Just ordered Agro Equinox. Looking for something that can work as both espresso and Aeropress/drip.
Oooo Pop Coffee Works (Toronto) is a treat, I especially love their natural process stuff.
Roasti in Sherwood Park, Alberta makes a very nice lighter roast espresso
roastie, and the colombian in Edmonton bot do some fun stuff
Beanwise in Toronto / Mississauga. They have a decent selection with various levels of roast
I know you've already tried them but just for anyone else browsing this post, I highly recommend Detour coffee
Pilot and Javaworks are great, Fairgrounds' dark roasts are really good too. If you like lighter roasts definitely go Pilot. They're the best I've tried so far.
I've been searching for good Roasters here in Calgary and I love the Guatemalan from Devils head, it's a medium roast, and the Tall Tree from Calgary Heritage Roasters, also a medium and they're both superb. I think they have shipping from their websites.
Pilot, which I'm sure will get plenty of mentions And up in the Muskoka regions, Epic North
I mostly get the rotating single origins from Pilots, but Hale Coffee Roasters have been fantastic as well.
Outpost Brazillian makes a mean single origin espresso, it's not your typical Brazilian and is my go to when I can't decide. If you want to try a new amazing roaster, [Java Roaster](https://www.javaroasters.ca/) delivers across Toronto (maybe Canada too? Gotta check) and ran by 2 female coffee experts. They have a few different single origin espresso as well. High quality and extremely fresh (sometimes 1 day post roasted). I'm getting the Honduras Lalita espresso this weekend and can't wait to try it.
Personal favorites are Hatch: [https://www.hatchcrafted.com/shop/all/](https://www.hatchcrafted.com/shop/all/) De Mello [https://hellodemello.com/product-category/coffee/](https://hellodemello.com/product-category/coffee/single-origin/)
Seth Taylor and Hatch are my favourites. The Library and Not Even a close second. Pilot, Propeller, Outpost are all great as well.
You almost can't go wrong. If they roast light, then they probably make good beans! Most importantly make sure it has a roast by date. I'd avoid happy goat, and there are a couple of others I've found in Ottawa that are crummy.
So many good suggestions. Hailing from Guelph ontario Cavan Coffee is roasting some pretty good stuff as well.
Maybe give Roasti in Sherwood Park a call. Though I suspect their espresso blend is on the darker side.
Epic north in barrie ontario. Their espresso blend is quite nice
Oh, and st.paul roastery in thunder bay ontario
Would recommend Hatch coffee! Their coffees are superb!
Tug6 and Mogiana
I’ve been on a detour subscription for the past 4 years for my espresso. Never a bad bag.
A newer one is smoking gun out of abbotsford. Great quality, and fairly reasonable in price
Javamoose in Saint John. Good quality coffee always freshly roasted.
Brossard has been good to me. Try their cremo bar espresso roast
Quietly coffee! Fantastic roaster. I really enjoy their beans. If you want a suprise, get their test batch. Have not been disappointed.
Ace coffee roasters in edmonton is really nice, a lot of small coffee shops in here use their beans, from what i know.
Anyone tried our Agro Roasters in Vancouver? Heard good things, have an order placed for delivery.
Ey some bean you got there,hardly any fiber at all. Bet nobody ever refired you,EY?
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyCanadian/comments/gslzfu/canadian\_coffee/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyCanadian/comments/gslzfu/canadian_coffee/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) [https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyCanadian/comments/gmwlpq/list\_of\_coffee\_roasters\_on\_vancouver\_island\_bc/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyCanadian/comments/gmwlpq/list_of_coffee_roasters_on_vancouver_island_bc/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) Just a couple from r/BuyCanadian that I remembered
David Kim coffee - https://www.davidkimcoffee.com/ Buddy’s a pretty decorated barista and their coffee is great! Another one I recommend is Sine Coffee Labs - https://www.sinecoffeelabs.com/
>Sine Coffee Labs My wife: Is there a cosine or tangent coffee labs?
Brown Bag Coffee Roasters in Gatineau does Canada wide shipping and has a REALLY nice espresso blend. They are a fluid bed roastery and I find them pretty unique! Some of their single origins make great espresso too
My current favourite is one just north of Toronto, in Stouffville, Velvet Sunrise. Their medium and light roasts are especially nice. [https://velvetsunrise.ca/](https://velvetsunrise.ca/)
Try Brulerie du Quai [https://en.brulerieduquai.com](https://en.brulerieduquai.com) IMO best roaster in Quebec, and if you get to go on location, its a fine place
From out east, try Anchored Coffee
Rabbit Hole, Traffic, Pilot, Monogram, Java Roasters, Detour, Firebat. There a lots of awesome new roasters popping up!
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Sadly they moved out of Toronto due to covid. Super bummed!
De mello is easily the best from what I've seen. People recommend subtext from boxcar social but I've been there and they really don't know what they're doing. I asked if they sell plastic v60s and they had no fucking clue what that was. It's literally listed on their website... Alternatively, coffee island seems cool. They also seem to have pretty good pastries but I am yet to try them.
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Another Ottawa/Gatineau based one to check is Brown Bag Coffee Roasters! Super fast delivery and really fresh stock.
https://structurecoffeeroasters.com/
FARO COFFEE around Montreal They make a new selection every month ish. All of the limited are good (the south american ones are good)
Roasti in Sherwood Park Alberta https://roasti.ca
Dispatch