L.A.-born coffee concept KAFE has officially landed near Queen and Ossington, opening the doors to KAFE 002 — a sleek, cinematic space that fuses high-end specialty coffee with artisanal pizza and local culture.
Known as the world’s first “brew and collab” brand, KAFE treats every new city as a blank canvas. For their Toronto debut at 1024 Queen St. West, they’ve partnered with Frano Pizza & Panini to craft an experience designed entirely in a moody, monochromatic black-and-white aesthetic. Suspended between an art gallery and a high-concept café, the space feels equal parts minimalist dream and neighbourhood hangout.
The coffee program is anchored by co-founder and certified Q Grader Amir, bringing sommelier-level precision to every bean roasted in-house. Expect serious technical experimentation: even their cold brew utilizes fermented coffee beans for an extraordinarily complex, fruity flavor profile. But the signature menu is where things get truly playful. Must-try drinks include the charcoal-infused Blacktop (crafted with Greek yogurt, cinnamon and cardamom), a nutty Saffron Matcha topped with pistachio and the North Latte, a smoky-sweet nod to Canada featuring local maple syrup and smoked salt.
Food is far from an afterthought here. Alongside a showcase of pillowy, sugar-dusted bombolini pastries, the star of the show is Frano’s freshly baked pizza, with the Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza already earning legendary status among early visitors.
True to their collaborative ethos, KAFE 002 is actively integrating local artists into the fold, even opening up their inaugural run of 5,000 pizza boxes to a Toronto creator to use as a personal canvas.
KAFE 002 is worth a stop on Queen West, whether you’re there for a coffee, a slice in the afternoon or just to check out the space, where art, food and coffee all share the room.