Affogato Café + Gelato — Restaurant in District Municipality of Muskoka

I am writing to back up what my cousin said in her review four days ago. I am appalled by the continued discourtesy exhibited by the owner's response. Clearly you have an inability to take criticism where it is due. Below are my responses to particular statements that were false and misleading:

1. The staff informed us that there was no brie, we accepted a grilled cheese made from fontina without complaint. Our original order was two vegetarian sandwiches, one vegan sandwich and one grilled cheese. When you said it was fontina, I asked for three vegan sandwiches in addition to the grilled cheese.
2. Your rudeness was in the fact that we waited well over ten minutes for a grilled cheese sandwich that was never going to arrive because you had run out of fontina as well and you did not communicate that to us at any point. You had several opportunities to do so: when you first found out that there was no fontina, when you gave us the three vegan sandwiches, when we approached you about some salt and pepper packets. Instead you left me standing silently in that corner all that time. I had to find this out myself by asking the staffers in the kitchen because it was obvious that things were too busy at the cash register.
3. Yes I was frustrated and I took that out on you, but our reasons were absolutely valid. If you had run out of a product that your customer paid for, it was YOUR responsibility to own up to that, apologize, and offer a refund. It was unacceptable that you made me stand around without a single word.
4. I understand that it was a busy period, but I fail to believe that your business has not had to manage crowds like that before, and larger, in the summer months. You did a poor job of it, creating an atmosphere of chaos that clearly flustered you staff and confused customers. You could have designated how many customers you would allow inside, where overflow customers could stand outside, where to place an order, where to wait. There was no such organization in your establishment. You did not adequately inform or manage the crowd situation and it created significant communication issues. We were not the reason for your failure to do this. You spent no time dealing with our situation, that is the point. You could have effectively managed the whole to-do if you had just had the basic decency to explain the situation to us and offered an apology as well as a refund.

I hope you reflect on these comments and accept where you went wrong. But I won't lose any sleep over it if you don't, I'm never going back to your cafe and I'm quite sure you prefer...

I ordered the breakfast sandwich on their everything bagel, a London fog, the daily special ALT (avocado, lettuce, tomato) as well as a pistachio gelato.

The atmosphere was great even considering its during COVID restrictions. We were able to sit inside but their outdoor seating was also available. The staff isn't too strict for patrons entering without masks however which was disappointing. One of their own baristas was not wearing a mask and also allowed other customers without masks to be served. They seemed like they actually knew that other customer so I'm not sure if that customer was given special treatment or if in general they normally serve customers ordering without masks. Obviously once you take a seat you are asked to provide your contact information which is good.

On to the food:

The breakfast sandwich was excellent and included a poached egg and some bacon. Its a bit on the smaller side but is priced well (I believe it was $5.95) for the area. The sandwich came out piping hot which was a nice addition. I definitely recommend getting this on the bagel as opposed to just an English muffin.

The ALT is not bad but at the end of the day tastes exactly what you expect it would taste like. It was on a focaccia bread which was soft, but compared to the hot breakfast sandwich this was more on the lukewarm side (I assume this is done so the avocado doesn't melt). We added a slice of cheese as well to this sandwich. It was priced around $9 which isn't terrible but I wouldn't say there was anything memorable about this.

The London fog was made well. The right amount of sweetness for my tastes and also a strong enough tea flavour (as a comparison I would say it is equal if not better than a London fog ordered at Starbucks).

Lastly is the gelato. It was creamy and made well. Again, no complaints but nothing out of this world. It was a tad too sweet for what I would consider perfect but the extreme nuttiness was done well.

I would return to this cafe...

Exceptional Affogato & Warm Service by the Waterfront

Affogato Espresso is a hidden gem just steps from the waterfront…. perfect for a mid-day treat or a relaxing break by the lake. I visited two days in a row and was impressed both times. On my first visit, I ordered the hazelnut affogato, and on the second day, I tried the Baileys flavor. Both were excellent 🙂 the espresso was bold and well-balanced, pairing beautifully with the creamy, high-quality ice cream.

The atmosphere is welcoming and relaxed, with a clear attention to detail in both presentation and service. The staff were incredibly friendly, especially the young woman scooping the ice cream—her warm and upbeat attitude really stood out and added a personal touch to the experience.

Whether you’re a coffee lover or simply looking to try something unique near the waterfront, Affogato Espresso is definitely worth the stop. Great quality, friendly service, and a charming location , highly...