Black Walnut Bakery Café — Restaurant in Ontario

I never write reviews, but I felt like this last visit warranted a bad one. My negative experience is not unlike many of the other 1 star reviews written for this cafe. My friend and I came in and we bought our food and drink items and sat down. The manager (with the short blonde hair- who seems to be the one person everyone has interacted negatively with) approached our table and asked us to move our stuff so that other people could sit at our table. Fine, we did so with a smile. Mind you this is 15-20 minutes into our stay. I was reading a book and my friend was on her laptop, she tapped my friend on the shoulder around 30 minutes later to let us know that there was a time limit and we should be mindful of others. First of all, she was right beside my friend and she could hear her perfectly as she was not wearing headphones, since when is it okay to touch a customer? I have worked as a barista and cashier at Williams coffee and we would never in a million years ask someone to leave or give them a time limit. If you chose to impose a restriction on your customers then state it while they are in line to purchase. You do realize we also have to pay for parking right? Not being very mindful of customers are you? It seems based on the owner’s responses to negative reviews that mindfulness is only a one way street. I personally only stay for an 1 hour in a coffee shop to study usually because I’m busy. However, constantly being harassed by the manager in that hour is not ideal. It’s also funny that there were many people who were there before us that the manager did not talk to and they were still there after we left. I could name 6 people easily that were there before and after us with no drink or food in sight and yet only we were targeted. Also I find it funny that the owner claims that only they serve their customers all the way to their table, many other cafes do the same thing. You are not unique in your delivery. However, I must say you are unique in your lack of respect when conducting a business. Slap a sign saying the limit or have it part of the greeting process because if you want to play musical chairs with your customers by all means advertise as such. And if you had any common sense, as a business owner and management staff you should be apologizing in your review responses for rude behaviour conducted by your manager rather than passively aggressively attacking clients about not being “mindful”. Remember this is a university town and the students you mistreat are surely to be something great one day. You receive what you put out in the world so I have no doubt that this will not be the last of the...

I don’t normally leave reviews, but I really love this this place and I was so disappointed with my experience recently.

I was enjoying a coffee on the patio with some family a few weeks ago around 5 pm. We figured we could stay and enjoy the beautiful weather since they didn’t close until 6 pm. Around 5:15 a woman (whom I can only assume was the manager on staff that day) came out and announced that they are closing at 6 pm. We figured she meant 6 o’clock was when we should begin leaving. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. At 5:40 the manager came out and began stacking chairs with another employee and announced that they were closing….20 minutes before they were closed. Not to mention stacking chairs in front of and next to customers in the middle of conversations and drinking their coffee’s still, myself and family included. She was essentially forcing us all out since she wanted to get ahead on closing duties I’m assuming. I’ve worked in customer service at almost every job I’ve had since my first. And in every job, it’s been standard to start closing duties slightly before closing time and to start fully closing down at closing time. Not 20 minutes before, especially when there are customers still in the building. I would have understood if it was 20 minutes after closing and we were overstaying out welcome. But that wasn’t the case at all. No one was impressed by her rude tone, and some people made some annoyed comments on their way out. But she didn’t seem to care that she was running paying customers out because she was ready to go home. I understand closing duty lists can be long and tiresome at the end of the workday, especially somewhere that’s regularly busy like the black walnut. But your customers don’t deserve to be treated poorly because you don’t want to do your job. I’m still a regular customer, because 90% of the staff is lovely. But I wanted to speak up about this since it left a bitter taste in my mouth. My family and I even have a joke now, that “oh shoot it’s 2 pm, we’d better head to black walnut now since the manager likes the patio closed in 10 minutes.” So beware if you’re looking to spend some time sitting outside with a coffee after work, because the manager wants to clock out 30 minutes early I suppose.

I digress, good coffee, mostly...

Being a regular at this cafe, I've seen many customers and the baristas interact in all sorts of situations. In all cases, the staff have maintained a professional demeanor, demonstrate their knowledge and personal preferences of their products, and help customers feel welcome. A spoiler: my rating would be 4.5/5, if it were possible to rate so.

The patio is one of the best in the city: broad and open, it allows a customer to simply watch life on Richmond Row as it happens, and is wonderful on sunny days.

For those interested: the building is handi-accessible (the handicap accessible bathroom provides sufficient room for transferring from chair to throne), provides some gluten-free food options (the green-bean and chickpea salad is quite edible), and in general provides food that individuals with Crohn's and Colitis can manage with ease.

The lack of wi-fi is difficult for some customers: the staff and management are attempting to foster a non-electronic, conversation-based atmosphere. I work in analogue, so the lack of internet doesn't concern me much, and if I need it, I can just link my phone to the computer and tether a connection.

My one critique is the lack of floor space inside the building itself; the staff manage this well, usually by asking individuals at large tables to compress their projects and if - and the staff does ask if - the customer would be willing to share with another person or group. I have only seen four customers refuse to do so since November of 2016. Two of them were on a first date and didn't want to be eavesdropped upon.

I highly recommend this cafe for anyone: all they ask is a little courtesy, and they provide you with what you want - coffee, tea, food (like banana bread, cheese cake, butter tarts), and food substitutes (salad,...