Dog-Eared Café — Restaurant in Ontario

Tucked into the little town of Paris Ontario is the Dog-Eared Café. Aside from picking up groceries and collecting my mail, this café is one of the main reasons I leave my house.

The Dog-Eared is a used bookstore, art gallery, bar, event space and sit-in café all rolled into one small business. It’s an order first, sit down and have your order brought out to you kind of place. It is not a place to snap your fingers at the very lovely staff. They don’t like that.

Out of the gate, the owners Jeanette and Darren are hardworking, funny, delightful people. If you treat their operation with respect, you’ll get respect back. Plain and simple. Almost all the one-star reviews on this page are people that don’t seem to grasp that concept. This isn’t a franchise or a corporation, it’s a small business doing its best to serve its community. Remember that the next time you make a snap judgment.

The staff are the heart and soul of the establishment. I make it my mission to get to know each and every person that works there by name. They are the best part of the experience. Talk to them, you will not be disappointed. Pro tip: try not to compliment them too often, you’ll make them awkward.

The coffee and coffee-related beverages here are out of this world. The Maple Oat Latte is their signature drink in my humble opinion. The coffee roasters are also lovely local folks. I’ve met them, they have beards (obviously) and look identical. You can order almost anything any way you like it.

The soups, sandwiches, baked goods and drinks are all made in-house. Have you ever tried to make a croissant? It’s impossible. Their team makes them daily. Remember that. Not sure what to order? Ask the staff. It doesn’t matter what they say, it will always be the right answer.

So let’s recap: the food and drinks are amazing, the staff are awesome, the owners are badasses, the atmosphere is cozy and cute, and the books are many. What’s not to love?

I’m a regular at the café. I believe in this business and its people. I’ve had the opportunity to sell my art here, make friends here, and celebrate here. My wife takes full credit for discovering this place.

When you visit Paris, you must visit the Dog-Eared Café. Slow...

My friends and I are regular customers at this cafe and went to our fifth monthly poetry night there yesterday. We are paying customers who get drinks and sometimes food whenever we go. As people were reading their poems, me and 3 of my friends were waiting for the break to order. Another of our friends had just come in and was ordering. We did not all want to overshadow the poetry readers by ordering because it is hard to hear them when someone is ordering in the background and we knew break was coming after this one last reader. However, the host of this event at dog eared cafe felt it necessary to come to our table and kick us out stating; this cafe is for customers only and we have guests coming in. His tone was condescending and he stood by our table waiting for us to leave even though I stated we were going to order during the break. We did not want to argue because he had disrupted a young girl reading her poem to kick us out and unlike him we were trying to be respectful. There was no guests coming in at the time and the tables are not reserved. I found it shocking as a regular, paying customer and someone who has read their poetry at these events before to be treated like loiterers for waiting a few minutes before ordering. Whilst 5/6 of us were planning to order during intermission and one of us was ordering the moment we were kicked out. P.S. I have every right to leave a review on the bad experience I have had here and my perspective on it. A small business does not mean a perfect business and critiquing one does not equate taking advantage. The bulk of negative reviews I have seen here have been about your tone so perhaps a look inward could be...

I can't believe it's taken me this long to write a review for Dog-Eared Cafe given that I come here at least once a week. Heck, I'm here right now as I write this review! I would have included photos of the food and drink, but I already ate and drank them. Why? Because everything they have is delicious.

This place is easily my favourite coffee shop. And that's saying something as I have worked from countless coffee shops the last several years. Dog-Eared Cafe has some of the best coffee available (they serve and sell Altitude Coffee). They also serve absolutely delicious food. I can't even begin to list all of the items I would recommend. Everything that I, my friends, and my family have eaten from here has been delicious.

Finally, no review of this place would be complete without mentioning two other factors: the staff and the atmosphere.

The staff at Dog-Eared Cafe are among the most friendly staff I have met anywhere. They are kind. Personable. Helpful. And professional. The owners are fantastic as well. They are down-to-earth, engaging, and all round lovely people.

The atmosphere. It's without a doubt the best coffee shop atmosphere I've experienced. The decor, the layout, the setting, the used books, and the music all combine to create the kind of atmosphere you can easily spend hours in.

If you're in Paris, come here. If you're not in Paris, first come to Paris, and then come here. Trust me,...