Ten Toes Coffee House & Laundry — Restaurant in Ottawa

I stopped by Ten Toes today on the recommendation of someone I was buying a book from, and I've gotta say, it was a pretty good recommendation.

I wasn't expecting much, I'll admit, just a tiny bit ashamed, because I was looking for someplace to have a drink, maybe a bite to eat, to kill some time until I could get picked up to head home.

I walked in with my walker, and the one step to get in the front door wasn't a deal-breaker or anything, though that does, of course, mean the location isn't wheelchair accessible unfortunately, but that was the only speedbump during my visit.

Atmosphere is an instant 10/10. The cafe is beautiful on the inside, and while I wasn't there to use the laundry services — which are apparently real and available! — I think that's a brilliant move for a business. If you're waiting for your clothes to wash or dry, why not have a latte or a snack?

The decor is gorgeous and I was tempted to ask about the jukebox in one corner of the cafe, though I didn't, in the end.

I asked for recommendations and ended up going for an orange cream seltzer water since my curiosity demanded I try it, as well as a half roast beef sandwich and then afterwards a greek yogurt and raspberry danish/croissant/dessert. :P

The sandwich, while not punching you in the face with any one particular flavour, is delicious. Simple and straightforward, you can tell with every bite and every crispy crunch of the veggies inside that it's made fresh with quality ingredients. I only got half because I thought if I was still hungry afterwards that I might get a half of the ham and cheese to try that too!

The water, because that's what it is — fizzy water with a hint of flavour to it — was surprisingly good. Kudos to City Seltzer. I imagine the idea is to offer an alcohol and sugar-free alternative to beers or soda, and I think they definitely offer a good one. I'm hesitant to admit that while each sip was refreshing, I was a tiny bit disappointed by the lack of overpowering flavour, but that disappointment faded away when I got a hint of the orange cream soda flavour and remembered I was drinking water. There's an odd and refreshing satisfaction to remembering that if you ask me. Not to be holier-than-thou or anything like that, I just thought it was a really good can of lightly-flavoured seltzer water. Unfortunately, the fridge was out, but I was offered a glass of ice that I gratefully accepted and that made the experience so much better.

For dessert, I opted to pass up the apple and cinnamon danish — and I call it that because I think 'croissant' is a bit inaccurate, or maybe the little sign was for something they were sold out of at the time — and went for something I see much more rarely, the greek yogurt and raspberry danish. Delicious, especially when warmed up!

Speaking of having it warmed up, I can't forget to compliment my cashier/waitress! Customer service was another 10/10 for me. No complaints whatsoever, I asked a lot of (sometimes silly) questions and got serious answers.

I'll admit that certain items are a tad pricier than elsewhere, but I think the quality and the experience make up for that. If and when you visit, definitely have a seat and live in the moment. Experience the sights and sounds around you while sipping a hot drink or nibbling at a sandwich or baked good.

I'd definitely recommend them, and if I'm ever in the area again I'll be sure to pop back in.

TL;DR: Recommended,...

Laundry review (cafe review further below) - Solid place do a load of laundry while enjoying a cuppa or getting a little remote work done. Easily accessible by bus and close to the downtown core. I was travelling and staying a hotel nearby.

My laundry load, I would consider small to medium sized, took about 30m to wash and and 1h to dry was enough (I went for low heat). Total was $6 for a load.

Machines were clean! They're coin operated. $3 for a wash (loonies) $1.50 for dryer, 30 minutes (quarters or loonies) You can add coins for additional increments of drying.

You're able exchange cash for coins at the counter, or if you're cashless, a cashback option was offered (debit/credit).

When I went, there were 2 washers and 8 dryers available for use. Only 1 washer had hot water available and the other was cold-water only. (There was a total of 4 washers and 10 dryers but 2 of each were taped closed. Maybe will be serviceable in future!) I was the only one doing laundry on a Saturday afternoon so there was no waiting time for laundry but it's definitely a popular cafe hangout for folks as there were almost no seats available. Some other folks came by to use the machines while mine was drying, but there never seemed to be a wait for a machine. Good traffic. I went first thing in the morning.

Cafe review - lovely vibes, a place I'd want to hang out for an afternoon alone or with friends to catch up. Mostly small tables, parties of 1-4 recommended but possible to accommodate a table of 6+ at the back by laundry if you can secure the tables. I loved that there was a deviled egg of the day (comes as 3 eggs/6 halves) and they have decaf coffee. Alternative milk available too (I had oat milk). The pastry display looked amazing too but I did not partake this round.

In addition to laundry and cafe, they have a small retail section. If I find myself in the same situation of needing to do laundry and have a snack, I'd be back!

Staff are also very kind, helpful, and...

I came here with my friend for the first time with high expectations and we were very disappointed. The workers were extremely rude, which was unexpected since they were treating everyone else around us pretty well. We didn't think anything of it in the beginning just to assume the least, but it became very clear that it was racially motivated. We kept getting stares and unnecessary side comments from the workers like "if u wanted it iced you have to ask", which we clearly did. Our friend also told us about her experience and the workers had gotten very defensive when asked about the food being halal, which further confirmed the islamophobic and racial motives behind the rude service. That aside, the drinks themselves were horrible. order was wrong twice, we even tried fixing it ourselves but it couldn't be saved so we threw it out. The place itself is very neat and cute, but unfortunately the space was not welcoming. I personally wouldn’t recommend this place, especially if you are a apart of a...