Heaffles — Restaurant in Pickering

It all began in the summer of 2019, tucked inside a cozy corner of my friend’s old café — the kind of place that felt like a secret waiting to be found. That’s where I first discovered a drink that would quietly thread itself into the fabric of my life: the London Fog. From that day forward, it became something of a ritual, a soft constant I’d seek out anywhere that would sell them.

This past January I found myself stumbling into a spot I’d never heard of before. Heaffels. Heaffels like the amalgamation? The name alone was a word I heard once in a book long ago. Something about that name alone tugged me inside. I’m not the one to walk into cafes and be seen but I did, I walked in anyways.

The barista asked what we wanted, I ordered my usual London fog. They asked if I wanted it sweet, I hesitated I wasn’t expecting a follow up question especially for a London fog. We took our seats inside, letting the atmosphere settle around us.

Now, I’ve had what feels like a thousand different London Fogs since that summer of 2019. Each one a little different — some creamy, some too strong, some with that perfect cloud of steam that makes you want to wrap yourself in a wool scarf and disappear into a book. But none, not one, ever measured up to that very first cup.

So, when I looked down at this particular one, I paused.

It looked… different. It had this odd look to it, almost too layered... I remember thinking, damn, they really messed up a London Fog? That’s wild. But I figured, I’m here. So I took my first sip with hesitation..

And then ..

You know those cinematic moments in films where the character has a flashback? The camera zooms into their eye and suddenly you’re inside their mind, witnessing an entire galaxy of memory unfolding? That was me. That very first sip hit like lightning in slow motion.

In an instant, I was back in that café in the summer of 2020, with the person who made me my very first London Fog — someone who’s no longer here and the only way I reach them is to order London fogs but never able to reach them just right because no one has compared to their London fogs. The taste — the warmth — honestly… if was like a thread tugging gently at every corner of my heart. I held back a dramatic tear, not because I was sad, but because something beautiful had returned to me, like a long-lost piece of love.

I looked around and everything felt a little softer, a little more golden. We called the server over and ended up falling into one of those rare, beautiful conversations — the kind that feels like it was meant to happen. That day marked the beginning of something special.

With each visit after that, the layers of the café began to unfold, like the chapters of a well-loved novel. We learned who created it, why it existed, what dreams were woven into its walls. The staff, who they are, their lives — they were storytellers, caretakers, artists. Every detail in the cup, down to the way the steam curled into the air, felt intentional.

And they noticed me. Not as a transaction, not as another customer passing through — but as a person, they saw me the way I see others. On a particularly hard day, they gave me a cup to keep. Another time, when I was getting sick, that same server from the beginning prepared a custom tea blend for my health, on the house. It was kindness without condition. Care without expectation. That kind of love is rare in this world.

I still have both of those cups. They sit on my shelf as quiet reminders — not just of a drink — but of what it feels like to be seen, to be remembered, to be cared for. And I think that’s what makes this cafe unique. Not just the taste of the London Fog. But the way a single sip brought an entire universe of memory, connection, and healing into my...

Good location off Kingston Rd (Hwy 2) with ample parking.

Ambiance and Seating: Seating is spaced out with a combo of bench/table seating , small table with chairs opposite, single couch chair with table and one big 8-person table. Even with every table taken social distancing would still be achieved.

This place is more a social "sit and catch-up on life" kind of place and can even make other coffee shops seems sterile in comparison. Not a noisy environment but this place is more a "let's eat and talk", instead of a "need to study for mid-terms for 4 hours" type place I feel but definitely a place one should visit.

Food: Very focused on their core dishes: Waffles, Gelato and Coffee. They do not serve Eggs or bacon. Just variations of the above.

Waffles: Very light not too thin slightly spongy. Like a hybrid of the essence of a waffle with the slight texture of a dessert pancake. You can choose from the combo on the menu (in website near the bottom), or you can build your own going through 5 steps starting with waffle and then adding the ingredients that start off with the waffle then toppings, fruit, sauces, then ending with gelato. With each category there is a cost.

Coffee: Really great care taken to make the coffee. PLEASE NOTE: Not served in a porcelain cup but in a black bamboo/hard carbon plastic look cup. The cups do not break but be warned they do not stay warm for long periods sitting.

Tip: If you are getting food with your warm drink I would ask to have your drink come with your food. If your order is large for your party AND you care about having a hot drink with your dish then ask for it with your food. If you can deal with it being warm-ish while eating then get it whenever they bring it.

Gelato: Real flavorful and they have take away containers if you wanted to order scoops I believe. The combos we had came with a scoop of gelato on-top of some whipped cream.

Staff: Friendly and can take your order quickly. To save time if ordering for your group is to jot everything down on your phone and then dictate it back with the person's name and they will personalized it for you. Lots of variables in these dishes so having a list ready is optimal.

Please note this is not a breakfast diner but an gourmet waffle and cafe experience. We didn't wait too long for our dishes but do not expect it to be as fast as platting 3 eggs over easy with toast and bacon.

Price: As mentioned these are gourmet waffles and this culinary experience has a price for such an experience. You could have cheaper waffles by cutting down on the options and not go for the espresso coffees but there is something to be said when you have both as they pair well.

This is a definitely a place you...

First visit, overall an average experience. Notable disappointment for me was that the plain waffle was marked as $5 on their menu inside on 2 places AND on their website but then was billed for $8, and the cashier told me the price was updated but not reflected anywhere yet. That's false advertising. I was disappointed with this marked up price without properly updating your menu/ads.

The plain waffle tasted good and looked nice..but was flat, more like a toasted pancake? Is it worth $8 before tax? No, in my opinion. $5 seemed reasonable for the waffle, but inflation as we know... The Raffaelo sauce for $1.50 extra was just a little drizzle over half the waffle. The shape of it was aesthetic if you're into that.

The vanilla shake was good, not overly sweet. This was almost $10, and had a lot of foam. Overall ok.

Service was subpar. The guy server was nice, but the cashier girl was not very welcoming. Service was a bit disappointing. The order took a long time to come to the table, and waffle was a not warm, but room temp/cool. Before it arrived a different female server came to the table and asked if there was anything more we wanted (felt like she was checking if we were leaving soon) when I hadn't received my order yet.

Overall, average experience. Total of almost $20 for the 2 items. Likely won't return but it was nice to see what the hype was about. It is an...