Doc’s Green Door Lounge — Restaurant in Toronto

Recently , a friend of mine had forwarded to me an article suggesting the best patio experiences in Toronto. If there has ever been a summer in Toronto to find a cool funky patio, this has been it.

As my patio beverage of choice is good coffee, one of the first listings that jumped out at me was Docs green door lounge on Dundas in the junction. I have driven past this location probably 50 times in the last year and never noticed the unassuming, camouflaged location slightly to the west of the main junction strip. However, now I found it, I will certainly be returning for both the excellent coffee and the funky, sophisticated diner atmosphere.

We are fortunate enough in the West End of Toronto to still have some business locations, which have kept a good part of their original design. When I first entered Doc's it seemed possible that this had in fact in been a original diner.

The colour scheme, wood trim, and elegantly curved front windows would suggest it's originality, but if so, it has had a loving and funky redo, which creates an absolutely perfect setting for a great coffee in the junction.

I ordered a Cortado and my companion ordered an iced Americano. Doc uses Sam James coffee and the barista crafted our drinks with loving care. They were both absolutely perfect. They were rich, chocolaty and refreshing.

We did not end up sitting on the patio due to the heat of the morning. The location of the patio, on the side of the building next to the road, means there is a limited amount the restaurant can do to create seclusion and shade. As a result, this patio lacks the urban oasis feel that other patios in the area achieve with a back patio. However, it is obvious that attention has been paid to provide a maximum of atmosphere here and this patio at cocktail hour would be a true junction experience.

As the last review noted, if you lived close to this café, you would be there every day. But if you're just in the area looking for excellent coffee and a very lovingly curated experience in the...

Doc’s is the kind of place you’re secretly glad you don’t live three minutes from—because if you did, you’d be here every night. It’s that good. A true staple of the Junction, this spot has that rare vibe: effortlessly cool but totally unpretentious, the kind of local watering hole that feels like home the moment you walk in.

The cocktails? Unreal. The dirty martini is hands down the best in the city—perfectly balanced and briny in all the right ways. And the negroni? I genuinely need to study it, because the smooth, herbaceous flavor is something else entirely.

Bonus points for the hidden bottle shop in the back, just in case you need to take a little of the magic home with you. Doc’s is a forever...

Honestly, the best thing to happen to the junction in ages. Incredible coffee (sam james would be proud) and cocktails that rip. The daytime crew is energetic and welcoming but chill when they oughta be. Shoutout Kat and Christina. They care a LOT about dialling their coffee just right. Free refills on drip. Perfect ambiance. The place opens at 8am so doc's naturally caters to more laidback crowd. But no laptops after 4pm!!

Best parts of a new york cocktail bar right here in our backyard.

At the end of the day there's a really unique amount of care put into this place, from the management and set up to the daily execution -- just an...