ESPRO Coffee Bar — Restaurant in Toronto

Beautiful café design, but shocking hygiene standards.

I don’t usually leave Google reviews, but this experience was hard to ignore.

I visited around 9:30 AM looking for a place to read and relax while waiting for my partner’s appointment. At first glance, the café looked very professional and modern, with advanced coffee machines and a vibe similar to %Arabica. I ordered an iced cappuccino and a pistachio Danish.

Here’s where the disappointment began: the Danish pastries were displayed in a cupboard that had only a piece of plastic covering it, but it wasn’t fully enclosed. Because of the openings, I could clearly see fruit flies flying between the pastries and landing on the toppings. I asked if they could reheat the Danish for a bit of reassurance, but the barista said they had no microwave—meaning I had to eat it as it was (in hindsight, I should’ve canceled the order).

When I sat down, I noticed coffee stains on the tables and crumbs left behind. For a café with such a sophisticated and stylish setup, I was shocked by the lack of basic cleanliness—especially on a Sunday morning right after opening, with no rush of customers yet.

To make matters worse, I saw a sandwich with ham left sitting on the counter, apparently waiting to be displayed in the same cupboard. With the doors open in summer and sweet pastries attracting flies, better food safety measures should be in place. This isn’t just about presentation—it’s about hygiene, which is the foundation of a food business.

The coffee and Danish tasted fine, but for the price point and the image this café projects, I expected much better standards. I didn’t take any pictures, as I was honestly rushing to finish my Danish and leave as quickly as possible.

It’s disappointing because I actually like the idea of the café and want to support local businesses. I sincerely hope the owner addresses the hygiene issues, as it’s a real pity to have such a nice-looking place overshadowed by such...

Originally I had rated this place quite highly (5 stars, to be exact), and for good reason. The coffee was pretty good, albeit a bit overpriced, and the service was excellent!

Things have gone so downhill so fast. I used to love coming by here, but I don’t really step foot in here anymore. First of all, the coffee has gotten worse yet somehow more expensive? It already was overpriced, so that’s funny. But on top of it, and the more important part, is that the service has gone to shit. I used to come by here and make small talk with the baristas all the time, but as time has gone by the turnover has been exceptionally high, and nearly all my favourite people are leaving. I can’t imagine things are going well behind the scenes with this much turnover. I miss a lot of the staff there. Also, there’s this new kid that’s just really bad at making my drinks, I don’t know what his deal is. Can’t be older than highschool senior, so I want to give him grace, but at the same time the coffee is so expensive that it’s irritating that he can’t get the hang of things. He’s made my drink twice and by the second time I could tell it’s not just that the coffee itself that’s worse. You should be hanging onto your better staff instead of making kids who haven’t even fully developed yet make drinks they can’t get the hang of. This place is probably not sticking around for long given how quick things have been going downhill. I’d love to be proven...

I had high hopes for this coffee shop, given its corner location and variety of products, but my experience was marred by the rude staff. They have a strict no-tech policy that isn't communicated anywhere, which is frustrating. While waiting for my son to finish an appointment nearby, I bought a coffee and intended to spend just a few minutes on my laptop, enjoying the atmosphere.

However, within a minute of my purchase, I was asked to leave. The staff showed no empathy, especially considering the shop was empty at 10 AM on a Sunday morning, with temperatures already soaring to 28ºC outside. When I inquired about where the policy was posted, hoping for a reasonable explanation, I was met with a dismissive response: "It just is, and you can't stay here."

As a local community coffee shop, I am extremely disappointed by this treatment and will not be returning. If you're planning to bring any tech—be it a phone, tablet, or laptop—beware. I hope your experience is better than mine.

To the owners of this establishment: please consider putting up some signs, training your staff to be more considerate, and fostering a more welcoming...