If you think Toronto is already overpopulated with pigeons, you might not be happy to hear we’re getting more — but this time it’s a coffee shop that self-proclaims as serving up the “world’s worst coffee.”
Pigeon Café & Bar just opened its first Toronto location last month at 337 King St West, and it’s already preparing to open its second location at Brookfield Place. The brand is well-known in Quebec with three other locations in Montreal since its first opening six years ago.
Though Pigeon began as a humble espresso bar, Toronto’s first location is a full coffee-to-cocktails restaurant concept.
“I always wanted that,” says Jonathan Dresner, Pigeon’s owner and founder, an entrepreneur who has been in the business nearly two decades. “I always wanted to create the type of place you could be at seven days a week, for different meals, and different occasions.”
Though Dresner was born in Montreal, he lived in Toronto for a short time as a child and has often split his time between the two cities since. He hopes to add to people’s excitement at being able to go downtown and back to work again.
“Everybody knows we just need more people to come back to work. Be downtown and hopefully. We’ll put you. Know one little little tiny part of like, you know you need more excitement and they need more. You need more, you know, exciting commercial tenants.”
And what would draw you in more than the “world’s worst coffee”? Dresner explains the slogan came to him during a time when he was frustrated and fearful of not living up to the standards of people who are committed to coffee. Rather than trying to convince everyone that Pigeon has good coffee, he made it fun instead.
“I thought it was playful,” he adds.
King Street’s open, contemporary space is just as playful, with a decorative tree adding greenery to an otherwise urban strip. Fairy lights around the foliage add sparkle to the dim, moody evenings.
“It’s a nice, intimate space,” explains the founder. “We aim to make it somewhat like an oasis and then, as the day goes on, the music gets louder, we lower the lights, and then it just feels very enchanting.”
During the daytime hours, Pigeon’s menu is a brunch-lover’s dream, with pancakes, French Toast, avocado and shakshuka rounding out the menu. Guests can even get their eggs topped with caviar.
Appetizers and lunch mains include beet burgers, grilled cheese, schnitzel, salmons, steaks, and charcuteries. When the lights dim as day turns to night and the classic cocktails begin to flow, a larger selection of heftier menu items become available, including pastas, rib steaks and seabass.
While many staples will remain conistant, Dresner anticipates some menu items changing on a semi-regular basis.
The second Toronto Pigeon location is opening in the fall as an espresso bar out of Brookfield Place where the Starbucks was once located.