I, like many others, drink coffee every day, and I want to share with you some of my favourite places to grab a cup in my city. If you live in Hamilton, or are visiting, be sure to check out some of these spots!

THE 8 BEST COFFEE SPOTS IN HAMILTON, ONTARIO (2022)

8. ST. JAMES ESPRESSO BAR AND EATERY

Address: 170 James St. N

Website: St. James

In the heart of Hamilton, right on James North, this tiny little space is the perfect stop on your way to run errands through the city. Grab a cup of coffee, or even better, sit down for one of their delicious breakfast options. Their avocado toast is the best in the city!

7. MULBERRY COFFEEHOUSE

Address: 193 James St. N

Website: Mulberry

Just across the street from St. James is this adorable little coffeehouse. Go in the summer to enjoy their cozy patio (that’s strung with Edison lights!), or head inside to meet with friends and sit amongst the art-filled exposed brick walls. Their coffee is good, but their snacks are even better. The “Hello Sailor” bar is to-die-for. They also have cookies, cupcakes, muffins, loaves… even adult beverages!

6. TRUESHOT COFFEE

Address: 158 James St. S

Website: Trueshot

If you are heading to the James South area, check out Trueshot Coffee. A new-ish coffeehouse in Hamilton that boasts great, friendly service and a really clean, trendy space. If you are looking for a less-busy vibe, I highly recommend this place.

5. STEELTOWN GARAGE CO.

Address: 8 Barton St. E

Website: Steeltown

I’m definitely not cool enough for this place. It is a whole vibe. They aren’t just a coffee shop, but also a merchandise store that sells apparel, sweet coffee paraphernalia and biking accessories. The service is great and it’s really fun to shop around while your coffee is being made. Check them out!

4. THE CANNON

Address: 180 Ottawa St. N

Website: Cannon

If you’re looking to stay out of the downtown core, but still want good coffee, check out The Cannon. Located in the middle of the up-and-coming Ottawa St., The Cannon is the best coffee outside of the inner-city. They also serve the absolute tastiest savoury and sweet waffle breakfasts. You can stop in for a bite and then explore the many different antique shops on Ottawa Street!

3. SYNONYM SHOP

Address: 328 James St. N

Website: Synonym

Another James North MUST. I absolutely love this place – their coffee is SO good. They also have a full-day menu with everything from scrambled eggs to charcuterie to ceviche. This is a great spot for catching up with friends or bringing your laptop to get some work done while you work your way through their menu.

2. DURAND COFFEE

Address: 142 Charlton Ave. W

Website: Durand

This neighbourhood cafe almost took the top spot on my list simply due to the fact that their coffee is the focus, and it shows. They are consistent – nailing my standard order every time (flat white with oat milk). The Durand neighbourhood is a really quaint place, and is conveniently close to the popular Locke St. and Hess Village. It’s a great place to get some work done, or grab a to-go order and walk around the area. They also recently opened a bottle shop with a selection of unique wines to choose from!

1. RED CHURCH CAFE + GALLERY

Address: 68 King St. E

Website: Red Church

I’m OBSESSED. This place is everything I love in life – coffee, art, sourdough, prosecco. Right next to the iconic Gore Park in Hamilton, Red Church is just a stunning space. Walk inside to grab some of the city’s best coffee, to shop for some specialty grocery items, to grab a freshly prepared meal, or to check out some really neat art. It’s a no-brainer why this cafe is #1 on my list!

Drop a comment below with your favourite of these 8 best coffee spots in Hamilton!

BREAKFAST RECIPES TO GO WITH THE 8 BEST COFFEE SPOTS IN HAMILTON

The Fluffiest Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes (guilt-free yet satisfying)

How to Create the Perfect Smoothie Bowl (you can’t go wrong with a nutrient-dense breakfast)

The Best Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread (a classic)

THE 8 BEST COFFEE SPOTS IN HAMILTON, ONTARIO (2022)

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You know when you go to a bar, or your parent’s house, and it’s drink o’clock and you want something a bit different?! You want taste without the bloat of beer, flavour without the immense sugar bomb of a cooler, a party without the headache brought on by wine… Yah feel? Welp, I got you, boo.

This Blueberry Basil Moscow Mule is the perfect summer drink. It’s fresh and vibrant and a little sassy with that ginger beer. She bad!

This recipe makes two drinks (or one, depending on you), and here is what you will need:

• Blueberries
• Basil
• Vodka
• Ginger beer
• Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• Sugar for the rim

The first step is to add the blueberries, basil, vodka and lime juice to a tall glass (or a mason jar), and use a muddler to release the juices of the blueberries and lime. Muddle everything together really well so all of the flavours meld together.

Next you’re going to want to rim your glass. This is totally optional, but it makes it look super pretty, and gives it a touch of sweetness, since there is no added sugar in this drink! Run a wedge of lime around the lip of your glass and then dip it into a plate with some sugar. You can also use coconut sugar for this. Fill your glass with some ice and strain the muddled blueberry mixture right over top. Finish it up with some ginger beer, add an extra lime wedge and a few basil leaves and that’s a cocktail!

That’s it! Grab your bluebs, peeps. Let’s mule!

Blueberry Basil Moscow Mule

Servings: Makes 2 drinks

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fresh blueberries, washed
• 7-8 small basil leaves
• juice of half a lime (about 1 tbsp), plus one wedge of lime for rimming
• 2 oz vodka
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 10 oz ginger beer

Instructions:

1. Add the blueberries, basil, lime juice and vodka to a tall glass, bowl or mason jar, and muddle together to release the juices of the blueberries and the basil.
2. Pour sugar onto a flat plate. Use the wedge of lime to rim the lip of two cocktail glasses and then place each glass upside down into the sugar to coat the rim.
3. Fill each glass with ice and strain the muddled mixture over top, dividing it appropriately.
4. Top up with the ginger beer, an extra lime wedge and a few basil leaves.

NOTES:

Place some of the crushed blueberries in each drink for a pop of colour and delicious texture!

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So, why would anyone pay $6.00 for a beverage from Starbucks when you can make it for way cheaper at home? You also know everything going into it when you make it yourself, and I’ll tell you what isn’t going into it – four pumps of pure sugar.

Here is what you will need to make this bevvy yourself:

• Espresso or strong coffee
• Plant-based milk (I love cashew milk)
• Pure pumpkin puree (homemade or canned)
• Maple syrup (optional)
• Pure vanilla extract
• Pumpkin pie spice (homemade or store-bought)

To make your drink more latte-ish, frothing the milk is essential. One of my favourite kitchen tools is this handheld milk frother that I purchased from amazon. It is super cheap and works so, so well. I use it every day. I highly recommend investing in a frother if you are looking to save money by creating your own coffee-based beverages.

Pumpkin pie spice can be found for purchase at most grocery stores, or online here. You can also make it yourself by combining cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and some cardamom. If you don’t often use many of these spices, I would recommend just buying it as you will have an abundance of leftovers that will just be taking up room in your pantry.

To put this yummy drink together, you first want to get your coffee ready. Brew 1-2 shots of espresso, depending on preference, in your espresso maker. Alternatively, you can use regular coffee instead. Next, combine your milk with all of the other ingredients, steam and then froth it up. Pour over espresso and top with an extra sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice and you got yourself a PSL.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Servings: 1

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plant-based milk (I use cashew milk)
• 1 tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1-2 shots of espresso (or 1/3 cup strong coffee)

Instructions:

1. Add the milk, pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla and spice to a small pot over medium heat and whisk. When the milk begins to steam, use a milk frother for 20 seconds or until foamy.
2. While the milk is steaming, brew the espresso or coffee.
3. Pour the espresso into a tall mug and top with the frothed milk. Add a sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice on top, if that’s your jam.

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Did you know that the majority of the world is lactose intolerant (around 65% of the population)? Doesn’t that seem strange to anyone else?! With all of the research around dairy products and their long-term effects, it has really put me off of drinking milk for the last decade. Luckily, you can milk a nut. Just kidding, nuts don’t have nipples.

But seriously, plant-based milks are a thing, and they are easy to make. They can sub in for anything you do with cow’s milk, but you don’t get the runs after drinking them…Score!

There are so many types of non-dairy milks out there nowadays – soy, almond, coconut, oat. But, my favourite is cashew. It’s so creamy and delicious.

To make cashew milk, you need two things – cashews and water. Easy peasy. You can also add flavourings, like vanilla, or sweeteners, like maple syrup or honey. The best part about homemade nut milk (other than how easy it is), is that you know exactly what is going into it, and also what isn’t going into it – preservatives. Yah, baby.

To begin, you need to soak one cup of raw cashews in water overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse the cashews, add them to your high-powered blender (or soup maker, which is what I use) with your choice of additions and blend until smooth. That’s literally it. You don’t even need to strain cashew milk, like you would almond milk.

I hope this post has inspired you to make your own cashew milk at home. It is significantly less expensive than store-bought, healthier for you and takes only minutes. Tag me on Instagram if you try out this recipe – @nevernoteatingca

Homemade Cashew Milk

Prep time: 2 minutes (plus overnight soaking)

Cook time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 3 cups water
• pinch of salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place your cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Let them soak overnight.
2. Drain the cashews and rinse thoroughly. Transfer them to a high-powered blender, or soup maker. Add three cups of water as well as the salt, vanilla and syrup, if using. If using a blender, blend for about one minute, or until completely smooth. If using a soup maker, set to “juice” and press ON/OFF.
3. Pour into a large mason jar or a container with an air-tight lid. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

NOTES:

*I like to serve it with a dash of cinnamon or stir it into my morning cold brew over ice.

**Separation is normal…Shake well before serving!

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Matcha is basically green tea that has been ground up into a fine powder. It is rich in antioxidants, fibre and vitamins and has countless other health benefits. Personally, I find that it tastes nothing like green tea, but has a more citrusy tone. If you haven’t had it before, you will likely want to add a bit of sweetness to cut through the bitterness and grassy taste. I like to add honey to mine, but if you are vegan, you can add maple syrup or agave.

When I first started making these lattes, I lacked technique, BIG time. The matcha wasn’t absorbing into the liquid as well as I had hoped, despite the arm workout from stirring for so long. I struggled to get the milk the perfect texture to make for a creamy, lucious drink…and it just tasted bad.

I’m no quitter though. And, since I was looking to fulfill an Amazon craving, I purchased a few things that have helped me improve my matcha game. Firstly, highly rated matcha powder, found here. The powder itself is fairly pricey regardless of where you shop, but I found this company to be fair for the quality of the product I was getting.

Secondly, to perfect my milk game, I purchased a basic milk frother. This little trinket has brought me unfathomable joy. It makes the milk creamier and more aesthetically pleasing when added to the top of the latte. It’s the simple things, really. Plus, twenty bucks for it on Amazon is a steal!

One final item that you may consider purchasing, if you are an everyday-matcha-drinker, is a matcha whisk. It is specially manufactured to help incorporate the matcha powder into the liquid that you are using, without any sediment left behind.

Alright, now that I’ve spent matcha my money purchasing helpful equipment, it’s time to perfect this drink!

Peace out, coffee. I’ve found a new matcha.

It’s a matcha made in heaven.

Matcha Latte

Serving size: 1 large mug

Prep time: 1 minute

Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I prefer cashew)
• 1 tsp. matcha powder
• 1/4 cup boiled water
• 1 tsp. honey (or any sweetner of your choice), optional
• Pinch of cinnamon, optional

Instructions:

1. Pour your milk into a heat-proof pitcher and place on a burner over medium-high heat until it begins to steam. You can also do this step in the microwave, using a glass bowl/measuring cup, or with an actual milk steamer on a professional coffee machine.
2. In a bowl, use a matcha whisk (or a regular whisk) to mix together the matcha powder with the boiled water. Do this for a while (about 30-40 seconds) to ensure the powder fully incorporates. Transfer to a large mug.
3. Stir in the sweetner, if using.
4. Use a milk frother to foam up the steamed milk for about 20 seconds. Pour into the mug and top with cinnamon, if desired.

NOTES:

If you do not have a matcha whisk, beat the matcha with your milk frother on a low speed to help it dissolve into the water before adding the sweetener and milk.

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