A Cartier

Review of Dineen Coffee Co.

Dineen Coffee is in a gorgeous restored building t...

Dineen Coffee is in a gorgeous restored building that shows a bit of the history in the little touches around each corner. Whether it be the Polson Iron Works sign or the framed old elevator cage just outside their cafe doors, it all adds to the charm of this place. There's a lot of wonderful details that are new but seemingly blend in with the old world charm, the gleaming Ferrari yellow Strada espresso machines and the gorgeous lighting fixture that just adds a bit of candlelight yellow to every picture.

There was a lot of staff here working behind the counter and with the 2 espresso machines, they were able to move the line quickly. I ordered a flat white with soy milk and a dirty chai latte with almond milk. The staff here is quick and friendly. No snobby nose turning like some other baristas may do.

With tax, this drink topped up higher than some of my other favourite places in the city. I will admit that the location is prime ... close to Eaton Centre, Finance Bay St, and Union Station. With such a gorgeous building AND prime location, I could see them charging a premium. Until recently (across the street @ Sud Forno who has excellent cappuccinos), there was very little else that could be as good.

Flat White (soy milk) - Well made ... instead of having large bubbles, there was actually small microfoam and minimal amount at the top! I will say that I think the barista skill here was good on getting the rid balance of espresso, milk, and microfoam. The only thing that holds me back on ordering this once again was that I found the espresso to have an interesting herbal note to it. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the actual espresso flavour ... it's not as smooth as my other places (Strange Love, Bar Buca, and Tempered Room). I'd rate the barista a strong 4 but the espresso flavour a 3 ... so 3.5/5

Dirty Chai Latte (almond milk) - This one was a bit unusual... seeing how they had their own coffee and tea blends for sale, I thought the chai latte here would have a lot of bold spices and stronger black tea flavour. When I tasted this, it was just sugary sweet with very minimal spice notes. Only after adding the cinnamon ourselves, did any spices appear. I unfortunately wouldnt order this again. 3/5

Overall, gorgeous spot to chill and talk with friends. I'd like to say the drinks are just as amazing as the atmosphere but it's not quite the same. Perhaps when I'm back in the area, I may try this once again.