Taking a moment to savour the morning
By Katherine Solomon,
Marketing & Communications Coordinator, ByWard Market BIA
I walk through the ByWard Market every day to be at my office for 8 a.m. It may seem like an unreasonable hour for some, but there is something special about the air first thing in the morning, and I almost forget myself listening to the delivery trucks in the distance and watching the street vendors set up shop. The sun casts a blue light over the buildings, and the air is so incredibly fresh. Before anything begins, I realize today holds as much promise for good things as it possibly could.
Nothing completes the feeling of a good morning without a great cup of coffee in one hand and a special little treat in the other. Being in the ByWard Market every morning there is no shortage of places to stop in.
Depending on how much time you have, and what your tastes dictate, you have a world of choice just steps away. Regulars know about a quick morning pick-me-up to-go of an espresso and a chocolate almond croissant at The French Baker on Murray Street. Enticing arrays of baked goods are made onsite, so you are guaranteed to enjoy a special treat with your morning coffee.
If you enjoy a more relaxed coffee break, head over to i deal Coffee on Dalhousie Street where coffee beans are roasted 2-3 times a week out in the open for everyone to see. Coffee doesn’t get much fresher. The modestly charming coffee house is edged by a patio that feels more like a county cottage porch, with a canopy of trees filtering the sunbeams as you walk to the entrance. “Relaxed” doesn’t come close to how peaceful a cup of coffee on the patio can seem.
While we’re on the topic of atmosphere, be sure to set aside some time for a break at Planet Coffee, just off York Street, and has been serving up organic, fair trade coffee to locals and visitors alike. The peaceful location in Clarendon Courtyard invites devoted patrons to love the cool afternoon shade the surrounding historical buildings have to offer, while delighting in a good cup of coffee and a slice of freshly baked Planet Coffee Cake.
If you’ve never strolled through the ByWard Market before the day truly begins, you are missing out on a truly romantic time of day. Take a coffee break before you begin your day, and listen to the quiet pulse of a city getting ready to come alive once again.
Visit www.byward-market.com for more information on ByWard Market coffee shops.