Step Inside Paper Route Café
This East End newcomer turns heads with a sunny facade and strong coffee game
Bathed in warm light from its cheery yellow-framed windows, Paper Route café sits tucked into a timeworn brick building in Toronto’s Upper Beaches. Founded by a husband-and-wife duo who live just around the corner, the café is a love letter to simpler times—when paperboys and girls made their morning rounds, tossing newspapers onto doorsteps and weaving quiet connections through the neighbourhood. “We wanted to create a space that feels both intimate and familiar—where you’re greeted like an old friend and your usual order is already on its way.” the couple smiles. Just like those early morning paper routes once connected neighbours, the café invites locals to gather, linger and feel at home.
Paper Route Café is open Monday to Friday (7AM – 4PM) and Saturday, Sunday (8AM – 4PM).
If you’re drawn to whimsical aesthetics and wondering ‘where to get coffee in Toronto?’ Look no further. This 2,000-square-foot space resides within a unique 1920s building, which the couple had owned for years and were eager to turn into something truly special. They envisioned a multifunctional layout—up front, a café humming with energy and conversation. Tucked away at the back is a quiet, focused workspace for their office Essay App designed to inspire creativity and boost productivity.
To bring their vision to life, the couple turned to the small but mighty, all-women team at Sansa Interiors—a studio they first discovered after visiting The Black Canary Cafe, just a stone’s throw from their own space. “Cafés are very much in our wheelhouse,” says principal designer Jude Kamal with a smile. “We’ve done a few around the city, so we knew the drill — where the espresso machine should go, what needed to sit beside it, how staff would move through the space, and what the experience should feel like” she explains.
Signature yellow makes a statement at Paper Route Café.
While piecing together the building’s history, the designers stumbled upon an old, oversized convenience store sign in the basement. “We’re not entirely sure how it got there,” they chuckle, “but we suspect it might have once been a hair salon, too.” We were keen to honour the building’s character-rich and storied past while simultaneously situating it in the present.
Kamal preserved the original exposed yellow-beige brick interior walls, but layered earthy textures and warm wood, with vibrant yellow hues while lush greenery softened the environment.
With such a compact layout, every design choice was made with flexibility in mind, whether you’re stopping by for a quick coffee or settling in for a leisurely afternoon. Upon arrival, the main seating area welcomes you, with a large communal table at its heart—perfect for groups or solo visitors alike. “We found the table on Facebook Marketplace,” Kamal chuckles. “I know, it sounds bizarre for a commercial space, but it was the perfect size, and the clients loved it!”
The café is filled with personal touches, from an oil painting from the 70s—part of their father’s collection—gracing the wall above the banquette, to a hand-painted yellow wallpaper with an espresso machine to match. Vintage chairs and tables, sourced from thrift stores dial up that nostalgic warmth.
Paper Route Café can be round at 462 Kingston Rd, Toronto, ON.
At the heart of the café, a blue-green glazed mosaic counter offers more than just visual appeal—it’s a functional anchor where pastries, produce, and tea are thoughtfully displayed to invite browsing and lingered conversations. The custom millwork wrapping around it isn’t just practical storage; it subtly reinforces the café’s ethos of blending form and function. Nearby, a cozy nook designed for young families reflects the owners’ desire to create a space that welcomes everyone—something especially important to the clients, who have toddlers of their own.
More than just a caffeine stop, Paper Route Café feels like a lived-in extension of the neighbourhood—sun-dappled, unfussy, and quietly stylish. It’s a place where regulars are remembered, where kids have a corner of their own, and where every detail is tuned to reflect the rhythm of daily life in the Upper Beaches.
