Receptionist Safehouse

We love that this is essentially a little grey box in the middle of the city, serving terrific espresso or pour-over coffee, and that’s it — almost. Like other coffee specialists, Receptionist has a restricted range of food options, but one of the various croissants lined up in neat rows in the cabinet would be well worth adding to your order. With sleek metal surfaces, a bench along the side, and a few tables shaped like, yup, stacks of cash, the space has a distinctly futuristic look to it. The staff, dressed in crisp white shirts and black ties, only heighten the sci-fi feel. The Receptionist empire has recently expanded to an additional location on the other side of Queen St (in the process, selling their original Lorne St hole-in-the-wall) with much the same minimalist, high-design format and excellent specialist coffee — we think their new neighbours are very lucky.

While you’re in the area: Aesop