By Julie Reitsma
We haven’t always been the most avid of squirrel fans. In third year university some of the fluffy-tailed buggers managed to attack our house with such ferocity that we ended up covered in drywall, beady eyes peering down at us through a massive hole in our ceiling. Still, once we removed them from the attic, and ourselves from the Annex, we rediscovered some love, thanks to the grace of Trinity-Bellwoods and the rare, oh so squee-worthy, white squirrel sightings. So we imagine we weren’t the only ones who felt a wee pitter-patter of excitement when the sign for the new White Squirrel Coffee Shop was hung across from the park—sightings are on the rise, mes amies, and now they come with homemade snacks and an espresso to boot.

The lovely people of the White Squirrel obviously have an eye for the details—fantastic all-squirrel-all-the-time prints cover the walls, alongside a massive map of Toronto (spot your street while you sip!), and the communal table makes for easy chatter while you nibble on in-house culinary creations. On the sweeter side, the jars and trays of squares, cookies and whatnots will get your attention. After a fair amount of oohing and ahhing we set our sample sights on the almond mandelbrot—appropriately nutty, with a crumby texture and a sugar coating that adds crunch (and fun!). Savouries are also on offer, with whisperings of sandwiches being available, and a flat-bread asiago pizza the plat du jour when we popped by. Quench your thirst with a variety of organic and fair-trade liquids—seltzers, juices, flat whites, as well as the old espresso standards are all accounted for and done up proper in juice tumblers swathed in denim huggies (double denim available upon request).

As if this wasn’t all enough to make us swear off grandes and ventis forever, White Squirrel cracks the nut on our summery needs by serving up none other than Greg’s ice cream—deliciousness that’s almost as hard to find as the Shop’s eponymous albino rodent. To celebrate the new collaboration, Greg’s has whipped together the special and exclusive White Squirrel flavour—unbelievably creamy white chocolate, with bursts of sweet cranberry, punctuated by the crunch of nuts, this crème glacée thankfully tastes nothing like actual squirrel (fur-bit free!) and is our definite new flavour-fave. The time for hibernation is done and summer is certainly looking sweet (and caffeinated).

White Squirrel Coffee Shop
907 Queen Street West

647-428-4478