Last week I trekked up to Richmond Hill to visit Covernotes Coffee House and Used Book Store. It’s in a converted historical school house (I wish I had remembered to snap a picture of the beautiful building!) and even has some vintage school desks around, which are delightfully on-theme. There are shelves and shelves of used books, lots of art for sale on the wall, and a random assortment of chairs and tables. It’s not particularly stylish, but it has that student coffee house feel you might remember from your favourite undergrad haunt. It’s warm and cozy, and clearly a neighbourhood favourite. Tons of seating, lots of snacks, and very sweet staff means you don’t feel rushed to leave – you can comfortably curl up in the back by a brick wall with a cup tea (from their impressive collection) and write all day long.
Oh, and I’m still not over this: FREE PARKING. Like a whole, entire, enormous parking lot. Where you can park. All day. For FREE. FOR FREE!!! I walked around for ten minutes looking for a meter or an “employees only” sign, or something… but no: Richmond Hill is an entirely different planet where one does not need to pay for parking, apparently.
Vintage school desk 
Paintings for sale 
A pretty place to write 
Chocolate raspberry scones calling my name 
So many teas! 
Covernotes Coffee House
Stats:
Neighbourhood: Richmond Hill
Wifi: Yes! (There’s a sign near the cash that specifies that the wifi is free “with purchase” – but please don’t ever be the guy who goes to a coffee shop and doesn’t buy anything. We all hate that guy.)
Tables: Many tables! Of all shapes and sizes!
Plugs: There are a few, but you might have to hunt a bit – there are not nearly as many as there are tables. There is only one available outlet in the whole back room!
TTC: Does the TTC even go this far north? Turns out google says yes: It’s a 45 minute bus ride due north from Finch Station.
Parking: There is a huge parking lot behind the building (for the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts). And, again: It. is. *Free!*
Price of a coffee: No drip coffee, but an Americano is $3, and a medium Latte is $4.65.
What kind of glass does a Cortado come in? There was no Cortado on the menu, but they offered to make me one when I asked. It came in a Cappuccino mug. And also tasted suspiciously like a Cappucino. …Basically, they made me a Cappuccino and called it a Cortado for my benefit. Which, you know, I can appreciate.