Sitting on a nondescript corner by Spadina and Harbord, Café Cancan is just steps away for light fare to get through you the school day or a heavier brunch to catch up with classmates. Their dreamy wicker chair-lined patio is open at reduced capacity, so make a reservation in advance for weekends. Lounge under the midday sun among white benches and dreamy string lights, or seat yourself admid the velour interior of the cafe-by-day restaurant-by-night. With brass mirrors and floral wallpaper lining the walls and tables decorated by marble tops, the indoor dining area boasts a Great Gatsby feel.
Though the style and sparkle of Cancan is that it never changes, the food is—from my experience— hit or miss. If you’re here for their cafe, drinks are $4 if taken away and $5 for dine-in. A few options, like the cardamom iced coffee, are available only with dairy, and their only dairy-free alternative for other beverages is almond milk. Pastries run at $5 a pop. Though I’ve not tried the bombalone (an airy square donut filled with a tart custard), their pain au chocolat is something I’ve decided not to revisit. Though the chocolate is rich, the layers of dough are not merely soggy and heavy, but also strangely salty. On the other hand, give the kouign amann—a small puck-sized crown of buttery pastry topped with caramelized sugar—a try. It’s dense enough to share among two diners over brunch.
That was what I did last weekend, when I also ordered an apple bacon pancake to share. The pancake is unique in its height and texture, more sponge cake-like than expected. For $16, you can get a textbook-thick pancake drenched in brown butter syrup with a topping of bacon and caramel apple. It’s a dish perfect for sharing.
Though I have been to Cancan alone, I’ll admit that it’s more a social venue than a cafe for solitary reading and studying. There is no Wi-Fi, and there are no power outlets on the patio where the “cafe” is situated Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm. Though I enjoy going alone, I often find myself reminiscing about splitting the head-sized focaccia with a dear friend or the time I became drunk over a tiny glass of Aperol in the company of someone I love. In other words, Café Cancan is a place to be with others first, and a place to reminisce, alone, second.
It’s a pretty spot, but the food alone would not justify a trip out of your way if you were to dine solo. Four out of five for brunch, three out of five for the cafe. If you like Piano Piano across the street, you’ll probably like Cancan.
Pain au chocolat, for takeaway: $5.65.
Café menu for pastries and drinks.
Bar counter of Café Cancan, with a slight view of the kitchen.
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