Tandem Bike Cafe

I've ridden past Tandem Bike Cafe I don't know how many times & have been meaning to stop by since they opened in 2013. I finally went there to meet with a friend to discuss the family biking event we're planning for July.

I didn't eat a lot there--just a blueberry scone, but it was quite good. Served grilled in a panini press, dripping with melted butter & accompanied by an orange slice. My cup of tea was just just run-of-the-mill bagged Earl Grey, but if you're a coffee drinker, I hear they brew a good cup of java. My friend's breakfast sandwich looked really good & she enjoyed it.

Tandem Bike Cafe is in an old-school shop in the front of an old house in a fairly quiet, mainly residential neighbourhood. I loved the relaxed ambiance & the eclectic decor. This is the kind of place I'd love to hang out in more often. Many of the seats are old public bus benches & there are a few funky old bikes hanging near the ceiling. The worn, painted patchwork wood floor & bike related doodads everywhere It wasn't busy when we were there--a Friday late morning--so Bronte had free run of the place.

It's a fairly kid-friendly space, though not ideal for really active toddlers. They have a handful of toys for little kids, including crayons & a colouring book, which entertained Bronte for five minutes. There's a high chair with a tray, but the bathroom is tiny & lacking a change table, so we had to do a diaper change in the back hallway area on the floor. The main issue we had was that Bronte was running into the back hallway out of sight, behind the counter, & into the bike shop area--where there are tons of tools within reach of a baby.

The prices are good & the staff are friendly. You could hang out for a while. Which you might want to do if you've brought your bike for service there. Yup, you can get your bike fixed up & have a latte all in the same place. Clint, one of the owners of the cafe, mans the bike shop end of the business. While I was talking to him, I realized that I'd met him before in a local park our kids were playing at. I was asking him about his cargo bike--a Cetma that comes apart in the middle of the frame. By the way, if you're interested in longjohn style front-loader cargo bikes, Tandem is a Cetma dealer.

We'll definitely be going back to Tandem Bike Cafe to hang out & investigate the menu further. All in the name of research, right? ;)


Check out Tandem Bike Cafe in person--3195 Heather Street at 16th Ave--or online www.tandembikecafe.com

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