Recent social media posts
2026-10-10
💜 We’ve Been Featured in Toronto Life! 📰✨
We’re honoured to be featured in Toronto Life as one of Daniel Hyam’s favourite spots in Leslieville and Riverside!
The Executive Chef of The Drake Hotel highlighted two of our favourites:
🥯 BLT on a Sesame Seed Bagel
“This is a perfectly made BLT.”
🍎 Made-to-Order Apple Fritter
“It doesn’t get fresher than this.”
A huge thank you to Chef Daniel Hyam, Tiffany Leigh, and our wonderful Leslieville community! 💜
📍 Purple Penguin Café | 889 Queen St. E.
📰 Toronto Life | October 23, 2025
torontofood
https://torontolife.com/food/where-the-drake-hotels-executive-chef-eats-in-leslieville-and-riverside/
2026-10-08
🍂 Happy Thanksgiving! 🧡
We’ll be OPEN this Thanksgiving Monday from 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM!
Come by and enjoy a cozy brunch with us, and don’t forget to take home some of our Apple Fritters for your family Thanksgiving dinner. 🍎✨
Fresh, warm, crispy, and perfect for sharing around the table. 🤎
Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with good food, family, and gratitude.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Purple Penguin Cafe! 🐧💜
📍 889 Queen St E, Leslieville
⏰ Thanksgiving Monday | 8 AM – 3 PM
2026-10-04
We’ve been featured! 💜🐧
We’re so excited to see Purple Penguin Cafe featured in Toronto Tourism’s “Leslieville & The Beaches: Toronto’s East End Guide [2026]”!
And we especially love how they described us:
“Best known for apple fritters always served hot and fresh. Family-friendly Leslieville Toronto neighbourhood favourite.”
Our Apple Fritters have been part of Purple Penguin for years — made fresh to order and always served hot. 🍎
Thank you, Toronto Tourism, for including our little Leslieville café in your 2026 East End Guide! 💜
📍 Purple Penguin Cafe
889 Queen St E, Toronto
AppleFritter QueenStreetEast
2026-10-02
Our made-to-order Apple Fritter was included in Casey to Go’s
“Best Apple Desserts in Toronto This Fall (2026)” 💜🐧
We especially love that they highlighted what makes our fritters special — they’re made fresh to order and served hot.
Thank you for including Purple Penguin Cafe among Toronto’s best apple desserts this fall!
📍 889 Queen St E, Leslieville
2026-09-30
OUR CHAI STORY
We never planned to create our own Masala Chai Concentrate.
At our café, we used to serve store-bought chai syrup. But I could never honestly say,
“This is a chai I’m proud to serve.”
So I decided to make our own.
I learned about traditional chai, asked people at an Indian grocery store how they made theirs at home, and experimented with different teas and spices.
After countless batches, I learned that great Masala Chai isn’t about one spice standing out.
It’s about balance.
Tea with depth.
Spices with character.
Smooth, warm, and comforting.
And finally, we created a chai we’re proud to hand across the counter and say:
“Enjoy your drink.”
— Purple Penguin Café
2026-08-02
☀️ We’re Open This Civic Holiday! 💜🐧
Join us this Civic Holiday Monday (August 3) for your favourite coffee, house-made chai, fresh bagels, sandwiches, and sweet treats.
🕢 Open 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
📍Purple Penguin Cafe
See you on the holiday! 💜
2026-07-13
Our customer Craig stopped by yesterday and kindly donated a copy of his book to our café library.
“I’m Sorry. And Thank You.” – A Memoir to Sydney is a heartfelt story inspired by his beloved dog, Sydney.
We’re honoured to have it on our bookshelf for our customers to enjoy with a coffee.
Thank you, Craig, for sharing your story with us. 💜🐾☕📚
2026-07-07
Still can’t believe it… 💜
#1 Best Coffee – Leslieville 2026 🏆
Thank you to everyone who has supported Purple Penguin Cafe over the years. Every cup, every visit, and every kind word means the world to us. ☕✨
2026-06-28
🍁 Canada Day Hours 🍁
We’re OPEN on Canada Day!
🕗 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
☕ Coffee
🍎 Apple Fritters
🥯 Fresh Bagels
🥪 Paninis
Come celebrate with us at Purple Penguin Cafe! ❤️
📍 889 Queen St E, Toronto
Address
889 Queen Street East
Toronto, ON
M4M1J4
To get to the cafe on Queen Street East, you can take the TTC streetcar and get off at the nearest stop. If you are driving, there is limited street parking available in the area, but there are paid parking lots nearby that you can use.
Opening Hours
| Monday |
7:30am - 4pm |
| Tuesday |
7:30am - 4pm |
| Wednesday |
7:30am - 4pm |
| Thursday |
7:30am - 4pm |
| Friday |
7:30am - 4pm |
| Saturday |
8am - 5pm |
| Sunday |
8am - 5pm |
Alerts
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Purple Penguin Cafe posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
What people say
Purple Penguin Cafe on Queen Street East is a must-visit coffee and sandwich shop in Toronto. Their friendly staff and cozy atmosphere make it the perfect spot to grab a hot coffee, tea, or cold drink to refresh yourself on a beautiful spring day. Despite experiencing some technical difficulties with their online ordering feature, they were quick to resolve the issue and apologize to their customers for any inconvenience caused. The cafe also takes time off for holidays like Victoria Day but makes sure to keep their customers informed through social media updates. Purple Penguin Cafe is not just about serving delicious food and drinks; they also spread love and positivity through their social media posts, sending messages of support to all kinds of people. Recently, they were even included in the BTS Lego Run event by Universal Music Canada, where they served fresh baked Apple Fritters and Purple Penguin Cookie treats that were enjoyed by all. We highly recommend visiting Purple Penguin Cafe for a delightful experience that will leave you feeling happy and satisfied!
