Lit Espresso Bar

Pretty good coffee, flat white made quite well and no stupid sizes. They even use the same cups as me, all the way from New Zealand. Same barista each time — he works too hard! Best in the area. Joe the creator of Lit Espresso now runs Pig Iron Roasters and so Lit use their beans. Pretty nice roasts, but not my favourite, but I’m fussy ;-)
Defo rate lit espresso one of the best.

Apparently, «lit» is not a reference to literature. This coffee shop has covered all of their outlets in an attempt to dissuade writers from plugging in their laptops.
Their staff is friendly and their teas are high quality, but I’ve been shown (not told) I’m not wanted here.

Thank goodness for another «non-​Starbucks». No more caramel + extra hot + double shot vanilla + soy + no foam + whipped cream fat people americano latte.

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Small but nice café on Bayview. I recommend the cortado! It’s lit. (Sorry I had to)

Definitely a welcome improvement to this neighbourhood. Who doesn’t like third wave coffee? The pastries are pretty good, but the coffee is indeed outstanding, even if it only comes in one size per drink (usually). The staff are friendly and it’s a nice space to hang out and work. Also I kind of get a kick out of the locals attempting to be posh and referring to it as «lee» (as in lit, the French word for bed). I guess the «Get Lit» slogan is lost on them…

It’s nice to have an independent coffee shop in Leaside. Space is great. Coffee is a ⁴⁄₅. Americano is a bit bitter but I’ve had a lovely cappuccino. Staff are not friendly and seem like the type who don’t really enjoy their job. Still, a much better coffee and experience than nearby Starbucks or Second Cup.

Lit is a nice place. The latte there was good, but not amazing. The prices are fairly average compared to other third wave coffee shops. The staff were friendly and pretty helpful.

One of my favourite coffee places in the city. Great space, fantastic Americano, delicious pastries, and friendly staff. I couldn’t ask for more.

LIT used to be in my hood on College street. Then they moved. But lucky for me, I work near this location. I actually like this version of LIT way better. It’s really beautifully laid out and offers the same great coffee (Iron Pig). Nice treats and sandwiches. The staff are friendly and quick ! Their almond milk latte is better than most places! This is a great addition to the Bayview strip.

My first visit to this well decorated and bound to be popular café. I always use a cortado to test new coffee bars and this one was over extracted and sour. Will try again and update.

My first visit to this well decorated and bound to be popular café. I always use a cortado to test new coffee bars and this one was over extracted and sour. Will try again and update.
Update May 2016
I have to say that the coffee here is sourish. not offensively so, but there is some issue intheir roasting (which they do themselves in a sister company). While not a barista, i’m pretty into coffee and roasting. Otherwise a nice place.

LiT has become my new ‘go to’ coffee shop (have been here many times in the last month alone).
I was first introduced to LiT back in 2010 at a Unilocal event; I was really impressed, but the location was a little out of the way for me. Anyway, I was super stoked to hear that they were opening in my ‘hood.
It’s a great place to sit and relax while enjoying a cup of coffee. If you’re meeting a friend or two, don’t worry as there’s a lot of tables to sit at. The WiFi is a great bonus when you’re here to get some work done alone. The service is always great and they make a pretty good Americano. I have also tried a number of their treats. On the weekends, they sell Gloryhole Doughnuts so make sure to get here early before they sell out. I also have tried their cannoli and scones; both of which are delicious. The only food item that you can skip would be the grilled cheese … it needs more cheese.
Good for: coffee/​tea, snacks

They did a great job with the décor and it is very pleasant to go there anytime during the week. Their cannolis are not the greatest but their biscottis are amazing! Great customer service and I go there often. Too bad it closes so early!

Finally a real coffee shop in the neighbourhood. Now we have a good local option without having to walk all the way out to De Mello.
Had a cortado and it was quite good. The grapefruit olive oil cake was excellent. The croissants were average but that was expected (go across the street to Rahier for the best croissants in the city). Unfortunately they sold out of donuts — guess I gotta come in the morning next time.
Overall a great spot to grab a quick caffeine fix. Just wish they had extended hours (closes at 6pm daily).
Welcome to the neighbourhood Lit.
*** updated review ***
From 4 stars to 3 stars
Great that it’s close to home but the beans they use are very average and they won’t consider using other roasters. Not a fan of the «Italian style roasting.» Many better beans/​roasters available locally.

South Bayview just got a lot cooler.
As a major fan of the Lit over the last few years, I was excited to see the new location in this upscale neighbourhood.
The ambience is similar to the College and Roncy spots, but definitely improved. A beautifully copper tiled ceiling, comfortable seats, a really nice bar at the end of the counter for a quick sip of espresso, and the nicest/​most knowledgable coffee staff in the city.
A great selection of sandwiches and treats (I had a fresh filled cannoli… the shells are shipped in from Italy every week).
Not too far from the Brickworks, so if you’re over on Bayview keep on truckin’ up to 1517.

Welcome to Leaside Lit! It’s awesome to have such a great café join the neighborhood. These guys are actually coffee scientists and as I learned this morning, they run all kinds of tests with amazing tools like a coffee refractometer to make sure their coffee is equally delicious every day. I’m not usually a coffee drinker, but their late this morning was truly Devine! Their pastries are all baked in house and their juice is cold-​pressed and delicious. Beyond these great products and lovely location, the very friendly staff will keep you coming back!