Café Humble Lion

Café Humble Lion opened in 2013 a block from McGill University's downtown campus and built a following among students and staff looking for something more considered than a chain coffee run. The shop serves a house espresso blend that shows up across its drink menu, and the small kitchen turns out scones and pastries baked in house through the morning and afternoon.

The Sherbrooke location is compact, a narrow room with a handful of tables that fills quickly during the school year and empties out over summer break. Beans and merchandise are sold through the shop's own online store, and a second location on McGill College Avenue offers the same menu closer to the downtown office towers. It is very much a work and study spot, with steady wifi and enough outlets to match the laptop heavy crowd it draws.