De Mello Coffee

Brothers Felix and Won Cha grew up in Korea but came of age as coffee professionals in Melbourne, where they first encountered specialty coffee in 2007. They brought that training home to Toronto and opened De Mello in 2013, eventually building out an in house roasting program alongside a wholesale and online bean business. The Well location, tucked into the ground floor of one of the city's newest mixed use developments at Spadina and Front, was purpose built for the steady churn of office tenants and commuters passing through the lobby above.

A tiger mural, backlit against the wall behind the espresso machines, has become the visual signature of the flagship spot, playing off the brand's Horangi tiger mascot. The menu leans into baked goods nearly as much as coffee, with rotating croissants, scones, and chewy caramels in flavors like matcha and London Fog, sold alongside single origin pour overs and canned cold brew for the walk in crowd.