Cafe délice is my go to for great espresso near work. They only use 49th parallel which seems to be both quite common around town and a high quality product. Theres also a nice selection of delicious biscotti which the owner told me is made by his neighbour.
This is a really awesome little coffee shop that serves very good sandwiches.
The other day I grabbed a sandwich from Cafe Delice. I had the salami and mozzarella sandwich which was made with art-is-in bread, and staked with the usual italian sandwich toppings: olives, eggplant, mayo, mustard, tomatoes etc etc.
I would compare the sandwich at Delice to a La Botega sandwich, although I don't think La Botega uses art-is-in for their deli sandwiches (I know they sell it though). Also, Delice doesn't stack the meat to ridiculous levels. Personally, I think La Botegga puts too much meat on their sandwiches. (but I know this is a major selling point for many people).
I'm not sure about the 'lack of flavour' comment from big mouth. The Art-is-in cheese bread has tons of flavour on its own. The salami I had was nice and spicy and the pickled eggplant packs some flavour. These sandwiches are not 'themed'(with special sauces and what not) but they are loaded with quality ingredients and made with fantastic bread. Not sure what flavours you are missing?
It seems like they have nice coffee and Belgian chocolates as well. I know that my 5 dollar bill will much rather find a home at the Cafe Delice cash register then at Subway...
Good if you want something mild ... with latte art to boot. They know how to do milk and you won't be served microfoam. Their paninis are tasty (except the smoked salmon ... which ends up being cooked salmon once heated so it's a bit weird) though their selection seems to have diminished as of late. They also serve Bread and Sons baked goods including the sugar coma / bliss inducing butter tarts.
I'm not a fan of chocolate so I can't speak to them but I've converted several co-workers to this place, including my boss who is now a big fan of americanos.
I have not found a better latte in Ottawa. Their drip coffees are also superior to the usual chains'. Have to disagree with the comment about the paninis - I've had a couple of the options and have liked them all. Only complaint is that they tend to run out quickly at lunch time. The owner and staff are friendly.
I am in love with their white hot chocolate. It is pure liquid decadence.
I do not like to eat here though which is a huge disappointment. It is very conveniently located to my work and their lunch menu looks great but I have tried their paninis twice and each time I was bitterly disappointed. I figure "how hard is it to screw up a panini?" Visually, they look scrumptuous in their display case but they simply lack flavour.
Delicious, mild and creamy lattes here. And a mouth-watering display of Belgian chocolates to gaze at as you sip your beverage. They have a comfortable seating area and a lovely little outdoor patio. Much as I like my Starbucks, this place is better. Nicer coffee, nicer atmosphere.
Stewtine