CLOSURE: Neighbourhood spot for coffee shuttering its doors after a year in Toronto
Published October 27, 2025 at 10:52 am
A cafe that’s beloved by people in the surrounding area and that brought a special haven for coffee and community to its neighbourhood has announced that they will soon be closing their doors.
Santa Rosa Cafe identifies as a queer Latinx owned cafe in Parkdale, and they only just opened about a year ago.
The coffee shop is known for being dog friendly and of course above all else serving perfectly pulled espresso, but there are lots of other kinds of drinks on their menu as well aside from just coffee. They’ve also been serving drinks such as lemonade with strawberry puree and chia seeds, horchata, tamarind drinks, and other beverages such as iced cevada made with rice, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, strawberries and milk.
Santa Rosa Cafe serves small coffee shop snacks to go along with their lattes and horchata as well, including croissants and conchas to bring in that Latinx influence.
“It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter to share some sad news. I have made the decision to close the cafe. This choice was not easy to make . I love the space I have created and worked hard on sharing part of my culture, queerness, love of coffee and connecting with people,” reads a social media post from Santa Rosa Cafe.
“I deeply cherish the warmth of Parkdale , the opportunity to meet new friends, and the joy of connecting with old ones. However the recent rent increase has left an overwhelming financial strain on my ability to continue. I’ve been brainstorming on ways I can bring back Cafe Santa Rosa in the near future. Also please kiss all your pups and tell them I love them and they can have xtra treats this week!”
View this post on Instagram
Neighbouring businesses have been responding to the post about the closure on Instagram with a couple very heartfelt comments.
“Thank you for everything you’ve brought to the neighbourhood!” wrote recently opened bookstore Book People, which is located nearby to Santa Rosa Cafe. “I’ve loved being your neighbour and I’m really hoping you can find a way to bring Santa Rosa back soon. Sending you so much support during this transition.”
Popular coffee shop Larry’s expressed solidarity for the cafe with the simple comment “We love you!!!” with plenty of heart emojis.
The last day for Santa Rosa Cafe will be Oct. 30.