Since the addition of the Performing Arts Centre, downtown St. Catharines has become a hub for local artists to meet, network and showcase their talents. A variety of cafés have provided spaces for these artists to find traction and share their art with the world. Here is a list of the top three cafés in downtown for creatives and coffee lovers alike.
Mahtay Café & Lounge
With a blast of cold air, the front door swings open and a tall man in a long coat saunters in. The guitar case on his back is covered in a multitude of vinyl stickers and he’s carrying a small amp in his left hand. He fits in perfectly with the café’s eclectic crowd. The floors are hard cement and upon further inspection, the walls, which originally appeared bare, are covered in a diverse profile of local art. Music pours out of another room and the smell of freshly brewed coffee permeates the air.
Located at 241 St Paul St., Mahtay Café & Lounge is great for caffeine connoisseurs and creatives alike.
A hub for the St. Catharines art scene, this coffee shop is a great place for local artisans to find traction within the community and showcase what they have been working on. Mahtay holds a variety of new and reoccurring events, most notably their Poetry Slams and Open Mic Nights. These events provide an opportunity for various types of creatives to showcase their talents. Known for its handcrafted beverages and array of inclusive food options, Mahtay Café & Lounge is the perfect place to unwind with a good book or shop for your home’s newest piece of art.
More information about their hours, menu and upcoming events can be located on the café’s website or on their Instagram.
The Brazen Café
The walls are lined with antique mirrors. A teardrop-shaped chandelier drapes from the ceiling. Sun streams in from a window, making contact with the glass beads on the light fixture and scattering patterns of dancing illumination all across the café’s wooden floors. Stepping through the front door is like jumping backwards through time, leaving modernity. The Brazen Café, located at 19 King Street, is the closest you might ever get to finding yourself in a 1920s speakeasy… unless you are a time traveller, of course.
Known for its delicious coffee as well as its menu of perfectly cultivated cocktails, The Brazen Café appears at first glance to be another unassuming little café. But that is hardly the case. During the week, it’s a great place to study. But on the weekends, it opens its doors to a variety of upcoming singers and songwriters, authors and other local artisans. An integral part of the art scene in downtown St. Catharines, The Brazen Café is a great place to kick back, relax and be introduced to the Niagara Region’s upcoming stars.
More information about their hours, menu and upcoming events can be located on their website or on their Instagram.
Fine Grind Café
Nestled amongst various other restaurants and eateries sits a greenery-infused window display that stands out in the busy street. The wooden front door creaks as it swings open. Plants hang from the walls and sit interwoven between cabinets and splayed on top of bookshelves. The air inside the café smells of fresh soil and ground coffee beans.
People putter around small wooden tables, chattering amongst themselves and working on laptops. They drink tea out of vintage cups.
The Fine Grind Café, located at 37 James St., is the perfect place for a coffee lover who also fancies themselves having a green thumb.
Known for its reasonable pricing and vast menu, this little café has a quaint sweetness to it that could attract just about anyone. Heavily involved in the art scene in the Niagara region, the Fine Grind Café hosts a variety of pop-up events, allowing local artisans to sell their wares and provide their services. A small but happy little gathering spot, the Fine Grind Café is one of downtown St. Catharines’ best-kept secrets.
More information on their hours, menu and upcoming events can be found on their Instagram.
