The Cold Pressery

The Cold Pressery is one of those hidden gems in an unassuming plaza in your typical office neighbourhood. But walk inside and you are instantly transported into a chic, yet cozy urban setting with reclaimed wood, chalkboards, iPads, designer chairs, exposed concrete, and the list goes on.

The menu is a mix of juices, smoothies, snacks and more substantial meals with vegan options. Everything looks so good that we had a hard time selecting something. Eventually, we settled on the iced coffee and I had the Cold Brew Coffee while my wife had the Tropical Green smoothie.

The Cold Brew Coffee is made with Station Cold Brew Coffee Co,'s concentrated cold coffee and soy milk. There is absolutely no bitterness anywhere, yet there is a rich coffee flavor with a lingering moderate chocolate and roasted nut presence. The coffee is very well rounded thanks to the soy and goes down quickly. If you like Starbucks' iced coffee, you will like this one way better and never go back to Starbucks.

The Tropical Green smoothie is made of pineapple, mango, spinach, kale and almond milk. Though there is a heavy green presence, the smoothie is very fruity with dominating pineapple and mango flavors. The fusion also creates the illusion that there are Granny Smith apples which is a nice added effect. The almond milk adds a smoothness to the smoothie and helps round off the overall flavor. Super delicious and also goes down quickly.

Can't stick around? You can get a whole bunch of juices on the go and that's what I did on my way out.

Coconut Chia Water

If you are like me, the first question you will ask is why this juice is purple if the ingredients list includes only raw coconut water and chia seeds. Well, I am told that when raw coconut water is exposed to air, it starts to oxidize quickly and changes its color. If your coconut water is clear, that means that it contains preservatives, other additives or it has been pasteurized. The raw, unpasteurized coconut water is good for a few days so when you grab a bottle from The Cold Pressery, you better drink it quickly to get the full experience.

Now, on to the Coconut Chia Water. The water has a moderate fresh coconut aroma and a fantastic, rich coconut flavor. It reminds me of time I spent in Vietnam drinking fresh coconut water right from the coconut. The flavor is very intense while you are drinking, but as soon as you are done, your mouth feels clean and fresh with just the tiniest hints of coconut and subtle earthy notes form the chia seeds.

I am not a fan of the canned and bottled coconut water that made a huge entrance on the market a year ago because I find them too sweet, too aromatic and too fake, but this raw coconut water is something else. It cannot be compared to the stuff found in stores. You need to have it.

Melon Mojito

The melon mojito is made of watermelon, cucumber, strawberry and mint...all favorite flavors of mine. The aroma of this one blew me away. I was expecting a sweet strawberry aroma, but I was hit by a super refreshing cucumber aroma, which filled the air around me as soon as I opened the lid. Some subtle hints of mint are also present which make this juice a killer for a hot summer day.

The flavor, however, is dominated by the other ingredients - watermelon and strawberries. The watermelon is first to hit the tongue and provides a solid flavor base all throughout. Strawberries come in second and give the flavor a good amount of candy-like sweetness and some roundness. Some subtle cucumber notes come in at the end and along with the mint give this juice a long-lasting clean finish.

Like the coconut water, the Melon Mojito has a very intense flavor but once you are done, the finish is very clean.

Gold 'n Green

And last, but not least, Gold 'n Green. This juice is made from green cabbage, pineapples, mint and ginger. I know that many people don't like cabbage, but I do. I love cabbage, especially pickled cabbage, so I just had to have a bottle.

This juice has a very refreshing aroma dominated by mint and pineapple. But like the Melon Mojito, the flavor is dominated the other two ingredients - cabbage and ginger....OK and a bit of mint and pineapple. The cabbage is the first thing I can taste, but the flavor is very smooth and mellow. The flavor intensity gets kicked up a notch by the ginger which also adds a bit of spice. The end is rounded off by the smooth pineapple flavor and the mint leaves a long-lasting, fresh aftertaste. Another fantastic juice.

If you are in the GTA and you are looking for a fantastic fresh beverage and a bite to eat, just go to The Cold Pressery. Did I also say it was very close to Square One? Forget the food court and go get a juice and a taco.