Fantastic, Baby! Café is undoubtedly one of the cutest cafés in Toronto. Part coffee shop and part gift store, Fantastic, Baby! sells a range of aesthetic goods like housewares, stationary, plushies, K-Beauty, and more. Find them at 1193 Dundas St W (Dundas St W & Ossington). The café is open Tuesday/Sunday 11am-5pm & Wednesday-Saturday 10am-6pm*.
ATMOSPHERE
It’s hard to miss Fantastic, Baby! Café when walking down Dundas. The café stands apart with its bold FB! sign and pastel colours. When you get closer, you’ll notice cute products lining its windows, and fun sticker decals like their chubby cat mascot MoChiChi and the description “Desserts Drinks Cool Stuff Kpop”. You know exactly what to expect when heading inside.
Open its doors, and you’ll instantly be greeted by K-Pop music and a wide selection of gifts, beauty, and goods. It’s hard for your eyes not to wander with so much to look at. Take a couple more steps in, and now there is even more to marvel at: the café’s baked goods and coffee menu (discussed more below).
At the time of my visit/writing this entry, dine-in seating is not allowed in coffee shops across Toronto. However, if you’re visiting the café after the pandemic, know there is a small amount of seating at the very front and back of the café, plus a bench outside. Fantastic, Baby! is not the type of coffee shop to sit and get work done at, but rather a place for friends to connect over the shop’s fun vibe.
MENU
DRINKS
Fantastic, Baby! Café’s menu is divided into five categories: Fantastic Drinks (base menu), Tea, Specialty Drinks, Bubble Tea, and Featured (seasonal). The café use Propeller Coffee and Genuine Tea for their beverages. Drinks can be made with regular, soy, almond, oat, or coconut milk (note: alternative milks cost an additional $0.50).
On the “Fantastic” menu, there is a large selection of coffee shop favourites like americanos, lattes, cortados, macchiatos, flat whites, and plain drip. Drinks range from $2.25-$5.25. As for their tea menu, there are over 10 options to choose from and all cost $3.
The speciality drinks menu is very fun, and includes many tea and chocolatey lattes. One of my favourite on the menu is their Dalgona coffee – no, not the fluffy instant coffee from Tik Tok – made with housemade Dalgona candy. (Never had Dalgona candy before? Its taste is very similar to sponge toffee)
Fantastic, Baby!’s bubble tea menu is limited and is currently only available on weekends. Bubble tea is in the $5.75-$6 range.
The café’s featured drinks rotate. At the time of my visit, options included vanilla matcha lattes and peppermint mochas. I opted for these two beverages on my last trip to Fantastic, Baby! Both were great, but the mocha was especially delicious. I’d suggest topping it with a housemade marshmallow (+$0.50) for extra yum.
DESSERTS
Fantastic, Baby! Café knows how to make a good dessert. At the shop, you’ll find a range of cakes, cookies, and pastries that are as cute as they are delicious. I believe that no visit to Fantastic, Baby! is complete without getting a sweet treat.
For cookies, expect varieties like shortbread, red velvet, Konami chocolate chunk, birthday cake, double chocolate, and chocolate chip with a brownie centre. For cakes, you can either opt for a slice, or go for a whole mini cake (~$20).
The pastries are truly the stars of the show at Fantastic, Baby! Mousse centred, uniquely named (the one here is called "Me and U") and almost too cute to eat, the pastries are worth their $6.95 price tag. They are the perfect small indulgence.
More desserts are available for order on their website.
SHOP
Looking for a gift for an upcoming birthday, or just looking to treat yourself? Fantastic, Baby! has a range of local and Japan/Korea imported goods for sale. They carry figurines, stuffed animals, socks, candles, stationary, lamps, kitchenware, accessories, coffee equipment, K-Beauty products, K-Pop CDS & merch, birthday cards, snacks, and more! Browse their online shop or visit in store to see what’s available.
A recent addition to Fantastic, Baby! are surprise boxes. There are four themes to choose from: The Grab Bag Store Selection, Too Cute for School Stationary, Shine Up Beauty, & Yummy Snack. Boxes range from $32-$38, and depending on which you choose, you’ll get 6-10 items. These boxes offer a 20-25% savings compared to buying the products full price in store. Order your box here.
HOW TO SUPPORT THEM
New businesses have struggled to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, and local cafés like Fantastic, Baby! are feeling the pressure. The café is open for takeaway service, and one of the easiest ways to support them is to visit them for coffee runs or picking up dessert. Or if you have a celebration coming up, maybe opt for a custom cake from the café.
On top of food and drinks, you can support the café through purchasing their products like skincare or kitchenware. Shop at Fantastic, Baby! to replenish or add onto your collection, or grab a gift for a friend.
You can also purchase products online. Both delivery and curbside pick-up is available.
SUMMARY
One of Toronto’s newest and cutest cafés is Fantastic, Baby! Located at Dundas & Ossington and open Tuesday-Sunday, Fantastic, Baby! Café is a one-stop shop for coffee, desserts, and local or imported gifts & goods. The café has a fun vibe with its eclectic finds, K-Pop bops, and cute mascot MoChiChi. Fantastic, Baby! offers “Fantastic” drinks, tea, speciality drinks, bubble tea, and featured menus. I’d recommend their Dalgona coffee or mocha topped with a housemade marshmallow. Drinks range from $2.25-$6 at the café. Fantastic, Baby! is also known for their desserts like cookies, cakes, and mousse pastries. The latter is almost too cute to eat. As for shopping, there are a wide range of products for sale, including surprise boxes. Check out their website for more information and/or to order. Both delivery and curbside pick-up is available.
*Given the COVID-19 pandemic, hours and offerings depicted in this post may be skewed as businesses adapt to better serve its staff, customers, and community.