Writer seeks not-office Toronto cafe place

The Holy Oak or the Toronto Coffee Company, both near Bloor/Lansdowne, might fit the bill -- might depend on the time of day he's usually writing.

Also in the Junction, http://cremacoffee.ca/about/ seems like it might fit. Dunno about gluten-free baked goods, but they have paninis, and I imagine that means some animal protein and some not.

Yeah, The Holy Oak could be really good, depending on the time of day. They also serve beer, which may also be nice. I think they host dance nights also though so if he's looking to work in the evenings it may not be the best. The Common on Bloor West (around Dovercourt) is pretty good with everything except the food requirements, and it would depend on when he's writing. They're open every day but I only seem to go on weekend afternoons when it's fairly busy. I have no clue what it's like during the week. There are some west end Dark Horses, but I think you'd have the same space-related issues.

The https://www.facebook.com/tamperedpress! They have big tables, so sometimes you have to share, but people seem friendly. Great coffee and other drinks, nice snacks (I haven't been in ages so I can't remember what they offer, but pastries and sandwiches come to mind. They are the kind of people to have GF treats, but I don't recall specifically either way). And you can look out into Trinity Bellwoods park.

Seconding Crema. I read your description and immediately thought of it, although the one on Spadina/Richmond isn't open as late or as much as the one on Bloor.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/10/131123/restaurant/Roncesvalles-Village/Coffee-All-That-Jazz-Toronto, despite the questionable name, is pretty good. Lots of room for sitting, big tables and small tables, wifi, hard back chairs, busy but not "busy." I don't think it's the best espresso in the world, but something's got to give.... It's right off the College Car at Roncesvalles.

Finally, my day has come! I am a west-end professional writer who at this very moment is procrastinating on going out and finding someplace to write. A few suggestions: 1) http://www.litespressobar.com/ on Roncesvalles is really nice, though they close really early (like, at 6). 2) http://www.yelp.ca/biz/el-almacen-yerba-mate-caf%C3%A9-toronto-2 on Queen West by Ossington is intimate but very nice and has a fun selection of maté low-caffiene teas. No wifi on weekends though, I don't think. 3) The Abbott, tucked into the side of the corner building at King and Spencer, is a lovely little community coffee shop. Some hard-backed chairs and a picnic table. Very sunny. These should fit the bill. Can I offer a bit of perspective that transcends the requirements set forth in the question, since this is pretty much all I do these days? - Watch the chair-height to table-height ratio. Coffee shops typically put tables up high, at approximately chin-height. I find it's a weird predictor of productivity: Is the table low enough that I can type on it comfortably? - Don't rule out the corporate chains. A lot of people disdain them, but they're typically open longer than the indie shops, cheaper, more plentiful, more diverse in clientele, and I frankly never feel bad camping out there for hours and hours on end. They provide decent jobs in the community too. - A lack of wi-fi is not always a bad thing. I've actively been seeking out places without wi-fi for writing. You'll notice that I'm typing this now instead of working, for instance. Happy writing! May the words flow freely and the Facebook go mercifully unchecked for a little while.

Oh! Also, Tequila Bookworm, at Queen and Portland. Another favourite since it's also a bar and is open right till midnight or 1. The music gets loud really late, but until then it's chill and they're happy to serve you tea. Many words written there!

I came to recommend Tequila Bookworm, but looks like bicyclefish beat me to it. There's also a Dark Horse on Queen West, and has small tables in addition to the communal table. Moonbeam in Kensington could be good, but i'm not sure if they have wi-fi.