Pilot Coffee Yonge & St. Clair
1 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto
Located in the Deer Park neighbourhood, Pilot Coffee offers up great drinks and delicious treats. This is the company's newest store, and because it's so modern, it has plenty of accessible amenities I haven't yet seen in any other coffee shop in Toronto.
It's certainly easy enough to find, located on the southeast corner of Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue. Even though there’s an exit from the underground subway right next to Pilot, those who can't use stairs will have to exit from St. Clair’s main station, where the elevators are located. Other transit options include the 97 Yonge bus north, which stops just outside Pilot, while the southern route stops right at the station. You can also get here by travelling along St. Clair's streetcar route, which has been temporarily replaced with buses.
However you choose to travel, it's still only a short distance to get to the location where you’ll be treated to an accommodating staff, amazing scones, and truly remarkable coffee and hot chocolate.
The entrance to this Pilot features an automatic door, the width of which is 3 feet and should be more than enough room to pass through. Once inside, you’ll notice a large open space which offers an adequate turning radius as well as 3 tables with moveable chairs.
The inside is immaculate, sleek and tidy. Its minimalist design probably has a lot to do with the limited space, but they've made an excellent use of it. Upon entering, you'll find the counter directly to your left, exactly 39 inches high. It should make ordering and picking up your drinks easy. If you use a wheelchair, your only concern might be getting a lid or stir stick. While the napkins and sweeteners are accessible from a separate counter with a height of 37 inches, the lids are placed an additional 6 inches above that, and slightly back a bit, which might make grabbing one difficult.
On the plus side, the tables, like the chairs, can be moved and have a standard 29‑inch height. Another great addition to this location is a large washroom, which also comes with a touch-free electronic sensor that will light up green or red depending on if the washroom is occupied. There’s lots of space to manoeuvre inside. Some of the amenities of this washroom include 2 bars around the toilet, the lower 30 inches high and the upper one placed at 38 inches. The automatic sink is 34 inches off the ground and there's an emergency button located directly to the left of the toilet.
While the space could be bigger and the lids placed in a more accessible location, this Pilot makes up for any defects with a friendly staff, a spacious and accessible washroom, and wonderful coffee and snacks. The location is hard to beat too! With many coffee shops situated in older buildings and cramped spaces, Pilot is making the most of their opportunities in a city overcrowded with cafés by serving up delicious beverages and giving us space that’s not only accessible but also good looking.