Manic Coffee set to become the next player in Toronto’s burgeoning gelato scene

College street’s bustling indie java spot Manic Coffee has a sweet new project in the works: house-made gelato. Owner Matthew Lee, who apprenticed at Vancouver’s famed Elysian Coffee, plans to approach his artisanal gelato with the same science-driven zeal and attention to detail that he takes with his coffee.

Lee isn’t the kind of guy to filter marginal effort into any task. Before opening Manic in 2007, he trained and traveled extensively, earning an education in all things coffee-related, so it’s not surprising that he’s gone down a similar path in preparation for his gelato-making debut.

Between classes in dairy science and technology at the University of Guelph, shiny new Italian equipment by Gel-Matic and a sweeping reconnaissance of cutting-edge North American gelaterias (he cites Il Laboratorio and Ciao Bella in NYC and the Bi-Rite Creamery in San Francisco as inspirations), the visions dancing in Lee’s head are quickly becoming a reality.

With such dedication, it’s hard to imagine Manic’s gelato being anything less than stellar. Some flavours you might expect to sample once Manic starts scooping? Sweet corn and vanilla butter with a pinch of fleur de sel; peppermint and hand-chopped Michel Cluizel dark chocolate; scalded milk stracciatella and a maple walnut done Lee’s way: with coarsely hewn walnuts and local maple syrup.

Manic’s gelato will be the antithesis of those cheap and sugary iced confections that often contain no milk at all: Lee plans to source his ingredients locally as much as possible, using nearby Kensington Market to his advantage. “I want to be proud of what I’m serving,” he says.

But what will the transformation mean for Manic’s young and trendy clientele? Does Lee worry that his new offerings will attract a more family-friendly crowd, driving the caffeine-guzzling hipsters onto their fixies towards the nearest competition?

“People come here because they like the space and believe in the product,” he says. “For me, [gelato] will be an additive. The appeal is to have somewhere people can come at night.” Although Lee does anticipate a change — customers are already planning to bring their kids, he says — he has faith in his bedrock clientele and in Manic’s community vibe, something he’s cultivated by refusing to offer WiFi and by encouraging the communal din that has come to characterize his shop.

Manic’s comfort quotient won’t be fluctuating dramatically, either, though shop’s interior is getting a revamp, including an extended bar front crafted from refurbished old Douglas fir beams. The idea is for a warm, woody vibe with nods to the traditional notion of a gelateria.

With hopes of opening the gelateria by the beginning of September, Manic will extend its hours — to 10 p.m., or possibly later on weekends — to accommodate Toronto’s sweet tooth. Diehard fans needn’t worry that Manic’s coffee culture is being tossed on the back burner with the addition of gelato: Lee plans to begin hosting regular (free!) brewing classes, and plans to bake an assortment of coffee-accompanying goodies in-house.

He’s thrilled about the new venture, regarding it as an opportunity to exercise passion in the sweetest possible way. Grinning widely, he articulates the bottom line: “for me it’s like, I have a great coffee, and I’m going to have a great gelato. Why not bring them together?”

 Manic Coffee, 426 College Street, 416-966-3888

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