oor John’s Café is Parkdale’s latest caffeine slacktopia, and that's due in no small part to a slate of elegantly conceived sandwiches. With a flat wooded sign that looks like it was ripped off the side of the S.S. Minnow, Poor John’s has a quaint and relaxed environment that has captured a vibe that is being quickly embraced by locals and artists alike.

Owner John Silva and his wife Kristine decided that after being eight-year residents in Parkdale, they thought it was ridiculous that there wasn’t a café catering to anybody on this strip. “Why should I go to Roncesvalles when there are enough people in this area who would support one?” Says Silva.

One of the biggest appeals of the café is its unpolished look that automatically gives it character. The former Pants Shop has been converted into a dining area consisting of retro dining chairs and tables with the walls adorning select pieces of artwork. Upon arrival, the “mini living room” with a red couch and two sitting chairs along with the coffee table adds comfort and ease to the already calm setting.

The exposed brick walls and unvarnished wood floors exude an energy that doesn’t allow for that pretentious air you find in other places. Not that it would be a problem - Parkdale still has a while before it gets that West Queen West too-cool-for-you status.

Silva’s concept was simple: good coffee, all food made fresh on the premises at affordable prices. Their sandwiches ($5.50) hit a good range: Goan chicken curry; Gruyere grilled cheese with bacon; Portuguese churico with St. Jorge cheese; and my current fave, the delicious avocado and Brie with mango salsa (add soup or salad for $1.25). Their coffee is organic and shade grown coffee from El Salvador, Sumatra and Bolivia. Also available is cappuccinos, espressos and Americanos.