Visit Date: Weekend Morning in 2025 | Location: 111C, 370 Hwy 7, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1A7
Sometimes the best discoveries happen when you’re ridiculously early. I was heading to weekend dim sum in Richmond Hill and arrived way too early trying to secure decent parking. With some time to spare before everyone else showed up, I decided to might as well stopped by at a nearby coffee shop, Foreword Specialty Coffee Roasters – a tiny coffee shop that opened earlier this year, while I waited.
Spoiler alert: this accidental coffee stop turned into one of those pleasant surprises that makes arriving early actually feel strategic rather than just overly anxious.
First Impressions: Tiny But Intentional
As I was walking into this coffee shop, the first thing you notice is the space. This shop is genuinely quite small, with just a few chairs and coffee tables. If you live nearby and want a quality coffee run, this setup works perfectly. If you are planning to camp out for three hours working or studying, look elsewhere.
The shop faces Highway 7 directly, and I did not spot any dedicated parking spaces during my visit. I had already parked a couple of buildings away in the general plaza lot, which worked fine but means you will be walking a bit if you are specifically coming just for coffee.
The Space Reality: Quick Visits, Not Study Sessions
I quickly noticed that this does not seemed to be your typical laptop-friendly, stay-all-day workspace café. The small footprint and limited seating also would suggest that they focus on the coffee and tea drinkers who want to actually enjoy their drink, rather than people who want a place to work with free WiFi like Starbucks and Tim Hortons.
That said, it would be fine for scenarios like a coffee date alone where you are there to really enjoy the drink, or a chat with the barista about beans and brewing methods. You could probably ask them about working there if it’s quiet and not busy, but the setup clearly isn’t designed for extended stays.
The Drinks: Where Foreword Actually Shines
I ordered an iced matcha latte ($7.00 CAD), and here’s what matters: I could actually taste the matcha. Not that pale green, barely-there sweetened milk situation some places pass off as matcha, but real matcha flavour with that earthy complexity matcha drinkers actually want. It was upon ordering this drink that the barista asked whether I wanted to customize the milk selection, a considerate touch showing they are thinking about customer preferences, not just going through standard motions.
My companion ordered a Flat White ($5.50 CAD) and it was here that things started to get really interesting. We assumed they’d have one standard coffee bean option and move on. Instead, the barista asked us to choose between their available beans at that moment: Brazil Natural and Costa Rica Peaberry Blend.
When we asked about the differences (because let’s be honest, most of us don’t instinctively know the flavour profiles of different coffee origins unless we are really invested into types of coffee beans), they took time to explain clearly and knowledgeably. This wasn’t coffee people making you feel dumb, it was genuine expertise delivered in an approachable way.
We went with the Costa Rica Peaberry Blend, which added $1.00 to the price. Totally fine given the quality and the fact that we were getting actual bean selection rather than whatever’s convenient for them to brew.
The Service Factor: Knowledge Without Pretension
Here’s what separated Foreword from typical coffee shops: the barista demonstrated fantastic coffee knowledge without making us feel dumb for asking basic questions. They explained bean differences, offered milk customization, and created that approachable expertise atmosphere that makes specialty coffee accessible rather than intimidating.
This kind of customer service – thoughtful, knowledgeable, patient that makes you genuinely want to return and explore different drinks rather than just sticking with whatever’s safe and familiar.
The Strategic Use Case: Perfect Timing Matters
Would I visit again? Absolutely, but with specific timing in mind.
Foreword works perfectly for:
- Post-meal palate cleansing: After dim sum or any restaurant meal when you want to wash away any lingering or msg flavours, if you know, you know.
- Pre-restaurant waiting periods: When you arrive early and need somewhere to kill 20-30 minutes before your reservation
- Parking strategy sessions: Like my situation, when you’re securing a good spot before everyone else arrives and need a productive way to spend that buffer time
- Quick quality coffee runs: When you want genuinely good coffee without the commitment of a full café experience
It’s that strategic coffee shop that serves a specific purpose brilliantly rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
The Bottom Line: Small Space, Big Coffee Knowledge
Foreword Specialty Coffee Roasters occupies an interesting niche in Richmond Hill’s coffee scene. The tiny footprint means it’s not competing with workspace cafés or all-day hangout spots. Instead, it’s focusing on what matters: quality coffee and tea, knowledgeable service, and genuine beverage craftsmanship.
The iced matcha latte actually tasted like proper matcha, the flat white was presented with actual bean selection and skill, and the customer service made everything feel personal, not transactional. For a coffee shop that’s just opened this year, they’re already showing what makes specialty coffee worth seeking out.
My Recommendation?
Visit when you need quality coffee before or after nearby activities rather than as a destination itself. Embrace the quick-visit model, ask questions about their beans, and appreciate that sometimes smaller spaces mean more focused attention on what actually matters – the coffee itself.
Would I go out of my way specifically for Foreword? Probably not, but would I strategically plan to arrive early for dim sum just to grab coffee here first? Absolutely.
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Have you discovered Foreword Specialty Coffee Roasters yet? Know any other tiny specialty coffee shops in Richmond Hill worth trying? Drop your recommendations below – I’m always hunting for quality coffee spots that prioritize beans over Instagram aesthetics.
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