Board game cafes in Toronto provide an alternative to your standard night out. They offer a chance to grab a coffee, or often something stronger, and get competitive over an assortment of games, from Settlers to Scrabble and beyond. Some spots, such as BoardAgain Games, host regular events while plenty of bars offer a small selection of titles to accompany your beer.

Here are my picks for the top new board game cafes in Toronto.

Snake and Lattes (College St.)
Snakes and Lattes bills itself as Toronto's first board game cafe. It previously expanded onto College Street with Snakes and Lagers, but it closed that spot to open a huge new location in the former Andy Poolhall space. This new outpost has more than 200 seats, what seems like every board game ever, coffee, snacks and craft beer.

A-Game Cafe
Located above Me Va Me near Queen and John, A-Game Cafe puts game-play first, while food and drinks are secondary. That dedication to gaming lets visitors choose from a growing selection of titles and the brothers who run the place will even jump in and join those show up alone. It's $3.50 an hour (per person) or $7 for unlimited play. There are also weekend and Tuesday specials.

Riddle Room
Toronto is filled with both board games cafes and escape rooms. Fittingly, this spot near Yonge and Wellesley combines both to create the ultimate gaming cafe (Riddle Room also has retro video games, coffee, snacks and milkshakes). There's no fee to play, but if you decide to tackle one of the five escape rooms, it'll set you back $20 on weekdays and $25 on weekends.

The Sidekick
While this Leslieville cafe is primary a coffee and comic book shop, it also boasts a small selection of board games for those who choose to enjoy their beverages and treats, sourced from Tori's Bakeshop and Moo Milk Bar, in-store.

Face to Face Games
Located at Danforth and Woodbine, Face to Face Games specializes in Magic: The Gathering with tournaments and other such events. But it also offers plenty of other board games as well as food to keep you satisfied as you challenge your friends to whichever games you fancy.

Did I miss any? Add your suggestions in the comments.

Photo of Snakes and Lattes by Jesse Milns