The best and worst Starbucks locations are really only differentiated by interiors and overcrowding. The city has so many great independent coffee shops, but if you're opting for the convenience of big chain 'Bucks (and their Venti iced waters), some are better than others.

Here are my picks for the best and worst Starbucks in Toronto.

Best

Starbucks Reserve

This one's a no-brainer since it's the first and only Starbucks in Toronto to brew small lot coffee. Aside from the fact you can order flights of coffee brewed with a Modbar pourover system and affogatos, the curvy bar at this Don Mills shop is worth visiting at least once. 

Dupont and Christie

Even if you're not a fan of SBux, you can appreciate the regal decor here. There's tons of historic-esque details to appreciate here, from the chandeliers to the repurposed doors and granite tables. There's even an old vault you can reserve for private meetings.

King and Bathurst

As with most anything on King, this Starbucks is designed to be sleeker than your average. If you're a work-from-home type of person but need the occasional people-watching break, there's plenty of places to set up here, from the bar to the single-seater bench lining the window. 

Eglinton and Laird

Located in a former TD Bank, this corner coffee shop is spacious, equipped with a cozy – if not a little worn – sofa, red plushy chairs and a decent patio. It's also got a larger than average windows to check out the one-in-a-lifetime view of the Canadian Tire across the street. 

Adelaide and Peter

With glass windows stretching up to the ceiling, this skinny but spacious Starbucks is an industrial-style location that boasts tons of natural light. Weekday mornings you can expect a crush of people, but in terms of mobile orders, this team is pretty reliable. 

Worst

Eaton Centre across from La Senza

It's a mall, and Toronto's busiest one at that – what do you expect. Almost always hoarded by shoppers bogged down by bags, desperate for a kick of caffeine to spur round two of the shopping spree, there's a good chance your order here might come out less than satisfactory. 

Maple Leaf Square

It's hard to put your finger on why this Starbucks is so bad: maybe it's because this location's just an afterthought to the Longos, or maybe because service here is so infamously lacklustre. Either way, the only reason you should get your caffeine fix here is if you live in the condo.

Church and Shuter

It's always drafty in this Starbucks (probably because there are two doors placed right next to each other) which sucks when you're trying to get a good study session going. Also seating is limited and oddly arranged: as far as Feng Shui goes this place gets two thumbs down.

Bloor and Prince Edward

A cramped seating area and staff who seem like they'd rather be elsewhere make for a less than pleasant experience here. Despite its westerly location, this location also has lineup troubles during the morning rush.