Good Grief Coffee Roasters Owners Alix & Jesse

Delicious coffee with extra personality in Downtown Thornbury

This one is for all our coffee lovers out there. If you are a regular in Thornbury, chances are you’ve visited Good Grief already. If you haven’t, well, consider this your friendly reminder to check it out! Since opening just over two years ago, Good Grief has made a big impression in this small town serving up drinks and baked goods in their retail cafe and selling bags of their in-house roasted beans so you can enjoy a cup (or four, if you’re like me) at home. Together, owners and friends, Jesse & Alix are the brains behind the operation and have crafted a truly wonderful brand. While they aren’t currently offering indoor seating (thanks Covid), their space is definitely worth checking out for the beautiful design. No matter the season or the weather, we highly recommend getting a coffee and treat to go and enjoying a walk down to the harbour.

green plants and arched doorways Good Grief Thornbury

The COFFEE

Roasted fresh and in-house every Monday, choose from a variety of beans based on your personal tastes. The attention to detail in crafting the perfect roast is obvious in the consistency throughout each bag, but also in watching Micah handpick out slightly imperfect beans before packaging for their clients.

Pick up a bag in-store or order online for local delivery or shipping. You can also find Good Grief coffee at a number of different retailers in the area — check out the list here.

Freshly roasted in house coffee Good Grief

Freshly roasted coffee cortado Thornbury espresso bar

Freshly roasted coffee cortado Thornbury

pouring espresso thornbury good grief tie dyed shirt

The (Baked) Goods

Baked fresh daily, you can count on a variety of danishes, donuts, croissants, scones, and cookies to tempt you. Keep an eye out for new specialty donut flavours every month. A particular favourite was their April Fool’s dill pickle donut they had this year. (Frances may have requested they add this to their regular flavours)

Cutting small batch donuts in the kitchen at Good Grief

freshly dipped donut good grief thornbury

rolling croissants fresh baked goods Thornbury

Good Grief custom pink lids and croissant

The Experience

Alix and Jesse set the bar high when they opened the doors at Good Grief. The attention to detail extends not just to their coffee, but also to their design-forward aesthetic and their customer service. As their staff has grown, the quality of their espresso-based drinks has remained and it continues to be the kind of spot you want to be a regular. Plus they’re always adding a little something extra to keep you on your toes, whether it be the seasonal stamps on their cups, the tie-dyed t-shirts, or the pop-up shops. Plus you can always spot a Good Grief coffee with their signature pink lids.