More Than a Cup: What Terminal 3 Taught Me About Coffee

 

Terminal 3 Café.  

I’ve never been a coffee person. My usual order is something sweet and safe—an iced blonde vanilla latte with syrup and cold foam. Black coffee has always felt too strong, too bitter, too serious. So, when my mom suggested we visit Terminal 3, a Fourth Wave Plus (4thW+) café, I agreed mostly for the company. What I didn’t expect was to leave thinking about coffee in a completely different way.

A Café That Feels Like a Story

Terminal 3 is the kind of place that feels intentional from the moment you walk in. It’s tucked inside a music school and store, which gives it a calm, creative atmosphere. You’ll see people reading, chatting quietly, or waiting for their music lessons. It’s the kind of space that feels reflective; less like a spot to grab a quick caffeine fix and more like a spot to slow down.

Terminal 3 shares space with a music store and a school. 

The name “Terminal 3” is inspired by Toronto’s airport, symbolizing travel and connection. That idea carries through everything they do. On their website, the café describes its philosophy as building “multiculturalism and togetherness through coffee beans by sourcing from around the world, listening to their unique stories, and sharing those findings with the local community.” That line stuck with me because it perfectly captures what Fourth Wave Plus coffee is all about: sustainability, storytelling, and inclusion.

Each pour-over at Terminal 3 comes with a small card that looks like a luggage tag, listing the coffee's origin, roast, and tasting notes - a nod to the cafe's airport theme. 

Where Science Meets Care

Pour-over from Papua New Guinea (Jiawaka) - a light roast with notes of pomegranate, sugarcane, and grape. 

What surprised me most about Terminal 3 was how scientific the process felt. Every coffee is carefully measured, from TDS (total dissolved solids) to grind size, water composition, and espresso-to-milk ratios. They even sometimes add a special mineral powder to their brewing water to achieve ideal balance. It’s a reminder that coffee isn’t just an art, it’s chemistry.

Terminal 3 displays its selection of single origin coffee beans, each labeled with the country where it was grown. 

Everything is roasted in-house, and each bean is single origin. There are no blends and no dark roasts. The staff explained that this is what sets Fourth Wave Plus cafés apart from earlier waves of coffee—they’re focused on precision and education just as much as flavour.

All of Terminal 3's coffee is roasted in-house using their on-site roaster, allowing complete control over quality and flavour.

Our Visit

On a sunny day in September, my mom and I met up with her best friend while her sons were at their guitar lessons next door. We decided to stay for coffee and conversation.

We started with a flat white made from Ethiopian Guji beans, a light roast with notes of floral, milk chocolate, and brown sugar. It was smooth and beautifully presented.

Then came the pour-over, which I’d heard was a must-try for anyone wanting to understand specialty coffee. The barista brought out a board of six different beans, each labeled with its origin, acidity, aftertaste, and tasting notes. It felt a bit like choosing a wine (from what I hear) and I picked one from Papua New Guinea (Jiwaka) which was described as having notes of pomegranate, sugarcane, and grape.

Pour-overs are served black, which felt intimidating at first. I’m used to adding milk or syrup, so this was a big step outside my comfort zone. Still, I tried to stay open-minded. The flavor was surprisingly playful, and the pomegranate note really came through.

My mom’s pour-over, the Colombia Finca Villa Gesha, was also light and aromatic, though both of us agreed we still had some learning to do before fully enjoying this kind of coffee. We talked about how refining your palate can take time, but that conversation became more interesting than the cup itself.

Our flat white, cappuccino, and pour-over, beautifully presented on wooden boards with details about the brew. The second photo shows what was left - a good sign. 

A Space for Connection

While we were sitting there, I overheard someone telling one of the baristas how happy they were that the café was still around. It was a small moment, but it stood out to me. It showed how places like this become part of a community, not just because of the coffee they serve, but because of the relationships they build.

The café sells and $80 t-shirt that says "For the Coffee Connoisseurs"

That sense of connection is what makes Terminal 3 feel special. They have done a very good job at creating a balance between expertise and openness. The café celebrates the idea of the “coffee connoisseur”, and you can even buy a shirt that says so, but the atmosphere itself isn’t unwelcoming. The baristas share their knowledge with genuine enthusiasm, turning what could feel intimidating into something inviting.

As an Accounting and Finance student, I’ve always noticed how coffee finds its way into so many spaces whether it’s study sessions, early mornings, or networking “coffee chats.” Being at Terminal 3 reminded me that coffee isn’t just a drink, it’s a shared ritual that can mean something different to everyone. It can mean focus, comfort, or community, depending on who you are and where you are.

The Question of Accessibility

Still, I couldn’t help thinking about accessibility. Ethically sourced and sustainably grown coffee often costs more, and that’s understandable. But it raises the question: how can we make these kinds of experiences available to more people? If coffee is meant to bring people together, I hope the Fourth Wave Plus movement continues to find ways to balance ethics, quality, and inclusivity.

What I Took Away

Before this visit, I’d never really thought much about coffee beyond my own order. But sitting there, surrounded by the sound of guitars and the quiet hum of conversation, I realized that coffee can be more than just a drink. It can be a way of connecting with people and cultures. Furthermore, the small moments create unforgettable memories.

Visiting Terminal 3 has shaped my impressions about coffee. I may not have walked away a coffee convert, but I did leave curious. Curious about the people behind each roast, the science behind each cup, and the stories that travel in every bean. And maybe that’s a start.

 

 

Works Cited

 Adekunle, B. (2025, June 20). Part I: Understanding Coffee. https://bamideleadekunle.substack.com/p/part-i-understanding-coffee

Terminal 3 Roasters. (n.d.). Colombia - Finca Villa Betulia Gesha. Terminal 3 Roasters. 

https://t3roasters.com/products/colombia-finca-villa-betulia-gesha

Terminal 3 Roasters. (n.d.). Our philosophy. Terminal 3 Roasters. 

https://t3roasters.com/pages/philosophy

Terminal 3 Roasters. 20 August 2023. The Role of Water Quality in Coffee Brewing. https://t3roasters.com/blogs/gateway/the-role-of-water-quality-in-coffee-brewing?_pos=2&_sid=3b268c135&_ss=r.

 

Keira Popov

Undergraduate Student

Ted Rogers School of Management

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)

 

A Taste of Asia

 

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Terminal 3: "Where Symmetry Meets The Sky"

Late at night in Jakarta, I stepped out of the airport and was hit with the immense humidity. My clothes stuck to me as I walked to the car, finding it harder to breathe. Travelling from Toronto to Asia was more than a change of scenery; it was also a change of pace. I have always heard about the richness of Asian cuisine but experiencing it firsthand gave me a new appreciation for how deeply food is tied to our culture and everyday lives. From airline dishes to local cuisine, every meal had a story about its origin and the people behind it.

 

A table spread of Chinese dishes at a restaurant in Indonesia.

My first flight from Toronto to Hong Kong was quite long, about 15 hours in the air. This was the flight I dreaded the most. 15 hours just sitting in economy and with no way to recline comfortably. I flew with Cathay Pacific, a Hong Kong-based airline. During the flight, I had a mixed feeling, the last time I visited was six years since ago. To while away the time, I had plans to watch my favourite movie Crazy Rich Asians, only to be disappointed that they did not have it, so I was half asleep for the entire flight. On the flight, I was provided with two meals. The first meal consisted of chicken and rice with vegetables as the starter. The airline also offered a container of sliced meat–which I assume was ham–a Babybel, bread with butter, and vanilla ice cream for dessert. The second meal was cod served with a corn sauce, accompanied by rice and broccoli. They also served us more bread with butter, fruits, and a little slice of cake for dessert. Overall, the food on the flight was quite filling and better than the ones on western airlines.

 

We arrived in Hong Kong with a two-hour layover until our next flight to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. As soon as we exited the plane, we passed through security and immigration personnels before we could go on to enter our next gate. Before we had our bags checked, we were required to go through an eGate, which only requires you to scan your passport. That was an interesting experience since I had never been through them in Canada. This flight was only six hours long, so it was more bearable, though we only got an inflight meal. They served us Hong Kong-style pork with vegetables. We were also served a bowl of fruits, some more bread with butter, and Häagen-Dazs cookies and cream ice cream for dessert.

 

Jakarta, my ancestral home, was humid, beautiful and tranquil. Shortly after arriving, we drove to a town called Bandung, to explore good quality cuisines without making a hole in our pockets. We arrived hungry, so before the drive to Bandung we visited the McDonald's in the city. It was strangely familiar but foreign at the same time. We ordered spicy fried chicken, which came with rice, and that's where I found out that many people in Indonesia love fried chicken. There are other American fast-food chains operating in Indonesia, for example A&W and KFC. The McDonald’s menu was completely different, offering items such as spaghetti (McSpaghetti), Milo shakes, Matcha ice cream and more. I was a bit sad that I was unable to try some of the foods available at the McDonald’s in Canada.

 

The next day, we ended up at a restaurant known for its Sundanese cuisine. We ate a variety of foods, from fried rice to fish to deep-fried eggplants. The restaurant setting was an open concept, so you were only covered by the roof above your head. Another thing to note was that it was a restaurant where eating with your hands was both expected and customary, though they did still offer utensils. This differs from the restaurants in Canada, as most of them expect you to use the utensils offered rather than your hands; In Indonesian culture, it is normal to eat with your hands rather than with utensils or chopsticks. Personally, I felt more at ease using my hands.

 

We also went to a Chinese restaurant the next day with some more relatives. The food there consisted of a variety of dishes, ranging from fish, tofu, bok choy, and many more. It was quite an experience getting to eat authentic Chinese food after spending most of my life eating Western food. After meeting my relatives and spending a couple of days in Indonesia, it made me realize that I need to learn Bahasa. It was difficult to communicate with them and the locals since I'd only known a handful of Bahasa, so at times I was either confused about what they were talking about or about how to say certain things.

 

After that, we headed to Pascal 23, a mall that had some restaurants on the side. We got a Korean-style dessert, some coffee-flavoured shaved ice with chocolate drizzled on top, accompanied by some mochi on the side. A special note for the place would be that the servings there were huge!

 

The day after, I purchased some coffee from Fore Coffee, a premium coffeehouse chain. I was able to try their Hot Cafe Latte, Iced Caramel Praline Macchiato and Iced Buttercream Tiramisu Latte. I personally favoured the Iced Caramel Praline Macchiato and the Iced Buttercream Tiramisu Latte, as they were both sweet and caramelized. We then visited another mall where, on the lowest level, they had a massive food court. They sold a variety of foods, such as onigiri, yaki shrimp, and takoyaki. What shocked me the most was that they had a wide selection of chicken legs available for customers to freely pick and choose from.

 

A display showing a wide variety of fried chicken legs to choose from in an Indonesian mall's food court. 

A few days after we arrived, we took a day trip to another town called Lembang, winding through rocky roads and beautiful mountain ranges. We made a stop at Dusan Bambu, a retreat surrounded by green forestry and a ton of activities, some of which were a racetrack, axe throwing, a water slide and quite a few more. From there, we got to try a lychee iced tea, which was very refreshing since it was a hot summer day. I also had deep-fried bananas with shredded cheese on top, which, to me, was a bizarre combination, but alas, it was pretty good; It goes to show that different cultures create a unique blend of food and flavour profiles.

 

While in the continent of Asia, I also decided to visit Singapore, the same country where I will do my exchange program next year. The restaurants there were mainly noted to be either Chinese or Malay, though I did have the opportunity to try out a Japanese restaurant, where I enjoyed some sushi and a chicken and egg dish. The prices for the sushi were cheap, whereas the bowl was quite pricey. I was also surprised to see a Tim Hortons in Singapore, though I can’t complain about having a breath of home; The menu was different as it is curated for the Singaporean market. They had their classic Iced Capp, which is my favourite drink from Tim Hortons, but they also had various assortments of Iced Capp flavours that I had never seen before, such as Maple Macchiato or Belgian Chocolate Chip. The prices at Tim Hortons were significantly higher than in Canada. A regular Iced Capp is $6.70 SGD, at the same price range with Starbucks.

 

The day’s trip was completed with a local meal on our return to Jakarta. The local meal box costs around $2 CAD but comes with a hard-boiled egg, yellow rice, chicken, noodles and complementary sauces. It was an excellent meal at an affordable price. That is something I miss about Indonesia. As we prepared for our return to Canada, I visited a cafe in Central Park Mall with my aunts called Paul Le Cafe. One of my aunts told me they import their croissants from Paris. I tried a Sea Salt Latte and a croissant from there. The latte was very bitter, but the croissant was delicious. It was very soft, buttery and overall rich in flavour.

 

A $2 lunch box with yellow rice, noodles, and a seasoned egg, served with beef and sambal. 

After a few weeks in Asia, it was time to return to Toronto, I was sad that my vacation was coming to an end. I felt like there was so much more to see, but I just didn’t have enough time. My first flight was from Jakarta to Hong Kong; we were served great food. The meal consisting of spicy chicken with rice and vegetables, as well as fruits, and a mint cake for dessert, overall, the catering was good. The little mint cake was also delicious, a nice, sweet treat. On our arrival in Hong Kong, we boarded the flight back to Toronto, during which they served us two dishes: the first was chicken and rice with bok choy, accompanied by even more bread with butter, fruits, and ice cream for dessert. The second meal consisted of a marinara fish dish with vegetables, bread, fruit, and some coleslaw. Overall, the meals were good, despite being airline food.

 

After my return to my regular life in Toronto, I was able to reflect on my trip, realizing that food tells us a lot about a country and its people including landmarks. I realized that no matter the scenario, whether it’s the affordable $2 Indonesian meal boxes to elegant cafes, and even airline meals, every dish reveals cultural values such as hospitality, community and creativity. Travelling across Asia changed my way of seeing food; It is not just about taste but about identity and connection to the locals and the culture. Beyond taste and identity, every dish holds memories, whether it is the old ones that linger or the new ones I make while sharing meals with family; it will always have a place in my heart. I am deeply humbled to have the opportunity to experience different cuisines and learn from them.

 

Josephine Husen

GMS Student

Ted Rogers School of Management, TMU