Sections of the interview have been edited for length and clarity.

With recent expansion in the form of a second location at the UTSU Student Commons building, the Acacia Cafe continues to grow. However, Acacia’s roots at the University of Toronto stretch back decades, and were firmly planted at Innis College until their uprooting in 2023 due to construction. Now, with the Acacia Cafe established at both Wycliffe College and the Student Commons, this campus favourite has entered a new era of growth and success. 

The Herald covered the cafe’s transition from Innis to Wycliffe in Jesse McDougall’s 2024 article, “The Acacia Cafe blooms at new Wycliffe location.” Founded by Gunash and Ali Shahidi in 2000, the Shahidi family continues to own and operate Acacia, entrusting management to their son, Damon Shahidi, and to other key employees outside of the family. I spoke to Carol, the manager of Acacia’s Student Commons location, to learn more about what Acacia has in store for the future, taking the time to sample their offerings.

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Carol has worked at the Acacia Cafe since 2022, back when it was called the Innis Cafe. She spoke about the love they had for the location at Innis, reflecting on the transition and rebranding into Acacia.

“Innis was like our second home, so we were very sad, even though we had only known the place for one year.” She went on to note that leaving was especially difficult “because of the customers … and because we knew that we had healthy food and affordable food, and that’s something really important for the campus. Because right now, you cannot find that kind of food around, and it’s so expensive, or it’s trash.”

She also referenced the petition from postdoc Sanchia deSouza exhorting U of T to ensure that Acacia would find a new home at the university, receiving 4,460 signatures. Carol explained that they “felt the love of everyone, and after 23 years, at the time, it was a lot. It was really important to us.” While she spoke positively about the transition into Wycliffe College and the support they received, Carol described the process as bittersweet.

“We had to change the name, that was very hard,” she admitted. “Because people knew us as ‘Innis’ … We have history over there … We really love them, and we understood that they had to do the construction. But we are also happy to find this new family, because the people in Wycliffe are lovely.” Though there was clearly affection for Carol’s time at Wycliffe, as the manager of the Commons location, she made it clear that “I am also building a story here.” Acacia’s new location stands out from its Wycliffe menu with a greater focus on sweets and bowls, moving away from some of Wycliffe’s savoury options. Carol painted a picture of collaboration and autonomy when discussing how the Acacia team was able to work with architects to design their ideal location at the Commons. She also pointed out their new espresso machine and designed graphics, some of which were painted by a member of the staff of Acacia. 

Something that stood out to me about the cafe is that many of its staff members were educated at the postsecondary level. Carol has her degree in anthropology, while others have studied in fields ranging from marketing to engineering. There is currently one University of Toronto student working at the Acacia Cafe, as well. As a business operating in academic spaces, I find it very encouraging that the people who provide nourishment for students and professors have also studied some of the same programs offered by this institution, providing an even deeper connection between Acacia and the university.

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I have been going to the Acacia Cafe at Wycliffe since mid-2024, and I have not once been disappointed by their food, drink, or atmosphere. When I sat down at their new location to order, I was struck by the departure from Wycliffe’s aesthetics. Gone were the low wooden tables and benches of the “refectory” space, as well as the enormous windows letting in sunshine. In their place were couches and bar-style seating, as well as a number of small tables, standing like islands amidst the stark whiteness of the Commons building. 

I decided that to get a well-rounded perspective of what the cafe offered, I would try an entrée, a dessert, and a coffee. I ended up selecting an espresso macchiato, a slice of banana bread, and a chicken burrito. The macchiato was robust and warm, extremely satisfying. The banana bread came in a sizable chunk, and was both fresh and moist despite being ordered well into the afternoon. It was not overwhelmingly sweet, but the flavour of the chocolate still shone through; a delicate dessert balancing act that was pulled off flawlessly. The burrito, covered in melted cheese and packed to the gills with chicken and vegetables, was not only satisfying, but also reflected the Acacia Cafe’s commitment to making fresh and healthy food accessible.

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As my interview with Carol wrapped up, I had one burning question left to ask her: will the Acacia Cafe ever return to its original home at Innis College? 

“I’m not sure about it,” she concluded. “It was hard to catch our old customers when we moved. Now that we have the customers back, it will be hard to get them back to the other store. If they want us, we can maybe think to open a third location, but we don’t know yet.” 

Selfishly, it would make me very happy to see Acacia return to Innis College in some way, shape, or form, but what the Shahidi family and the cafe’s staff have done independently is absolutely remarkable. While the Innis Cafe is no more, its legacy spreads across the University of Toronto like the growing roots of the acacia tree, bringing their high quality food and high quality service to a wider audience than before.