Top 5 brunch spots in Toronto
Published May 15, 2024 at 1:15 pm
Brunch is not only the most important meal of the day in Toronto, it’s also the most popular. People line up for all kinds of great brunches across the city, meaning this isn’t just a meal in this town, it’s a whole social event.
Not only will these restaurants supply you with something to line your stomach before a big day or after a long night, they can also provide you with a buzz (or hair of the dog) in the form of tasty brunch cocktails like Caesars and mimosas.
When you’re looking to break your fast with some truly fabulous eggs, bacon, pancakes or whatever else you fancy in the morning, these are some of the best spots to start your day off right.
Mrs. Biederhof’s Wild Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes are an undoubted go-to at this airy Liberty Village brunch restaurant, but they’re also known for their Huevos Monty and Veda’s Choice breakfast sandwich.
The pancakes are very thick and cakey but still fluffy, and are topped with a tangy and sweet wild blueberry compote, plenty of Lanark County organic maple syrup and a puffy mound of whipped cream. Their Veda’s Choice sandwich stuffs two poached eggs with bearnaise and your choice of smoked salmon, bacon or avocado into a flaky croissant.
You can pair your pancakes with a Mrs. B’s Blueberry Mimosa with blueberry lemonade, or even a blueberry whiskey sour made with their house compote. The Bungalow Island Caesar garnished with curly celery is also a great choice.
4 – Lady Marmalade
There are two floors of brunch goodness at this narrow restaurant near Broadview and Dundas. Their menu has all kinds of all-day brunch favourites like hash, waffles and sandwiches, but their signature dish is Eggs Benedict available in a wide variety of styles.
Here, you can get Eggs Benny with brie, avocado and bacon; cheddar, bacon and mango salsa; braised beef, horseradish crema and crispy onions; or cochinita pibil pork, queso fresco and citrus onions, among other options. You can also build your own benny. The common thread is excellent poached eggs and lots of velvety hollandaise.
3 – White Lily Diner
This is a true modern diner where buttermilk griddle cakes and egg breakfasts are available as part of their all-day menu that also has a range of classic sandwiches. The rustic and comforting restaurant with retro booths is located right near Broadview and Queen.
Their Southern Breakfast comes with two eggs any style, bacon, silky grits, gravy, fermented greens and one of their fluffy buttermilk biscuits. The White Lily Standard comes with two eggs any style, choice of bacon, sausage or marinated mushrooms, plus toast and one of their popular hashbrowns. They also have steak and eggs, breakfast sandwiches and legendary donuts that always sell out.
2 – Manita
This hip corner restaurant on Ossington is the place to be seen on the patio during the day chowing down on pancakes, a breakfast sandwich, avocado toast or shakshuka. They also have a range of Mediterranean-leaning bistro food like salads, sandwiches and burgers.
The Manita Breakfast is the ultimate snacky brunch plate with smoked salmon, capers, red onion, cucumber, tomato, a swipe of cream cheese and a perfectly soft egg, all waiting to be assembled onto a croissant. Their elaborately garnished Caesars are not to be missed.
1 – BB’s
This Parkdale restaurant snagged a Bib Gourmand recommendation from the Michelin Guide, so you know the brunch here is on another level. They’re not open many hours a week, but it’s worth it to work a brunch here into your schedule for the bold Filipino flavours on offer.
Their BB’s silog is a must, a breakfast plate of garlic rice, two fried eggs, atsara (a sort of Filipino pickle/relish, often served with fried or grilled dishes) and a choice of house longanisa, corned beef hash or a crispy, flavourful fried milkfish. You can’t go wrong with any of these options.
Speaking of not being able to go wrong with any option, they also serve tortang talong (a kind of eggplant omelette), their popular Marivic’s French Toast, and other Filipino food that’s great for brunch like adobo fried chicken, Filipino spaghetti, pork sinigang and ginataan. Try a calamansi mimosa on the side to up the Filipino factor on your whole brunch.
They also serve dinner on select nights if you’re interested in trying more of their Filipino fare.
