Where to brunch in Toronto: morning rooms worth the queue.
Where to brunch in Toronto. The morning rooms worth the queue, and the kitchens still doing it right at noon.
Lady Marmalade on Broadview is the city's reference Mexican-leaning brunch room since 2007, owner-chef Eric Brennan's chilaquiles and huevos rancheros.
Order: The chilaquiles or the breakfast pocket, plus an order of churros if dessert is calling.
Tip: Walk-in only; weekends run 60-minute waits from 10:00. Moved from Queen East to Broadview in 2018.
Mildred's Temple Kitchen in Liberty Village is Donna Dooher's brunch institution since 2008, an iteration of her 1989 Queen West original, the buttermilk.
Order: Mrs Biederhof's blueberry buttermilk pancakes and Wally's savoury cheese tart.
Tip: Weekend brunch walk-in only from 09:00; weekday reservations on the website. Donna Dooher and Kevin Gallagher are the owners.
The Federal on Dundas West is a diner-style brunch counter since 2012, the breakfast sandwich and steak-and-eggs the menu staples in a vinyl-booth room.
Order: The breakfast sandwich on a Forno Cultura bun.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Weekend lineup starts 09:30; cash and card.
School in Liberty Village is the schoolyard-themed all-day breakfast room since 2011, Berries Gone Wild French toast and Mrs Norfolk's omelette top picks.
Order: Berries Gone Wild French toast or Mrs Norfolk's omelette.
Tip: Reservations open three weeks ahead on the website. Weekend walk-in queue starts at 09:00.
OEB Breakfast in Liberty Village is the Toronto outpost of the Calgary-born breakfast brand, the SoCal benedict and the Iron Skillet Hash the staples.
Order: The Iron Skillet Hash with chorizo and a black coffee.
Tip: Walk-in only; weekends run 90-minute waits from 09:30. Liberty Village location anchors the West End; downtown branch at 20 Toronto Street.
Bonjour Brioche on Queen East is owner Tom Rea's French bakery and brunch room since 1995, the city's reference brioche French toast and the egg-and-Brie.
Order: The brioche French toast with seasonal berries or the egg-and-Brie sandwich.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Weekend brunch the busiest; 09:00 the cleanest window.
The Drake Café on Queen West is the boutique hotel's all-day cafe and weekend brunch room since 2004, Saturday Drag Brunch with Miss Moço the fixture.
Order: The brunch board with maple sausage and a Caesar on the patio.
Tip: Open daily from 08:00. Saturday Drag Brunch with Miss Moço runs 10:00-15:00; reservations recommended.
White Lily Diner on Queen East has run since 2017 as the Leslieville reference diner, baking and curing in-house, the Reuben on house bread the staple.
Try: House-smoked bacon, buttermilk pancakes, in-house bread
Order: The buttermilk pancakes with house-smoked bacon and a rotating daily doughnut.
Tip: No reservations; queues by 10:00 on weekends. Doughnut flavours change daily and sell out by noon.
Lambo's Deli on Bellwoods is the takeout-only Italian sandwich counter since 2021, thinly sliced cured meats on a fresh roll, the Italian Trio the staple.
Try: Italian Trio sub, mortadella sandwich, fresh focaccia rolls
Order: The Italian Trio with hot peppers; add a Coke and eat in Trinity Bellwoods Park.
Tip: Takeout only, no seating. Cash and card. Queue can stretch onto Bellwoods Avenue at lunch.