I've Been To So Many Brunch Spots In Toronto & These 8 Restos Are Way Better Than The Rest
It's not just about the eggs benny! 🍳
Mira and her friend Bianca at Amal in Toronto. Right: Brunch items from Bar Koukla.
This Opinion article is part of a Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
If you're not having brunch with your closest friends on the weekend, then you aren't experiencing Toronto at its fullest.
Brunching with friends on a Saturday always makes me feel like I'm in Sex and the City when the girls meet at the diner to catch up on each other's juicy lives and gossip. And that's the life I picture for myself when the weekend comes around and brunch plans have been made.
I've lived in Toronto for nearly 10 years and the restaurant scene changes quite often, but one thing that's stayed constant is the number of brunch spots there are to choose from in the city. Let me tell you it's impossible to see them all.
Still, brunch is one of the best ways to get a taste of the city this summer, especially when it can double as a 2-for-1 patio experience, with many restaurants offering outdoor dining, too.
Without further ado, here are my eight favourite Toronto restaurants offering brunch menus on the weekends that I think every Torontonian should try.
Bar Koukla
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Greek
Address: 88 Ossington Ave., Toronto
Why You Need To Go: Have you ever had eggs Florentine but on a Greek spanokopita pastry? Or have you had truffle Koulouri with eggs? Then you should book your next brunch at Bar Koukla.
Not only is the food aesthetic AF, but the interior is the perfect place for your next Instagram post.
The best part is that Bar Koukla is on Ossington Avenue, so your afternoon walk now has a new stop. Whether grabbing ice cream from Bang Bang or getting your caffeine boost from The Pilot, Ossington Avenue walks are such a vibe, especially with a satisfied belly.
Amal
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Lebanese
Address: 131 Bloor St. W 2nd Floor, Toronto
Why You Need To Go: If you're looking for a brunch spot where you can share a whole bunch of plates and enjoy a variety of flavours, this should be your go-to.
Unpopular opinion, but I prefer Amal's brunch to their dinner menu. Then again, my opinion might not be so rare since it was ranked one of the best brunch spots in Canada by OpenTable in 2023. Nevertheless, as an Arab, this brunch menu satisfies all my cravings and fulfils my needs from time to time.
One of my favourite menu items is the "fatteh," which is chickpeas with yogurt, cilantro, pine nuts, almonds and toasted pita. It might seem like a lot, but when you have one bite, you'll go in for your next — I guarantee.
Forno Cultura
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Italian
Address: Various locations.
Why You Need To Go: Now, I know that some people might not think having a sandwich at noon on a Saturday is considered brunch, but to me, it is, and Forno Cultura has the best sandwiches in the city, hands down.
At 11:00 a.m. on the weekends, the Italian shop on King Street West blesses the people in the neighbourhood with sandwiches that taste so fresh and scrumptious. Sometimes when I head there past midday, the sandwiches I love the most are already taken, so don't walk, run!
My favourite menu item is their funghi sandwich. The ingredients are so refreshing and taste even better when you get your sandwich toasted on the panini press. Don't forget to get an iced latte, you can't leave without one.
And before you tell me that a sandwich is not brunch, you're wrong. According to Merriam-Webster, brunch is simply "a late morning meal eaten instead of breakfast and lunch." That doesn't mean it has to be eggs and toast at midday on a weekend.
Good Fork
@miranabulsi Come to Good Fork with me! If you go get the Cilbir! #turkish #toronto #torontorestaurants
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Turkish
Address: 1550 Dundas St. W, Toronto
Why You Need To Go: With over 1,000 reviews on Google and a 4.4-star rating, you can expect this place will be excellent. Their brunch menu is mouth-watering and quite unusual for those who only eat Benedicts on the weekend.
Their çılbır is one of my favourite menu items. During COVID-19 lockdowns, I used to order the çılbır via UberEats because I enjoyed it so much.
The dish consists of confit garlic labneh, two soft poached eggs, with spiced olive oil that comes with a side of their fresh house-made bread.
Also, if you have a sweet tooth, make sure to indulge in their "the other pancake." Now, I do notice that many people order the "blueberry halva pancakes," which are delicious, but I find the other ones to be quite different from your typical Sunday morning stack.
Trust me on this one.
Maison Selby
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: French
Address: 592 Sherbourne St., Toronto
Why You Need To Go: This French bistro feels like a restaurant located right in the heart of Paris, and the food reflects that too. If you've been there for dinner, you know how cute and aesthetic their vibe is, but their brunch menu is honestly so drool-worthy.
On Saturdays and Sundays, Maison Selby has a brunch menu that features items like a roasted peach waffle, avocado toast and an omelette. But don't miss out on their trying their "Oeufs Florentine en Cocottes."
The dish has eggs, spinach and béchamel with a side of toast — not your usual eggs Florentine, is it? Every bite gave me that "mmmm" moment and tasted like heaven on a plate. Trust me on this one.
1Kitchen
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: farm-to-table
Address: 550 Wellington St. W, Toronto
Why You Need To Go: Located in Toronto's 1Hotel, this place is filled with fantastic brunch menu items, from your traditional eggs benny to a fried chicken sandwich and sweet potato waffle.
The ingredients in their dishes are fresh, local and sustainably sourced farm-to-table cuisine, which means you're ingesting the good stuff, friend.
I recently visited 1Kitchen and had their St. Brigid's Butter with Honey board with bread from Forno Cultura and their eggs Florentine. My plate was wiped clean.
The home fries on the side of the eggs are so good, and if I were you, I would make sure to have some.
Oh, and the juices are limitless. I had the orange juice, which felt refreshing on a Saturday morning.
Egg Bae
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Breakfast
Address: Various locations
Why You Need To Go: Egg sandwiches can either be impressive or disappointing — at least in my eyes. But Egg Bae hits the spot every single time I've ordered it or gone to their restaurants.
When I order from the restaurant, I get their original item, "Egg Bae," which is soft scrambled eggs with chives, muenster cheese, slow-cooked onions, and Bae Sauce — mmmm, the Bae Sauce.
Obviously, I get the tater tots too, which come with a side of Bae Sauce, which I simply can't have enough of.
The Parlour
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Canadian
Address: 642 King St W, Toronto
Why You Need To Go: Did you know that this pizza restaurant has a brunch menu, and it's just as good as their dinner? Actually, I felt that their brunch menu was a rendition of their dinner menu because I didn't know I would enjoy eggs Benedict on mini pizzas more than how it's traditionally served.
But if that's not your vibe and you prefer French toast or steak and eggs, they've got you covered.
The Parlour is quite popular in Toronto for its late-night vibes and rustic feel, but if you haven't been during the day, I suggest you check out its brunch menu on the weekend!
However, I will say that there are some spots that unfortunately didn't make this list because I didn't feel like they stood out and were special in any way.
For example, Ricarda's even though it is super cute and perfect for big groups, the food doesn't have a wow factor in my opinion.
Another one that I think is overhyped is Laissez Faire. They do have a nice vibe, especially on Sundays when they throw their weekly brunch party, but it's more fun than it is flavourful.
Don't get me wrong, if a simple brunch is what you looks for during the weekends then by all means but to me, every weekend is an opportunity to try a new kind of brunch to explore the diverse flavours Toronto offers.
Enjoy brunching, Toronto!