Tip: Sign up for its rewards program by having your receipt sent as a text message. You earn a…read morepoint for every dollar spent. When you hit 75 points, you can redeem $5. A couple Saturdays ago, I was running a few errands. Once I was done, I felt like visiting a diner for lunch. I did a search and found Poached Dreams Diner in Aurora. I didn't mind driving up from Markham to check it out. It was straightforward getting here. I parked in the parking lot and walked in from what looked like the back of the diner. There's also a front door with a patio that faces Wellington Street East. I was immediately greeted by a young, enthusiast woman. I let her know that I needed a table for one. She got me to a comfortable booth by the window. The catch is that you have to watch your step to get to your seat. It's a treat when I have breakfast out. I thought that I'd be getting french toast. Well, all that changed when I saw a heading for comfort foods on the menu. Nothing makes me happier than seeing open-faced sandwiches on a menu. It was probably during my days living in Winnipeg that I fell in love with such sandwiches and at least a side. New goal: come here and have every open-faced sandwich on the menu. I got cold water to start. It was refreshing and much needed after running errands. I ordered these items for my meal: - Diet Coke (2) - Hot turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes and veggies My Diet Coke came with a glass with ice. I loved it. I wish the can was larger! I needed a second can for dessert. I loved my hot turkey sandwich. There was a generous amount of sliced turkey smothered in sauce over a slice of white bread. I got to choose my starch. I went with mashed potatoes. There was enough gravy over the turkey that I dunked my spoonfuls of mashed potatoes into it. I loved the steamed veggies. They were perfectly cooked. They also went into the gravy. The meal was delicious. I'd order it again. I felt like dessert. I asked if there was any. Baklava with pistachios. I said yes. I thought that it would be a square or rectangle. Nope. I got a roll. Cool! It was perfect. It had the right amount of honey. It was crispy and yummy. So good! I paid my bill at the table. I tipped and then tapped my credit card. I elected to have the receipt texted to my phone, which also signed me up for its points program. Yay! I learned that this diner has been open since June 2025. I'm always late to any party because I seem to live under a rock or in a cave. I'm glad that I visited this eatery. Great food. Great service. Great! I used the washroom before I left. The women's washroom was clean and had a full-length mirror. This eatery is huge. It looks like there's a cafe for those grabbing coffee and maybe a snack before leaving. I look forward to returning for more good eats and drinks. (148)

Visited Poached Dreams Diner today for brunch. Located on Wellington St (previously Nino D'aversa),…read moreI was excited to visit the spot as I heard great things about the food. Upon entering, the space is super spacious and clean. My friend ordered their 2 egg special with bacon, and I ordered their soup and sandwich combo ($12/13). I decided to go with their tuna salad and chicken noodle soup. Upon recommendation from our server, I also ordered their cappuccino- it was very delicious. Amazing food and great service, I would like to come back and try some of their dinners dishes.

Was craving a niice juicy fried chicken and didn't feel like going to big franchises so we…read moreresearched and found Grandone. It's located inside a food court that has a bunch of other restaurants. The service was really nice and i like that it came with plastic gloves cause you know how messy eating fried chicken can be. We got the 3 piece with fries and the fried chicken was made fresh to order. One bite into the chicken and it was so juicy and flavourful. It definitely hit the spot. The fries were amazing and the gravy was delicious also. We will be coming back!

Grandone Chicken serves up Asian-style fried comfort food. Opening during the pandemic, they had a…read morehot deal going based on the rave reviews. Somehow we didn't get the hype memo, as our order was far from a grand one. I'm glad the business is doing well so I'm sharing an honest opinion of the fried chicken and shrimp sandwich. The staff was surprised to have business on a weekend afternoon, and just sat under the cash register. Within our order, the fried shrimp sandwich came loaded in a crunchy patty with beans & veggies inside toasted buns. I was anticipating a good bite; the only problem was that it was rock hard without much flavour. Since I don't like wasting food, I didn't toss it out. The spicy chicken was crispy and seasoned well similar to Taiwanese fried chicken. Its only drawback was that the spice seasoning was quite salty. Not as ultra crispy as Taiwanese night market chicken but it'll do. One benefit of this location is that dessert is only a stone's throw away. The nearby Wooffles & Cream stall is always busy. The rest of this quiet food court seemed to have fallen on harder times during the pandemic though a return to office may help boost lunch business. However, we'll be getting our fried chicken fix from elsewhere at a similar price point.

We came to Phoenix Cafe for an early lunch on a Saturday. It was pretty empty around 11:30am, but…read morefilled up quickly in the next hour. I got the Malaysian Curry Beef, while my partner ordered the Baked Smoked Duck Breast with Garlic Sauce on Rice. I thought both dishes were solid. It was interesting that water is not served on default. A nice spot for a quick bite if you're craving HK food!

We were looking for a light breakfast and came across this on google…read more We got the sesame toast and pineapple bun with ham and egg. Sesame toast comes with a side of golden syrup which is not too sweet. The egg in the pineapple bun was very fluffy and cooked well. Note, you have to ask for water.

This restaurant has really come around since its opening. Great patio and fun new menu.read more

I find this place lack service. So I went here as I saw that they did happy hour specials like a…read morelot of restaurants in the area so I was like let's try it. I regretted it as the food was meh. I got the arancini and steak frites. The arancini for $10 was definitely not worth as it was small and it was lukewarm. The steak frites ($25) was more passable but I asked for it medium rare and it turned out more to medium well for me. The fries was lemon and herbs but I did not find the seasoning taste super powerful or taste much herbs but the lemon flavor was inconsistent throughout. It also took me like 5-10 mins to find a waiter so I could pay for my meal. I probably would not go back again for the price that I paid.

My favorite spot to get poutine. I really enjoy the food and service here. It is delicious and I'm…read morevery satisfied. I visit from the US just thinking about coming here to order their food. 5 stars!

Price - 10$ for two with the offer* Situated near the near…read moreshepherd center, The newly opened store has Mexican and Indo fusion street food options with amazing launch promotions going in till August 4. So runnnnn! Another plus till late hours at night so apt for any midnight cravings The store is clean and has ample of seating space , not only it is brightly lit up but also has a clean washroom. Being from India, I have been exploring Vegetarian and Potato patty based burgers in GTA that would be similar to the ones I have had there. So when I saw a vegetable burger on their menu for 5$(with promotion excluding tax), definitely wanted to try it. It turned to be really crispy consisting a potato based grilled not fried patty in the center. Loaded with veggies and sauces which we could choose from similar to subway. Additionally the sizing was medium to large and everything tasted fresh. Special mention to the cheese quality and quantity which unlike some popular burger joints wasn't stale and well blended. choices available cheddar, mozzarella or normal not as an add on but included. Since its a new store, I understand that staff is bustling with orders and a wait times of upto 5-8 minutes can be expected. Anyhow the portions and flavours surely make up for it. Being on a busy road with various competitive food joints, @Grillies can be a great place for affordable comfort food both dine in and takeouts.

Second time we have been for brunch. Love both the "always" and brunch menus as I was stifled by…read moreso many options. Terrific Benedict's...the home fry potatoes are amazing...with a great ketchup bbq sauce. The cauliflower soup is wow. Great service and great booth table.

Memphis Benedict is a top recommendation! The BBQ pork at the bottom is sweet yet tender,…read moreincredibly juicy, and the accompanying potatoes are also fried perfectly, coated in sauce! Heaven on Earth's French toast is also highly recommended! The bread is incredibly soft, filled with berries and cream cheese. Sharing it between two people makes it less overwhelming. Fried chicken and waffles are a must-order for my brunch. The chicken here is quite tender, and the portion is really huge. The two of us ate three bowls and were completely stuffed. The restaurant's safety measures are quite good; there's social distancing during dine-in, and the service is very friendly. I plan to try other dishes next time.

At the Heartbreak Chef…read more.. We got the Big A** Chicken Sandwich Combo which is a 14$ + 6$ deal that comes with Cajun fries, dip included, and a can of Pop. The restaurant is bare bones, but has a nice bench seating that spans the length of the seating area, a garage door opening to the street, and a small bar area near the kitchen. There is local art on one side of the wall and graffiti style decor on the opposite wall and washroom (which you can pickup one of the provided pens and tagged it yourself). The cajun fries are soft potato wedges coated in chili flakes and paprika. It comes with what looks like the burger sauce as dip and is tangy and finger licking good. Eating at Heartbreak is a messy affair. The portions are great for the price, the chicken is hot and fresh, piled high with coleslaw and sweet pickles on a brioche bun. The owner seems to be the soul (pin intended) cook, served us, did cash, and took care of the guests. Overall, the chicken was crispy, lots of meat, will be back to try their mac and cheese. Great easy bite when visiting Kensington. P.S. if you like super surreal promo videos (their old location) hit up @theheartbreakchef on Insta

I've had their chicken sandwich several times now and it smacks every time. Super juicy and crispy…read morechicken, soft bun and just plain tasty. Probably my favourite chicken sandwich place in Toronto. And to top things off the portions are massive. Well worth the cost considering how pricey things are these days. We ordered the Cajun fries this time and it was perfectly cooked. Super fluffy and soft in the middle and crispy on the outside with a strong Cajun kick. The owner is right there working his heart out and you can tell it. They moved to Kensington market from their old location on Bloor and honestly I think they fit the Kensington community vibes perfectly. It scream locally made with a lot of heart. Super friendly, good food, but just be prepared to get your hands a bit saucy.

Hair of the Dog embodies a particular philosophy of relaxed conviviality that, while not achieving…read morethe refined precision of haute cuisine, merits recognition as a competent articulation of casual hospitality and approachable gastronomy. The establishment's most remarkable feature resides in its architectural flexibility--multiple dimensional spaces accommodate diverse clientele from intimate dining pairs to festive larger assemblies. This pragmatic responsiveness to varying social needs demonstrates genuine understanding of the hospitality spectrum. Their cocktail program demonstrates fundamental competency: preparations that prioritize balance and classical technique over unnecessary elaboration. The spirit-forward compositions achieve respectable equilibrium, suggesting kitchen staff with grounding in mixological fundamentals. The kitchen's approach to food preparation emphasizes comfort and straightforward execution rather than technical virtuosity. Whilst this represents philosophical honesty, one occasionally detects opportunities for greater precision in temperature control and plating presentation. Service staff demonstrate genuine warmth and attentiveness, creating atmosphere conducive to extended social engagement. The ability to make patrons feel genuinely welcome constitutes underrated gastronomic skill. Hair of the Dog succeeds principally as a social destination rather than a culinary exemplar. It represents honest, unpretentious hospitality that fills genuine niche in Toronto's entertainment landscape. For those seeking spirited conviviality combined with serviceable cuisine, this establishment merits serious consideration.

Cute little bar / pub in Toronto we stumbled upon after visiting the museum. The service was great…read moreand the ambiance was perfect for a bar. The food was just ok and in retrospect we wish we'd gone back to Chinatown and gotten more Asian food for dinner but hey- live and learn!

Another great service at the wren - shared the guac and chips & the chopped cheese with fries…read more Both came out super fresh and flavourful. Ordered several craft beers on tap & the two gents tending bar were great conversation without being annoyed we were chatty (here ahead of a concert at the Danforth) If you haven't had their food, or been in for a beer or cocktail, do yourself a favour and go. No reservations & the special will sell out fast! So get in if you see one on their instagram you want to try. You won't be let down!

Very busy place; you get mixed service from staff as your server is not your server. Very niche…read morelocal spot. Best thing about it was variety of beer on tap. Food is a hit n miss too, someone from our group got ill from the food. It is dimly lit which is good, clean washroom. But our trip was soured by poor service. Management needs to look at the customer service aspect as you get mixed service. Price is avg, not overly expensive, just middle of the line pricing.

I'd been hearing about how superb Emma's Country Kitchen is for the better part of a decade and yet…read morewe only just recently made the trek to check it out. The place was more than worth the wait, as it turns out. And it's still doing extremely well, given how busy it was and how long we had to wait for a table (almost a full half hour!) We knew going in that we had to try a few of the joint's most famous dishes, the Cinnamon Bun Pancakes, the Breakwich, and Emma's BLT. It was clearly way, way too much food but everything was so good that I had zero regrets. In particular, those pancakes are as flavorful and scrumptious as I would've hoped. The two savory sandwiches fared just as well, and it was clear that they had been assembled with a tremendous amount of care. The busy atmosphere was fun, and our server was friendly and helpful. Yep, I can see why Emma's has managed to stick around all these years.

It had been a while since my last visit, and I was reminded right away why this place stands out…read more The service is incredibly warm and personable--something you don't often come across in Toronto. The biscuits were just average for my taste, but the home fries were excellent. The eggs Benedict could have used a bit more hollandaise--something I'm sure they would have happily provided if I'd asked, but I didn't. The highlight of the breakfast was the special menu collaboration with Sanagan Meat Locker. The savory cornbread pancakes were outstanding--served hot with crispy edges, layered with pimento cheese, and topped with butter and honey. Paired with the blueberry sausage from Sanagan, it was an unforgettable combination. I really loved this collaboration with Emma--it was creative, comforting, and absolutely delicious.