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    Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax

    3.6 (107 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    SYMPOSIUM CAFE RESTAURANT AJAX ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Fried Chicken Benny
    Angela G.

    Breakfast spots are kinda rare in the Ajax area! Checked out Symposium Cafe and it wasn't bad. It's a pretty busy spot for a Saturday. Ordered the Fried Chicken Eggs Benny, thé eggs were basically hard boiled which annoyed me and the chicken was so dry, but other than that it was okay. Keep Eating, Angele

    Burger and sweet potato fries
    Reema D.

    I have to give a five star with how well the servers handled our group of 15 and 2 young kids running around. The service was amazing! The kids got birthday brownie sundaes for their birthday celebration. The food was good, burger wasn't anything special but the sweet potato fries were amazing!!! So much better than the regular. And the spinach dip was great as well.

    Vannesa A.

    Brunch is my favourite meal of the day. I ordered Egg Benedict with the option of salads, mixed fruits or potatoes on the side. The food portion and the patio outside? I'll give them 4 stars. I asked for another cup of coffee but I was disappointed coz its not strong like the first one, I even thought the waitress have given me tea, the colour is even light. I drink water instead. The coffee part? 1 star only

    Waffles and French toast options
    Joan T.

    Went in for a super late brunch (3:30) so it was quite empty here cept maybe 4 other tables seated. It's a huge place with really neat decor and music to match. I can't comment on the lunch or dinner food since we stuck to breakfast but isn't it nice to find a place that's offering breakfast at almost 4pm? :) Food was decent. We had French onion soup which had a nice broth but they don't use Gouda and the bread is put in much too late. Still tastes like bread and hasn't soaked any flavor. They could keep it all in the oven a few minutes longer so it's got that traditional baked quality. The boyfriend ordered eggs Benny which he seemed to enjoy. I had the French toast which was much larger than I thought haha. I got the one with the white chocolate cinnamon sauce which tastes pretty good! The toast was a bit burned and lacked real flavor. Tastes like white bread grilled after a quick batter dip. Still, I found it was a nice breakfast :) Service here is nice. The waitress was a bit cold and unfriendly at times but the hostesses would come check up on you which was a nice touch. I definitely want to come back and try some dinner/lunch savory dishes. But it's a nice place. Good, but not special or outstanding. Nice cafe to visit once in a while if you're hanging out in Ajax. *Wish they wouldn't use undiluted Windex to clean the tables... Smells heavily while we're trying to eat.. but nice that they really do keep the place very clean**

    Lisa V.

    Cake, cake, CAKE! Sunday is 2 for 1 cake slices! HELLS YEAH! Know how much I love cake? I've never eaten anything else at this place....until now. I've been to different Symposium locations, but didn't feel it was fair to only blog about one of the many options on their menu! Breakfast sounds like a good place to start. It was a busy Sunday afternoon when we arrived. The place was stylin' with leather seats and an ancient Greece type theme. Each one I've been to has the same theme, but they're all beautifully designed including the most important feature...the cake display. We didn't make it past the breakfast menu before we had made our selections. I chose the Tuscan Benedict and my mom chose the Mississippi Benedict. The Tuscan had 3 poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce upon spears of asparagus on toasted English muffins smothered in grated smoked gouda. The Mississippi had 3 poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce upon spears of asparagus laying upon thin crab cakes. Wow. Just wow. The eggs were perfectly poached and the Hollandaise sauce was rich; not too salty with a hint of sweet. Delish! The smoked gouda made my day! My mom, the seafood queen, was sad the crab cakes were so small, but she still enjoyed the meal. We both polished off all of the breakfast potatoes. Seasoned and addicting! We were both impressed with the quality of the food as well as the presentation. It's cake time! You will not be disappointed; they have a cake slice for everyone! When you ask your server for cake, they will take you on a CAKE TOUR! I'm not joking! You are guided to the aforementioned cake display case where they name off each cake and you are free to ask questions about them before making your selection. You know how most restaurants have the same desserts? Well, it looks like you have a new dessert addiction to feed (I know I do!). These are not your average cakes. The variety changes often! Great quality and service! Check it out!

    Seating area
    Cassandra W.

    My experience: The environment: beautiful, clean, relaxing, serene The staff: Amazingly friendly So on top of everything & so friendly to the customers! The coffee: Nice, strong, & smooth My meal: The potatoes have a very beautiful seasoning & crispness to them and are cooked to perfection The eggs Florentine is ACTUAL PERFECTION The eggs are ACTUALLY poached very nicely, The hollandaise sauce is smooth, rich, creamy, & flavourful. The spinach, is steamed very nicely (it's soft, not a soggy mess) Even included an orange & fresh ground pepper Plus my food was out very quickly Honestly, I'm still eating but so far 10/10 experience

    The sauce is usually filled but.......
    Sofia B.

    So I've been here a few times now I usually get my sweet potato fries - they're perfectly crisp and delicious! I can literally come here and finish the whole serving; on my own. Update: this time I came I was really disappointed with the fries, they weren't filled as they usually are in the plate and the sauce is usually a chipotle - not happy :( I recently tried the vegetarian pad Thai and I must say it's filled with flavour and the peanuts on top give it that perfect crunch. In terms of dessert I've hard the Ice cream with fruit on top but I felt like their ice cream wasn't fresh. It tasted like it was in the freezer for quite some time. The staff are all polite. Out of the three times I've been here I've had one bad experience with a staff member - she never came to check on us and we'd have to flag her down every time we needed her, on a not so busy day

    Eggs Benjamin with Home Fries   Try the fries with my own made up sauce: mayo, hot sauce and BBQ
    Sunaina M.

    Went there with a friend to study. I called in and spoke to the manager Zacky in the morning asking if we could come in for breakfast at 11:15 or 11:30 since we were in class and going to miss breakfast which ends at11. He agreed. We got there and he personally helped to set up some seats for us in the beautiful patio where there was an outlet for our laptops. Our server was Jessica. Probably one of the BEST servers I've ever had. She was nice, personable and not annoying (didn't come to check up on us more than needed). We ordered the Eggs Benjamin with home fries. It was made to perfection as always. The home fries were fresh not hard, brittle or cold. I also ordered the Cesar which was on special which didn't taste the best nor was the presentation off the hook. They didn't beat Jack Astors. We were out there for about 3 hours and they came to tell us that it was about to rain. They seemed more worried about our laptops and electronics than us! They arranged for a corner seat inside for us that was secluded a little with yet another outlet!!! YES THEY ARE AMAZING. We left after a total of 4-5 hours and no complaints from them. Talk about AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE!

    Holly K.

    You can never go wrong with symposium... I love symposium for its variety menu and cozy environment. I came here last night to catch up with a friend and it was the perfect atmosphere. It wasn't too busy for a Thursday night during the holiday season but not to the point where it was unusually dead. Our server was great. She came to check up on us frequently to make sure everything was okay, and food came at a decent pace. I ordered the East Meets West waffle which was yum. Their food is pretty affordable too in comparison to some overpriced restaurants and dessert places. Though my waffle came with two scoops of French vanilla ice cream instead of what was supposed to be one chocolate and one vanilla, it wasn't such a big deal but maybe it would have been nice if that was acknowledged. But the waffle was made great, and the strawberries and bananas were fresh. I really enjoy the environment here, as it's a good noise level and nice ambience for sitting for extended periods of time. It's a cozy place to come for group meetups or even just to study.

    Eggs benny
    Caitlyn M.

    Came here for brunch with my step mom. It was great! I love the atmosphere and reasonable prices. We got sat right away but it was very busy! The chairs were comfy and there were really cool paintings on the wall. Had some really interesting breakfast options with tons of cool variations of eggs Benedict. The waitress was friendly and came by multiple times to refill the coffee and ask how we were.

    Cappuccino

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    7 months ago

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    3 years ago

    I used to love symposium in ajax and then they changed owners and it went downhill. The food was cold

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    4 years ago

    Very pleasant dinner service with Jennifer as our gracious waitress the other night at the Ajax location.

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Food was delicious and they have great early bird specials. The zucchini noodles were amazing. The mules were refreshing.

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    I was recently invited to a tasting in Pickering and while waiting for everybody to arrive, we…read morenoticed The Dessert Lounge nearby, just a few doors down, so we decided to take a look. The place is nice, bright, and classy looking. There was a showcase with some tasty looking cakes and other treats on display. Everything looked deliciously tempting, too tempting to resist! We got the last seven Cream Rolls that they had, thanks to my new friend, Saumya. It was a long thin pastry roll, filled with cream, light and absolutely delicious! I will definitely have to come back to try more of their treats! Thanks again Saumya!

    Came here a few days ago for some last night dessert with a friend …read more The look of the place is nicely decorated and bright. Very cute cafe in Pickering. Very clean and spacious with a modern menu (QR code to see the menu). We shared a waffle and I had a hibiscus lemonade. The waffle, not like regular waffles. It was more of a cake batter waffle. This was very good. We opted for the mango ice cream one and the waffle is covered with some white chocolate curls for crunch and a drizzled sauce. There was some cut up fruit. The waffle didn't feel heavy and it was very easy to share. Hibiscus lemonade was refreshing but a bit to sweet for my taste. I'm sure when I come back I can ask them to make it less sweet. There are tons of options for drinks, hot and cold. Quite the selections of teas, and if I was a bit hungrier would have probably gotten a milkshake (roughly $10) Prices are fair , waffles are about $20 and are big enough to share. The person taking our order was great with lots of options and was very knowledgeable and friendly. She was attentive and checked on us regularly. Would definately go back to try some of the other items on the menu that looked delicious as well as the desserts and cakes that are in the window at the front on display at the counter.

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    If you're GF Not Worth Jumping Through the Hoops…read more When I found this place online, I was so excited. When one must follow a gluten-free diet, it is so nice to find places where you can eat what everyone else gets to enjoy. This was anything but enjoyable. I was planning a little Halloween getaway to Kingston and searching for a new and exciting breakfast place to stop on my way there. I found Heaffles and read through their website--I'm always very careful and vet my restaurants before the trip and plan food meticulously, you have to when you cannot eat gluten. The site stated that if you want a gluten free waffle, you must call 24 hours ahead of time. I immediately thought that was ridiculous (that eliminates any possibility of a GF person walk-in from eating there) but messaged them on Instagram. I asked if I could message then and schedule or did a I have to call. They told me I must call the day before. Pain in the bum, but I set a reminder in my phone and did so. The next day, I show up. Such a cute place and the breakfast that kicks off a trip always makes me so happy. We don't eat out much at all, living so rurally. It had also been ages since I'd enjoyed a GF waffle, so excitement was high. This place has a ton of potential. The seating is cute, the bathrooms clean and so beautifully decorated. There is even a little cubby with cushions that would make it feel as though one was having breakfast in bed. I really did fall in love with the space. There didn't appear to me to be a traditional server comes to your table. You walk in and place your order at the counter. I ordered a Flat White to drink along with a water and a gluten-free coconut rush. The young lady at the counter was very quick to tell me that they had a customer coming in to get a GF waffle and that they only had enough batter for one waffle and that I would need to try again and call 24 hours beforehand. Right before I told her I was that customer, my brain was like, what? You have enough batter for ONE waffle??? I make GF stuff all the time. It is NOT that expensive. And what if you mess up that ONE waffle (and they did because she didn't listen to me)? I said, "Oh, I called yesterday." And I had driven a very long way. I would hate for anyone else to do that and end up disappointed. After that, I was allowed to order my waffle. Coconut is my favourite sweet flavour, but it came with strawberries and strawberry syrup. I told her THREE times I didn't want the strawberries or the syrup. Strawberry jam, jelly syrup...I hate them all, also cannot stand cooked fruit. She told me she could put the strawberries on the side and that they were uncooked. I said that was okay, but reiterated AGAIN that I do not want or like the strawberry syrup. I thought I might get my drinks at the counter, but she said they would bring everything to my table. I sat within view of the counter by the window. I assumed, as at most places, the drinks would come out first. I had started on the Terra Health heartburn kit to kick my PPI script and needed to take the supplements before eating. Some ladies came in after me and they got their drink order while I sat and waited. The waffle came out, and I was too panicked by not taking my supplements to pay that much attention and told them I needed some water and that I didn't have my coffee yet. They came back in a few minutes and in the meantime, I saw that the waffle I'd paid nearly $30 for, along with a very tiny flat white coffee, was drenched...every inch in yucky strawberry syrup. I'm a silver lining kind of girl, so I told myself to try it, maybe my tastes have changed. Nope. It was this strong, chemically strawberry flavour that made me gag. Talk about disappointed. At this point it was late in the morning and I was starving. I opened up the waffle (the size, even if they'd managed to listen to my order was not worth what I paid) and ate some of the filling out. The only waffle that had no nasty syrup was at the fold and I ate the four bites I could. The coffee was literally 3 swallows. I left hungry and angry. And in all that time, no one ever came back to ask me how the order was...and I knew I couldn't send it back because that was their ONE GF waffle batter of the day. I had to stop at Wendy's and spend another $10 for a bunless burger after. I would never go back. The ask and not having the batter available is beyond RIDICULOUS, despite the fact they don't listen, which makes a GF person VERY nervous. You couldn't pay me to eat there again. Poor service, poor value and food I couldn't stomach. Not for me.

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    Cupcake Junkie Bakery & Cafe

    Cupcake Junkie Bakery & Cafe

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    I haven't had the pleasure of actually going to this cafe but I was lucky enough to come across…read moretheir booth at the Stouffville Country Ribfest. I tried their salted caramel cupcake and it was delicious. It was a great surprise to look up their Yelp business page and see the variety of things they offer. I also had a great conversation with everyone who was there, including the baker. I am not a huge fan of baked goods in general, but this place had my mouth watering for more. I can't wait to stop buy and try more of their stuff this weekend.

    I 'forced' myself to have multiple visits before I reviewed it. I know, cupcakes are tough…read more I went to Cupcake Junkie twice to get cupcakes for a fam jam. I ordered a dozen fresh ones and they were fantastic. I also bought day-old cupcakes and there were also fantastic! Don't shun the day-olds! The variety isn't as good as the fresh ones, but I didn't hear one person complain as they were quickly devoured. What I enjoy the most about their cupcakes is that the cake isn't sweet, the icing and filling take care of the sweet. I'm not saying the cake is blah, I'm saying the cake not being sugary balances them so your teeth don't hurt. The 3rd visit was to pickup my Valentine's Day treats! I ordered 6 vanilla minis, 6 chocolate minis and a heart shaped Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake. As a chocolate addict, I thought I would like the chocolate ones more, but the vanilla minis stole my heart. The picture of the cake is deceiving. I expected it to be just a heart shaped cookie, but it really is a cake! The best way to describe it is a fluffy cookie; it was freaking awesome. I should've got one for myself. ;) My last visit was for a light supper. I had some time to kill, so I ordered a pulled pork sandwich on a kaiser combo and took a seat. It's a very cozy venue, but not crowded. All of the tables were clean and the large windows let lots of natural light in. I had a coffee while I waited and they brought me a housemade marinara sauce and flatbread. Delightful! It was warmed up and had a little heat; I could've eaten the whole thing, but I had to leave room for my sandwich. Their coffee is fantastic; it comes from a local roaster called Trebilock.The kaiser was fresh and the pork was slow-cooked to perfection. The coleslaw on the sandwich was a nice twist. It was crisp and saucy, just how I like it. It was a great meal. I'd love to try their other sandwiches! I'm not done! I got a combo, so it's cupcake time! So many choices, but their Facebook posts convinced me the try the Cupcake of the Month. Each month they have a creative cupcake featured that you must try. From all of their cupcakes I've tried, my favourites are Red Velvet, Banana Chip, Maple Bacon, Chocolate Mint and Vanilla. I haven't tried them all, but I haven't had one I didn't like! The warm weather is coming, so I know I'll be back for their Kawartha Dairy Ice Cream! A welcome addition to Whitby. It's got great food and friendly service. They will make you a cupcake junkie!

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    This was my most disappointing dessert at Sul & Bean. We had not been back for bingsu here for…read morequite a while, so obviously the menu options have changed. We wanted a bingsu with fruit. The only fruit they had was mango and strawberries. We opted for a Mango Bingsu, based on the photos displayed and we enjoy the sweetness and softness of mango. The bingsu we received was topped with what can ONLY be described as FROZEN mango and still not yet defrosted. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think that it would be served with frozen mango which is usually used for blending smoothies!! My partner did not want to return the barely edible bingsu. The favourite on the dessert was the single small scoop of green tea ice-cream which formed the "leaf" of the strawberry decoration. I truly do recommend getting your bingsu fix elsewhere. I won't be returning. The store is located in the eatery section of H Mart, with ample parking outside in the plaza. PS on further reflection of my review, perhaps I was expecting fresh mango and nowhere on the menu did it specify that the Mango Bingsu is served with fresh mango. Lesson learned.

    Located in the food court at HMart, lots of parking Food…read morecourt is reasonable with staff cleaning and picking up dishes.Price is reasonable. Good friendly service. Red bean bingsu comes with 2 piece of toast with whip cream. Also a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Delicious Grapefruit Earl grey tea is so refreshing Strongly recommend this place.

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    Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - breakfast_brunch - Updated June 2026

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