Best Brunch in Toronto: Six Neighbourhood Tables to Try

A great brunch is a small holiday: a late start, something warm in front of you and nowhere you need to be. Toronto has plenty of tables for it, spread across the city, and the best way to choose is by neighbourhood.

How do you choose a brunch spot by neighbourhood?

Pick the part of town you want to wander afterwards, then pick the table. We confirmed that each of the six places below is open now, using a live booking page, a dated notice on its own site or both, plus an independent source. That leaves six honest picks instead of a padded list, so this is a guide to a handful of neighbourhoods and not a full ranking. For wider planning, see our best restaurants in Toronto pillar.

Our no-queue-stress tip is simple. Check each restaurant’s own site first to see how it handles reservations and which days it serves brunch, then plan to arrive early or late in the window. We do not publish hours, because they change.

Where should you brunch in Roncesvalles Village?

Roncesvalles is a good place to start because the village is built for strolling. Its business improvement area says the Upper Roncesvalles BIA was created in 1984 and merged with the High Park BIA in 1996 to become the Roncesvalles Village BIA. A late table here pairs naturally with a walk down the main street afterwards.

1

The Ace

RoncesvallesOfficial site Share

The Ace describes itself as a neighbourhood restaurant in Roncesvalles Village serving dinner, brunch and seasonal cooking. It is at 231A Roncesvalles Ave. Its site describes the food as seasonal, approachable, nostalgic and a little unexpected. Our pick for a slow morning that ends with a walk down Roncesvalles.

What about Riverside and the east end?

Queen Street East is a natural brunch strip. The Riverside BIA calls itself one of Toronto’s first BIAs, founded by local business and property owners in 1980. It spans 10 blocks of Queen Street East, from the Queen Street viaduct at the Don Valley to just east of De Grassi Street. Farther east, the Leslieville BIA says it was established in 2013 and represents over 200 businesses on Queen Street East between Vancouver Avenue and Empire Avenue.

2

White Lily Diner

RiversideOfficial site Share

White Lily Diner’s About page says it was established in 2016 in the Riverside community as a neighbourhood comfort food joint. It serves comfort food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It lists baking its own bread, fresh daily donuts and smoking its own meats among its small details. Come hungry and share a donut with the table.

3

Maha's

LeslievilleOfficial site Share

Maha’s says it is a family restaurant founded in 2014 in the heart of Leslieville. It is at 226 Greenwood Avenue. Its site calls it Egyptian Brunch. Come curious and ask for the house favourite.

Is there a west-end brunch with a different flavour?

Parkdale answers with a Filipino twist. The Parkdale Village BIA represents businesses along Queen Street West from Roncesvalles Avenue to Dufferin Street.

4

BB's

ParkdaleOfficial site Share

BB’s describes itself as a modern Filipino restaurant in Parkdale that serves brunch. It is at 5 Brock Avenue. A fun change from the usual eggs and toast.

Where can you brunch near King West?

Two tables on the west side of downtown treat the weekend as an event, and both make a good start to a big day out.

5

Alder

King WestOfficial site Share

Alder’s site gives its address as 51 Camden Street and lists dinner, brunch and drinks menus. The Ace Hotel Toronto’s own page lists Alder with brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Alder says its cooking draws on traditions and techniques practised in and around the Mediterranean, spanning Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Morocco. Good for a long catch-up with friends.

6

Le Sélect Bistro

King WestOfficial site Share

Le Sélect Bistro’s site says it has a 50 year history and is a Toronto staple on Wellington Street. It is at 432 Wellington Street West. Its site lists brunch and dinner service on Saturday and Sunday. It says its wine cellar holds over 1200 bottles. Order something French and take your time.

What kind of brunch are you in the mood for?

Brunch means different things in different rooms. The Ace leans seasonal, which suits a quiet table and a long conversation. White Lily Diner leans comfort food, with house-baked bread and fresh daily donuts on its list of small details. Maha’s brings Egyptian brunch to Leslieville, BB’s offers a Filipino take, and Alder and Le Sélect give you a dressed-up weekend feel. Decide whether you want calm, comfort or something new, and the choice is made.

We kept this list short on purpose. Each of the six was confirmed as open now, and we would rather give you six good options than fifteen uncertain ones. As we confirm more places, we will add them.

How can you make brunch a full outing?

Treat brunch as the anchor and build a loose route around it. In Roncesvalles, you can walk off a late breakfast along the village strip. In the east end, you can follow Queen Street East between the Riverside and Leslieville blocks. In Parkdale, you can wander toward the lake. None of this needs a schedule; the best brunches leave room for a second coffee.

How do you avoid a long wait?

There is no magic trick, only a few good habits. Look at the restaurant’s own site to see whether it takes reservations and how it handles walk-ins. Arrive near the start or near the end of the brunch window. Go with a small group, since small tables turn faster than big ones. Bring a book or a friend who tells good stories. And if the line is long, a nearby walk is a pleasant way to pass the time.

What should you ask before you go?

Ask three things before you leave the house. Does the restaurant take reservations? Which days does it serve brunch? And what does it suggest if there is a wait? The answers are on each restaurant’s own site, and a quick look saves a long line.

If a good brunch makes you hungry for more, try our guides to cheap eats, pre-theatre dinner and pizza.

Send this to the friend you would bring to brunch, and let them choose the neighbourhood.