Ideal Coffee
Nope, that's not a witty headline, that's the name of the coffee house. Nestled in a tiny box of what was probably meant to be a house in Kensington Market, Ideal Coffee makes some of the best coffee in the city. Ideal's coffee is organic and local. The baristas use Italian coffee presses and make full bodied espressos and Americanos.
Do not expect Starbucks. The milk and sugar sit on the counter in kitchen containers and real spoons are used instead of stir sticks. Despite the decrepit furniture, shabby atmosphere and tiny space, Ideal has the ideal patio for low-key coffee drinking and people watching this spring and summer.
Ideal Coffee
84 Nassau Street
416-364-7700
Web Site
Hair of the Dog
Hair of the Dog is a charming Church Street restaurant. Mindlessly called a pub, Hair of the Dog is much more. With a big varied menu, including lamb stew in a Yorkshire pudding bowl, goat cheese and pear salad and homemade curry, it's much more a cozy spot for great cuisine that happens to also serve beer and have a big wooden bar.
Funny photos of weimaraners adorn the walls, the tables are dark wood and the lighting is low. It feels laid back on a weeknight evening, romantic on weekends and comfy for brunch - which of course, is the perfect time to take the restaurant's name to heart and order a mimosa or bloody mary with your breakfast.
Hair of the Dog
425 Church Street
416-964-2708
Web Site
The Irish Embassy
Not just for St. Paddy's day celebrating, The Irish Embassy is frequented by young professionals seeking a drink and a low-key atmosphere after work. The Irissh Embassy is located at Yonge and Wellington, an area overwrought with chi chi bars and restaurants to The Embassy is a nice reprieve.
Try their Irish Poutine - fries covered with garlic mayo and and shredded chedder cheese - and wash them down with a Guiness for a truly Irish - if completely fattening - experience.
The Irish Embassy
49 Yonge Street
416-866-8282
Web Site
Mill Street Brew Pub
The Historic Distillery District is home to a collection of art galleries, restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques but if you're a beer fan, the Mill Street Brewery, with its own restaurant should be your main stop.
Mill Street is known, in particular, for its Organic Lager, but the Coffee Porter and Tankhouse Ale are also popular options. And what better way to sample their brews after a tour of the brewery than at their accompanying restaurant?
The Mill Street Brew Pub serves a classier take on classic pub fare and their patio is the perfect place to stop for a summer snack and pint.Try their Mini Slider burgers, Brewers Onion Soup - made with Mill Street Ale Broth or their handcrafted Lager-Battered Halibut and Chips.
Mill Street Brew Pub
55 Mill Street, Building 63
416-681-0338
Web Site
Lettuce Eatery
This is the fanciest of fast-food joints — and certainly one of the healthiest. Lettuce specializes in, what else? salads. While you can order a chef designed salad, most people opt to design their own with the f.a.s.t. or fast accurate salad ticket, a form where you check off the ingredients you’d like to include. Pick a green: romaine, iceburg, spinach or mesclun mix, then add your toppings. These might include Albacore tuna, toasted almonds, avocado, caramelized onions and sunflower seeds.
A basic salad without premium toppings is $5.95 — that tuna or avocado will cost you. But the serving size is quite large and each salad comes with a complimentary bun.
Lettuce also serves salad wraps and soups. It’s obviously a low-carb destination and a with locations across the city, good choice for a nice, healthy meal on the run.