Cool place to take my friend from New York for lunch?

[janetzuccarini]

My friend from New York will be here for the film festival.

We have lots of dinner plans at all the great places around the city....but where is a cool place with great food for lunch? We don't want to break the bank, since we will be having all of our meals out.

Thanks!

[estufarian]

LIVE 264 Dupont at Spadina.
Mostly raw food - but delicious too. Also wouldn't be surprised to see visiting stars there as its "cool".!

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Live Organic Food Bar
264 Dupont St, Toronto, ON M5R1V7, CA

[Otonabee]

I would have to say Terroni on Victoria for absolutely amazing Italian food. Be warned... it fills up QUICKLY so either go before 11:30 or after about 1:30 f you can help it (or make reservations) . I know my both my director and I have both taken countless people there and it always ends up being the place everyone ends up raving about.

[melly mel]

Another fun and comfy spot, with cheap soups, salads and sandwiches, and good coffee, and licensed, is Tequila Bookworm on Queen St West just east of Bathurst. Great neighborhood I imagine your visitor would like to check out. Hope it's a fun visit!

[robgm]

funky little place, very old style soho...

[peppermint pate]

Somebody told me Tequila Bookwork has closed and there's a new cafe in its place.

[xtal]

They actually moved further down Queen St. They're still there, and as great as ever.

[peppermint pate]

Oh cool - thanks for the update.

[Recyclor]

The new cafe is organic, expensive, service is strangly bad - considering all I've ever had was a coffee to go, and feels very corporate...off my list...TB hasn't recovered what they had IMO...

[icey]

If you are just looking for a nice lunch spot with great sandwiches and awesome desserts, can I suggest Dessert Trends on Harbord? The food is great, nice little place to eat...however, I don't know whether it qualifies as cool, or cool enough! lol

[melly mel]

I love Cava. It is great food, tapas, so you can try a few different dishes and not spend too much money. Cava is located at Yonge and St Clair so convenient via TTC.

[janetzuccarini]

So many great idea....thanks everyone!

[nummanumma]

love cava for lunch-

[JamieK]

If weather permits, how about the Waterside Bistro for the great view? Kinda cool for an out-of-towner. I know, I know, the food's not "great", but decent and affordable.
http://www.watersidesports.com/bistro...

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Waterside Bistro
255 Queens Quay E, Toronto, ON M5A, CA

[HarryLloyd]

where is this? I work in the area and the food sounds good.


Chow!
HL.

[pescatarian]

Why not show him The Beaches and take him for lunch on the patio at ViVetha Bistro at the far end of Queen East.

[millygirl]

I would suggest Cafe Doria at Yonge & Roxborough. They have really fresh salads, my favorite is the Spring salad - very simple - arugula, reggiano, pine nuts and avocado. Also great thin crust pizzas, paninis, soups, lattes, that kinda fare. The atmosphere is what makes the place though. I love it there and try to go at least once a week.

[peppermint pate]

Doria is a great spot, particularly the shady patio. Great pizzas and I love the same salad as you. Only week spot, in my view, is the coffee but you can easily meander down the block to Black Camel for a fine espresso afterwards.

Holt's Cafe is another fun spot - closest thing we have to lunch at Barney's.

[millygirl]

That is funny, Holt's is my second favorite spot and I was going to mention it also, but I figured that it would be really crowded with TIFF folk and maybe difficult to get in. It's very new york!! And how come that Spring salad tastes so good at Doria??
I've tried making it at home but it just isn't the same. Crazy, huh....it seems so simple.

[Recyclor]

Foxley gets well reviewed, it is off the TIFF beaten path and is a different vibe than the usual places you'll be going...

[Kasia]

foxley isn't open for lunch as yet, unless that has recently changed.

[Recyclor]

My bad, sorry!...thanks Kasia...

[Kasia]

foxley isn't open for lunch as yet, unless that has recently changed. I have become pretty addicted to lunches at Salvador Darling. It's a small place on Queen just west of dufferin (just past the train bridge) on the south side. the decor is as funky as you can get - very stylized carefully selected mid-century furniture (not at all like a 50s diner), with stuffed peacock, and a huge snake skin tablecloth and such as decor touches. the menu is mainly sandwiches and salads but they are well put together, with good quality ingredients. Decent portions (the sandwiches come with salads). throw in a latte and you have a perfectly good lunch for under $10. The people working there are also quite friendly.

What's great about this option is that you're in a perfect spot to show your guests two distinct (in my mind both must-visit) toronto neighbourhoods: parkdale to the west going all the way to roncesvalles, and queen west all the way to bathurst.