best lunch in Toronto?

[blueandyellow]

hey, all. i'm posting again because i may not have been clear last time. i'm looking for a good place for lunch on Friday. price is no object, but i'm also fine with eating in the holes in the wall – so long as the food is good. i'm vegetarian, but am fine to eat at places with just one or two veg items on the menu.

thanks!

[redcoconut]

What area are you looking to eat in?

[blueandyellow]

Downtown is probably best – I live in the Annex – but I'd go as far as the suburbs for something special. I've been leaning toward Gilead Café, but am still open to suggestions. (Everyone's doing great so far. Thanks!)

[redcoconut]

Laila's is great for Lebanese, it's near Bathurst/Bloor. You can also go to Futures Bakery after for coffee/desert or Paupers Pub to wet your whistle.

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Paupers Pub
539 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S1Y6, CA

Laila Restaurant
553 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S1Y6, CA

[peppermint pate]

Hi blueandyellow - that's a really broad question. Your earlier note mentioned a splurge, which for me suggests a high end spot, but now you seem to be saying that anything from high end to hole in the wall is fine so long as there are at least a couple of veggie dishes on the menu.

Here are a few suggestions:

On the higher end - George, Buca, Origin,maybe Canoe?
Middle - Khao San Road, Pizzeria Libretto, Osteria Ciceri e Tria or La Bettola di Terroni, Tabule, maybe Gabardine?
Cheap and cheerful (with lots of veggie options) - Live, Urban Herbivore, Fresh

Good luck!

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Tabule
2009 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4S 1Z8, CA

Urban Herbivore
64 Oxford St, Toronto, ON M5T1P1, CA

Pizzeria Libretto
221 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J, CA

Osteria
106 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5C, CA

Buca
604 King St. West, Toronto, ON M5V 1M6, CA

Khao San Road
326 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1P7, CA

[TorontoJo]

Agreed that it's a pretty broad request and also agree with all the options listed above. I'll also throw out Gallery Grill at Hart House as a really lovely special occasion lunch spot.

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Gallery Grill
7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S, CA

[blueandyellow]

Sorry for the broad question. I think I realized that I was the one who was most interested in going somewhere fancy, but that the person I'm going with likely won't notice the difference between a sixty dollar meal and twenty dollar one. I guess I'm trying to keep my options open. I think that something can be special because it's fancy, or it can be special because it's an authentic and/or out of the way place I hadn't thought to go before. Thanks for the tips, though. I like a lot of the places mentioned, particularly Terroni and Pizza Libretto, but was hoping for someplace I hadn't been to before. I was thinking Osgoode Hall, but the reviews seem to be a little mixed.

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Osgoode Hall
130 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2N6, CA

[TorontoJo]

I prefer Gallery Grill over Osgoode Hall, and it has that same sense of being someplace special as Osgoode Hall does.

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Gallery Grill
7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S, CA

Osgoode Hall
130 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2N6, CA

[blueandyellow]

Good to know. I ate at Gallery Grill a couple months ago and was impressed by their dessert. But there must be more special occasion places I haven't considered yet. (I'd prefer to go someplace I've never been before.)

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Gallery Grill
7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S, CA

[prima]

Biff's, carisma, aubege du pommier, c5, le select,pangaea also do nice lunches. My fave is lai toh heen, which would be difficult as a veg. Holts cafe and patachou are also nice for lunch.

[Dean Tudor]

I second Gallery Grill, but you've already been.

You could also try Ed Ho's Globe (Broadview and Danforth) and Earth (1055 Yonge) for lunch. They are heavy on meat, but they have vegetarian and fish dishes, as well as cheeses.

Veritas on King East. at Sherbourne?

For drama, try Chef's School at George Brown College.

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Gallery Grill
7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S, CA

Veritas
234 King St E, Toronto, ON M5A, CA

[blueandyellow]

Ooh. I've been thinking about going to the Chef's School for a while. Glad to hear it's worth going to!