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Aunties & Uncles
Category: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
74 Lippincott StToronto, ON M5S 2P1
(416) 324-1375
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 3 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
104 reviews for Aunties & Uncles
Review Highlights
"The potato salad is awesome."
(in 16 reviews)
"Ordering-wise, you have to get the Cinnamon French Toast."
(in 5 reviews)
"...bread toast, and a side of yummy, salty peameal bacon."
(in 9 reviews)
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104 reviews in English
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Review from John F.
12/9/2011
Finally! A restaurant that understands that brunch isn't just for the weekends. A friend of mine in Toronto recommended this restaurant to me while I was in town on business. I met a business colleague here for brunch. It's a small, cozy and cute little place on a road that seems harder to find than I would have hoped for. But the locals clearly know this place, because both upstairs and downstairs were packed. We waited around 20 minutes for a table.
I started with a hot chocolate, which on this cold day, was a much needed insulator! It had great flavor, but wasn't too rich, which is usually my biggest complaint against some hot chocolates.
To eat, I ordered the breakfast tacos (eggs, chorizo, cheddar, cilantro) with "hash browns" and a side of cottage cheese. I loved the hash browns, but they weren't hash browns. They were much closer to home fries in how they were cut. But they had a great flavor and weren't greasy at all.
The tacos also were great! Now I LOVE chorizo, especially when it is spicy. I expected a little kick, but received none. This was a sweet chorizo, and it worked perfectly with the other ingredients. I added some of the house made sour cream, which was just perfect for it. And unlike most restaurants of this nature (small dining area, hipster crowd), the portion sizes were good too.
If I have extended trips to Toronto, I will make it a point to find time for a meal here. -
Review from Amy D.
1/30/2012
Aunties and Uncles topped many lists that i have read declaring that they serve the best brunch in town. On my last visit to Toronto, i decided to see what all the hype was about. Upon walking into the joint, it screams nostalgia, with the knicknacks and overlaping layers of wallpapers this placed screamed history. We were met not greeted at the door, by a server who seemed very uninterested in serving us. We weren't feeling super welcomed, but brushed it off and starting surveying the menu. I ordered the standard breakfast plate, however you do not get to choose how your eggs are cooked, they come one way, scrambled. I don't know if it is because they say a true cook is judged on how well they can cook eggs, and they play it safe and only serve them one way. Anyways they came to the plate and they were good, but i do prefer them over easy. The bacon that accompanied it was delicious. The potatoes with the addition of sweet potatoes was unexpected but totally welcomed, they added a nice sweetness to the standard starchy potatoes. They serve the toast without jam, so i then had to wait for our server to come and ask him for jam, which they could have saved a step if they just asked if u want jam. They make their own and i can see that they don't want give it to people, who aren't going to use it, they just need to serve their guests better all around. My sis ordered the pancakes, and i can honestly say they were the worst pancakes i have ever had in a restaurant. They were bland, and rubbery, when they should be fluffy. We also had to wait at least 10 minutes to receive our check after we were finished eating.
Overall i liked my dish, but i could not go back solely because they food isn't worth dealing with the terrible service. -
Review from Emily C.
12/1/2011
we came here for lunch around 1pm on a Monday but the small cozy breakfast diner was full. the wait was short even though there were two groups before us and the place only had ten or so tables. the decorations were retro, reminiscent of the 60s, with old advertisements, signs, and paraphenlia from that decade. it had a really homey and comfortable feel (:
the menu was simple yet unique. cinnamon french toast, pancakes, and belgian waffles for the sweet dishes, and a variety of sandwiches with hash browns or salad for those craving a savory meal.
we ordered the cinnamon french toast and breakfast pocket. the cinnamon french toast was served with cinnamon poached pears. the french toast was not overly sweet and a tad bland without syrup. it was made really well and had a good texture. it was a good match with the pears but overall just an okay dish. the breakfast pocket on the other hand tasted amazing. the foccacia bread was crunchy and fresh. it was so good i ate it on its own. the rest of the pocket (cheese, caramelized onions, peameal, scrambled eggs, etc) was equally amazing, a perfect amount of saltiness and moistness from the melted cheese, melted onions, and aioli sauce. the pocket was well made and i would definitely come back to order this! -
Review from Valerie C.
Toronto, ON
1/30/2012
Love this place.
Definitely a go-to spot in the city if you want a guaranteed tummy-filling, I-need-a-nap-now, I've-died-and-gone-to-brunch-heaven dining experiences.
You've been warned, there are lines to wait in for a delicious meal here, which can range from 20 minutes on the very lucky and rare occasion, to well over an hour on weekends. This can be a deterrent in inclement weather (waiting outside in a snowstorm? ...not so fun), when faced with hunger pangs or accompanied by an impatient dining companion. But it's worth it.
Things to get here which have never failed to delight my taste buds:
1) Breakfast pocket - extremely flavourful and packed with yummy breakfast items (scrambled eggs, bacon, cheddar, caramelized onions), a specialty of the place which I've never quite found a comparable for elsewhere. If you try anything here, I'd recommend this.
2) Breakfast tacos - I find variations of this dish can sometimes be less than tasty at certain other brunch spots, but not here. The cheddar is nicely sharp, the refried beans are flavourful, and it all comes together in a nice combination of flavours and textures in your mouth.
3) French toast - I've mostly tasted this classic via bites of other people's orders, but my friend swears by it as his favourite in the city, and he almost exclusively eats french toast when brunching (why, I will never understand, given the plethora of options available)
One caveat: you likely will smell like what you've eaten for breakfast the rest of the day after coming here. This could be a good or bad thing. Depending on whether you like to relive your breakfast dining experience throughout the day (not as bad as it sounds). -
Review from Richard T.
Toronto, ON
1/29/2012
Amazing, well priced, and delicious. I had the banana oatmeal pancakes which were quite possibly some of the best pancakes I've ever had. I would recommend this place to anyone who will listen.
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Review from Lucretiz C.
1/24/2012
It's like I died and went to heaven and breakfast was being served. This place is an absolute dream. I love the banana pancakes, sandwiched between the pancakes are bananas and oatmeal. The food here is honest and non-fussy delicious and the atmosphere is just great, like you walked into a friends house for brunch.
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Review from Emily H.
11/5/2011
Who are these hipster aunties and uncles and why are they so popular?
After numerous recommendations to visit Aunties and Uncles, I finally did this Sunday afternoon at 2pm. We figured it was smart to go just before closing so it'd be dying down by then... wrong! We still waited 30 minutes for a table.
Now, many enjoy A&U's decor but for me, it was just an example of using the term "hipster" to be not well-put-together. Like, that hideous staircase leading up to the second floor? That's just a case waiting for Occupational Health & Safety. I do like restaurants with unique character, but this place looked like it's owned by a bunch of Hoarders who couldn't be bothered to collect decent/matching tables and chairs and unloaded any random crap onto the walls. It was a very faux-homely vibe...
Anyway, onto the food. My food was GOOD. I had the daily omelette which contained mushrooms, spinach and havarti!!! Yay!!! It was a really excellent omelette. They actually loaded up the thing with lots of mushrooms which, for a mushroom monster like myself, is like a shiny new ornament for Christmas. If it wasn't for the fact that I actually have chest tightness each time I eat a big greasy breakfast out, I would've finished every bit of my plate (yea.... I should stop, I am definitely slowly killing myself). The hashbrowns were also really good: soft potato chunks with salted crispy on the skin.
My girlfriend had the Breakfast Pocket... I don't think it's my thing, but seems to be a very popular choice!
All in all, it was a good experience minus the decor (which for some may be experience in itself), but I don't think I'll be going back soon just because I should probably not seek out a heart attack so often.
atmosphere - 1/5
service - 3/5
food - 3.5/5
price - 4/5Listed in: 30 Day November Challenge!
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Review from Oliver B.
Toronto, ON
11/21/2011
I can see why people might be quick to whip out "HIPSTER!" upon seeing the inside of this nice little restaurant, but I don't think that applies because everything about Aunties & Uncles feels sincere.
The waiter paid just the right amount of attention. The burger was filling as hell and had a pleasant homemade feeling kind of like the burger Eddie Murphy's mom made him in "RAW". There was no pressure to leave once my friend and I were done, despite some people waiting at the door.
Overall, I highly recommend this place and I know I'll be going back to try more from their menu. -
Review from Munis T.
Toronto, ON
11/30/2011
I went here for brunch with some friends on, I believe, a saturday.
The burger special (which I had bun-less of course) was not bad. The fried egg, brie, and roasted red pepper toppings made up for the somewhat dry patty. Though the brie was quite mild (i.e. bland).
The french toast was also so-so. I think the ideal french toast should be made of thick bread slices rather than thin, and fried to the point that the toast is slightly crisp around the edges, but moist and fluffy on the inside. In contrast, the french toast I received was made of thin slices, and had a homogeneous and slightly mushy texture.
Their bacon was a little under-cooked.
It wasn't horrible, and it's around the corner from some good friends of mine, so I might conceivably go again... but strictly speaking, I'd rather just go to Starving Artist! -
Review from Sherry Z.
1/3/2012
This place rocks the casbah. The breakfast tacos are awesome and the burgers are fantastic. Service was great. Really fun vintage decor. If it weren't in fucking Toronto, I'd go here all the time.
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Review from Jessica S.
1/2/2012
Just okay. Honestly, overpriced for what you get. And customer service? It was as if we weren't even there! I had to get out of my chair to ask for more coffee. Food was just mediocre. Would NEVER come here again.
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Review from Reynold P.
Toronto, ON
10/3/2011
On a rainy Sunday morning, Aunties and Uncles reminded me of having a heavy brunch back at home... but not at home.
Reality sets in and reminds me of my laziness to prepare my own breakfast. Alas, this was a great experience so it turned out to be well worth the 4 minute walk I took from my home.
As I said before, it was a rainy day. As per Sunday ritual, instead of church I headed to a new brunch destination. This time a place I've passed by countless times, unknowing of what it was or why crowds waited outside every Sunday.
Auntie and Uncles is a cozy and small restaurant with 2 floors. It had the layout of a house with old kitchen tables and busted chairs, childhood pictures hung on the walls, and other old memorabilia from the early 1990s. It was way-back play back to put it simply.
After a few minutes of waiting, we were ushered to the 2nd floor which was a small room with 7 tables. All seats were occupied of course.
The menu was short and offered scrambled eggs as the only egg preparation. Naturally I wanted meat with my brunch, so I opted out for the Breakfast Pocket.
Warm and soft focaccia bread filled with caramelized onions, American cheddar, scrambled eggs, tomato, pemeal bacon, with dijon mustard and aioli as spreads. It was really good, something I would want to eat everyday if it were 0 calories and 0 fat. The best part of the meal was the hashbrown sides. A combination of sweet and regular potatoes fried on the skillet. These hasbrowns aren't crispy and oily but rather steamed-like and not greasy. Still really good, considering that I am a sucker for fried potatoes.
My girlfriend had the Breakfast tacos with the same sides. Delicious as well. Her favourite part was the cilantro sour cream. I think the cilantro had nothing to do with the generous slathers of the stuff on her two tacos. I thought they were good, she thought my sandwich was better.
Overall, Aunties and Uncles offers a unique dining environment that reminded me of home despite the fact that I'm Asian... The food is good and the prices are reasonable. However, both my gf and I agreed that we weren't coming back anytime soon. I guess it just wasn't special enough. After all, we felt like we were eating in someone's kitchen minus the family conversation. It's cute and hipster-ish, but not great. Staying in and making breakfast instead wouldn't have been a bad substitute that day. -
Review from jenna m.
10/24/2011
I love the food at Aunties & Uncles. The scrambled eggs and poached pears are truly delicious and I have enjoyed every morsel of food I have consumed from here. Unfortunately you really need to time your visit in order to not wait in an endless line with a gaggle of hungry hipsters. I had the privy of once living on the other end of lippincott at harbord. I miss those days. Strolling down to Aunties and sitting on the patio reading my school work with the sun hitting my face and enjoying coffee, fresh oj, scrambled eggs, and poached pears. ahhh.
The décor on the interior of the restaurant is very kitsch and fun. Seating capacity is limited in the off season-there is a decent sized patio for finer weather. Service is decent depending on who you get. I am not one to single anyone out, however, there is one bearded server and I am not sure what his problem is. The last few times I have gone into Aunties & Uncles he has been so terrible to my friends and I. So, I would suggest going for breaky during the week and if you are going to brave the weekends, try going right when it opens. I really do love some aspects of Aunties & Uncles. Cash only establishment. Prices are reasonable and within market value.
I highly recommend this food joint.
But make um understand its Westside foe life! -
Review from Jill H.
9/17/2011
We waited patiently in line for about an hour for a table at Aunties and Uncles, which really built up the anticipation. We were in search of Toronto's best brunch and had read up on a few reviews which said that this was THE place.
The food was GOOD, but nothing spectacular...the eggs and Canadian bacon were good (it's hard to find good ole Canadian bacon in Toronto!), and the potatoes were quite yummy, but nothing which would stand out as "bring-me-back-here-again-for-more!!". The french toast was pretty average as well....cooked crispy with a bit of cushy softness...nice taste, but nothing that will stick out in my mind...
The prices were good, but we forgot that it was cash only, which made us make a trip to the local neighborhood ATM, which always is annoying.
Still looking for Toronto's best brunch................ -
Review from Emma A.
Toronto, ON
12/2/2011
I love love love this place. Simply the best brunch in this part of town. But go early - sometimes you might have trouble getting a table, and you WILL have to wait half an hour for your food. Be prepared to spend a lot of time getting to know your breakfast companion while you wait!! It's worth it for the delectable french toast and sandwiches, though.
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Review from Jess W.
Toronto, ON
Dropped by around 2 on a Saturday afternoon to find a line outside. Luckily my boyfriend and I were able to grab a seat immediately since there were only two of us.
The breakfast pocket was amazing! The pocket (focaccia bread) was filled with perfectly cooked scrambled eggs, pemeal bacon, cheddar, tomato, dijon and ailoi. Oh - and my favourite part, the caramelized onions. Definitely one of the best breakfast sandwiches I've ever had. I was also surprised by the size of it too. It came with two large halves... all for only $8.75 which included a choice of potato salad, hash browns or salad. I went with the hashbrowns which were prettty chunky and consisted of regular and sweet potatoes.
My boyfriend went with the banana oatmeal pancakes ($7.50). They weren't light and fluffy.. a little bit on the denser side because of the bananas, but it was not bad. Nice and crispy on the outsides. Although I wasn't totally in love with them, my boyfriend really enjoyed it.
What a great ltitle hipster-filled brunch spot. Great food and great prices. Highly recommended!Listed in: My favourite brunch spots!
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Review from Jackie P.
Toronto, ON
5/16/2011
"I thought love was only true in fairy tales
Meant for someone else but not for me.
Love was out to get me
That's the way it seemed.
Disappointment haunted all my dreams.
Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind.
I'm in love, I'm a believer!
I couldn't leave her if I tried"
Thinking of Aunties & Uncles, reminds me of songs from the 1960s rock pop group Monkees. Perhaps it's the kitsch adorned walls, the hipster vibes and threads or the greasy home cooking that reminds me of a time when butter was never second guessed. Butter should never be second guessed.
It's almost impossible to get into Aunties & Uncles without a wait. If you want to skip the line all together, you'll need to skip a night of drinking or camp out after bar crawling to get to the front of the line by 10:00am. If you get there by 11:00am you'll be dealing with a small crowd but should be in no later then 25 minutes. Once in, you already can sense why its worth the wait.
Highlights:
1. Great ambiance and lots to look at. They've done a great job at collecting some precious articles from decades ago. There's a few questionable items but all in all it works together.
2. Always the same chefs in the small open concept kitchen. If you get a chance, try to watch them at work. It's like a rhythmic food trance.
3. Food is wickedly buttery and amazing. The sammie is something else. A sumptuous buttery onion bun, packed with greasy eggs, tomato, mayo and avocado. (subbed it for bacon).
4. Affordable. A lot of brunch places are offering eggs for $12 + which I think can be a pretty big rip off. For two you can walk away with a $30 bill. That's with drinks as well.
When I'm feeling like a greasy breakfast of high quality goodness I instantly think of making a hop over to A & U...sometimes you get in, sometimes you don't, but it's worth the try.Listed in: Breakfast + Lunch = Brunch.
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Review from Danielle F.
Toronto, ON
4/3/2011 ROTD 8/8/2011
Breakfast/Brunch: not normally my favourite meal of the day BUT when done incredibly well, I can make an exception.
Thursday, around 11:00, the wait was only about 10 minutes long. The one server in charge of the whole shebang was running the show excellently, remembering the order of everyone's arrival and seating them accordingly. The place is tiny and as adorable as the name itself. Patio season, get here already.
I ordered the breakfast pocket, minus bacon and my sister ordered the cinnamon French toast that came with poached pears. And so we shared! We were provided a transitional plate, very nice touch.
-The breakfast pocket was delish on foccacia bread, fresh tomato, cheese and scrambled eggs. But hello, forgotten caramelized onions! That's the best part! Made me sad.
-The hash browns were insane. SO good and herb-y. Confession: normally I dip my hash browns in maple syrup but the thought didn't even occur to me. They were great on their own!
-The french toast was also lovely, as expected and a really generous portion.
- Poached pairs: my new fave and went so well with the French toast and maple syrup.
All and all, it was a great experience that I'm glad I didn't have to wait hours to try. For the most part the service was awesome, despite the fact that our waiter kinda disliked my sister. Very nice to me though! Awkward but he was very understanding when I "hit a wall" with my abundance of food. If you can snag a table, do it.Listed in: ROTD'ed
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Review from Pascal P.
Toronto, ON
11/3/2011
omg best brunch ever. The place is a total dive/whole in the wall. It has been moons snce I have been there but I remember getting the BLT on Challah(ironic i know) and it was amazing. This place always has a huge lineup
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Review from jocelyn l.
5/30/2011
Great ambience- homey + hipster.
Really yummy food- i got the Cinnamon French Toast with Bacon + apple cider and everything was great.
Good service- unpretentious and warm
Reasonable prices
I'm sure it's crazy on the weekends, but it was perfect on a Monday afternoon and i was seated immediately- not even half full -
Review from Brandon D.
10/3/2011
Well worth the wait on a Saturday. Delicious food. Maple-glazed pork tenderloin and eggs. The perfect cure for a hangover, I think.
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Review from Jess d.
5/20/2011
I'm a big breakfast person so I do have high expectations for breakfast places. We decided on having breakfast here based on yelp reviews. The food is ok but not worth waiting 30 minutes to be seated. The only memorable thing was the fact we had the peameal bacon which we found out was authentic canadian bacon.
Just a tip: Bring cash because they're actually cash only. -
Review from Kevin L.
11/11/2010
Visited this place on Yelpers' recommendations while in town on a Monday morning. (We had a little wait of 5 minutes before a table opened up, so I cannot comment on the long wait described in other reviews before sitting down).
I don't know why the overwhelming sentiment on Yelp, as well as the topic dominating most of the descriptions of this place is the fact that this apparently a 'hipster place' and you should 'wear plaid' or 'look like a homeless person' to 'fit in'. Seriously? Who cares? Maybe it's different in Chicago (home of arguably the best brunch places in the U.S.) but when I go to a breakfast/brunch place, I go there for some great BREAKFAST/BRUNCH/I-NEED-SOMETHING-TO-TAKE-THE-EDGE -OFF-OF-THIS-HEADACHE-FROM-THE-EVENTS-OF-LAST-NIGH T food. This isn't a bar where you meet people of a certain type, this is a food place. The focus should be on the FOOD.
As for the FOOD, this place is absolutely amazing. The Breakfast Tacos are a must have. The soft tortilla had the perfect amount of crispness, and the portion sizes were just right. Biting into the breakfast taco, the tortilla hangs around briefly before melting in your mouth before you taste the amazing, just spicy enough made-in-house chorizo that blends perfectly with the made-in-house sour cream. Wow.
With the side of freshly prepared hash browns/potatoes, there is a reason why people tend to flock to this place off the beaten path for some excellent food. The care and attention to detail in the delicately seasoned, perfectly crisped potato side accompanying the rest of the meal is an absolute delight, with, again, the perfect amount of crispness blended with a spice blend that adds a little extra kick to the dish.
Yes, the service can be a bit better, especially in such a small place with only so many people eating at a time, but the food overwhelmingly makes up for the lack of attention to your half-filled water glass or coffee mug. The attention is shown where it counts the most - in the food on your plate - and when I return to Toronto, this place will absolutely be on the list of places that must be experienced again. -
Review from Sharky L.
Toronto, ON
11/20/2010
There were 6 groups ahead of us so we walked around the area for 30 minutes, we passed many empty restaurants with no wait but decided to go back to Aunties and Uncles.
To my surprise there were only, 7 or 8 sets of table seating 2 to 4. This place is small, no wonder the wait. But it was worth it, the food was sooo good! We had the Brie grilled sandwich and the Canadian cheese sandwich with yam tomato soup. Yummy! Hash browns were awesome too.
They have homemade ketchup. Who the heck has that. Maybe it was the long wait but the food was really good.Listed in: Romantic Date places
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Review from Mochi M.
3/15/2011
I came here expecting a new diner experience and ended up with something that was not worth the trouble or the hype. :(
I had the breakfast burger (I know, odd choice right) and the roasted pepper thing tasted slightly off, and the whole burger was not what I was expecting, even with that fried egg.
I guess I should have stuck to a regular breakfast menu with eggs and bacon, but even what my friend got looked unappetizing.
I don't even want to give this place another shot. -
Review from Chad M.
8/31/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Last night I had a few too many PBR's at the Vampire Weekend show and was in need of some tasty vittles to soak up all the awfulness.
So donned my mostly clean Marcel Marceau wife beater and headed to my favourite haunt, Aunties and Uncles.
My GOD I just love this place! I feel right at home with the retro tables and chairs. Also, I used most of my rent money this week to buy a totally deck scarf at Urban Outfitters so I really appreciate the prices here. Super cheap.
The waiter dude was kind of a dick to me, but I think that's cool. I like completely stupid shit that doesn't make any sense - like wearing glasses when I have perfect 20/10 vision.
I also had a really difficult time getting the a refill on my coffee. And the check. I'm assuming he was just being ironic.
Kick ass. -
Review from Grace C.
9/5/2011 1 photo
Situated near the university, it's more of a home remodeled into this cool homey breakfast joint (the upstairs restroom includes a space where the tub was!). You enter from the front area where there is outdoor covered seating (great on nice sunny days). There's seating inside on the first and second floor with a lot of random knick knacks on the walls. Ordering-wise, you have to get the Cinnamon French Toast! You won't go wrong there and you definitely won't leave Aunties & Uncles feeling hungry. The slices are huge, sprinkled with powdered sugar and maple syrup on the side. The fresh fruit rounds out the meal. We came on a Monday morning around 11 am, so we got seated right away. I'm sure weekends are more packed. Parking will be a challenge so nab any street parking while you can!
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Review from suz h.
12/2/2011
Breakfast burger with brie and bacon. Breakfast tacos with housemade chorizo, beans and eggs. Yum yum yum! Loved the olives that came with. And service was relaxed (=if you're in a rush, you may say slow) but very very friendly.
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Review from Brianne K.
Toronto, ON
3/9/2011
What can I say? Love!
I'm all about trying new places for brunch but when I just can't risk a bad experience off to Auntie's & Uncles it is! Several visits and never a bad experience.
You will wait in line and it will be worth it. I recently realized that I always order the breakfast pocket sans bacon. I can't help it...it's just sooo tasty! I broke my funk with the omelette of the day which was heavenly. Well played Aunties & Uncles - well played!
Go there - you won't be disappointed! -
Review from Noel D.
9/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
I've heard about how great this place is but never went because I would always hear about how incredibly packed it is. But I managed to make it one rainy weekday about 30 minutes before they were closing.
Yes, the place is pretty hipster. The people working there all looked borderline homeless with lumberjack shirts and beards to match. But they all seemed nice in a "don't really give a fuck" kind of way.
I had the Breakfast Pocket I believe it was called? It was insanely delicious. After I finished the first half I was wondering if I could tackle the second, and I came in feeling quite hungry. The coffee was alright but I don't usually get too picky when it comes to my daily caffeine.
The decor is interesting but reminded me a little too much of a redneck Northern Ontario vibe. The photos on the wall of old graduating classes were enough to keep my eyes occupied, but other Salvation Army themed furniture made me think of uncomfortable moments in places like Angus Ontario.
The price was right. In and out very quickly and felt very satisfied with the food I ate. Plus I was a tad hungover and didn't feel sick eating things like eggs and peameal bacon, so they must have done something right. -
Review from Leeor J.
11/24/2010
For the price, this place ain't a bad brunch option. The scrambled eggs weren't half bad. The OJ was nice. I'de say you're going here more for folksy atmosphere than the food.
Their omelette topping choices are not exactly varied. Their featured omelette for the day I went had cauliflower in it. cauliflower?
if you want a killer brunch, hoof cafe is my pick. nobody in the city does pig like those guys. -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
1/11/2011
Don't want to wait? Go on a Monday at 9:30 a.m. It's not busy then!
Anyway, I liked the 50's kitchen vibe of this place, and the food is definitely a step above the regular diner fare we've been sampling for the last many months. To be fair, this is a little more upscale than the places you'll find on my breakfast list (see link below), but if careful, you can still get brekky for under 10 bucks.
The scrambled eggs, though a bit on the skimpy side (2 small? 1 extra large?), were tasty, the potatoes were delicious and the multi-grain toast was very good. The french toast looked great, and they offer real maple syrup.
The service was efficient if a little uninspired. I'll go back for sure.Listed in: Breakfast places, Diners, Greasy Spoons and…
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Review from Marco V.
Toronto, ON
1/2/2011 1 photo
One of the few places my cousin and I could find open for brunch during the weekday (or even during the holidays).
First thing you notice coming close to this place is the savoury aroma in the air of good eats. So just follow your nose if you're around bathurst and college.
It's a quaint little place with helpful staff and friendly atmosphere. But seriously elbow room only and little to no waiting room - so if you don't have the patience to wait outside in Toronto winters (or if you don't own a $500 winter jacket like almost everyone else...I digress in my jealousy) I'd suggest walking along.
We should up at around 10:30 and waited about 20 minutes for a 2 person table. Any larger parties beyond 4 you could tell would require a little more patience.
Both ordered the breakfast pocket with hash browns (and an extra side of bacon for my cousin's inquisitive palate). Breakfast pocket consisted of scrambled eggs, melted cheddar, peameal bacon, slice of tomato, & dijon mustard on a focaccia bun. It honestly wasn't a pretty picture, so the tastebuds were in for an unexpected treat. Incredibly savoury and really everything you could want in a breakfast sandwich. I'd also suggest adding a bit of their homemade ketchup to the mix for an extra bite to the experience. The hash browns were quite good, but nothing spectacular. Probably because it was a bit misleading. We were expecting the crispy fried kind, but they were simple rustic potatoes on the stove top.
All in all, some good eats, definitely worth the try and better than your average "eggs and bacon" kinda place. -
Review from Tina H.
1/11/2011
They don't have eggs benny. :( So sad! I need eggs benny with homemade hollondaise sauce at every brunch place...
This place is way grimey and old looking. Traditional? Retro? Outdated and dirty. They even have rusty tin cans from the olden days for charm.
One of the servers didn't seem to really like her job. The place is small, cramped, and full of hungover people, so maybe her job is stressful.
Breakfast was ok. It was so blah I don't actually remember what I had. Omelette of the day maybe? zZzZz... Pancake servings are huge though but they looked pretty gross (by my standards) but my friend liked them.
Nothing that stands out at all. Hoof Cafe, Yasi's Place... Even Milestones has better brunch. This place is nearby so I might be back but it's unlikely. -
Review from Kelly O.
7/20/2010
Came here for lunch on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, and thank god, did not have to wait for a table. I thoroughly enjoyed the Club, which had real chicken breast, crispy bacon, fresh tomato and aioli on that delicious crusty challa bread. It was an excellent sandwich!!!
The side of potato salad was good, but could have done with more dill and less dijon, in my opinion.
The homemade iced tea was dynamite!!! Perfect for a hot summer's day! -
Review from Marie F.
7/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
My east coast cousins were in town and we all wanted some grub; I think Aunties & Uncles was a fitting choice!
I ordered the Aunties & Uncles club, which is essentially a BLT with cheese and aioli. It was tasty but nothing overly amazing. The waitress didin't make eye contact and generally seemed uninterested in everything we said.
We asked to split the bills in two right at the beginning and she told us to tell her again at the end. When we were done our meal, another waiter plopped our bill down (not separated) and told us it was too late to split it.
Despite having liked my meal I am not sure I'll be coming back here again. You see I am impatient! I understand why there are wait times at The Black Hoof, it's food is unique, exotic and AMAZING. But brunch is well, brunch and with no real stand out on the menu I didn't think i was worth the 25 minute wait... on a wednesday afternoon!
Oh well at least the prices were super cheap. -
Review from Lauren B.
8/28/2011
We were visiting Toronto on vacation and came here after reading an article calling it the best brunch in Toronto. It was good, but not great. I loved the atmosphere but best brunch in Toronto? They do standard items well: everything was tasty and the portions were big but it wasn't mind blowing. And the service was poor- very very slow. We waited 30 minutes to get seated (totally fine) and then waited an additional 30 minutes to order and another 30 for our food to come. Good food but not worth the 1.5 hours we waited for it.
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Review from Velshin C.
Toronto, ON
7/24/2010
Horrible wait negated a yummy but fatty meal. 2 hours total meal time, including a mere 10 minutes of eating. If you enjoy queuing, becoming famished, then wolfing down really heavy food with lots of butter, oil, cheese, and egg yolks, then Aunties & Uncles is the place for you.
Toronto foodies: PLEASE STOP ENCOURAGING THEIR SLOW SERVICE. Thank you.
Gory details about the wait:
Arrived at 12:00pm Saturday, queue of about 9 people, 4 parties ahead of us. Seated at 12:45. Ordered immediately. Only 3 tables were served while we were waiting for ours. Food arrived at 1:20pm. Finished eating at 1:30pm. Yeah, we were hungry after the 1 hour 20 minute wait and devoured our food. Waited again for the bill. Waited again for change. Finally left at 1:50.
The food was good but not amazing. You can get similarly good tasting fare elsewhere for much less time invested. You know, by going to restaurants that serve you food shortly after you arrive.
We ate:
A Belgian waffle (the crispy Brussels kind, not the soggy circle Liège kind) and it was a bit soft, too doughy, but the flavor was good. You can probably make better at home.
Omelet cooked in heavy butter with Bocconcini cheese, spinach, caramelized onions, diced tomato. This was one wet omelet. The juice ran out all over the plate and made the otherwise crispy buttered toast soggy. The potato salad was overwhelmed by vinegar.
Grilled cheese sandwich of heavily buttered sesame bread slices, egg, peameal bacon, and caramelized onion.
We paid: about $25.
This food is HEAVY. It's possible that anything cooked with this much fat will taste good. (Try buttering your arm and eating it while you wait in the queue.)
Apparently it takes 35 minutes to cook the above. Maybe they like to wait to do prep after seating customers? Maybe they only have 1 working grill space? Maybe the chef is just insanely slow?
The waitresses were nice but took forever to bus the tables. There were only perhaps 14 tables total. Small place. I would not call it cozy, since the chairs are cheap and uncomfortable. It seemed most people knew that they'd be waiting, and apparently wanted to contribute to other people waiting, so they stayed to read a newspaper, book, or just chatting for 10 - 20 minutes after finishing eating. -
Review from Martin W.
5/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a good brunch spot. It gets super busy on weekends, though. People line up even before the place opens. That's what I did to ensure a spot. The service in here is good and the wait staff pretty chill. I do like the food, and the only reason this place doesn't get a five star is I don't think the food necessarily justifies the waits. They definitely serve a mean brunch, but I have had just as good without the wait.
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Review from Angela L.
5/29/2010
With only a few small tables, a simple-yet-well done menu, and such great prices, it's no wonder that there are constantly line-ups at Aunties & Uncles.
Off of the brunch-centric card of eggs, omlettes, sandwiches, and soup, I chose the Belgian waffle. The light and fluffy waffle sided with chunks of juicy cooked pear and extra runny and not-too-sweet syrup. The freshly squeezed orange juice was pulpy and refreshing and made the perfect flavour combination.
The decor is made up of a mish mash of vintage children's books, action figures, and a non-functioning oversized clock. As long as you can get a table, Aunties & Uncles makes a great spot for relaxing on any lazy afternoon.
