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Unlike most bloggers, I didn't know what Aunties & Uncles was until Elena told me about it. BlogTo must have said something because every Torontonian with a soapbox to yell from was applauding the place. I just wanted brunch, really.
I wasn't crazy about the restaurant's setting. It looked like someone had lifted it out of some nook in the middle of downtown Montreal, but it was cozy. Cozy is key. We got there about an hour before close (the place closes at 3pm), and managed to get an awesome breakfast nook table facing a window upstairs. I felt like I was eating in my friend Kaitlyn's room. The place is covered in all sorts of knick-knacks from some bygone era, and undergrads enjoy talking about real social issues and shit while they eat. You know, things like processed food and buying organic, how you can never give up sushi, and how important it is to be vegan. Barf.
I ordered the classic eggs with toast, bacon and potatoes. Elena had the breakfast pocket sandwich which was awesome. I give the place an overall 8.5/10 for whatever non-existent point system I have in place. It's enjoyable. I'd go there again.
Important note: if you want to fit in, wear plaid.
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.
This is a must eat location!!! My boyfriend and I vacationed in Toronto August 13th-16th and I suggested that we go some where to have a real breakfast. Quick as lighting my lover whips out his smart phone and finds Aunties and Uncles. The restaurant is located right off of College St in the Discovery district.
As we approached we saw that the little place was packed with patrons. We generally take a busy establishment as a good sign and we were delighted to find ourselves only having waited less than 10 minutes before being seated in the cozy interior of the restaurant.
I had french toast that was delicious. The french toast wasn't overly sweet and the bread was thick cut and scrumptious. Our breakfast was served with fresh fruit, which was a much welcome surprise on the hot morning. My boyfriend ordered the Belgian waffles.
This place has that hole-in-the-wall feel. With wonderful breakfast items that you would expected to get served at your Nana's house on a Sunday morning. It was so good in fact that we went back the next morning. You must try the banana pancakes they are out of this world.
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.
Alright food, shitty shitty SHITTY service. I guess it's a "hip" spot. It's just a wanna-be Mimi's (back in the day on Bathurst just north of Queen, best brunch spot of all time that unfortunately isn't with us anymore...)
Would not suggest this spot. Wanna-be people. wanna-be food.
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!
After giving up many times due to the wait time, I finally went! This brunch joint is no doubt POPULAR. I went during the G20 summit and it was raining so it cut down the waiting time to 15 minutes... perfect plan.
I don't remember what they had, apparently the menu changes quite frequently. I had a nice breakfast sandwich of some sort with Challah bread, which was delicious. I had a side of honey ham, DEE-LICIOUS. It was all so so delicious.
Tip:
- If you go, plan to wait. That's just the name of the game
- If you sit inside, you will smell like Aunties and Uncles all day
Overall, a worthy experience if you have the patience, once you get in, you will experience a nice greesy home-cooked meal that will not disappoint!
Yes, people, it is as good as they say.
If you can get over the humility of standing in line for 40 minutes for eggs, the payoff is, for the most, part well worth it. This cramped establishment does their best to keep people flowing in and out and you can whittle the wait time away people watching/judging. Unfortunately, this place isn't particularly baby-friendly, as the hostess insisted that the party in front of us, complete with stroller, be seated upstairs. Understandably, the mother didn't feel comfortable leaving her stroller by the front door and had to ramble the thing up the narrow stairway. Like what? Not like you're busy taking care of an infant or anything!
Despite that gaffe, the rest of the experience is most enjoyable. There are lots of nostalgic knick-knacks around the place to the senses tingling, ready to burst with joy when our plates of perfectly cooked eggs arrive. Thrillingly, the toast is that challa that everyone can't stop talking about, and it's delicious. Be sure to ask for their delicious jam on the side (they don't bring it otherwise), which adds a fresh sweetness to the buttery bread.
All in all, enjoyable! If you can avoid going on weekends, I'm sure it would be all that, with a little less stress.
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.
I have had breakfast here maybe 4 times over the last few years. It's not bad. I'd never dare go here on a weekend however because the line is just INSANE. Many times I have attempted to go here for breakfast but due to the line up I end up eating at Nirvana or Sneaky Dee's (yes when I am that hungry I will end up at Sneaks).
I enjoy the decor and the fun flavours of the daily omlette but there is definately better breakfast out there (best breakfast in the city is a tie between Niagara Street Cafe and Lady Marmalade). This is however the best breakfast place in the College Bathurst area.
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.
While waiting for a friend to join us, my friend and I looked in front of us at a line up of approximately 15 ppl or so half of which were holding a neighbourhood coffee shop's COFFEE.
A warm drink on a COOL March day was probably a good idea while we waited 45 minutes before we even got into the crawlspace that fits approx. 4 ppl just inside the door where they can fit the next group in line to warm up prior to getting seated for their meal.
It's almost CRUEL when you're one of the few that stands inside while watching the other 20+ ppl freeze outside. Remember the scene from Titanic when everyone drowns in the frozen ocean? One of those moments when you can't do a thing but you know you had to help others or else you'll have the memories of regret for the rest of your life.
While walking towards a rickety stairway a la haunted house, I got a glimpse of the tiny kitchen no bigger than a condo kitchen area. Assigned a tight space upstairs we sat feeling like SHAQ in a VW beetle.
A browse of the menu revealed mostly Ciabatta style breakfasts that looked like it contains many unorthodox ingredients unlike Mel's Diner style breakfast places (R.I.P).
The Ciabatta was tasty knowing that it contained such things as Eggs, Pea-meal Bacon, etc... It's pretty hard to make that combination of ingredients taste BAD and I guess they priced it reasonably in that neighbourhood.
I don't know WHY I asked for the Salad as my side. It's not like I eat Salad as my Cereal in the morning. After eating such a Savoury flavoured breakfast sandwich, the Greenery just took all those tasty memories away. I'll try for the other sides next time.
After freezing my Aunties&Uncles out there on the street and starving, any food and drink would have been good for me. If I didn't freeze out there, maybe I can have better taste-buds to rate this place fairly.
Listed in: North American Eats
I like this place. It's worthwhile arriving early, that is true, but we went at 10am on a sunday and we were seated without any major wait.
Service was friendly, understanding, and very quick -- more on that later.
I had scrambled eggs with bagel, greens, and fruit. Eggs were perfectly "baveux", just the right texture between raw and cooked. Bagel was fine, fruit was nothing to write home about, some cantaloupe and grapes. Greens were a basic mix. But I enjoyed it overall.
One friend had the breakfast tacos, which were excellent. Decently spiced with the right proportions of ingredients.
Another friend had the pancakes -- banana oatmeal today. If you order these, beware, it IS a giant pile of stodge. 3 pancakes is heavy and could be too much if you're not into that. But the flavour was good, the batter was nice and fluffy, and they provided enough syrup to go with.
Our fourth member had the belgian waffles. He later said that he would rather have had the pancakes, but I was very impressed with his waffles. Too often belgian waffles are dry and boring, but these were exceptionally crisp on the outside, while being light, fluffy, with just the right amount of egg in the batter. I tend to avoid belgian waffles because I'm usually disappointed, so I'm no expert, but these were definitely the best I've had and I would order them without a second thought.
Coming back to the service, the reason that it's so quick is that they have obviously standardised a lot of their recipes. In the kitchen they must have giant piles of everything -- scrambled eggs, potatoes, fruit, etc. -- which they just spoon onto your plate. So if you're extremely picky, and like your eggs over-medium "just so", then you'll probably be disappointed. But as someone just out to enjoy a summer brunch on the patio, it was a welcome change not to wait 40 minutes even when it was busy.
And plus the price is reasonable. Less than $10 a head, with some people ordering coffee/tea. I will definitely come back.
Great breakfast! I ordered a Belgian waffle with pears and I was not disappointed. This waffle tasted unique - a bit of cinnamon in it and a lot of egg, almost like French Toast. Staff is responsive and really friendly, and you gotta love the retro shabby chic decor. I would heartily recommend for a Toronto brunch.
I would've given it more than four stars, but five stars would have to have been a perfect breakfast (awarded only to L'Avenue in Montreal for me!)
I don't get the hype. I don't understand why some people think this is the best brunch in Toronto. Have they not eaten at Mildred's or Lady M?!
Don't get me wrong, the food was good - but the best, no.
Aunties & Uncles is like eating in your mom's kitchen in the '60s (or if you are from the shwa like me, the 80s). Even the smells are the same. But, it is not as good as mom's.
The menu is small, but they do have daily specials. I opted for the scrambled eggs with challah toast, potato hash and greens. I also had some mighty fine fresh squeezed orange juice. The eggs were soft, supple and perfectly done. The potato hash were to be a mix of regular and sweet potatoes with seasonings. It was oily and tried to hard to be flavourful. I also didn't like that when I was leaving I saw a few large tupperware-type containers with the potato hash just sitting in there. It looked like compost.
The greens were fine, could have had a bit more seasoning as I think they had just been tossed with ok-quality olive oil.
The challah was amazing. Perfectly toasted, sesame seed crusted and not too sweet. Exactly how I like it.
The staff are quite laid back and friendly. The decor, I guess I get it, but it could use a good cleaning, in my opinion.
I got to A&U just after 9 on a Sunday morning and had no problem getting a table. Service was lightening speed quick.
Maybe if I hadn't heard such hype about this place it wouldn't have been such a let down. I am also a fan of cleaner, prettier, stream lined decor (ala Mildreds), so the second hand stuff doesn't wow me. I did like the encyclopedias that were on the shelf next to my table. I don't remember the last time I saw encyclopedias!
Brilliant Breakfast Joint!
I have to say, if it was not for the raving reviews, I would never in a million years have entered this restaurant. Because from the outside, it is basically a worn & tired hole in the wall. The theme carries through to inside; it is basically an old home that was never ever renovated.
Right away though, you are reminded it is not just a house; the kitchen is located dead centre of the first floor and you can see and smell what is cooking the moment you walk in. Even though the whole place looked a little tatty, I love open kitchens so right away I was more relaxed.
Boy oh boy, was the place ever packed. And we arrived at lunch time! The staff were all young and looked like downtown locals, but were very friendly and attentive.
There are seatings both on the first and the second floor. Going up and down the staircase can be somewhat of a challenge, because it is steep and narrow. There are also food servers buzzing through, so keep an eye out or you might wear someone's breakfast!
The place is decorated with articles, photos and magazines from the 50's. The tables were from that ugly early 80s era (or pretty, depending on your tastes) which in the context worked out very nicely.
Let's talk about food. Ooooh so delicious. Since everything sounded so good, the four of us split up and ordered something different from the menu.
Waffles - Ooooh yeah. Totally rocks. Crispy outside, fluffy inside and probably Willy Wonka's favourite.
French Toast - Nice thick homemade slices, accompanied by poached pear and sprinkled with cinnamon and icing sugar. Yummo.
Breakfast "Pocket" - A sandwich with scrambled eggs, peameal bacon, caramelized onions, garlic mayo and tomatoes. The sidekick was a potato salad that was equally impressive, with dijon and dill notes.
Traditional Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, bacon and home fries. Executed very nicely; the bacon was thick and crispy, eggs were ultra fluffy and the home fries were well seasoned.
This place really shames the popular chain breakfast restaurants. It also sets itself apart from the typical drabby scene that makes you want to go back into bed; this place encourages you to wake up and go.
I am a fan for sure.
Not as amazing as the hype and the line suggest, but a great breakfast spot nonetheless. The service was friendly and I dig the homey, Value Village inspired decor - appropriate given the clientele.
The menu is simple and prices are very reasonable. The waffle ($6.25), served with delicious poached pears, was quite good. The scrambled eggs ($7.75) were good, but nothing special. The eggs came with choice of 3 sides, we went for cottage cheese, fruit (aka poached pears), and some delicious buttered challah toast.
I also scored a side of potato hash ($1.75), which was absolutely perfect. The potatoes are super tender and nicely seasoned. The orange juice ($2.50) was great as well and tasted freshly squeezed.
A good cheap breakfast/brunch option.
Listed in: Breakfast and Brunch
the breakfast pocket is amazing - I have no clue what else they serve because it's the only thing I've ever ordered.
The decor is charming and retro - but perhaps could use a little update (if not just a good scrub.)
Thank goodness for their summer patio because this place is small!
Go early or prepare to stand in line.
Listed in: Best Brunch
I went here a long time ago, before I knew of yelp, and returned recently. The only issue for me is I'm vegan, so there's really only one or two things I can eat for breakfast at this place. which does suck, I know. Everything looks amazing. I just stared at everyone's food as it went by. If you're not vegan... go for brunch here! I like that's it's in house and has the old diner feel. It would be a cool place to take people from out of town. Except there's not much air circulation, so you'll leave smelling like fried potatoes, which is kinda gross and a pet peeve of mine, but whatever.
The potato salad is great. It's vegan. Vinaigrette based with some spicy dijon. Much better then the tradition mayo based potato salads. Other then that, I'm sorry I can't speak much to the food but I can tell it's delicious and it is a reasonably/cheaply priced brunch. Just a heads up, you'll be waiting a long time for a table and outside. There's only seating room inside, so don't go if the weather is bad!
To me, this isn't so much a fancy brunch place as a really great breakfast joint. The menu is short and simple; the eggs are PERFECTLY cooked.
I bow before a cook who can consistenly make an omelette that's firm and yellow, not burnt-brown and falling apart. Aunties and Uncles does this every time. The only other place I know in town that does is Jacques Bistro, where the omelettes are twice the price (and, btw, worth it).
When I saw the croque monsieur, I thought it was just a pretentious way of saying grilled ham-and-cheese on challah. But when I tasted the subtle dijon, I understood. It makes the sandwich.
We've lost most of our old-fashioned diners (Stem, RIP). Aunties and Uncles is carrying on the tradition. Bravo!
Once upon a time my friend Amy and I got drunk at a Christmas party one Saturday night. As we stumbled back to my place we discussed how great it would be to wake up early and go out fro breakfast the next day. We went to bed at 4 am. We woke up at 7 am.
We got to Aunties & Uncles at 8:45 am. And it was amazing.
First off? HANGOVER CURE! Yeah. Maybe it was the mix of great food and David Bowie playing in the background. Perhaps the cozy decor soothed our souls. Either way I felt fantastic.
The staff are super duper friendly cool. They let Amy and I in early because of the cold. They didn't get mad when I kept asking for water every two seconds. Thanks Aunties & Uncles staff!
Lovely! Be back soon!
Aunties and Uncles - Lippincott Street, Toronto - 3/15/10.
Yelp is a wonderful tool. With it, one can find the best places to try next if you have no other ideas of where to go. When you're looking for breakfast, for example, just search for that and pick away. Mrs. Bellyman did so the night before and turned up this Aunties and Uncles place in TO. It had all of the criteria that made it sounded like a perfect place for food:
- looks a little dumpy
- great food
- extremely limited seating
- eclectic atmosphere
With all of the proper variables in place, Belly Family headed over to fuel up for the day. So glad we did! Bellyman went with the omelet of the day, which was a tomato, asparagus and some kind of cheese (sorry, it was a very esoteric one Bellyman has never heard of, so Bellyman has forgotten it. It was only there that day, anyway.) It came with a side of grilled potatoes (they called them home fries. Bellyman repeats: if they're not FRIED, they're note FRIES!) and, get this: challah bread toast!
Mrs. Bellyman had the eggs and potato salad (Bellyman knows. Weird combo, right?) also with challah bread toast, and a side of yummy, salty peameal bacon. Little belly had the banana pancakes. Belly Parents also split a serving of home made ketchup (catsup?)! Gotta love a place that makes their own ketchup (catsup?)!
When Belly Family was done with breakfast, there was nothing left on the table but plates. Every single bite of food was devoured, it was all just amazing. The staff was friendly, and service was fast. Mrs. Bellyman would be hard pressed to drag Bellyman to another location for breakfast when in Toronto!
Verdict: Bellyman approves!
Tied for my favorite breakfast/brunch place during my vacation in Toronto. The side street location was pleasant for sitting on the patio. The downside to the patio is shared tables, where you get to listen to the adventures of a 20-something on their latest trip to Europe.
I really enjoyed the food. The breakfast tacos were great due to the bean/chorizo layer, but the eggs on top were just kind of there. I'm glad I took the advice of other Yelpers and had the potato salad for a side- delicious! I also really liked the daily pancakes my boyfriend got, though he found the plum topping too tart.
Overall a top notch place, and one I'd go back to if I had more time in Toronto.
Cramped, long lines and cold weather...minimal seating and a busy location. Somehow 'Aunties and Uncles' makes this recipe a huge success.
The interior is right out of the 50's, strange trinkets make for perfect conversation pieces and the food truly rocks. I've dined here once before, I remember it curing a hangover from hell and being impressive but I was super wowed today.
Great service, a grandma's kitchen stuck in time atmosphere and the much-loved refillable coffee will runnith over. God I love Canada.
Go for the specials, they taste fresh and are a little out of the ordinary for the breakfast hour. I dug into the havarti, cheddar, swiss macaroni with potatoes/sweet potato homefries and coleslaw. A side of braised pears satisfied the sweet tooth and food coma quickly ensued. Huge recommendation.
Really, who doesn't love home-style brunch food? Thank God for Yelp as I found this place on the fly in Toronto and it was really worth the walk over. There was about a 15-minute wait for the two of us, but again, worth sitting outside for.
The menu at Auntie's & Uncle's offers a somewhat eclectic home-style assortment of sandwiches, breakfast foods, burgers, etc. I had the omelet special, which had tomatoes, leeks and cheese and came with this delicious sweet potato-potato hash and excellent challah toast - Another place where portions are enormous! My friend had the breakfast burger (basically a burger with a fried egg on it) and that looked great too.
The service was really friendly and fast, and the place itself is adorable with kitschy retro decorations, a mish-mash of your grandmother's furniture and an overall fun vibe. The prices were excellent (I think my omelet was something like $7.00) and overall, this is a highly recommended breakfast or brunch spot. I look forward to coming back in the summertime when the weather is nice and we can sit outside.
Funky art on the wall - simple dinner set up but very hip vibe. I tried the French toast - and it's was rocking, not to soggy in the middle - bread was great and right amount of cinnamon.. Had to do the side of bacon...;)
Being over 30 and not to be found in tight pants or being in love with the 80s, I ended up resisting the urge to hit Sneaky Dee's. Just didn't feel like I was cool enough (and my stomach isn't in quite the fighting shape it used be). And I'm ok with that. For one, I felt myself getting even cooler cool points by going down the street and getting my breakfast at the charming hipster oasis Aunties and Uncles.
Impossibly perfect potatoes, comforting coffee and eggs to call home about -- it was all working here to make for a brilliant start to the day. Say yes to the Breakfast Taco! Service was casually awesome and even though I had to listen to our neighbor blah blah blah about her skinny dipping escapades in Europe for most of the meal, our outdoor picnic table setting was... lovely. Yes, lovely. One of the top five Toronto meals.
Listed in: Toronto or Bust
If I could, I would eat at Auntie's and Uncles every morning. I went there yesterday (after a long hiatus from going there) and was still so impressed. We luckily got in before the rush and waited only a minimal amount of time.
My BF's father started reading the menu and asked "where's the standards", which the gentleman serving us promptly said "you don't want standard". ... which is quite suiting for this breakfast joint. While my BF and his father chowed down on the breakfast hamburger, I stuck with my favourite, the Pear, Walnut and brie sandwich. I crave this sandwich in my sleep. I haven't even mentioned my favourite part yet.... I love being able to watch two cute guys make my meal in front of me... there's not hiding in the back ... their Kitchen adds to the atmosphere of the venue.
One last thing... I hope they never change the music. It makes my dining experience that much better.
This is the diner I was looking for when I was travelling across the country. A place that time forgot. A time traveler's dream. Where the clock is literally stopped dead, and lying on its side. Where the radios lining the wall haven't worked for decades. Where the people have never heard of yelp (gasp).
We came for here for breakfast and I got the breakfast pocket, which was more of a breakfast sandwich. The sandwich was pretty much what you'd expect, greasy, with much too much aoili, but otherwise pretty good. The hash-browns had sweet potatoes mixed in, which gave it a bit of color and flavor. The orange juice was freshly squeezed (at least we were told). Overall, the meal was a bit too heavy (or hearty, depending on how you look at it) for me.
The conversations were lively and friendly, if that's what you're into. A little back and forth between the cook and the customers to make the meal go down smoother. (Is that a saying?).
Listed in: My Trip to Canada
If you are in Toronto and havent gone yet, you better make some plans for tomorrow.
We were lucky enough to go on a day where there was a 2 minute wait while they cleared a table. The music was great (Billy Joel) and the place was cute/kitschy but didnt make you feel uncool. The staff was pretty friendly with all the patrons. Im pretty sure we were the only newbies there.
My husband left us at the door so he could go and try to find parking. We figured it would take lots of time to order and for the food to come. WRONG!! The service is super quick and the food was out in what felt like 5 minutes. I felt like such a loser telling the guy to please rush it cause we have an apt to get to across town. He had assured me it would be quick...i didnt believe him...and I was totally wrong.
The hubster had the cinnamon french toast with poached pears and was raving about them all the way through, i took a few bites and have to agree. I had the scrambled eggs with hashbrowns and poached eggs. The hashbrowns were so damn good, especially with the wonderful roasted garlic.
Our bill with a latte and cofee came to 21$ including taxes....awesome! See you again soon!
PS I would also like to include that they totally calmed down my son who was really not interested in being at a restaurant after waking from a nap. Thank you!!!
The day I learned I was within walking distance of this constantly name-dropped establishment, I had to prepare myself for the day I actually could get a seat for a weekend brunch.
It was glorious. It was kitsch and greasy and delicious and worth the wait and made me realize that Toronto is just that much more amazing for being home to Aunties and Uncles.
And then I learned that it is open during the week from 9 to 3. And I just can't get enough.
I only order one thing because I can't fathom not ordering it, so when I say that the grilled brie and pear chutney on challah is simply beyond, it is. It's beyond. Why would anyone ever order anything else?
Oh, and always order the hash browns.
I do have experience with ordering a variety of beverages, consisting of juice and coffee. Coffee has free refills, hurray, and the juice is always delicious but expensive for such a small glass. I personally recommend the water.
Anyway, the wait kind of sucks on the weekends, but if you can afford to go another time during the week, go then. But not all of you, because I really don't want to wait outside in December.
Oh, right, and the whole reason you want to go there to begin with is that it has a really awesome vintage kitsch motif. Check it out. It's not pretentious, it's fun. It kind of makes you want to pretend you live in the 70s, are roughly eight years old, have a shaggy bowl cut and a striped sweater tucked into your bell bottoms, in a completely nostalgic way.
And remember: it's cash only.
Arriving at Auntie's and Uncles kitschy little store approximately 10 minutes before opening I was glad to see that there was no line - given some of the reviews I expected something like Dottie's True Blue Café with people lined up 20 deep at opening. As the doors opened up myself and two others made our way in and were allowed to sit "wherever we like" - approximately ten minutes later every single seat in the place was full and a small line had formed. Handed a menu as I walked in I was oddly seated for nearly 15 minutes before orders were taken and coffee offered because two of the employees were actually sitting at a table eating their breakfast - not exactly professional, especially for a place so busy.
Once orders were finally placed I have to admit I liked AU's design and concept - incredibly fresh food cooked right in front of the customers and a set menu plus daily specials based on the cook's whim. Coffee was served quickly once my server finally finished up my meal, but unfortunately the only sweetener options were splenda and plain sugar - call me crazy but I quite like Equal. Coffee was adequate but certainly not designer - a relatively acidic blend no better than Tim Horton's - and refills were slow.
Arriving only ten minutes after I placed my orders, both plates were brought together and both were piping hot and fresh from the kitchen. Having spent the duration of the wait discussing the irony of my neighboring diners being Torontonian basketball fans and myself an Ohioan hockey fan I had to laugh when my neighbor stated that I "ordered too much" and that there was "no way I'd be able to eat all that" - he didn't even know about Nadege. Having selected one sweet and one savory, a "special" and a "menu item" I figured I'd have a nice sampling of what Auntie's kitchen could do.
Beginning first with the sweet special, Banana Ricotta Pancakes with cinnamon, fruit, and pure maple syrup - these were excellent. Having had ricotta pancakes once in the past and being largely impressed by the moist pockets of cheese but not sold on the cake texture, Auntie's and Uncles offering was vastly superior to the last incarnation with a light and airy dough laden with caramelized cinnamon bananas and perfectly complimented by the somewhat bitter yet bold maple syrup. While I'd have preferred the syrup warm this small oversight didn't hurt the dish and I was glad the kitchen didn't make the choice to slather the dish with butter like so many others do.
The second dish, a menu "savory" that I'd read rave reviews of honestly didn't fare as well as the pancakes. Entitled Grilled Brie with Pear Chutney and Walnuts on Challah, I honestly found the dish relatively lacking in flavor. While the bread was beautiful with a mild sweetness coming through the buttery grilled exterior, the pears were largely flavorless (strange given the season,) and the timid brie was vastly overwhelmed by the bitter/earthy walnuts. Well prepared, no doubt, and improved with the addition of some of the syrup from my pancakes, but definitely not something I'd order again - a sad statement considering my love of brie, pears, and grilled cheese in general.
All told I guess I just don't get the fuss about Auntie's and Uncles aside from the "cult appeal." While the pancakes were indeed excellent, the fact that they were a menu special does not assure them to be available daily and the overall "aloofness" of the servers was rather off-putting. Mediocre coffee, an average sandwich, a limited menu (and don't even get me started on the bathroom)...while I don't regret the trip and mostly did enjoy my breakfast at Auntie's and Uncles, in hindsight I'd have rather spent my money on some more of Nadege's delicacies.
Listed in: Best Breakfast/Brunch/What-hav…
This place is very good, but I think it has been overly hyped and have some doubts about whether it's really as good as its supposed to be, at least based on a single visit.
Decor is funk chic. I am sure the kitchen is very clean but the dining room does not appear to be so. I had a special of banana pancakes with walnuts, which were delicious. The egg dishes of other members of our party were good too. Though only open for 90 minutes at the time of our arrival, they told us they were already 86 on the waffles.
We arrived fairly early and a very short wait in line, though the kitchen was quite slow in producing the food. When we left, the line was way down the block.
My personal feeling about this place is that it is a pleasant place to go if there is no line, but I would not wait for two hours to be seated - it is not quite that heavenly. Given the small number of table and slow pace of the kitchen, any waiting line does not move very fast either.
Service was quite friendly and pleasant.
So...the consensus seems to be: It's busy on the weekends. No surprise there. Here's a tip: Go during the week.
This joint is indescribably charming. The decor is sort of shabby retro/rustic; the music is 70s light hits (think "Rhinestone Cowboy," "Oh What A Night," "Hooked on a Feeling," etc.); the service is entirely casual and the atmosphere convivial.
The menu is rather limited but you should find something to tickle your fancy, either sweet or savory. I ended up with the breakfast pocket, which is not pockety at all. It's a sandwich on a plain focaccia: eggs, peameal, cheddar, tomatoes, carmelized onions, and dijon/garlic aioli. I loved the Turbo from Lakeview but this sandwich was nothing short of phenomenal--the perfect combination and balance of ingredients. Maybe my favorite breakfast sandwich in recent memory.
The simple, lightly dressed green salad was good too, as was the fresh orange juice. There's nothing to disrecommend this place except that they were apparently having problems with wasps on their patio.
I am going to briefly write about a couple of the few spots from the Toronto trip. First of all, Philadelphia has a superb restaurant scene. While I truly believe that Jonny, Tim and I hit up the best brunch spot in the city (at least top three), I rattled off a half dozen from my hometown that topped it.
So Sunday morning in Toronto we roll up to Auntie and Uncles. At 10am we had to wait about 25 minutes for an outdoor table, which wasn't bad at all. The decor on the place totally rocks. It's a tiny spot, and most of the tables are outside. There's an awing that can extend to cover the whole dining area, which is great. Inside is decorated with cool, old kitchen and home antiques. All the food was cooked in an open kitchen right in the middle of the joint. Everything about this place was cool.
Our servers were very nice and mostly attentive. The menu was pretty small, but everything looked great, and no one minded. There were also a few specials for the day. I really could have ordered a few things off the menu and been happy with my choice. We all put our orders in and enjoyed the perfect weather. I had the breakfast burger, which was delicious, from the bread and meat to all of the toppings. Best part was the potato salad that came on the side. I'm not sure how they make it, but it's super. All of the food here was delicious (I tired Tim's fish tacos as well) and the portions were perfect.
The best part might have been the price. Compared to what we normally pay in Philly, this place was cheap! $35 brunch for three with coffee and a nice tip? You bet. If you're in Toronto, I recommend making the trip out to this great little spot.
I just went to A & U for an early weekday lunch and feel like I should be writing a review, even though I don't have anything much different to add than what previous posters have said...
What I can emphasize is that if you have the chance to go at an off peak time on a nice day it's pretty unlikely to disappoint... very relaxed, lots of space, capable service.
As for the food, the sandwich special I had (challah bread, egg, peameal, avocado, cheese, I forget the oil/seasoning they used) was excellent and more than filling. Personally I wasn't blown away by the side dill potato salad, for me it was ever so slightly soggy but good otherwise... maybe I'm just not such a fan of potato salad.
Very good value. Sandwich and potato salad side - $8.50, coffee $1.50, plus tax and tip.
Listed in: College Street kinda from…
Aunties and Uncles is everything everyone says it is. I had the breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs, chorizo, red cabbage and salsa. The menu said it came with coriander sour cream on the side, although mine tasted nothing like coriander. You have a choice of potato salad, green salad or hashbrowns with your breakfast and I chose the hashbrowns. They were total pan-fried yukon gold and sweet potato goodness. Comfort food if ever I've had it!
As is my m.o., in addition to my savoury dish, I ordered a sweet dish -- in this case, the cinnamon french toast. They make it with challah bread and it was simply divine.
I asked for a cafe au lait and the server sort of stared at me, so I explained that it's just a latte with more milk and less foam. She brought me something that was perfectly fine, but I don't understand why it's not on more menus? As I was leaving, a table was seated next to me and someone asked for a cafe au lait. I just smiled to myself. :-)
I was a party of one and had to wait about ten minutes before I was seated, even when I got there at 9:50am on a Sunday. Be prepared to wait. Whatever time you spend waiting, though, will be given right back to you ten fold once you take your first bite at Aunties and Uncles.
Listed in: The Sport of Brunch
If you expect to wait less than 30 minutes for a seat at Aunties & Uncles you'll be grumpy and disappointed. Just accept the fact that you'll be waiting a MINIMUM of 30-60 minutes and you'll be a much happier brunch attendee. Just be thankful that they have a spacious awning and benches for you to sit on while you wait, unlike some other popular brunch places. Also, if you're a large group (4+) please don't come to Aunties because there's hardly any room for you.
Now that those sobering facts are out of the way, let's talk about the actual food. I ordered the scrambled eggs combo with hash browns and toast. The toast was of the challah variety with sesame seeds on top but it wasn't 'sweet' egg bread the way I like it. It was semi-buttered but an extra bowl of butter came our way so I was happy about that. The hash browns were actually just boiled and fried potatoes and sweet potatoes and they were SUPER good. The scrambled eggs were poorly cooked (kind of soggy) but I was so famished by the time our food came that it nearly went unnoticed.
With only two people sweating up a storm in the kitchen I was surprised how quickly our food came. I love the washrooms in this place - the one upstairs is literally an original "apartment bathroom" with a curtain, bathmat and other things that make it seem like you're in someone's apartment.
Get here early to avoid the dreaded peak brunch line! You might "only" have to wait 30 minutes! Bring a book and make sure it's something by Dave Eggers, Miranda July or David Sedaris so you'll fit in with the other hipsters in line. Faux eyewear recommended.
Listed in: Serious Brunch List: Toronto's…
As others have mentioned, don't come here if you're looking for a quick bite to eat.
Arrived at around 11:30 on Sunday with a group of 4 and probably didn't get seated until around 12:40. Ah well, once inside you'll find that it's quite comfortable with a lot of cool, albeit, moderately kitschy decor.
Basic brunch options with a couple of neat twists including breakfast tacos which are usually my "go-to". All reasonably priced (under $12).
Come here with good company and a bit a patience and you won't be disappointed.
Ohhhh.....brunch. One of the greatest amalgamations of two words and always delicious, especially if you have it at Aunties & Uncles. It's gotta be the cutest little brunch place tucked away on Lippincott with a great outdoor space and eccentric decor.
I've walked by during peak hours (think Saturday and Sunday hangover mealtime) and the lines are just ridiculous. Bonus, you'll be able to hang with a bunch of hipsters out front and look cool (umm...yeah). Seriously though, if you can make it here during the week or at off hours, you likely won't have to wait, and may even score a coveted bench on their patio area, which is lovely in the summer.
Friendly service, and their signature potato salad that they serve up as a side is really worth trying. Also, try the breakfast tacos and you won't be disappointed!
Toronto, ON
Neighborhood: Riverdale
Neighborhood: Queen Street West
Neighborhood: Palmerston
Toronto, ON
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