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Average Joe's Café
Categories: Food Bagels Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
161 Baldwin StUnit 1
Toronto, ON M5T
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 7 am - 4 pm
Sun 8 am - 4 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
15 reviews for Average Joe's Café
15 reviews in English
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Review from Liora I.
Toronto, ON
12/17/2010
Joe's is my fave!
This humble cafe is tiny but well worth it!
Joe and his brother know all the locals by name and/or order and although their menu is small and simple, it is always freshly made and served with care. Who doesn't like food like that?
Their London fogs are top notch and in the summer they make watermelon slushies that are the best treat on hot day. -
Review from U U.
Toronto, ON
4/18/2012
I was buying a toasted cheese bagel (vegan!) at Sadie's, and needed some coffee to go along with it. I glanced across the street and noticed Average Joe's.
Pros:
-This place is cute. Low ceilings, Brick walls, picture's of the owner's friends (presumably) on the wall and the shiny espresso machine all come together to make a cozy and tidy little coffee shop.
-Service was good!
Cons:
-The double americano was surprisingly potent - perhaps a little too strong - but the espresso was great quality. Not too acidic. -
Review from Tara E.
2/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a small little place! I've walked past it for years, but never noticed it. I was looking for a place for a Thursday 11am brunch (harder than it should be). Well, Yelp showed some good review for this place, and it was in the right area, so we (Alysse R) and I decided to give it a try!
Options are limited (4 choices), but good. I had the "average joe's breakfast" which included two eggs, three pieces of chicken bacon, a potato cake, and half a fried tomato. My friend ordered the baked eggs. I really enjoyed both dishes (Alysse was kind enough to let me taste... and I just realized that I did not repay the offer... BAD FRIEND.)
Coffee and tea had free refills, and as we sat we saw lots of regulars come in. The owners knew not only their names, but their beverages of choice.
We sat for over an hour and enjoyed our breakfast. Two breakfasts with a coffee and tea (with refills) came to about $17. Money Well Spent.Listed in: Eating Near U of T, T.O. Brunching
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Review from Alysse R.
Toronto, ON
2/23/2012
I visited this place today for the first time. So nice and cozy and friendly.
I had the baked eggs ($6.50, coffee not included), and I thought it was really different and delicious. It came with a nice salad, delicious bread, and a sort of potato pancake, which was good for dipping in the baked egg. Good coffee, and nice tea selection, too!
There are not many items to choose from, so beware if you are picky. Also, someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I couldn't spot a bathroom......?
I will certainly be back for more. It's great to have a cheap brunch in the market! -
Review from Avitania B.
Toronto, ON
2/23/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Average Joe's is an excellent choice for a hearty, yet still cheap n' cheerful, breakfast in Kensington Market. For under $6, you'll get a heaping platter of eggs, grilled tomato, bacon, thick pieces of homestyle bread, and home fries (which is really a baked and broiled potato with some sort of savory crunchy seasoning thing that is far tastier than it sounds). I mean really, you can't go wrong! And lest you feel guilty about eating swine, their bacon is made from chicken. And it actually tastes like bacon! (I don't say that lightly. I am, after all, a girl who likes her bacon.)
Even though this was my first visit, Joe and his staff warmly greeted my dining companion and I like we were regulars. Cozy is definitely the word -- the place only has five tables. When we arrived, it was not crowded and we were able to sit down right away. The food takes a little longer than your typical egg-slinging greasy spoon, but that's because they cook everything fresh to order. No heat lamps here!
The only negative note is that the menu is extremely limited. There are only 3 menu items, so if you don't want one of those three, you're kind of screwed. But if you want cheap eggs and bac-ey to go with your wakey wakey, then stumble on over to Average Joe's. -
Review from Kate S.
Toronto, ON
$5.50 plus tax "Hungry Joes" at Average Joe's: two eggs, sausage or chicken bacon (wtf is that made out of?), homefries and toast. Coffee ($1.75 not included but free refills and tasty)
Would not get this again: sausage was whatever, homefries even with hot sauce & salt were so bland that I ate a bite and glared at the rest with perturbed disdain for the remainder of the meal, eggs and toast were good but if I had known they had a Montreal sesame bagel breakfast sandwich with eggs and cheese ($3.50) which isn't on the menu, I would have ordered that instead.
Total with tax and tip $10 and I'm eating a toasted English muffins two hours later as I write this. Not returning and made me wish Avenue Open Kitchen was open on the weekends.
Note: Cash only, coffee not included, great service, exposed brick wallpaper, 10 seats.
Average Joe's 161 Baldwin, open everyday 7-4pm -
Review from Vivek S.
Lurking in the concrete alleys of Toronto, are mysterious and evil forces that hate sleep (let's call them "slumberdaemons") that conspire to rouse you at an ungodly hour. Slumberdaemons care not that it is the weekend, or that your bed is warm, or that there are barely any passable non-chain options open for breakfast before 7am. The slumberdaemon cackles at the sight of dark circles under your eyes, and the sound of your rumbling belly, and your screams of anguish under the slant of the rising sun.
But I had a secret weapon.
"Step back, foul beast!" I cried to the slumberdaemon, and I unsheathed my Black Sword Of Yelpeus, i.e., my smartphone. The slumberdaemon cocked his head in confusion as I tapped fervently against the glass, placing my finger squarely on the button marked "Open Now." Average Joe's appeared on my screen and the creature was felled; sucked into a vortex and banished into the folds of the still-sleeping city.
Anyway. Average Joe's is an impossibly tiny breakfast joint in Kensington Market. The owners are beyond friendly and a warm greeting awaits you as you enter. There are only about six tables in here, and a long bench against a wall covered with faux-brick wallpaper. It's actually immaculate inside, and the place smelled it had just been hosed down and disinfected. Not a greasy spoon at all.
Breakfast specials are the way to go. I ordered the "Average Joe" which is two eggs, chicken bacon or sausage, grilled tomato, home fries, and toast for $5.50. Solid deal. The toast is thick, the potatoes are crisp and tasty, and the eggs are light and perfectly cooked. The chicken bacon was well, chicken bacon. I can't complain.
With the exception of the Jazz FM playing on the radio (y'all know how I feel about the jazz) this was an exceptional place to grab breakfast. Your options are somewhat limited but what's on offer is delicious and cheap. Take that, Foul Daemons of the Night.
Obligatory Title Pun: Your better-than-AVERAGE JOE.
Menu Readability: Meh. Our menu was marked up like it was about to go to the printer. And strangely all the prices were corrected DOWN?
Need to mention: They serve breakfast all day.
What this place teaches me about myself: Wow, have I been reading too much Piers Anthony or what?Listed in: Dirt Cheap Eats
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Review from Jamie F.
Toronto, ON
Absolutely adore Average Joe's. I stumbled across this gem one day while wandering around Kensington Market getting increasingly hungry and cranky with the other over crowded breakfast options in the area. It's a small cafe tucked away that you could easily miss. Steady customers but never too busy, I have never had to wait for a seat.
The owners recognize me and are always super nice and the atmosphere is relaxed. The coffee is good and the prices are fantastic for an excellent classic breakfast. Though I've tried the baked eggs (and they were good!) I tend to stick with the "Hungry Joe" brekkie of scrambled eggs, toast, potatoes, tomato and your choice of turkey bacon or sausage because it's just so damn good.
Eggs are fluffy, toast is fresh and thick sliced, and the potatoes are fantastic and well seasoned. Very hearty without the heart attack attached that you can find in some overly greasy breakfast joints, Average Joe's is certainly not that. This is home cooked goodness each and every time which will keep me coming back for sure. -
Review from Dixie Q.
Toronto, ON
6/19/2011
I've been coming here since late last year. It's my routine to my Saturday morning grocery and meat run in Kensington Market. I first stop at Average Joe's for a cafe latte before I do my grocery run. I can't say I have done my shopping if I have not started here. It's just the perfect start to a wonderful shopping experience.
What I like about Average Joe's is the brightly lit (natural light), cozy space. You think it will be full but once inside, to your delight, you find a free table. Joe always greets me with a smile, whether I'm a regular, the Saturday regular or the every other Sat regular. His genuine and warm smile makes me feel welcomed. I notice he knows the locals and talks to them and greet them just as welcoming.
Unlike other hipster coffee shops in the Market, where they scowl at your and will only greet you warmly if you are friends with the person working the counter. Another thing I dislike about those places is how dark they are!
Finally, their cafe latte is a delight! I'm not a coffee drinker but I absolutely adore their cafe latte. I sip it. I relax. I daydream. Heck, I once was eating tortillas I bought from Emporium Latino and they did not scowl or admonish me for bringing outside food!
It's a true oasis and laid back coffee shop, and I will continue returning. After all, it's my Kensington Market experience! -
Review from Eva R.
Toronto, ON
8/17/2011
Let me start by saying that this place knows how to do it right! They make food with FRESH ingredients & the fact that it's a family run business, you just feel like they are feeding you right in their own dining room. They do not have a whole lot in their menu but try anything & you will immediately see what i mean. It's food & service done right! It's one of those places where you feel good after being there:).. Say Hi to Joe when you are there, he is usually the guy lovingly preparing your food for you. Oh and did i say that the food there is CHEAP! This place should have a spot in "The Best Brunch/Breakfast place in Toronto".
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Review from Angela L.
7/30/2010
"What the heck are baked eggs!? I'll get one of those." is how our love affair with this humble little cafe at the cusp of Kensington and Chinatown started. On an earlier than usual weekday morning while most shops in the market weren't even open yet, we followed our noses (to the smell of freshly brewed coffee) and the flow of the Chinese seniors into Average Joe's.
Every seat out front was filled with people-watching locals who clued us in to the cafe's cheap and cheerful vibe. Once inside, the friendliest barista/chef/cashier and a woman who (I assumed was his mother) cheerily greeted us from behind the counter of the open kitchen. There were surprisingly more than a few seats and tables in the considerably small room. We snagged the storefront corner table and ordered ourselves our coffees. Despite the unavailability of decaf and the espresso being far too strong (for my picky ex-barista tastes), more milk was happily added to dilute my iced latte to perfection.
The three super cheap items on the food menu include a classic breakfast, baked eggs, and spicy noodles. Now, back to the baked eggs. Two extra-large eggs (one cooked to medium, the other to well - how they do this in the same pot remains a mystery to me) and chopped tomatoes baked to perfection and served with buttered crusty toast wedges, a mountain of hearty home fries, and mixed greens topped with Cornuts (of all things!) and balsamic vinaigrette. It was already all going swimmingly until we were advised to try dipping the toast into the runnier part of the baked eggs - at which point, we melted and went to breakfast heaven. -
Review from Amie T.
Toronto, ON
6/1/2010
A classic breakfast for $5.50 - eggs, sausage or bacon, homefries (made from real potatoes!!), a slice of tomato and toast.
The coffee is quite good too.
& Free Wi-fi!! Just ask them for the password.
It's nothing fancy or especially special, besides the price, so it gets 3 stars. It's just good, cheap eats.
If you know a place for even cheaper version of this breakfast...let me know. -
Review from Mia Z.
Toronto, ON
2/5/2011
Cheap friendly tasty great coffee
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Review from Chris W.
Toronto, ON
5/25/2011
I discovered Hungry Joe's a few weeks ago and have been back several times since. Liora's previous description as humble is quite apt as the space is pretty small (3 or 4 tables).
The menus is also limited to a few breakfast choices (haven't eaten here other than for brekkie/lunch), but they it so right. The $5.99 Hungry Joe special has perfectly browned sausage, great homefries, fluffy scrambled eggs and splendid coffee.
Fantastic genuine service is also a major plus a this place. -
Review from Bill S.
3/7/2010 1 photo
I found Average Joe's while wandering the Kensington Market area off Chinatown, and instantly fell in love, making it my home-away-from-home for this visit. A small (25' x 30') family-owned cafe w/seating for 15 max (never full while I was here), in business for 9 months, specializing in espresso drinks, bagels, and grilled breakfasts in Winter, and special homemade fruit slushies (like Watermelon) in summer when the neighborhood is at its most alive with activity. Open 7-7 M-S, and 8-6 Sunday. Loving and cosy, the appeal is as much in the mixed ethic clientele as in the food. I LOVED it!!! Free wi-fi for now, could change. Tell the brothers - Albert and Joe - that Bill sent you.
