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Cora's Breakfast & Lunch
Category: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
5111 Northland Dr NWSte 360
Calgary, AB T2L 2J8
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 6 am - 3 pm
Sun 7 am - 3 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
17 reviews for Cora's Breakfast & Lunch
17 reviews in English
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Review from Cathy S.
4/25/2011
This would be 5 stars but for the huge lineups virtually all of the time.
I ordered the 1990's Harvest which consisted of an egg, bacon, a massive pile of fresh fruit and a French toasted cinnamon-raisin brioche. Absolutely delicious and extra props for having turkey bacon and providing a nice medley of fruit beyond the cantaloupe and honeydew served at other establishments. The portion size is massive and try as I might I could not finish it. When you figure that I was so full that I didn't eat anything again until late that evening, it is good value for money as well. -
Review from Ryan K.
Calgary, AB
2/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
It is late so I will keep this one short. I went here with a friend this weekend and it was only a mild step up from Phils. We decided at the time to over look some of the issues with the food but upon returning home and sitting down to write this I decided to check out their website. You see, like most times I eat, I ate a lot of food that morning. I ordered two breakfasts, much to the servers surprise and easily downed them both. Seeing that it was Super Bowl Sunday and I was eating all day I thought it would be fun to tally up my calories for the day. Well their website does not have that info but they do have an online comment card. So naturally I filled it out, well low and behold I received a phone call today from the owner, I will be calling her back tomorrow and will be writing an updated review based on that call. My current scoring for Cora's is based on food quality but I suspect that the phone call will raise the score based on customer service. I was impressed that they called and look forward to sharing with them our concerns about the food.
On a positive note the wait time was quick and the service was just what we needed that morning. -
Review from Charity T.
Calgary, AB
1/22/2012
When this location first opened up, my brother and I were super excited because a friend of ours has recommended their south location but we live in the very NW, and never had the chance to give it a try. We went several times with different parties on different occasions in the first year. The general experience was quite good with smiling servers and heaps of fruit, making it worth the slightly pricey breakfast and long wait. If I were to rate this Cora's then, I would've gave it a 4. Portion sizes are okay depending on how much you eat. It is okay for me, but not enough for my younger brother. Prices range from $11-15 for most breakfast items. Add $3-5 if you want coffee drinks, juice or smoothies.
After not having gone for about a year, my friends and I started visiting again this past holiday season. The lines were just as long as we remember, averaging about 20 minutes before they could seat a table of 2 on the weekend. If you have a party larger than 4, expect a long wait. They also no longer seat your party unless everyone is present.
Unfortunately, I could only give my recent visits a satisfactory rating of about 2 (hence the 3 rating to average it out). I don't know why but the quality of service and food seemed to have gone down. Both of my recent visits, service was slow and waitresses just didn't seem friendly or cared about helping us. We waited about 30 minutes for our food, and not once for either visit did the server come back to refill our drinks even though our glasses/mugs were empty. We were also given empty bottles of ketchup both times and had to ask for new ones.
On one visit, my meal was supposed to come with a large portion of fruit on the side (taking up about half the plate according to the photo). When I ordered, I asked them for no melons (I really dislike melons), only to be disappointed that they did not replace the melons with a larger serving of other fruits. I suppose the melons were supposed to take up a majority of the plate, so I ended up with a good third of the plate empty, with only a strawberry, a few grapes, and 3 slices of apple to make up this "mountain of fruit". Could they not have substituted the melons with maybe some oranges,kiwi, banana, or pineapple? Guess not.
On a more recent visit, I asked if it were possible to replace the toast with something else. Instead of offering options (at additional costs if required), or even half an apology, all I got was a hasty "no". Would it be so hard to switch out 2 slices of toast for some breakfast potatoes or a crepe? Seems like every thing on the menu is take it or leave it, and despite the wide variety of items on the menu, you can't customize an order to have just the combination you want.
Then when our meals arrived, the potatoes and vegetables with our food were both severely undercooked even though it took them 30 min to make it. My friend's egg benny had really runny and separated hollandaise sauce which ran across the entire plate and drowned her fruit, much to her dismay (she didn't eat some of her fruit because of it). The strawberries with our order were also too raw, and my grapes were too old. Pretty much, a lot of things about the experience in general were a let down and we didn't finish our food.
Sadly, I don't think I'll be visiting again in a while. I don't know if it's bad luck or if they really aren't as good as before, but I will be looking for a new brunch hangout. -
Review from Lonnie T.
11/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I tried to have breakfast here two weeks ago on a Sunday morning. I wasn't at all surprised at the huge lineup considering the buzz that this franchise has generated. Because of the wait my family and I decided to eat elsewhere.
I returned today on a cold wintery Friday morning. There was a line again but it was far shorter. We were seated within ten minutes and were immediately served coffee. The staff were very friendly and quick to come to our table throughout our meal.
The menu looked really exciting and we marveled at the photos of delicious breakfast with heaps of fruit. I ordered the Cora's Special (they put their business name on it, I had to try it). My father ordered a breakfast panini.
When the food came to the table my father and I both commented to the server, "It doesn't look like the pictures!". It really didn't. My meal was very plain looking and was served with one small strawberry and a sliver of melon. The bacon was overcooked, the potatoes were under cooked. The most interesting thing on my plate was a small crepe with a slice of ham and a breakfast sausage on it. Same story with my father's plate. Underwhelmed by the serving of fruit and the crepe wrapped omelette was as plain looking as it was in flavor. We were both thankful that we had ordered some hollandaise sauce on the side. The serving of food in general was enough as neither of us were hungry when we finished our meals.
The price was very reasonable for what we got, but I'm disappointed. I thought this was supposed to be the most amazing breakfast place in all the land. I might return with lowered expectations if it is convenient. -
Review from Brad C.
7/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I would like to be able to give four stars for this, but there are several factors that bring the score down. Not surprisingly, other reviewers have had this problem as well.
Chez Cora is super popular with the breakfast and lunch crowd. This has the effect of producing line-ups. But it does not seem that volume is so much the problem as is speed. The servers and bussers appear to be very slow - VERY slow - at clearing, cleaning, and re-setting tables after patrons finish and leave. It seems that this problem is the kernel at the core of the long lines. With this in mind, I do not recommend Chez Cora for parties larger than about five or six people. It just takes too long to put enough tables together for such groups, unless you get there really early, I suppose.
That said, the food is fantastic! Once you are seated and the specials are explained, things are often much faster. While French-style breakfasts are not generally supremely healthy, they don't have to be un-healthy. You just have to be careful what you order. I got the western omelette, which was both different and delicious, and was served with a side of fresh fruit. The fruit servings change seasonally, so is rarely made up of the same things on different visits. I personally do not like melons, but this time around there was only one piece, so it was not a problem.
As at least one other reviewer has mentioned, the bright, open layout and design of the dining room is reminiscent of early grade school, but that just makes it more fun. -
Review from Cornelius V.
Calgary, AB
7/5/2011
On one hand, it's nice that this place serves fresh fruit (as it gets for this city) as plentiful as it does. But it's a French style breakfast, so I wouldn't go insofar to suggest that this place is healthy. It's not. But eating out for breakfast is not about healthiness. Unless you're an idiot. I digress.
On the other hand, this place looks like my classroom in grade 2. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Calgary, AB
4/17/2011
Wow is this place BUSYYYY! I've only been here a few times and they always have a big long line..must be a good sign! My boyfriend and I went on Saturday around 9AM and there was a bit of a line..maybe 4-5 groups ahead of us. I think we got lucky because the groups ahead of us were maybe 4+ people and we were only a group of two. The lady came out and said "table for two?" Spence and I kinda waited for the people ahead of us to go but nobody was going! And she said it once again..."Oh!...us!!" ...woohoo! we got to cut the line! Once we got sat, we were greeted with a lady with a french accent (ooh i love french accents!) and she was very sweet, suggested foods and drinks.
I got the cocktail of the day and Spence got OJ, the drinks are kind of pricey but the food makes everything worth it in the end. I got the Cora Special (eggs, sausage, crepe, ham, potatoes, bacon and fresh fruit) Spence got a ham and swiss crepe with Hollandaise sauce and fresh fruit and we shared a strawberry and nutella crepe! (SO GOOD!!) Everything was really good and filling, the hollandaise sauce was very good, I dipped my potatoes in it!
In the end, we were stuffed so we walked around the mall to make our selves feel better and watch the Cora line get bigger and bigger.
A must try for breakfast/lunch!! They're open 6AM - 3PM. -
Review from Jeanette H.
Calgary, AB
3/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
First time I went to this place it was at the 130th location a while back. Just my daughter & I around 11 am on a Tuesday. That may explain why there was no line up. However, should you decide to visit this place on a weekend at any given time expect to wait a while. A long while. The menu has a wide variety of choices for every palate whether you want an omelet, pancakes, crepes etc... The fruit that accompanies your meal almost makes the long wait worth it. This is my third time visiting a Cora's in Calgary, but this time I think the line up did me in.
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Review from Kitty C.
Calgary, AB
7/18/2011
very generous and good variety of fruits served with french toast cinnabun. Not bad. Not worth lining up for though. Solid meal and good sized portions.
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Review from C T.
Calgary, AB
2/16/2009
Wow! I'm so happy there's a Cora's Breakfast & Lunch opened in the NW in the Northland Village Mall. The food is amazing!
If you are looking for healthy, fresh food and fruit, this is the place to go. My party ordered the following:
- Buckwheat Blessing - 3 sausages rolled in buckwheat crepes with shredded cheese and the rest of the plate was covered with fresh cut fruit. The plate was a feast for the eyes as the fruit nicely decorated the plate.
- Spinach and Cheddar Crepe - the whole plate was covered with this crepe and a wedge of cheese in the middle of the crepe. Fruit was the garnish.
- Western Omellette - came with fruit, roasted potato and toast, garnished with fruit
- Crepe with fruits - you can douse it with maple syrup that is provided on the table
- Coffee - love it!!
A big thumbs-up for me as I'm always looking for healthy food in restaurants. -
Review from Sapna G.
Calgary, AB
9/23/2009
As some of you know, I'm on the lookout for a favourite brunch spot in Calgary. After having lived in Chicago, where they officially have the BEST brunch spots in the world, I NEED to find a local place that gives me heart palpitations.
Everyone and their dog has been talking my ear off about Cora's. So naturally, I decided to try it. Gotta be honest - I wouldn't say it's all that.
Yes I love the fact that Cora's serves a multitude of breakfast dishes that are ALWAYS garnished with a beautiful heap of fruit. Yes I love the fact that their booths are comfy and everyone who is there has a big smile on their face. Yes I love that they are TRYING to be my new favourite brunch spot, but you know what, no cigar. The service was fine but my omelette itself was nothing special. The coffee wasn't great and there wasn't a million things on the menu that I was DYING to try.
I can tell you right now, I'm not going back. It just wasn't 'WOW-Worthy' and the place I'm looking for will be.
Stay Tuned. -
Review from spaniel l.
Calgary, AB
3/6/2009
After watching a segment on CBC's Fortune Hunter's about the success story of Chez Cora, I just had to go and try out their food.
Let me start by saying that the wait was long... I went there extra early (8:30 am) in hopes of avoiding the crowd but did not succeed.
The restaurant is definitely family friendly with plenty of dishes to choose from.
Overall I was happy with their food and excited over heaps of fresh fruit but somewhat disappointed with the coffee and the juice.
As for the value , expect to spend at least $ 20 per person for a main dish and a drink. Also, if you happen to pick the weekend brunch hour, you may have to be patient with their slow kitchen. -
Review from Eric B.
Calgary, AB
1/23/2010
Good food, but man what a wait. The food is fairly similar to other places we've eaten, so nothing special there. The only thing that I was surprised at was the amount of fruit you got on the plate. Which probably accounts for a good portion of the cost. If it was less busy (ala more than one in the city) I would probably like it more.
Great for breakfast, but would probably choose somewhere smaller and quieter most weekends. -
Review from Dan T.
Calgary, AB
9/1/2009 2 photos
Cora's was a big disappointment for me. I had heard nothing but good things, but sadly it doesn't live up to the hype. I had breakfast here with my fiancé and was really looking forward to it. The long lines show just how popular this place is. Fortunately, the line moved quickly. While the service was decent, the food was not. The food at Cora's is on par with Denny's except with lots of fresh fruit. I had eggs benedict with asparagus & Swiss cheese and my fiancé had a western omelette. While she enjoyed her omelette, I found my eggs benny to be cold and flavourless. The fruit was okay. With so many good breakfast places to choose from, I won't be returning to Cora's anytime soon.
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Review from Wilbert C.
Calgary, AB
11/25/2009
I loooooooove this place. Only been to Cora's twice but loved it. I had the 1990s Harvest during my first visit and was so impressed with the amount and quality of fruits on that dish. Then on my second visit I had the Blessing Banquet which again impressed me. The only problem is that I love the 1990s Harvest so much that I might just order it again every time I'm there.
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Review from Eric W.
Calgary, AB
2/3/2011
Great food...terrible service which is understandable given how packed this place is almost every day of the week.
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Review from Christopher W.
9/17/2009
So after shopping with my cousin at Market Mall on a Sunday morning and getting packed for my flights back home to Los Angeles, my cousin and her parents decided to take me here for brunch. I've had crepes in LA before but Japanese style, sweet and savory. When I walked into the mall from the parking lot the line was really long! Waited about a good 20 to 30 minutes to get seated. My cousin and I ordered the Bobby Botton which was an omelette inside a crepe. I chose an omelette that had everything in it, but forgot what it's called but it had a "10" in it. The Bobby Botton came with potatoes and was a huge portion. I also ordered a strawberry banana smoothie. The smoothie was fresh and thick and very refreshing with a piece of carambola "starfruit" as garnish. Although the line was a bit long, I believe it is totally worth it and the atmosphere and menu are very appealing to kids. The price is definitely worth it and will be here again when i'm in the Calgary area.
