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Le Petit Déjeuner
Categories: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants Belgian Breakfast & Brunch, Belgian [Edit]
191 King St EToronto, ON M5A 1J5
Neighbourhood: Corktown
(416) 703-1560
- Hours:
Mon 8 am - 3 pm
Tue-Fri 8 am - 10:30 pm
Sat 9 am - 3 pm
Sat 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Sun 10 am - 3 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
82 reviews for Le Petit Déjeuner
Review Highlights
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"Apple coleslaw on the side was refreshingly delish." In 14 reviews -
"The waffles were fluffy and the eggs were perfect." In 26 reviews -
"...be back for the amazing waffles (and to try the eggs benny." In 7 reviews
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82 reviews in English
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Review from bold c.
Toronto, ON
Recommendation - Strong Buy, Repeat and Recommend to your friends
30 Sec Summary
-----------------------
1. Coffee is meh
2. Service is excellent
3. Eat during the week - weekend brunch is brutal and seating is limited
4. Ambiance is circa 1960's/1970's with a hint of the 30's thrown in for good measure
5. Tables and seats are tight
6. Apple Pancakes with Maple Surup are delicious and wonderful
7. $35 for two orders with coffee and bacon
8. Parking is at a premium in the area -
Review from Faye C.
5/13/2012
Had brunch here with 2 gf's. The server was pretty nice. But I'd have to agree with Lauren M, that it is a bit slow. Hard to find parking on the street, so take transit if you can.
I ordered a savoury crepe with seafood. It was tasty, if not a bit...wet? Their slaw was ok also.
One of the girls ordered something like a grilled cheese with it had apples in it (also ok), and my other friend had a regular breakfast crepe. -
Review from Lauren M.
4/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Decent little spot for brunch with a perfect breakfast menu.
Likes: portion sizes (on the small side, which I prefer), nice traditional diner vibe/decor and food quality was OK.
Dislikes: Slow-ish service (not terrible but definitely on the slow side) and long wait for a table.
Prices were reasonable. If you were a guy and hungry, you'd probably be unsatisfied with the portion size.
I had the Hungry Gal breakfast special with two eggs, hashbrowns, apple slaw, toast and peameal bacon. Food was quite good. Apple slaw sounds exciting but was kind of blah. I think my meal came to $13 with tax and tip.
Had to get up a few times to retrieve my own condiments, etc.
Would probably go back if I was in the area, it's very close to the SLM! -
Review from Miss M.
5/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
This fun funky place is a great way to hang for breakfast. If you sleep in, not to worry cause this joint serves brunch until 3pm. Listening to the Smiths, Queen is Dead Album quietly playing in the background while we sit on glittery dark green banquettes that are surprisingly comfy!
The service is fun and casual. Plays into the theme.
The croque monsieur is one of the best that I have ever had. A classic grilled ham and cheese. However, the bread is incrediblely fresh, topped w/ melted gruyere cheese.. Hmmm. The eggs Benny were cooked perfectly but the hollandaise was loaded w/ viniager. I suppose someone's hand slipped. Oh well, this place is not one that will be perfect but i would suggest sticking to things that they know... Waffles and croque monsieur's...don't go to this place of you're in a rush and all we be cool. In and out, 2ppl for under $30. -
Review from Roberta A.
Toronto, ON
4/17/2012
I went there on Sunday morning with my friends. We realized there would probably be a wait to get in but what we didn't realize was that the place had a lot of 2 seater tables so we waited a good 45 min. The food was ok but the experience was pretty much ruined when my friend gave her money to my other friend to pay. She gave 17 dollars for a 13 dollar bill (way over 15%). The waitress then accused my friend who was trying to pay that she had only given her $10.00. My friend tried to explain to her that this was not the case and then the waitress said "Ok, we'll just pretend that you gave me enough."
In other words, it's not worth the wait. There are a lot of other good brunch places near St.Lawrence Market that have better food and service. -
Review from Melanie W.
Toronto, ON
3/27/2012
I once read that this place had the best eggs benny in the city.... this may be true but what really did it for me was the Croque Monsieur. Delectably rich and beautifully paired a light salad.
The line up down the street for weekend brunch is worth the wait.
Just make sure you don't have any dilly-dalliers since they won't seat you till your entire party has arrived. -
Review from Daniel O.
12/29/2011
Have worked about a 5 minute walk from this place for over a 8 months and only found my way in today for a late breakfast, early lunch.
Always has a line on the weekends, figured it must be good.
Arrived on a Thursday at noon, was able to get a table for 6, think it was just that we were lucky, after being seated, there was a line-up until we left.
Ordered drinks, coffee and ceasars all around. Their ceasars are amazing, just the right amount of spice. Coffee is also decent, better than most brunch spots in the city.
I opted for the Croque-Monsieur ($10.95) that comes with a side salad of mesclun greeens, apple slaw and a paprika mayo dressing. The sandwich was buttery good, chalk full of delicious ham, dijon mustard & smothered with very tasty cheese. Also sampled the Eggs Benjamin ($14), eggs benny with smoked salmon. Also good, the eggs were poached perfectly. Someone at the table ordered the Toast Champignon (10.95) a half bagel piled high with sauteed mushrooms, onions, herbs and a poached egg. It looked amazing. The side of rosti looked to be french fries though.
Service was good, they could have used a third server as both were pretty swamped.
Overall, a good brunch. -
Review from Marie F.
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
*** 2.5 stars***
My friend recommended this as a meet-up location for a little brunch and catch up. I showed up first and encountered a bit of a lineup which is to be expected for most decent breakfast joints. I go to the front of the line and my friend told me he was about 5 mins away. I told the waitress I needed a table for two but since my friend was not here she declined to seat me. This is ridiculous for two main reasons 1) it's not like I was asking her to hold a table of four and I was the only one there... there were two of us and he was 5 mins away. 2) There was a table for two available and all the people behind me were parties of three or four so no one could sit there anyways!
Once my friend arrived we were seated. The menu was pretty good but nothing really screamed out at me. I ordered an omelet which was pretty tasty, but not incredible. The entire meal was ok and they'd probably get the third star if I wasn't forced to wait outside but honestly this place is nothing special. If someone wanted to go here I would probably be ok with it but I probably wouldn't go back on my own account.Listed in: Breakfast and Brunch
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Review from Esther W.
Toronto, ON
I had their eggs benedict for my brunch. it was great~ they were all fresh ingredients. But the bill came to $13 something...The service was nice, and the service speed was prompt. So I went back another time with 5 friends for lunch. But we were disappointed that we couldn't get their Beef Stew because we were there early:( . We will definitely go back again...
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Review from Pascal P.
Toronto, ON
12/6/2011
I have been on the hunt for the best brunch in Toronto. After relentless searching I decided to go with Le Petit Dejeuner which has been very well reviewed. When we got there we had to stand outside(might I add it was raining) in a lineup waiting for it to move slowly. After about 10 minutes I had a good view of inside where I saw a table that was empty but had yet to be cleared...10 minutes later the same table was still empty but not clean. I being a server find this particularly annoying to be stuck outside waiting when there is a (dirty) table inside screaming my name...
Alas we finally made it inside. We had already mentally prepared ourselves for sh*tty service. On to the food... I ordered the Eggs Benjamin which was ok. not bad but nothing to write home about. My co-part ordered a Belgian waffle which came out cold with butter and a minimal portion of syrup.
The worst part.... while i was doing my research one of the things that I noticed was that while looking at the menu for Le Petit Dejeuner is that brunch is served until 6pm...So when at 3pm I am witnessing the "bartender" rudely signalling to prospective customers that they are now closed I was a little more than shocked. When our server came over I asked by they were turning people away when their website states that they are open and serving brunch till 6pm. She had no answer other than they were closed and she hasn't seen the website...
I will never go to this restaurant again. -
Review from Emily K.
Toronto, ON
I had brunch here today with husband and my cousin who was visiting from out of town. We ended up here as a result of a Yelp search for a breakfast joint near the St. Lawrence Market area. Happy with the 3.5 star overall rating that this place got, we decided to venture on in. While we weren't sure if they were open, due to the dimly lit interior, we took a chance and walked in. It wasn't very busy inside, and with no one there to immediately serve us, we decided to just find a table and have a seat (turns out that exactly what was expected of us). We were very promptly greeted with a friend hello from someone who soon became our waitress. She brought us our menus and was quick to ask if we needed a drink (of coffee of course!)
While we sat and enjoyed our coffee, we perused the brunch menu (served until 6pm). Our waitress gave us lots of time to do so, which was good, since it was so hard to decide what to get. I was very intrigued by the apple coleslaw that seemed to come as a side to many of their dishes. I wanted to try it so badly I looked away from meals that did not list it as a side. (I later learned that in fact it comes as a side even when not listed).
Between the three of us, we each ordered something very different. I ended up going with the Eggs Veronique, which was poached eggs a top an upside down English muffin with sauteed bell peppers and caramelized onions, topped with a lemony hollandaise, served with a side of potato rosti and apple coleslaw. Every component of my dish was delicious! It was just too bad that it was a bit too much food for me to finish. That is not to say the portion size was too large, because in fact it was a great size, I just did not have a big appetite this morning.
While I was tempted by the waffles on the menu I did not go for them, but that did not stop my husband trying them. He ordered the Waffle Benny, which is essentially eggs benedict (without the English muffin) with a side of waffles which were topped with a light dusting of icing sugar. His dish also came with a side of apple coleslaw which he too enjoyed.
Not being an omelette lover I did not go for one but my cousin did. She ordered the 3 cheese omelette which included swiss, goat and cheddar cheese all mixed with fine herbs into the omelette. Each bite delivered a taste of all three cheeses. This dish also came with a side of coleslaw and potato rosti.
I will certainly be back again and in fact I recommend this place to anyone looking to get away from some of the commonly frequented breakfast chains within the city core. -
Review from Glen M.
Toronto, ON
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Arriving at Le Petit Dejeuner it was a good sign that there was a line up, but bad that it was such a cold and blustery morning. The other reviews had mentioned that the place would be worth the wait. A sign on the window indicating an oversupply of peaches had allowed a special on peach Bellini's to be on offer was also a good sign. Particularly for brunch.
The first few lucky people waiting in the line had made it into the ante-room to keep warm and we only had a few people in front of us. The hostess came out to mention that she had seats for two at the bar and we took the offer.
The bar seats gave us an immediate feel of the place, the hostess welcomed us and the place felt more like a shared space than a café, with the hostess coordinating everything. The benefit of being at the bar meant we could order and receive our coffee orders immediately. Seated with coffee and food ordered. Magnifique.
Considering that the place was fairly full, I had settled in for a bit of a wait, nothing that I was not up for. I was surprised when after what seemed like only minutes the food arrived. The Eggs Benjamin I had ordered it was noted by the hostess is made with salmon they smoke themselves. The dish was great, good balance of flavour and particularly nice with the lemony hollandaise that was clean and light. I am not normally one to select any kind of Eggs Benedict or varieties due to the sometimes over rich sauce which most places slather over everything. LPD however has done Eggs Benedict the way they were intended.Listed in: Yelp 30 Day Challenge
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Review from Anabel L.
Toronto, ON
8/31/2011
There's nothing better than sleeping in...though the definition of sleeping in changes depending on who you ask. For me, it's 10 am. And there isn't a lot that can get me out of the house on a Sunday, except brunch. I love brunch, you'll see. It's my favourite meal of the day.
There are so many great places to have brunch in Toronto. Each with its own merits and character. But there is only one place that fills my heart with pure joy. J'adore Le Petit Déjeuner. It'd be a hidden gem if it weren't for the line up. The fact that I'll wait in line for this place is the first sign it's damn good. I'm not a big fan of waiting for anything - instant gratification, it's one of my downfalls.
PD, as I like to call it, is a funky restaurant that's just big enough to accommodate you and the few friends you can stand that early in the morning. As soon as you settle into one of their vinyl green booths, a server pops up to see what you want to drink. Their coffee is great, and as you can see, the service is perfection. Sold aren't you? It gets better. The menu has something for everyone from Belgian waffles to eggs bendedict. The dishes are perfectly seasoned, garnished, and delivered. They have a killer apple coleslaw - simple, crisp and fresh. You leave satisfied and full on flavour, not grease. My personal favourite is the eggy bread aka french toast. It's perfectly fried challah bread with the right amount of fresh fruit and a dollop of cream. Mmmmm, bon appétit I say. -
Review from Jonathan S.
York, ON
10/5/2011
As close to the movie "Amelie" as you're going to get in the Big Smoke, Le Petit Dejeuner sits just far enough from the madding business crowd to make you forget that you've basically crawled through the office district in order to make your brunch date.
If you're a daytime dater this is almost the perfect spot; a long, narrow room with near doll-sized chairs, tables and tchotchkes.
Narrow booths and tables are perfect for conspiring or canoodling over mugs of strong coffee.
The seating arrangements may feel cramped if you're on the tall or leggy side, and this is no place to go if you're worried about stashing your briefcase, coat or shopping trip trophies. Better to hold off nearby St. Lawrence Market with its random antique fairs until after.
Le Petit Dejeuner demands patience at the outset. Would-be patrons queue up for weekend brunch, which is really what this spot is all about. If you don't speak French, I'll translate. Le Petit Dejeuner means the Little Dejeuner. I think that "Dejeuner" means death; but then, "the little death" might be an odd name for a French diner for more reasons than one.
Unless you're early, the line snakes around the sidewalk, and while you appreciate not being rushed once you make it indoors, you wish to God that the people ahead of you would just take their coffee and waffles to go.
There's franco-diner classics for sale elsewhere on the menu, but to be honest, I just ignore them in favour of the breakfast selection. Scratch that. I ignore most of the menu except for the waffles benedict.
I pause to note that I've eaten other menu items here.
The ubiquitous apple slaw is cute, but quality varies wildly with the season. In Fall, it's tart and crisp and cuts nicely through the rest of the richness. Made with storage or foreign apples, it's a wan and mealy distraction from serious good eatin'.
Rosti are hashbrown's European identical cousin, or latke's shikse goddess girlfriend. They're also golden brown and deliciously crispy.
The waffles benedict are testament to the power of the carb; elevating the English-muffin based classic to full-on foodgasm. I've tried innovative starch-based bennies elsewhere, and always found them lacking: latkes go limp beneath still-damp poached eggs, while donuts just dissipate. The waffle's brittle fused crust is a perfect vehicle; its wells catch runaway egg yolk and lemony Hollandaise, and segment for proper rationing against back bacon. I like to think I'm not greedy, but dude, one egg and one slice of peameal for almost $12 just leaves me begging for my next hit.
Now, if only Amelie would return... -
Review from Angela L.
8/4/2011
Le Petit Dejeuner is one of those quaint little Toronto brunch institutions that I wish I loved, but just don't. It's taken a number of tries over the years to finally get through their doors and actually be sat down, so maybe my one and only experience had been overly anticipated. A more likely explanation though, would just be that in the many times that I've gone elsewhere for brunch instead, I usually had much better.
To start, the freshly squeezed orange and apple juices were very good. This obviously doesn't happen to everyone, but my eggs benjamin (with smoked salmon) featured a hair in the hollandaise. I spotted it after my first bite and the very apologetic server was surprised, but happy to replace my meal. Unfortunately, this took longer than my brunch date did to finish his very conservatively portioned eggs and waffles, so it was kind of a bummer that we had to watch each other eat in turn. I was glad to know that my meal must have been recooked though after all that time. The side of "apple slaw" that came along with the benedict turned out to be a disappointing and unevenly julienned pile of apple sitting atop of mixed greens and drizzled with dressing and nothing like the colourful and flavourful marinated coleslaw featuring apples that the name had conjured up in my spoiled imagination.
I also thought the service was nice although hurried. I wasn't expecting a free meal, but it should be noted that there were no comps or discounts after the unappetizing curl was found on my plate, just a promise that it hadn't happened to anyone else' dishes. Between that comment and my brunch date's assertion that he never sends contaminated dishes back, I was almost made to feel that I was making a fuss.
Although the food wasn't half bad and I liked the decor quite a lot, I'd be hard pressed to come back again. There are plenty of much better brunch spots out there and with people still lining up at the door at 2pm, there is little reason for the less than perfect food and service recovery to improve. -
Review from Sarah P.
Toronto, ON
12/3/2011
I love this place! Just came back from my third visit. I have tried three different things, and each has been equally delicious. Atmosphere is warm, quirky, and inviting.
They have a very delicate way of handling food, items express their own flavours without being overwhelmed with sauce or salt. The waffles are the best I've had, and that includes a little stint in Brussels - home of amazing waffles. This morning I had the 'Waffles Benny'. AMAZING! The waffles were fluffy and the eggs were perfect. Creative and interesting combination - I've never seen anything like it.
We had to wait in line outside for about 20 minutes, totally worth it! There is always a line for this place on the weekend - for good reason. You won't regret waiting, and they have a good system to make sure everyone gets sat within a reasonable time. The servers are well equipped to handle the load as well and don't seem overwhelmed or rushed. Great service!
Fish cakes are also delicious and I recommend adding them on the side - I didn't like fishcakes before this, now I can't keep away from them. -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
10/23/2011
3.75 Stars. (I don't know...I just can't pull the trigger on 4 stars.)
I had the spinach omelet, which was quite good, and my wife and cousin both had the Toast Champignon with a Poached Egg. They both quite enjoyed it.
Highlights
- friendly, attentive and quick service, even though they were FULL.
- VERY good coffee (which they served to the people that were lined up outside on a chilly morning. A nice touch).
- space has a lot of character
Lowlights
- potato rosti was chewy/tough, tiny and lukewarm. Pre-made and warmed up?
- one piece of non-nondescript, boring toast.
- bathroom had grungy caulking behind sink, broken mirror, and accumulated dust on exhaust fan.
Definitely worth a try.
NB I heard someone say "the French Toast is to die for!"Listed in: Breakfast places, Diners, Greasy Spoons and…
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Review from Dmitry T.
Toronto, ON
2/11/2012
Food: 3/5 . good quality. Medium portions, not enough for big person. Slightly overpriced $11-12 for 1 portion with no drink.
Waiting time: 2/5. Long line. be Ready to way 10-20 min. Tight sits.
Very busy place
Will NOT come back
:) -
Review from Vivian W.
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
We always have brunch along queen west, king west, Bloor & Bathurst area....so we thought may be we should explore some of the brunch places in the east side too and found this place from yelp....but we are a bit disappointed and here are my comments:
1. Portion was small (I ordered the plain waffle and added two sides, a sausage and a scramble egg. The sausage was $3.25 but they just give you one small piece and it's very dry
2. Quality of food was just so so
3. Waffle was not amazingly special
4. No ganish (e.g fruits or salad). Basically you get what you ordered and what they described on the menu.
I have been to better brunch places in Toronto. Thanks god the wait was not too long for us that day, maybe 10-15 minutes. -
Review from Li P.
North York, ON
7/18/2011
This is a great joint for breakfast at any time of the year. I went there with a friend and I ordered a Brussels Fruit Waffle. It was relatively delicately made and was served on a big plate. I haven't tried anything else yet, but from the waffle I can tell this joint goes way back.
The only thing for me that took a bit away from an awesome experience there is the service. The place is packed with people and it seemed hard to find seats, because of how busy they are, the servers seemed a big disorganized. We had different servers come up to us asking the same questions and we ended up with four glasses of waters. But I wouldn't blame them so much since they are good enough to attract so many people.
Its a nice place to go, I recommend it! -
Review from Jess W.
Toronto, ON
5/22/2011 2 photos
Came here around 2 on a Sunday afternoon. Luckily it wasn't too busy and my boyfriend and I were able to get a seat immediately. I was a little worried since I've heard this place can get pretty busy.
I knew Le Petit Dejeuner is famous for their waffles, so we ordered the authentic Brussel's style waffle - "light, crispy and SO delicious." They really were light and SO delicious! Definitely some of the best waffles I've had. The serving isn't very big (it is only one waffle, cut in half) and you certainly won't be full just eating this given how light they are.
For my main, I was debating between the eggs benny and the breakfast crepe. Since I always order eggs benny at brunch, I decided to switch it up this time. Big mistake. The breakfast crepe (filled with three cheese mix, peameal bacon, two scrambled eggs & spuds) was disappointing. It lacked flavour and probably could've used a bit more seasoning. However, the apple slaw that it came with was very refreshing and enjoyable. I should've just stuck with the eggs benny - my friends later told me that they do it really well here.
My boyfriend ordered the smoked salmon omelette. This was another mediocre dish, nothing special. It also came with the apple slaw, which he enjoyed.
This visit was a little disappointing... but I'd definitely be back for the amazing waffles (and to try the eggs benny)! -
Review from Juliana H.
Toronto, ON
8/19/2011
I really enjoy this restaurant. Having previously lived very close by, I've been here numerous times for brunch, lunch, and dinner, I feel qualified to say that I've never had a bad meal here. The soups are particularly good and I enjoy the crepes. The portions seem reasonable for the price and I've never walked away hungry.
The brunch is just too busy though, and I refuse to go during peak time because the wait is too long and there is no real place to wait inside, so you are forced to hang around outside which is doable in the summer, but not so good in the winter. This is the reason why I can't give it 5/5 because it is often inaccessible (honestly, it's more my fault because I'm too impatient).
My favourite experiences here have been the prix-fixe dinner ($25) because it was much quieter and allowed for a leisurely dining experience. -
Review from Simon L.
Toronto, ON
7/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ok. Short review here.
1. A short wait about 10 mins.. That wasn't bad the waitress was polite and really nice...
2. Portions are really small. About half the size of the breakfasts that are at Insomnia. The potato was like the hashbrowns they sell @ Tim Hortons!
3. Service was very poor once you sat down. We were ignored like 5 times.. that blows
4. Food was sub par. Overbooked sausage. Poor salad and a very standard waffle.
Hmm. Hate to say it but I likely won't be coming back. I had pretty high expectations for this place as Laura C put up a good review..
Back to Insomnia for me! -
Review from Lisa C.
3/20/2011
Had it not been for the offensively rude waitress, I would have given this place a higher rating. And it only gets a 2* because of the super sweet, attentive and all-around lovely server (guy) who had to put up with the sour-faced minx that Sunday, March 13th over the brunch shift, otherwise it would have been awarded the lonesome lucky star, or strike in this case.
The food was yummy and the server went out of his way to accommodate the lack of options on the menu and if I was to judge the place on food alone, I seriously have no complaints. My meager 2* goes hand in hand to the awful, obnoxious and down-right callous front of house who passed the most insensitive, untoward comment after watching the atrocities of the past week unfold on the news airing on the TV. She really made me want to vomit. -
Review from Jessica H.
Toronto, ON
12/28/2011
It's a hole in the wall restaurant but it dishes out great food!
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Review from Yin L.
6/22/2011
Mmmm breakfast! What a great way to start our beautiful sunday in Toronto. Although we had to wait for about 20 minutes I did not mind it one bit!
The quaint interior of this place really sets the mood for a delicious breakfast. I had the eggs benny with onions and roasted bell peppers on a muffin and I loved every single bite of it.
Apple coleslaw on the side was refreshingly delish! Unfortunately the potato crostini was not that great!
Of course I had to pick my curiosity when I saw Liege on the menu. I never had liege before and I always see it everywhere. I decided that I was finally at the right place and time to try it! The liege was good. It is pretty dense with a sweet flavor profile. Great as a snack but not as a meal.
The best part about this place is that not every item on their menu is laden with cheese! Yes, I am not quite a cheese person. Cheese to me is like tofu to a Westerner. Every time a breakfast place loads up on cheese I have the heavy, greasy and sleepy after effect but this place definitely does not leave you feeling like a piece of lard.
Now, if I can ever get Texas to stop loading up on all the greasy stuff in their breakfast joint :P -
Review from Justine H.
Toronto, ON
10/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Restaurant: Le Petit Dejeuner
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch
Location: St Lawrence Market
Address: 191 King St E
Price Range: $10-15
1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very Good 5: Excellent
Food: 3
Service: 4
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 3.5
Extra information:
*Specialize in Breakfast and Brunch
*Wait gets long over the weekend
*Special Green Apple Coleslaw
*Known for Waffles
First of all, I am not much of a Breakfast or Brunch person. I do occasionally enjoy pancakes drenched in maple syrup and the scrambled eggs with cheese, but I never go out of my way to plan a brunch outing. Sure, the whole concept of getting up a little late on weekends and going for a brunch does sound relaxing, but I'd much rather spend few more hours in bed and go for huge lunch instead!
However, occasionally when there is a spot that's much raved about- I do like to scramble out of bed early and give it a try. Le Petit Dejeuner is a neighborhood brunch place that's constantly praised for their special breakfast menu as well as their waffles.
I got there around 9:55AM on Saturday morning expecting a long lineup at the front according to other foodie reviews. But when I got there, it wasn't busy at all and didn't even have to wait (not complaining). The restaurant looks small from outside, but once you walk in- there are more tables near the back past the bar area.
Once I walked in, there were 2 people working but none of them looked my way. I stood there for good awkward 60 seconds before one of them noticed me and sat me down at a booth for 2. I was waiting to meet a friend there, so I decided to order a coffee and read through the menu (that i already stared at for good 10 mins the night before as I always do).
Ordered: Toast Champignon with a Poached Egg 3/5
*A halved bagel topped with sauteed mushrooms, herbs, onions, bacon and served with a potato rosti and apple coleslaw for $10.95
*I asked my eggs to be cooked thoroughly because I don't like runny eggs unless on top of fried rice
*This is not a big dish but decent size for breakfast and bagel will fill you up
*Overall presentation has home-dining feel to it
*Came with lots of mushrooms on top and the eggs done just the way I asked for it
*It came with Sesame Bagel so make sure to ask if you are allergic to seeds
*Bagel was kind of hard
*Overall kind of dry, but this might be because I asked for the eggs to be cooked all the way
*I asked for hot sauce (ketchup would work as well)
*Was looking forward to apple coleslaw that everyone liked so much
*Sweet tangy julienned green apple pieces with carrot pieces topped with creamy tomato sauce
*I think I would enjoy it more if the sauce was something lighter, something that wouldn't overcome to sweetness of apple
*Potato roti was thin, burnt and dry
Ordered: Eggs Benny with Peameal Bacon for $12.95
*Ordered by my friend and I didn't try any so I can't comment but she said it was good
*She mentioned how the Hollandaise sauce is very lemony
Other than the awkward 60 seconds when I first walked in, the service was absolutely fabulous. I don't mean fabulous as in they treated me like a queen, but they were there when I needed them. It was probably one of the friendliest service I've ever received in Toronto that felt genuine. They always checked up on us time to time and refilled my coffee/water.
Plus, even when there were people waiting at the door for tables, I really appreciated the fact that they didn't try to rush us out (not that we stayed there for that long anyways).
Bill was $14.50 plus tip for my breakfast and a cup of coffee
Summary: If a friend was in town and wanted to check out a brunch place, I would def bring them here.Next time, I am trying their waffles. -
Review from Elvis A.
3/30/2011 2 photos
I have marked all the places that serve Delirium Tremens and intend to try them one by one. Finally had a chance to try one on my list. This was an easy pick considering the positive feedback it has here on Yelp.
My friend and I showed up at 7 and the place was almost empty. After ordering our Delirium Beers we went through the dinner menu which surprisingly is not viewable online. My friend settled on the fish and chips and I went for the seafood crepe. I guess I was expecting a more French menu as the sauce for my crepe was asian inspired. Not bad and considering the price we paid I think it was good deal. Will visit again for sure (3 Star for the food and adding 1 star for the beer :) )
They have all you can eat mussels on Tuesdays and Wednesdays BTW will give it a try if I get a chance.Listed in: Beer Luvers Rejoice!
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Review from Alison I.
Mississauga, ON
6/3/2011
I found this place online when I googled "best brunch in Toronto" - with a name like "Le Petit Dejeuner" they HAD to know one or two things about breakfast - and boy did they ever!
Best eggs benny I've ever had - and I have been slowly making my way across the GTA and Mississauga on my endless search! Perfectly runny with a nice citrus-y hollandaise sauce. My friend and I were split on their apple coleslaw... I loved it, but he wasn't quite sure. I told him he was wrong :P At the end of the meal, we both left extremely happy and full.
The decor is great - i love the vintage and brightly coloured green booths. You get a real homey feel when you walk in and you could see that they have a solid group of regulars that have become friends.
We got there just before 11AM on a sunny Saturday morning - what a great way to start a weekend! We only had to wait a couple of minutes for a seat, but by the time we left, there was a line up, so get there early if you want to sit right away.
I've been recommending this place to everyone who mentions anything breakfast/brunch related. Can't wait until my next visit! -
Review from Kevin L.
6/17/2010
According to thefreedictionary, a petit dejeuner is "a breakfast that usually includes a roll and coffee or tea." That does not sound like a breakfast to me. That sounds like a tease.
Fortunately, at Le Petit Dejeuner (the capitalized one), I crammed my face full of plenty of things in addition to a roll and coffee. Coffee was had. Oh yes. It was had. And much of it, since it was chilly, gray, rainy, and miserable out.
However, for -my- petit dejeuner, I subbed the damn roll for a giant honkin' plate of crisp greens and one big-as-hell croque madame. You know the kind... with crispy buttery toast sandwiching savory dead pig, all topped off with a gooey egg. Admittedly, my egg wasn't so runny, but that suits me just fine. And I was way more interested in the butter and meat on the croque than anything else.
This joint was shockingly dead considering how pleasant the service was, how much I enjoyed my meal, and the reasonable (although it's not cheap, by any means) price. I kinda wanted a petit nap after my petit dejeuner, though. Not gonna lie. -
Review from Jon W.
North York, ON
11/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
The wide range of ratings on this place is totally understandable. It has many things going for it... Good food, charming ambience, and a real buzz. However, the small size and almost always busy atmosphere can make the whole experience totally frustrating. So your experience may vary.
As for me, I love the waffles, and their eggs benedict. The eggs flourentine was also delicious, and if you get served in time, the food is wonderful.
The problem is that it really depends on when you go and what kind of crowd you're facing. -
Review from Miriam W.
2/25/2009
We probably should have heeded Kat F's sage advice about groups and Le Petit Dejeuner but four of us turned up there on Sunday anyway.
We waited at least 30 minutes outside. I was freezing. My Canadian companions didn't think much of the temperature nor the tiny snowflakes that occasionally landed on our coats.
When we got to our table I promptly ordered a hot chocolate (everyone else had coffee). My cocoa was prepared just to my liking - in a tall glass, not too sweet.
I contemplated the entire menu but in the end chose to go with the plate that provided the most options: The Hungry Gal - two eggs, toast, potato rosti, apple coleslaw and peameal bacon (aka Canadian bacon). The Canadians ordered pretty much everything else on the menu - apple pancakes, Belgian waffles, french toast. And you better believe I tried them all!
In sum, brunch at Le Petit Dejeuner was worth waiting outside in the cold for! -
Review from Kat F.
Updated - 8/30/2009 4 Check-ins Here
After a long flight back to Toronto I was craving brunchy things and remembered a Yelp tip I once read about the fact that Le Petit Dejeuner is open during the week for brunch. I gasped and promptly marched into LPD to collect some food.
I was lured in by the melted cheese and apple sandwich - note they don't call it a grilled cheese - with soup of the day (tomato lentil) for $8. Oh, those crazy Belgians!
Moments after I ordered the A/C broke down. What ensued was a Louisiana style heat the likes of which I've never before endured. It was like I'd been transplanted straight into the bayou or the set of "A Time To Kill". The heat was relentless and it didn't help that I was right next to the kitchen.
When my soup arrived it was flanked by a spoon the size of Jupiter. No joke this was a serving spoon for Andre The Giant. When I called the server over and he asked what the problem was I screeched: "MAH SPOON. IS TOO BIG!!!"
This didn't even elicit so much as a smirk or grin from him. Either he didn't find the skit funny, or -- gasp -- didn't know what I was referencing (the more tragic of the two options).
http://www.youtube.com...Listed in: Serious Brunch List: Toronto's…, Best Toronto Eggs Benedict
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/11/2009
A word of caution: don't go to Petit Dejeuner for brunch if there are more than 2-3 people in your… Read more »
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Review from susan c.
10/1/2009
We'd trekked all the way to M&B, looking forward to some good thin-crust pizza for dinner when a sign on their door stopped us like a third-wheel cock blocker: "Closed. Private party for hospice volunteers tonight." WAAH!*
So we searched the culinary wasteland around King & Sherbourne and settled on Le Petit Dejeuner, which is primarily a brunch spot but we were prompted by their charmant interior and chalkboard sign offering moules frites.**
We started with the soup du jour: French onion soup ($6). The broth was rich and heady but I wish it had been served in one of those cute little crocks, the kind that allows the cheese to bubble over and get all crusty along the sides. And I wish the chef didn't have such a heavy hand with the fresh thyme because I had to keep picking the thick, woody half-chewed*** stems out of my mouth.
Next up was a wacky salade Nicoise ($11) that was composed with mayonnaise-y tuna salad, dabs of mashed potato, and big shards of papadum. It was a salad that had traveled from Nice to middle America by way of New Delhi. Quel bizarre.
Luckily, the LPD moules frites ($14) did not disappoint. A big towering portion of mussels arrived in a creamy rosé sauce fragrant with herbs and coconut milk, and a thick slab of of buttery challah toast. The frites were hot and crisp, made only more delicious by the house-made mayo.
The wine list is short, and much like their Nicoise salad, scattered across the globe with Dao from Portugal ($35) and Cab Sauv from California ($40), to name a couple.
LPD does offer good value for the price in a charming space. I think one way they keep prices down is by short-staffing. We only saw one sweet-but-frazzled waitress that night who had to play host, bartender, and server to the 14 or so customers. So, yeah, the meal came at a "leisurely" pace.****
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* At least the closure wasn't for a bunch of corporate douchebags.
** And it was hella cold! I'm not used to these temps in September!
*** Half-chewed by me otherwise that'd be ew.
****And by leisurely, I mean "I'm gonna choke a bitch if I didn't get some food soon" kind of pace.Listed in: Fry Me to the Moon, It's Not Rocket Salad
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Review from Tammy Y.
6/1/2009
I, like many of my fellow Torontonians, adore my breakfast. I also adore my family.
Front on either of these things and you're in trouble. Front on both of these things simultaneously and you're getting an angry Yelp review.
One lovely weekend afternoon I decided to take my family here for brunch after hearing much hubbub about how delicious and charming the place was. After arriving and waiting in a quick-moving line (that was a treat) we were happily seated at an indeed charming table with charming decor and charming sunlight. What can I say, I was charmed!
We placed our order... but after waiting almost 45 minutes for our food kindly asked our server how much longer it might be. We could see that it was busy and understood, but we saw tables seated long after us already digging into their teensy waffles. We received naught but a rude "We are very busy now and your food is almost here". Hm, okay.
After waiting for another 30 minutes, we asked again, and this time, she checked with the kitchen. Lo and behold, the order was never put in. At this point my family and I had been there close to 2 hours with no food, hungry, and frustrated. The decor wasn't looking quite so charming anymore. Shortly thereafter they quickly brought out our plates separately. A couple of us were already finished our plates before others had even gotten theirs (given, a couple waffle slices doesn't take too long to finish when hungry). When the pancakes (last to arrive) were cut into, they were oozing uncooked batter. Seriously?!
This was a 3-hour ordeal, and while the the manager offered to give us the meal on the house (we paid for half of it anyway) I left wishing we'd just gone to McDonald's for a Sausage McMuffin Meal. At least we wouldn't have left fuming. No matter how good an establishment's food might be, poor customer service is enough to leaving nothing but a bad taste in your mouth. -
Review from Jennifer N.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 2/22/2009 ROTD 11/9/2009
Yes, you will wait... a loooooooooooooong time to get seated here. So when we took Miriam here for brunch, we made sure she was bundled up. We waited about 30 mins or so. The servers would check on us once in a while to give us an ETA. We were unwilling to split up in 2s so we kept on waiting...outside.
But once we got inside, we decided to go for the gold. Usually, we'd order one dish per person. But this time around, the four of us ordered six dishes - steak eggs benny, apple pancakes with a side of bacon, the hungry gal (seriously kitchen sink), eggs benny, waffles and french toast. And yes, we ate it all. The food is always excellent here; it's the service that's hit and miss.
This time around the service was quite good. A little rushed and frenetic, they actually stopped when we flagged them down. One of our servers has a great sense of humour; always nice when you're frozen and starving. The only hiccup for me was when they informed us that they ran out of maple syrup and only had Aunt Jemima. UHHHHHHHHHHHH ok. What can I do? I took it anyway.
Anyhoo, LPD deserves 4.5 stars but is only getting 4 for the Aunt Jemima incident.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/8/2008
Breakfast/Brunch is hands down my favourite meal of the day. That being said, I'm quite particular… Read more »
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Review from Hana B.
10/2/2009
I visited Le Petit Dejeuner on a Saturday afternoon, thinking it'd be a change from the usual spots I go to, and its a nice walk from home. When I arrived at the place there was one person in line, waiting for his other 2 friends to arrive, so my boyfriend and I stood patiently in the enclosed glass cube between the street door and entrance, waiting to be acknowledged by the staff.. and we waited.. and waited...while many tables emptied up, before we were acknowledged and invited in to sit. I wouldnt really have had a problem with the wait, as long as someone said "oh hello, give us a few minutes". I thought it rude for the servers to walk by many times without saying anything. Also, they were pumping "Daft Punk - One more time" as we waited for breakfast. I don't really enjoy listening to daft punk while eating, let alone for breakfast.
We were finally seated, and told they were out of smoked salmon right when we were handed the menu. Smoked salmon is my favourite part of brunch, so this was turning out to be a disappointment already. On top of that the tables were really close to each other, and it seemed like the 2 loud obnoxoius girls seated on the next table, were almost at ours, I know this isn't the establishments fault, but the closeness of the tables and the club beats pumping just added to the unpleasant experience.
I ordered the Toast Champignon, which was salty, and needed the extra hollaindaise sauce that I ordered to make it acceptable. The coffee had a strange taste to it which i couldn't really place. The Apple coleslaw turned out to be the best part of my meal. The service was slow to non-existent, as they forgot to bring us some stuff we ordered and had to request it again (and this is when there were quite a few empty tables, so they were not very busy),
Overall, the decor of the place was nice, and the ambiance would be good if they stopped playing late-night lounge music. The food was overpriced for the quality, and charging extra for a very small side of hollandaise certainly didn't add to Le Petit Dejeuners likability. I'm definitely never going back again. -
Review from Alicia T.
Toronto, ON
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cute place, great atmosphere. I'd go back.
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Review from Eva R.
Toronto, ON
8/16/2011
IT'S NOT WORTH THE WAIT PPL!!
Don't get caught up with all the hype about this place or you will be very disappointed as we were. We've been to a lot of other brunch places in Toronto so it seemed reasonable to check out this place especially when you search/google for "Best Brunch in Toronto", it comes up.. Nothing about the food is worth trying for a second time. Lame toast, lame eggs, lame 1 piece potato, lame "home made sausage"... Save yourself the time & money & go somewhere else!.. Check out Average Joe at Kensington, or Gladstone Hotel on Queen west or Lady Marmalade in Leslieville or Cafe Le Gaffe on Baldwin OR any OTHER PLACES besides this one. Consider this a warning.. Put it this way, I signed up on Yelp just so i can warn ppl about this place... We lined up for almost 1 hr on a Saturday morning then finally seated, waited for another 1/2 hr or so to get our food, trust me I'm being generous when i say that the food there is mediocre at best. That is about 2 hrs of my life that I can't get back, what a waste of time & effort.. -
Review from Melissa F.
Toronto, ON
6/13/2009
Thoroughly enjoyable but I can understand the hot and cold reviews for this place. MY experience was great because it was on a slower saturday afternoon. But had I come at a packed time I can see how the service can turn into a hurried rush and the food could lack quality.
I ordered the bennies just because I heard it was so good. and true enough, they were quite well done. I'm a HUGE fan of their hollendaise which I usually HATE. It has this wonderfully light lemon taste. SO yummy.
The service was fine, all the female servers were quite nice and friendly and took their time to make sure we felt welcome. But again, had I come at a busier time I can see how they might be perceived as not-so-nice.
the decor. Can we talk about the decor? It is AWESOME. It is a narrow little room with nice dark wood tables and then some weird ass shiny/sparkly vinyl seating for the booths.
The small and intimate space was VERY nice.
This place is a tad pricey, but it is quality food for a portion that is sensible (meaning they don't give you too much food that you feel obliged not to waste and they don't give you a tiny portion where you feel cheated).
I'd go again, but I wouldn't be a regular.
