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4 reviews for Pantry
4 reviews in English
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Review from Renata R.
6/12/2010
Beautiful place, it's like a mix of cafe, restaurant and deli. I was very thirsty walking on a very sunny day and went for an iced tea, and wasn't disappointed - their is delicious and refreshing!
The problem is you won't be able to resist the smell of their goods, and will have to try at least a cookie or something. Take it easy on the calories, everything looks great (I'm sure tastes great too) and choose your treat, be delighted. I sat on their couch drinking tea and eating cookie - hmmm coookie! - and it was AWESOME. They have real meals, and things to help you make your own delicious meal at home.
Don't miss this place if you're passing by. Great experience. -
Review from Sam G.
Toronto, ON
8/6/2009 ROTD 1/16/2010
I don't know whether to call this a cafe, a kitchen or a restaurant, but what I can tell you is that Pantry purveys premium provisions. It seems to exist primarily as a prepared food take-out (lots of different meats, salads etc.), but there is seating for about 12 people or so, including a sofa.
I had the breakfast sandwich (fried egg, cheddar, arugula), the blueberry scone, and the Balzac's coffee and everything was very good. I have to agree with the previous reviewers that the scone - moist and with the berries properly combined - is excellent. At least as good as Drake's.
The kitchen atmosphere is relaxed and is great for either reading the paper or doing some work (not sure if they have wifi - a google search suggests they do, will have to confirm next time).
To give you an idea of how relaxed the place is - when I asked to use the washroom I was told to go through the kitchen and turn left after the big white fridge. So, I actually walked through the kitchen, right past some prepared chicken ready to go into the oven, around the chef, past the office and into the washroom. Just thought that was kind of cool.
The prices are consistent with what I would expect for high-quality food. I'll point out though that the drip coffee prices are competitive with Starbucks and the Balzac's quality much better.Listed in: College Street kinda from…, My ROTD's
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Review from Dardana M.
ON
I'm not sure what I did to deserve such a tasty and convenient source of good food and coffee mere steps from my front door, but things haven't been the same since Pantry came into my life.
To be honest, I have not yet fully explored their many gourmet and lovingly-crafted meal options the way I would like; however, all that I have sampled has caused me to develop something of a dependency to not eating before I leave my house. It has also led me to make a mental list of the dozens of fancy ingredients on their shelves that I should add to my own- like the jar of pickled lemons I've had my eye on for some time. I'm not sure what one does with those, but it's gotta be good.
The glass showcase holds many dishes I wish I had the time, skill and tools to make for myself- all things I now have no foreseeable need to acquire. Though the prices are rather reasonable for the service offered, I must say that in my recent, immediately post-student, pre-job days, I lack the funds to make the most of it. So, for the time being, I am relegated to carefully selecting the best side dishes to add to my own kitchen's meagre (read: lazy) offerings. I order the potato pancakes (or maybe they call them patties? anyway-) to make mid-week breakfast gatherings with my fellow under-employeds positively luxurious. Yeah, you heard right.
I am also obliged to frequently partake in the delicious Balzac's coffee they serve (to the detriment of the Starbucks across the street), and the blueberry scones which, quite frankly, changed my life. The daily baked and forever changing muffin flavours (sometimes unorthodox combos that always work), sweet and attentive staff, my beloved Boylan soda always within arm's reach, and did I mention the coffee?-- yeah, they've got me in their clutches now. -
Review from Christine C.
Etobicoke, ON
7/28/2009 4 photos
I was on my way back to my office from a downtown meeting, scooting along College St. when my stomach rumbled loud enough to stop traffic. I pulled over looked around and headed straight in to Pantry. When you first walk in to Pantry you can't help but to notice the breeziness and the very relaxed atmosphere. The high ceilings and the wooden floors give you a real sense of comfort. It is a large store, not so much from side to side, but from front to back. You have a view back to the kitchen which is quite large and obviously well equipped for producing and stocking the prepared food cases as well as catering.
I stood for a good 15 minutes inspecting the case holding all the prepared foods and it has something for everybody, from the carnivores to the herbivores to those challenged with gluten intolerance. I needed lunch and I asked the girl behind the counter if they could heat something up for me and she said no problem but it'd take a few minutes because they don't have a microwave. I liked this place a gazillion times more the minute she said that. All the meats, produce and ingredients Pantry uses are ethical, local, sustainable and as 100 mile as they can get.
Prepared foods are sold by weight. So for lunch I opted for some Pan fried Chicken (boneless chicken, dipped in buttermilk & garlic, crusted with panko crumbs & regianno), sided with a square of Pantry's version of scalloped potato (leek, potato & goat cheese) and a root slaw. If the chicken was a little bit warmer it would have been perfect but even still it was delicious. I could say the same of the potatoes and the bottom of them were very well done so it's a good thing I like them crispy. Again still delicious. You can't mask the taste when good ingredients are used. The slaw was tangy and crunchy. I've never heard of sun chokes (they come from the Artichoke family) but apparently they can be shredded along with other root veggies. It all hit the spot. I washed it down with a cup of the house ice tea as I sat at the counter in the window and watched the world on College St. pass me by. If a window seat isn't your thing there is a giant red leather sofa with a big coffee table in front of it that you could also plunk yourself down on and read, eat, drink, nibble, crunch, slurp and savour.
A previous Yelp reviewer made note about the scone so I grabbed one to go on my way out. The mark of an excellent scone is that you can actually eat the whole damn thing without having to use a cup of coffee to be able to swallow it and wash it down. It was light and the first flavours in my mouth were not of flour or lard but rather a gentle sweetness and of course some big fresh blueberries. I'd go back in to Pantry just for the blueberry scones alone.
I've attached some pics. Apologies for the low grade quality I had to use my cell phone but I didn't want to leave without capturing some of the features of Pantry. Just for the heck of it, I've decided to follow them on Twitter. After all, it's a Web 2.0 food world.
