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Urban Eatery at the Eaton Centre
Category: Restaurants Fast Food Fast Food
Eaton Centre220 Yonge St, Ste 110
Toronto, ON M5B 2L7
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 598-8560
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 10 am - 9 pm
Sat 9:30 am - 7 pm
Sun 11 am - 6 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
26 reviews for Urban Eatery at the Eaton Centre
Review Highlights
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"Easily the best looking food court in the city." In 15 reviews -
"...including Mucho Burritos, Big Smoke Bugers, Froshberg..." In 4 reviews -
"Definitely coming back to try out the other food court..." In 2 reviews
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26 reviews in English
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Review from Lisa B.
Toronto, ON
3/13/2012
I'm really impressed with the new food court at the Eaton Centre. The first time I went there I took a full walk around the place to see what they had to offer. I was happy to see that they had a wide variety of ethnic foods. You have your Japanese, Thai, Italian, Chinese, Greek, North American, Mexican, Indian, Bourbon etc. They also had a number of lighter, healthier options, and a vegan place as well.
There is a ton of seating, which is great since seating in food courts can be sparse at lunch/dinner time. I also love that they're trying to be environmentally friendly by using actual plates and silverware. It's still just a food court, but I like the modern feel.
As far as the food goes, it's pretty standard. The food at the chinese place was average. I liked the greek place as well, and the portions were huge. Though a bit expensive, my favorite is the burger place. They have some mighty good tasting burgers, and onion rings.
I just hope that the other Urban Eatery doesn't have the exact same places. It would be nice to have more options over there. -
Review from Lauren M.
3/9/2012
This place is not overly exciting to me. As far as food courts go, it's a lot shinier and cleaner than most, but at the end of the day it's still a food court. Lots of obnoxious people stuffing their faces and making a mess.
They do have some staff at hand to clear trays and keep things generally tidier than the average food court.
Food selection is normal - fast food burgers, Chinese, Thai, Subway, greasy chicken and pizza joints. There is a nice salad place called Fresh Food and a few other somewhat healthy options. -
Review from Lilliane G.
Toronto, ON
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ok, by far the best mall "food court" around. Tons of selection (healthy to downright artery clogging).
Was there yesterday with my good friend Lauren M....looking for something healthy, which we thought might be a total bust, but lo and behold they have a wonderful salad and sandwich place (Fresh Food)...that review is on its way.
There was ample seating (to be fair, we were there rather early) and the option of eating on real plates with real cutlery? Get outta town! We did take out, so was not able to enjoy the clink of my fork against an actualy ceramic plate...no worries though, I'll be back...next time I'll probably enjoy some of the artery clogging fare :)
Overall impression, service was speedy, the tables were clean and honestly it does feel pretty high end for a food court...I really liked it. -
Review from Jonathan W.
Calgary, AB
2/9/2012
Big renovation in the Eaton Center built this pretty impressive modern, food court. At first you're in awe then you start to get the feel of the bustle, the hustle and suddenly you realize it's a mass of human hunger, piling over each other to grab at dirty-dish strewn tables in order to chow down on greasy, sub-par, nutrient deficient and diabetes inducing sustenance.
I guess it could be worse. But I can see why they built it. Mass food for the masses.
Lots of options but you can't sell a donkey and called it a thoroughbred. -
Review from Susan G.
12/6/2011
Urban Eatery is a step in the right direction for food courts. Not only is everything super classy (A&W, KFC, Mcdonalds and all the regular stuff are practically night clubs), but the seating is plentiful(ish), they have a decent tidying system (as long as people honor the 'put your own tray away' rule), and they are definitely trying to be more sustainable.
There are so many amazing new options, including gelato, urban herbivore, and many other more "unique" (read: not fast foody) options. I find myself going to the Eaton Centre just to eat there - so far I've been able to avoid shopping (pretty sure before this food court, I was avoiding eating there, and just shopping?).
My only negative about this place - and seriously, I love the environment (yay sustainability!) is that I somehow get a little "yuck" by the reusable cups. There is something about them... I'm sure they have an intense industrial style washing machine and everything is spotless, but it just kind of grosses me out. I've solved this problem by not getting drinks there (also could likely be solved by a straw... just thought of that).
Another issue is that somehow I go there and end up spending $20 on a food court dinner. Definitely an issue, though hopefully when I get used to all the amazing options I'll be able to deny myself a post-meal gelato or the super fancy coffees.
If you haven't made your way here yet - do it - forget about your shopping and go eat! -
Review from Patrick F.
Toronto, ON
3/13/2012
Ate at Szechuan Express. The food was generally well prepared but the bao were terrible and everything was cold even though they were quite busy. The staff were even colder than the food; I felt like I was on an assembly line being passed from person to person. Won't go back.
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Review from Coy W.
12/30/2011
I wanted to go to the food court while in the Eaton Centre and was brought here. WOW! A clean, new modern food court with a very diverse selection of fast food from around the world as well as a sushi restaurant that offers take out!
This place doesn't feel as cramped as the other food court, doesn't feel as tacky and there is a lot more space and lighting. I heard the washrooms here were clean too.
Dear Eaton Centre riff raff, please don't run this place into the ground! -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
11/23/2011
Wow, let's welcome the Eaton Centre to the 21'st century. It's about time their food court got an update like this, and this should be the standard for all mall food courts.
Although, overwhelming at first, especially if you remember what it used to look like, it then becomes a comfortable place to have a meal. You actually want to have a meal here.
It's not just the decor, albeit, it is very appealing to go to a fancy KFC and Mcdonald's, but I wonder how long they will last because of the other variety you can get here. Mediterranean Food, Greek Food, Thai Food, Chinese, Japanese (sushi restaurant and Teriyaki), Gourmet Burgers (from Craft Burger), Crepes, Vegetarian (Urban Herbavore), Ramen (Liberty Noodle), Italian (sbarro)
It's especially great because it's not just fast food. And if you want to spend the money, you have the option!
Not only that, the decor is modern, functional and is actually comfortable. If you're eating in, you get actual plates and glasses; when you're done, you take them to a washing station where there are people actually there washing.
There are hand washing stations scattered in nooks as well.
I really hope for the success of this, but it can only be done with the help of patrons doing their part, not making a mess, and if the workers are diligent enough to clean up after jerks. I would hate to come here a few months from now, and it to look like a mess.
Kudos to Dialogue 38 for excellent design and innovation.
The best part of this food court, is that it's hidden away from the rest of the mall. Underneath it all, and no need for shoppers who aren't hungry to have to walk through all of this.
But why does the Sportchek seem to need to follow the food court everywhere? -
Review from Chris P.
12/3/2011 2 Check-ins Here
When Chinook Centre in Calgary first opened it's new food court a little less than a decade ago, I was in awe. It was massive, had huge windows that let in tons of sunlight, included sculptures, etc. Totally awesome.
The Urban Eatery puts that food court to shame. This food court makes you feel like your dining at a classy restaurant with gourmet options. The decor is modern and trendy, warm and inviting. There are some many great places to try here I almost don't need to go anywhere else at this point to try a new restaurant. If you're feeling a little apprehensive, not to worry. There's still some old standbys like McDonalds and KFC.
The thing I love most about this court is that your food is served in actual dishes. Not only does this make for a nicer experience but there isn't any waste by having your meal served on a paper plate and eating it with plastic cutlery that is going to be all thrown away 10 minutes later.Listed in: December 2011
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Review from Dishan W.
10/14/2011 1 photo
Easily the best looking food court in the city. Even chain vendors have got a fancy theme make over, the McDonalds look like it should be in some sort of future spaceport and with the addition of urban herbivores and aroma coffee the circle is now complete, I can get a great (little pricey) lunch, have a decent cup of coffee or help myself to delicious gelato (in the middle of the court next to crepe place) and get the coffee to go. That's a complete meal to me however way you look at it.
Everything is new so it's very clean looking, and people can now genuinely look forward to eating at the mall. I have yet to try out the sandwich shop "rare" and a couple of other places that look really good. A slight miss for me was trying the falafel crepe, but I'm not a big fan of savoury crepes anwyays.
Seating is abundant and I highly recommend you to brave Yonge and Dundas square for a meal here. I can hardly wait to see what they have in store for us at the south food court when it opens up.Listed in: 30-Day Yelp Challenge
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Review from Karl R.
9/6/2011 14 photos
I'm impressed. I wanted to not like this. I've found the Eaton Centre reno generally old wine in a new bottle. I can't really see what's new other than some new glass railings. The new Urban Eatery, however, is a great addition. There are your old favorites (save for a Manchu Wok) but some new vendors trying to court you.
There's a lot of variation in seating. Fast food style, more leisurely tables, things with Star Trek the Next Generation chairs, and counter seating for boobie watching. Over all the whole thing feels like, and maybe takes inspiration from, a modern Korean/Japanese department store basement food hall.
Loved, in particular, the Shanghai 360 vendor. A decent portion of food. The Rare vendor probably wins for oddest attired. The workers seem to be attired like Emirates Air flight attendants (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...).
Where to bus your table is a bit confusing. Look for the big blue signs (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...).
All in all the best new feature of the Eaton Centre reno. Give it a couple years and I'm sure people are going to crap it up. The "burnt orange" color theme is somewhat disturbing to people who lived through the burnt orange appliance trend of the 1970s. Harvest Gold no doubt will be quick on its heels. -
Review from Maheen M.
9/27/2011
Shock and awe - the Eaton's Centre Urban Eatery is what all food court malls should look like. Upon descending the escalator, I was taken back as to how clean, bright and shiny the revamped food court area was. There is ample seating everywhere, from bar stool seating to picnic tables.
Any type of cuisine, there is a food court chain available for your dining tastes. I had Ruby Thai when I visited this past weekend, my meal + drink was $9.50. Not a bad price considering you are in the core of downtown Toronto.
I love the fact they give you plates and actual cutlery if you are dining in. The environment spin will help the carbon foot print to the food court operation.
Definitely coming back to try out the other food court choices! They even have Big Smoke Burgers!Listed in: Cheap Eats in Toronto, Yonge & Dundas
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Review from Leslie W.
12/8/2011 12 Check-ins Here
BOTTOM LINE: Clean, comfortable, bright and modern - this is a food court you actually want to attend to.
The makeover was definitely worth it! The space evokes a Scandinavian minimalist approach and gives it a functional and fashionable feel. The various-sized seating arrangements allows for a dense, but not uncomfortable, setup. The use of real utensils and tableware makes it more classy and cuts down on waste (though it's debatable whether this is actually more green when you factor in the costs of washing and the bright lighting).
The highlight of the Urban Eatery, as other have already yelped about, is the variety and quality of the offerings. It's as if you have the "fast food" option of what usually are sit-down restaurants (and there IS a sit-down Japanese resto, though it always looks empty) in addition to your obligatory McDonald's. And even then, McDonald's has never looked so fine. -
Review from David D.
Markham, ON
9/5/2011
Elegantly designed with a futuristic look, the new and improved upscale food court lies on the bottom floor of the Dundas St. end of Eaton Centre. Invested $48 million in renovations and furniture includes revamped washrooms and designer wooden chairs and tables. The most appealing aspect of Urban Eatery is the absence of garbage bins. Instead, customers leave their trays for attendants to sort and clean, sort of like Ikea. With such a large space, the eating area is spacious and clean.
Plastic cutlery and Styrofoam plates are nowhere to be found, as real knives, forks, plates, and bowls are used instead. Several new restaurants have made its way to the array of choices Urban Eatery holds, including Mucho Burritos, Big Smoke Bugers, Froshberg Gelago, Amaya Express, just to name a few.
The restaurant design with stainless steel panels, LCD menu screens, even makes McDonalds, KFC, Subway, A&W, New York Fries appealing to look at.
Urban Eatery has given a whole new "revolution" of food court dining and elevates the whole concept of the word "food court." -
Review from Hazel P.
12/12/2011
This is a vast improvement from the food court that used to be in the same location. Tons more restaurants & it's great to eat on actual dinnerware & with real cutlery. I would imagine this generates some jobs as I saw people to carting away all the dirty dishes & also sorting the food waste, recycling into bins. So I like those added services. They also renovated the washrooms which was a really good idea as the old ones were disgusting.
I wouldn't go here though on the weekends again. It being Christmas season there were tons of people all around. It was hard to find a seat in the sea of bodies. -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
9/20/2011
What a glamourous food court... and about time! The old food court wasn't event a food court - this is the real deal. Some of the fanciest fixtures I've seen - I almost didn't recognize the McDonalds. There is something that caters to everyone's tastes - chinese, burgers, thai, salads, vegetarian... and the list goes on. The place is so big that you will find even more good eats around each corner.
The place is brightly lit, and very spacious. People who were working seemed very courteous and proud to be owners. I got Bourbon street Grill. Wanting to try something new - I didn't even realize that I have eaten Bourbon St. before! They were giving out samples of chicken - how could I refuse. Got it with veggies and rice and then brought it to my dad to share.
Can't wait for the next food court adventure. -
Review from Reynold P.
Toronto, ON
9/9/2011
Good Bye the days of Styrofoam! Hello to the 21st century, modern food court. With it's nice glass etched signs, wooden chairs and tables, real plates, trays and utensils, this food court is a more upscale experience right from the start.
The variety of restaurants here are plenty. To my surprise, even Amaya Indian cuisine and Smokes Burgers was amongst the group. Now I don't have to travel too far to have a taste of both.
What I liked most about the Urban Eatery was the size and space of the court and its cleanliness. It's wide and spacious with adequate seating (although when I visited, I waited 3 mins for a seat) . They substituted do-it-yourself garbage bins with these counters. I felt bad handing in my tray of garbage to a bartender-looking attendant at the disposal counter, it was sort of degrading to see them stack and polish trays that tweens have left them.
Overall, the selection, quality and experience have all exceeded my expectations of a food court.
Good Bye Styrofoam, hello 21st century. -
Review from Lisa C.
9/1/2011
The Urban Eatery opened today in the Eaton Centre. Formerly known as the "North" food court, it used to be dark, dingy and questionable at at times. The selection of places to eat was less than fantastic and overall, it was not an enjoyable place to eat.
And now...
It's absolutely beautiful. The ceilings were raised so even though its at the lowest level of the Eaton Centre and two levels below ground, its still feels large and spacious. There's plenty of seating, bar style, tables, and even some booths I think. Clearly, today was opening day (and there were $10 off coupons given out in the days leading up, so it was expectedly nutso busy) and it was very busy around 1, with lineups at every "restaurant" but due to how well the planned the space, I was easily able to navigate through the large crowds to check out all of the eateries they had to offer.
Among the staples, such as McDonalds, A&W and Jimmy the Greek, there are some cool new additions, such as a vegetarian place, a gelato place, some fantastic looking sandwich venues and quite a few interesting places that I am definitely going to check out.
Overall, definitely worth checking out if you work in the area and want something different (or something just the same as usual) and have a nice place to eat and enjoy your meal. If you've never been to the Eaton Centre food court, its worth a look! -
Review from Corey S.
Downtown Core, Toronto, ON
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
The 3-star rating is attributed to the fact that, well, it's a food court. By that standard, it has succeeded in setting the bar fairly high. There's some impressive Toronto natives like Liberty Noodle, Urban Herbivore, and Amaya. In addition to a few newbies worth mentioning (Fast Fresh and Rare). Still, the polished decor doesn't quite mask that you are eating off a cafeteria tray.
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Review from Thomas M.
Toronto, ON
10/8/2011
When I heard the food court in the basement was getting renovated, I was enticed to see what it looks like because the last food court was quite creepy-looking and I barely go there or forgot about it when I go to Eaton Centre. Recently, this week I had a chance to go to Eaton Centre and see what the new food court looks like.
What I saw blew my mind, the food court now has the entire floor to themselves and updated their decor and fast food restaurants into this century. I feel that everything looks like an Apple product; it's clean, posh sharp-looking and white.. that's what she said. From Star Trek-looking chairs to sleet style tables, I gotta give the designer credit for making this place look sharp especially when I didn't even notice McDonalds and Sbarro until I saw their names.
Anyways, the fast food places had also changed and had brought plenty other fast food, whether ethnic or not into this floor. I was first tempted to go to the sushi restaurant but I ended up ordering at Mucho Burritos because I never had a burrito that isn't Taco Bell or Frozen.
The hospitality is somewhat friendly, the person behind the counter spoke quietly so I didn't hear for abit.
Nevertheless I ordered a mild steak burrito and a mandarin juice bottle that equals to 12 dollars which was expensive. The burrito itself was really warm when I ate it, it felt like they didn't heat it too much. They also added more rice than the steak and beans which doesn't matter to me but dude, it's like 7-8 dollars for this burrito? For the mandarin juice in a bottle, it's alright but I had drink better ones. -
Review from Daniel B.
10/20/2011
"You can't judge a book by it's cover."
That simple adage is so often quoted. People assume that because the exterior is a particular aesthetic that the underlying substance may not be of equal quality.
This place is simply beautiful It's arguably the best designed eating space in town. The common areas are open and airy, seemingly designed to break up the constant shattering rhythm and pace of the supermall. Meanwhile, the tables and eating areas possess an intimacy that is incredibly difficult to create in such a vast space. It's darn near perfect.
But what's inside? The real question. A pretty food court hawking greasy grizzle is still the same animal.
But that's where this place truly excels. It offers true variety. Not just 'food court' variety. A slew of local favorites are represented. The centerpiece is undoubtedly Kensington's Urban Herbivore, a more-than-welcome addition to the trollop filled lanes of your average mall food hall.
Sure, just because they have options does not mean that they're being exercised. A quick glance left and right while sitting down right in front of the Urban Herbivore showcased no less than fifteen people face down in slopbuckets full of fried chicken.
But they sure looked good doing it. -
Review from Pati P.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 9/7/2011
When your eyes roll to the back of your head because your tastebuds have hit the limits of a heavenly lunch you never thought possible in a mall food court, you know you've found a "go to" lunch spot. Urban Herbivore made my urban heart flutter.
First, the option of an uber healthy lunch (and knowing that one of these existed in Kensington Market) was what captured my attention and got me to stand in line (a short one at that). Secondly, the fresh, colourful display of ingredients behind squeaky clean glass is what drew me in closer.
I scanned the menu and was really in the mood for something disgustingly healthy. Grain Bowl? Intriguing. You choose a base, brown rice or quinoa and lentils! Sold. Hook me up. WhaT?! I get SIX ingredients to add to it! This was my first grain bowl experience/ingredient pick: Quinoa & Lentil base, dill cucumbers, cooked beets, roasted red peppers, kidney bean salad, marinated red cabbage and HALF an avocado. Not a teaspoon or avocado with filler...I said HALF of a beautiful, pastel green, creamy, ripe avocado. And why yes, I'd love some sunflower seeds sprinkled on top. Citrus Herb dressing please (light on the quantity).
At $9.50 it's pretty standard for downtown lunching (or anywhere in the city for that matter). BUT, you could totally split it with someone or divvy it up and eat it over two days. I loved the customer service. I loved the food. And I will be back and telling everyone about it.
Awesome job Urban Herbivore.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/1/2011
The Urban Eatery at the Toronto Eaton Centre looks great. The space is airy, seats WAY more people,… Read more »
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Review from Jane M.
9/11/2011
We hit up Eaton Centre today for a few bits and pieces, not realising that the new food court- sorry, Urban Eatery, was open for business. Everything down there looks swanky, but a closer look reveals the usual suspects that you'll recognise from the old hell hole this mall called a food court. You've got your Sbarro and Thai Express, along with Subway, McDonalds and New York Fries. That said, there are a couple of shiny, new places and a Big Smoke Burger kiosk is one of them. Hurray!!
We did a walk-by earlier in the afternoon and noticed that Big Smoke had a line (probably about 10 people). This seemed consistent as it was still there when we returned at around 4pm. The menu and pricing are the same as the other locations as far as I can tell, but the staff are the what make this a three star place instead of a four-star (like the Yorkville location). When I ate at the Yorkville location, the staff all seemed to be of a certain ... genre? Sort of hip, cool, older 20-somethings working at a gourmet burger joint. Over at Eaton Centre, you've got your usual food court worker types. They move the line along efficiently (there does seem to be a lot of people squeezed behind there!) but they're a lot younger and it seems like many of them aren't used to working the job. The kid that took my order was unsure of himself and whether or not it was his fault, the person making my burger in turn screwed up my burger. Again, I don't know was this because he managed to not put my order in right (we did go over it twice!) or because the person assembling it was distracted/busy/whatever. Either way, It wasn't a huge deal. I just went back to the counter and asked them to throw on the forgotten stuff, which they did with no questions asked (nice, considering they don't give receipts and I would have no way of proving I paid for the extras!).
My boyfriend's burger was a little over-done, but he likes it that way, apparently. He said it wasn't quite as good as the Yorkville location, but for a food court, it was pretty amazing. I decided to do something wild and not have meat. I got the veggie burger with roasted red peppers, cheddar, caramelized onions, and a few of the more generic burger toppings. I thought the lack of meat would help me avoid getting pregnant with yet another meat baby courtesy of Toronto's many gourmet burger shacks. Sadly no. Congratulations, it's a faux-meat baby! Handily enough (TMI-a-phobes, feel free to skip this next bit), the whole-wheat bun did it's job. The onion rings were as good as any other Big Smoke. Lightly breaded, not too oily, and therefore not too heavy. Didn't get a chance to try the fries (or, saints forbid, the poutine!).
All in all, a solid burger place, ace for a food court, but not quite up to the usual Big Smoke standard as far as staff/service is concerned. I'm going to chalk this up to the place only being open a week and a half (I know, I'm so understanding and generous). I'll go back in a few weeks and see how they're doing. If they grease up the cogs, I see no reason they couldn't be a four-star place. Whatever happens, they'll always be busy because they share a space with Subway and McDonalds type places. -
Review from Darren L.
Scarborough, ON
10/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Very diverse and high quality food had a moderately to high price. They have everything from Indian to McDonald's. From sushi to subway. Right under the mall for your convenience. Just pray that you are lucky finding seating during lunch hour.
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Review from Michael B.
Toronto, ON
9/1/2011
The new Eaton Centre food court is a definite improvement over the old one by Queen Street. There is much more seating, and it is laid out in a much more efficient way.
While I didn't see what the food court looked like previously, it had wonderful decor, and real plates, cutlery and glasses (which I found weird to be eating off of in a mall food court)
There are many food choices, some were from the old food court and some are new (including a place selling vegan food) and of course KFC and McD's, but the latter 2 are the nicest ones that I have ever seen!
I hope I will be coming back soon to try something new! -
Review from Cindy C.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 12/2/2011
A coworker got very sick (food poisoning) after eating at one of the Chinese take outs there. It makes me afraid of trying the Chinese food there!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/2/2011
I like the renovation. The restaurants look great and the food looks fresh and delicious. The… Read more »
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