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Zoe's Bakery Cafe
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:30 am - 6 pm
Sat 9 am - 5 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Howard H. said: "In Toronto, this is the place for smoked meat. Full stop. I am a true connesueur of all things deli - Katz's in SoHo to (the late lamented) Wolfies/Rascal House in Miami, From Schwartz's to Corky &Lenny's in the land of Cleve all…" read more »
22 reviews for Zoe's Bakery Cafe
Review Highlights
22 reviews in English
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Review from Jane M.
1/20/2012
Zoe's holds a special place in my heart, for it is the reward for all dentist visits (I know, I know). My dentist is just down the road, so usually I'll walk by and lament the fact that I can't go and buy a cupcake or a cup of tea or a cookie because I need to keep everything clean and shiny, shiny. HOWEVER, nothing says I can't get something on the way home, right?
Most of the time when I'm in here, I have fat lip, fat chin, fat tongue, or all of the above. Sometimes I'm really grumpy and feeling sorry for myself, sometimes I'm really happy to finally have something taken care of. Whatever my mood, the staff is always lovely and cheerful and willing to chat with me (though I have a feeling they never understand me!).
Today was the first time I tried their cookies and, let me tell you, WOW. I had the ginger/molasses and the chocolate chip. They're big, chewy and cheap. The trifecta! Under $4 for the two. I should have bought more. They also had a really interesting one -- sort of like a cookie with everything on it. It had chocolate chips, peanuts, marshmallows, coconut, peanuts ... everything! If I weren't against peanuts+chocolate on principal, I would have been all over that like an incurable STD.
While I can't vouch for the cookies day-old taste, I do know the cupcakes aren't as good when left for a day or so in the fridge. Definitely best eaten fresh. Luckily, around the same time I figured this out, I also realised that while you generally lose your appetite after the dentist because of the soreness and the feelings of violation, you can pretty much do whatever you want until the freezing wears off as long as you're careful not to chomp on yourself. Therefore, my advice on Zoe's is to purchase and eat IMMEDIATELY. Nothing sexier than slobbering like a toddler all over a cookie on the streetcar. Heck yes! -
Review from Pascal P.
Toronto, ON
2/5/2012
I am really torn about this place. I went on Friday for lunch and was extremely impressed with the menu. The service was a tad on the slow side but the food was amazing. I was so impressed with the place that I went back the next day for brunch. I feel that most of their staff(my server(same server both days) excepted) had no sense of urgency. My server was really friendly and knowledgeable but extremely over worked. she had way too many tables to be able to provide any sort of decent service. It was a total let down the second time, that being said I will most definitely give it a third try but during the week not on the weekend.
Food
Greek Chicken Sandwich- 5/5 huge, amazing
Cream of curry carrot soup- 5.5/5 absolutely outstanding
Smoked turkey and avocado sandwich- 4/5
dill scrambled eggs with smoked salmon bagel-2.5/5 i was very disappointed with this dish, partly because I was thought it was something completely different but the eggs were overdone and the smoked salmon tasted fishy -
Review from Courtney B.
Pickering, ON
1/6/2012
We stopped by here for lunch after a super relaxing morning at Body Blitz nearby.
My mom, who had been there before, was raving about it. The space is really nice and light for being semi-underground. And the menu: 90% sandwiches. They have almost every permutation of a normal, delicious sounding sandwich (i.e. no Kraft Dinner with a fried egg), including PB&J on challah. The prices were really reasonable and the portions were HUGE.
If you work in the neighbourhood this would be a great place to pick up a giant lunch for yourself or even take a colleague for a casual business lunch (they're licensed!).
Coffee was yummy and service was friendly. -
Review from Leonard T.
Toronto, ON
5/19/2012
This was my fourth time trying Zoe's because it's convenient and in my neighborhood, and but I won't be going back. I reluctantly gave it another try today, and left after waiting for an hour for to be served an overpriced half of a Nicoise salad that never came. There was one other person on the patio and the interior was virtually empty. The last two experiences were poor as well. I ordered a salmon salad and the salmon was dry. The waitress asked me if I would like a taste of the soup of the day. I said yes, and she charged me for it without telling me there was a charge. Nervy right? A third time I was there, they mixed up my take-out order. What could be simpler than a take out wrap? I called them to tell them they had mixed it up and they asked me if I wanted to bring it back lol. Offering a credit for my next visit would have been appropriate. They'll probably never have to worry about business because there in a busy part of King West, with limited lunchtime choices, hence their attitude, but they certainly won't be seeing me in there again.
-
Review from chris m.
Toronto, ON
4/29/2012
The vegan sandwiches, salads and stir fry are bland and over-priced. The pre-made beet salad is decent. The pre-made bean salad is tasty and a fair price.
Besides the food not being the greatest, I've had a few off experiences with some of the staff (not all - most are friendly when it's not super busy). The last time I went there one of girls behind the counter was very stand-offish. She was aggressively throwing cutlery around and making a ruckus right in front of me. I could have got better service at mcdonalds ordering from a high school student at 2am.
I also ordered a stir fry one time and asked for more veggies instead of rice. When I got the bill I saw they charged me more for the veggies. If she had just told me right off that bat is was extra I wouldn't have cared but the fact that she didn't tell me they shouldn't have charged me for it. I ended up paying $20 for a bland stir fry. I could have got a way healthier one for $12 from Fresh.
If it wasn't for these 2 bad experiences I would probably go back but there's too many other places with friendly staff, better prices, and tastier vegetarian food. -
Review from Matt R.
Toronto, ON
5/8/2012
Table service is a little slow, but take-out for lunch is speedy. Love the club sandwich.
-
Review from Coy W.
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was cold out, I saw Illy and it was a magnet for something to keep me warm. I dropped in for a coffee to go and realized that this place is massive! It's less a cafe and more of a restaurant with a coffee shop attached to it.
I ordered a coffee and the staff were quick to rush us out as they were closing in a minute. I won't hold that against them but seriously, I was only ordering a coffee to go!
The coffee was delicious and helped with the cold walk home. I'll be back to check out other things as they look to have a lot of goodies. -
Review from roben h.
Toronto, ON
10/1/2011
Really amazing breakfast/brunch.
They have a great/wide selection of items on the menu & have no problem making substitutions with sides.
I have several severe allergies & the staff were excellent about this. It was nice to hear 'no problem' with a smile, instead of 'we can't guarantee...' served up with a shitty attitude and an eye roll.
The last star was lost because they stop serving brunch-type foods quite early on weekdays. -
Review from Lindsay S.
Toronto, ON
11/15/2011
Terrible service. Slow slow slow!
Unenthusiastic staff.
Expensive for what it is. Too bad it's pretty much the only healthy option on the strip.
Considering the shady DineSafe ratings, I've been avoiding. -
Review from Miss P.
Toronto, ON
3/7/2012
Something has gone down at Zoe's since last year. .. new ownership maybe? the morning crew used to be so nice, now you have 2-3 new people behind the counter that almost ignore you - and when they actually 'serve' you (and no "good morning" by the way!) it seems as though i'm intruding on them. For example, i simply asked the difference in price between a medium and a large (as i was scrounging for change in my purse and did not know if i had enough for a large) and the server was very short with me, pushing me aside until i dug my debit card out to pay. Yes, its just coffee, but i am a paying customer and go their frequently -- and for people who are in the 'service' industry, there should be more attentiveness to their clients...especially in this day and age when you can be knocked down quite swiftly with the likes of Yelp and social networking sites. Disappointing.
-
Review from Natalie B.
Toronto, ON
2/12/2012
Food, atmosphere, service- who cares. The big question is: Who is that hottie who works there??? Five stars for the dark haired dude!
-
Review from Michelle D.
Toronto, ON
10/27/2011
Healthy and illy!!
I have passed Zoe's twice a day on average for the past year and never eaten there. Needless to say their coffee is delicious. It's illy coffee which is nothing less than satisfying for the average coffee lover....Even the Starbucks right across the street doesn't make me stray.
Zoe's looks tiny from the outside, but it's very spacious inside. It's more like a restaurant/cafe than it is a bakery. Although they have a great bakery section with delicious eye candy that is hard to resist, as well as an extensive menu with sandwich's, soups, salads, wraps, etc.
I ordered a sandwich - I got the Spicy Piri Piri Chicken. The sandwich was huge, with a side of salad, and extremely filling for me. It was super healthy and I enjoyed it! The chicken was really fresh, it had avocado, and a zesty onion jam sauce - yummy! My girlfriend got the Tango Chicken Wrap which was similar to my sandwich, we found, but had an interesting mix of fruits in it like apple and pineapple, and avocado, carrots, almonds, in a delicious aioli sauce..... I basically want one now.
It's the perfect spot for a quick casual meal or an easy win for a long-drawn, work-filled date with your laptop. It's not the cheapest place for sandwiches and salads, but I found it was worth it because of the portion of the sandwich. (I actually paid extra money for the side salad and it was quite tiny - slightly disappointing.)
The service is quick and friendly, and the ambiance is very relaxed. Basically, if you're in the neighbourhood, GO TO ZOE'S!!!!! -
Review from Arwen L.
4/17/2011 2 photos
This is a great spot for a business breakfast or lunch. It is cute and has character yet offers a "board room" to conduct business meals if you need it.
I went here twice on my recent stint in Toronto and had good food both mornings.
We ordered cappuccinos and had bagels, muffins, eggs, toast, fresh fruit, etc. Not all at once of course, I do keep my arse in check a little bit!
I would be interested to try it out for lunch! -
Review from Aaron B.
11/30/2010
It took me months of living in the neighborhood to make it to this place. First, it's not really a cafe in the sense of coffee shop. They serve Illy espresso (my at home major brand), but it's more like a huge fancy luncheon spot. It's not really a bakery either, so don't expect to see rows of fresh-baked breads or cute and interesting pastries. It's like a non-chain version of Panera with fewer and more expensive food and drink options...if that helps understand the feel and setup.
I've had several of their ready-serve food items (the kitchen is always closed when I come here). A bowl of pasta salad (I recommend the tuna and shells) with a double Americano cost $10. A bit expensive, but not insane since it completely fills me up and gets my buzz on. I typically arrive at 4:30pm and I'm LITERALLY the only customer in there. The classic rock station they play is nice and not too loud. There is free wifi and the people working here all seem very friendly and helpful (and super cute).
It's rather strange being the only person in a such a large space in the middle of the day. What the hell is wrong with this city? Obviously their business revolves around the lunch crowd from surrounding businesses, but what about the thousands of people who live around here in the all the condos? It's not more expensive than Starbucks when you really compare, so I just don't get it.
But anyway it's not really a cafe in the standard sense (only in the broader sense which is useless these days) and so I'll probably never come back here again unless I really want to get away from people, drink great espresso, and get some work done while listening to some groovy tunes...on the other, hand maybe I'll come here everyday at this time. -
Review from angela k.
Toronto, ON
4/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
Zoe's is within walking distance of both my office and my home, so this is a standard place to meet.
First, the good stuff:
- huge menu with lots of tasty food and a good vegetarian selection
- delicious coffee, they know how to make both a good latte and a good cappuccino.
- amazing, delicious, really fucking good desserts. they're brownies and tarts are out of the world.
- the majority of the staff are friendly and awesome.
- the space is huge, clean, with a pretty laid back vibe.
The not-so-good:
- They advertise and stock gluten-free desserts but they are pre-packaged treats. Not really what I was expecting from a cafe advertising them on their placard outside. They're pretty tasty but not as good as the stuff they make fresh in the cafe.
- The prices are high but not high enough for me go elsewhere.
- Although they have a patio, the patio is not licensed. Boo to that.
The bad...
- The catering orders we order at work, platter type things with fruit and bagels, have gotten smaller over time (we've actually changed breakfast caterers because of it).
- The service is slow. So slow on some days, it's next to impossible to eat lunch within an hour here. It's great if you want a leisurely lunch, though.
An anecdote:
I ordered a vegetarian pad thai (delicious by the way, but don't expect an "authentic" pad thai) and got the vegetarian stir fry instead. When I mentioned it to the waitress, she made the fix but it meant watching my friend pretty much finish his lunch while I waited. On the upside, I got the feeling they made it fresh and they did give my friend and two free brownies and took my Orangina off the bill. They turned a fail into a decent result, I'm just glad I wasn't in rush. -
Review from N.J. G.
Toronto, ON
2/24/2009
I agree with a lot of what Vanessa says. This place is not for the faint of wallet. However, I work very close to Zoe's so I have eaten here on more than one occasion. As a vegetarian, I don't always find good options but Zoe's has such a vast menu that I have managed to try something new and delicious or go back to my tried and true items. If you are a foodie and/or willing to pay more, I highly recommend this place!! I especially love their soups, (generally $6 a bowl) since they are one of the lesser priced items, generally vegetable based, and amazing concoctions. I highly highly recommend the spicy tomato black bean soup (if you can handle the heat)
YUM!
-as far as I know they deliver but I think within a certain area -
Review from Nas M.
North York, ON
11/10/2009
It is expensive...and sometimes the wait is long...but the food...oh!
The food is excellent!
I have had the chicken & chickpea wrap, the frittata, the california salad, the pad thai special, a pasta dish...and I have seen my friends and colleagues try numerous other delectable dishes too...all freshly made, well presented and delicious!
No-one's ever complained and if there is a slight eyebrow raised at the prices when scanning the menu, it is quickly replaced with a delighted smile at the size of the portion and the taste of the meal.
Working near Zoe's forced me to go there as it is the company hangout however, I am happy to say that now it is extremely rare that I am dragged there kicking and screaming!!! -
Review from Emad G.
Toronto, ON
12/2/2009
I'll start by saying that the food here is absolutely amazing. The trick is in finding a sandwich that appeals to your tastes. Some sandwiches have a very subtle taste with delicate layers like the Smoked Turkey with Avocado. Others will hit you with a bolder, richer taste like the Greek Chicken and the Herbed Chevre.
I have been eating here about once a week for the past few months and I absolutely love it. If you go for take-out, you'll be able to place your order and make your way back to work within 10 minutes. I have had some pretty poor service dining in, and have had to sit through more than one 20 minute wait just to get a sandwich. Not cool.
The sandwiches are incredible. Everything is super fresh and the serving sizes are huge. The food is expensive, but you're getting a freshly made sandwich that's better than any I've eaten anywhere else in this city.
I haven't sampled anything else in their menu, but I've been told the food is hit or miss. Some items are amazing, others are 'just good'. -
Review from Vanessa G.
Toronto, ON
9/16/2008 1 photo
Zoe's is an example of an establishment with really, really overpriced cafe style food. They can afford to overcharge their customers because they know they'll pay for it.
The service here is soooo slow. I sometimes waited 10-15 minutes to get a sandwich. I used to go in here at least once a week and I consistently found the servers to be very snooty and often not very kind.
The prices are also ridiculous. I ordered a sandwich and side salad and it came to $13! There are some good deals like the quiche and salad which is about $9. And their homemade pasta salad (like the tuna salad) is soo amazingly good. But a small will set you back $6.
Also, their made to order salads are very, very good but super expensive. The salad nicoise is delicious and you'll feel full and healthy after you finish it but it'll cost you $15! The sandwiches are fine but again it takes them forever to make them. Their baked goods are also really, really delicious although also over priced.
If you really don't mind delicious and overpriced food, this is the place to go. -
Review from Tara Z.
11/19/2010
Meh. My coworkers love this place, so I end up here frequently, but the veggie sandwiches are bland and overpriced and I don't like the muffins. (Fair warning: everyone I work with disagrees with me, so it might just be me.)
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Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
11/7/2008 1 photo
When I compare cafes I like to focus on the espresso. I would like to try other things, but I can only gain so much weight without buying a new wardrobe and I compare cupcakes I won't fit into my pants. I have tried many different espressos from many different places but the one at Zoe's Bakery Café was the best I've ever had. It was smooth and creamy without being overly bitter and you could taste the beans and the quality of the water and in all honesty I was very impressed. Most of the espressos I've tried have all been of equal quality but this one stood head and shoulders above and so I highly recommend it.
Like the review? Check out the link to my blog on my profile. -
Review from Alan W.
Toronto, ON
6/8/2010
Great place for a quick casual lunch.
Clean, friendly and a great selection of fresh foods.
Try to go after the noon lunch crowd as the place gets really busy.
