Bacon ‘n eggs. Pancakes ‘n waffles. Today, we’re talking brunch.
We love a good slice of avocado toast, don’t get us wrong, but a new Toronto Life feature on the international brunch options in this city is a welcome reminder that “brunch,” as a way of life, is wide-open for interpretation — though coffee and tea are guaranteed options.
And hey, while we’re exploring their list, we thought we’d add to it.
Latin American
Fancy a morning arepa? This street food made from corn flour can be many things, but the Venezuelan sandwiches found at Pomarosa go perfectly (and quite literally) hand-in-hand with a hot cup of coffee. “The arepas are baked daily and stuffed to bursting with all kinds of tasty fillings,” says Toronto Life.
Audi Midtown’s pick: How about huevos yucatecos? In the Distillery District, El Catrin mixes chicken adobo with scrambled eggs for a delectably spicy morning adventure.
Middle Eastern
The secret’s officially out about Maha’s. “This east-end favourite may have doubled in size last summer, but the queue outside is still a fixture,” writes Toronto Life. And the hype is real: The game-changing concept of “5,000 year old food served 5,000 years later” includes Maha’s Mind Blowing Chicken, which involves a sacred marinade. No wonder there’s a line-up!
Audi Midtown’s pick: Can’t hack the wait to get into Maha’s? At Souk Tabule’s all-day brunch, jump in face-first with the Full Souk, which includes foule, labni, falafel, sliced vegetables, and a hard-boiled egg.
Bonus: Much has been written about Middle Eastern cafe and restaurant/tahini production facility Parallel, so if it’s the taste of sesame you’re after, you’re in good hands at this popular Geary Avenue joint. A hint? Some of the best falafel around.
Japanese
Who doesn’t love thick soufflé pancakes? Toronto Life recommends FuwaFuwa — which translates to “fluffy fluffy” in Japanese.
“The most popular is a tiramisu version topped with coffee syrup and mascarpone,” they say. “The hotcakes are so delicate they start to fall within three minutes.”
Drooling yet?
Audi Midtown’s pick: There’s more to Japanese breakfast than jiggly flapjacks. At Eative Film Cafe in Kensington Market, get your hands on the iconic Omelette Sandwich: Tamagoyaki, mayo, salad, and toast. Think of it as street food for the brunch soul.
German
While European brunch has a lot in common with your average North American brunch, the German breakfast at Tennessee Tavern combines, according to Toronto Life, “smoked fish platters, macadamia-sprinkled French toast stacks, fried eggs with pierogies, and a little something called breakfast schnitzel.”
(You had us at breakfast schnitzel.)
Audi Midtown’s pick: Love a classic chicken ‘n waffles? The menu at Otto's Bierhalle includes a sub-menu of brunch “feasts,” where you can order Schnitzel and Waffles — a rather wunderbar choice.
So, who’s ready for the weekend? Time to start making plans to hit up one of Toronto's next-level brunch spots.
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