The best brunch buffets in Toronto
The only thing better than brunch is a buffet brunch. Waking up late on the weekend and filling your plate up with steaming trays of fresh, hot favourites sounds like a winning formula. The only question is: what kind of food do you fancy? Toronto’s multicultural cuisines like Chinese, Jewish, Indian, Italian and Canadian are just a few of the tasty options you’ll find on this list. [Image credit: iStock.com/MaximShebeko]
HOTHOUSE
35 Church St, Toronto, ON M5E 1T3The twisted wisdom of Yogi Berra’s great line: “nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded,” might apply to The Hot House. Reservations are not required but highly recommended if you plan to attend the famous Sunday buffet brunch. The hot table is loaded with plenty of meat, pasta and vegetarian options, plus the weekly chef’s surprise. It runs every Sunday from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm – ideal times for breakfast, brunch or lunch. Adults pay $22.95, kids under 11 pay $11.50, and children five-and-under eat for free.
Mandarin Restaurant
2200 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4S 2C6If there were a People’s Choice Award for best Toronto buffet dining, odds are that this chain would walk away with the hardware. Never mind brunch; it’s ALL buffet, ALL the time, so no reason to wait until the weekend. Mandarin is a popular restaurant to feast with families, seniors, tour groups and anyone celebrating any kind of special event. Soups, salads, hot entrees, grilled meats, sushi, pizza (deep breath…) and dessert are included in your one-price meal. Lunch and brunch is $15.99, Monday to Friday at a franchise near you.
Dragon Pearl Buffet
2-865 York Mills Rd, North York, ON M3B 1Y6Beautiful presentation and exclusive dishes, like the namesake giant sesame ball, distinguish this all-you-can-eat buffet from all others in the GTA. The emphasis is on Asian food and flavours with a menu influenced by every kind of Far East cooking you can name, plus some basic Canadian dishes for the timid or diet-restricted. The everyday specials are the never-ending Dragon Noodle and The Shallot Pancake. For $15.99 per person, it’s an all-you-can-eat heaven in a kitschy but gorgeous setting.
Little India Restaurant
255 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z4Cozy-looking from the outside and delectable on the inside, Little India dishes all the classics from the subcontinent in their daily brunch and lunch buffet from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm. For $13.95, help yourself to a sprawling selection of meats, seafood and vegetable options, soups and salads. Everything is prepared fresh daily and you’ll never see the same selection two days in a row.
Free Times
320 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1S3Toronto’s Jewish community may have migrated from Kensington Market to North York and beyond decades ago, but Free Times owner Judy Perly has been preparing authentic Jewish Sunday brunches here for almost 20 years. And they keep on getting better. The menu now includes more than 50 items, from smoked salmon and potato latkes to blintzes and challah French toast – all accompanied by live music! It’s $19.95 for all-you-can-eat from 10:30 to 11 am and at 1:15 pm. Call ahead to book.
Old Mill Toronto
21 Old Mill Rd, Etobicoke, ON M8X 1G5If you were raised in the west end, you know about this genteel place and its historic charm. If not, you owe it to yourself to visit. Every day is buffet day from 12 to 2:30 pm in the well-appointed dining room. Although pricier than many buffets, the selection and quality commensurate with the cost. Sunday brunch is when they pull out all the stops with a spectacular presentation and variety. It’s $34.95 for adults and $16.95 for kids aged 6 to 11. Reserve ahead for Mother’s Day or any special occasion.
Marché Restaurant
181 Bay St, Toronto, ON M5J 2T3Marché does a nice job of simulating a European-style marketplace with separate food prep stations and fresh presentation. If you select the a la carte buffet option, you can wander from counter to counter and cherry-pick from the hot and cold selections, or watch while the chefs prepare your fresh omelette, crepe or personal pizza. Located entirely indoors and opposite the entrance to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Marché really jumps during busy weekday lunchtimes.
Courtyard Cafe
18 Thomas Ave, Toronto, ON M1C 1E5The crème de la crème of Toronto’s brunch buffet scene is a model of classic elegance in one of the city’s premier boutique hotels. A chance to dine in the Courtyard Café in the Windsor Arms is worth the price of admission. Sunday brunch is from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm and it’s a wonderful place to bring a first-time visitor to town or simply splurge on your loved ones. Reservations are a must. The costs are $65 per adult and $40 per child under 12. This is one brunch you’ll never forget.
