Creativecommons.org/Miki Yoshihito
You don’t have to get up too early to enjoy it and you can have bacon with practically everything... What’s not to love about brunch?
Here are some of our favourite spots in Canada for the best meal of the week...
Harbour House Hotel, Restaurant & Organic Farm,
Saltspring Island, BC
Looking for something different? Then consider the Harbour House Hotel’s quinoa breakfast pudding, which combines quinoa grown in the large organic garden adjacent to the hotel with eggy custard with syrup harvested from the big leaf maple trees that ring the farm. It’s then crowned with fresh local tayberries for good measure. If that doesn’t get your mouth watering, check out the house-candied, alder-smoked wild caught Pacific salmon with poached eggs under a tarragon hollandaise on house-baked English muffins with a side of farm tomato relish. It really is no surprise that the Harbour House won the ‘Best Brunch in Canada’ award in 2011.
Cafe Medina,
Vancouver, BC
Regarded by many as the best brunch spot in Vancouver, this quaint cafe is packed for every weekend. The menu dazzles with paella with baked egg, curried Orzo, Hungarian chorizo, zucchini, red pepper, roasted corn and Grano padano served up with a watercress, avocado and tomato salad; or cassoulet with fried eggs on backed beans, saussison de paris, double smoked bacon and andouille served on grilled focaccia.
Rain City Grill,
Vancouver, BC
A staple in Vancouver’s colourful West End, Rain City opened its doors back in 1992, and has championed locally-sourced food ever since. The menu is a tribute to the local farmers, fisherman and producers of British Columbia. Check out the brioche French toast with bourbon maple butter, white chocolate mousse and fresh berries, or the scallop frittata with farmhouse fromage frais, arugula salad and fresh fruit.
The Fort Garry Hotel,
Winnipeg, MB
When it comes to the best brunch in Winnipeg, the Fort Garry Hotel is a clear winner. Dive into the magnificent brunch buffet, which features a selection of salads, a cold fish tray, a shrimp bowl and an imported cheese tray. Hot selections include bacon, house-made sausage, French toast, hash brown potatoes and eggs Benedict, as well as a few interchangeable specialty items from the chef. There’s also a chef’s station that features fresh waffles, a choice of omelettes and carved meats. Top that off with a dessert table complete with a chocolate fountain, ice cream station, assorted dainties, truffles and fruit trays – and it’s easy to see why the Fort Garry Hotel’s brunch is such a big hit.
The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth,
Montreal, QC
Oozing elegance and charm, Montreal’s Fairmont Queen Elizabeth serves up a tantalizing hot and cold brunch buffet with Mediterranean flair. Available in this landmark hotel’s Le Montrealais Bistrot-Bar, this surprisingly affordable brunch option ($39 per person) features delicacies like tomato, anchovy and feta cheese fougasse; roast pork loin stuffed with sausage and prunes and served with olive sauce; and fried squid enhanced with saffron aioli.
Mildred’s Temple Kitchen,
Toronto, ON
When it comes to pancakes, ‘Mrs Beiderhof’s blueberry buttermilk pancakes’ are the stuff of legend. Named after the 1945 Joan Crawford film Mildred Pierce, about a hard-working waitress with a philandering husband, Mildred’s is all about home cooking. Bright and industrial, yet relaxing and intimate, the warmth of Mildred’s lingers long after you have gone home.
The Gladstone Hotel,
Toronto, ON
Named best hotel brunch in Toronto by En Route Magazine the Gladston Hotel’s lively weekend brunch is served in both the Café and Melody Bar every weekend. From the lumberjack breakfast to bread pudding “french toast” topped with caramelized apples, maple caramel drizzle and house smoked bacon, brunch is a real treat at the Gladstone. And for a more lively brunch experience, grab a table at the hotel’s special ‘, Acoustic Family Brunch Buffet’, which served up a stylish brunch with a side dish of bluegrass music.
Epic Restaurant, Fairmont Royal York Hotel,
Toronto, ON
With a rooftop garden, some 15 stories above Front Street, producing herbs and honey for dishes, Epic blends tradition and elegance to showcase its use of premium quality regional elements. Check out the lobster, asparagus and brie omelette or the maple glazed bacon Benedict, or for some unadulterated pleasure, dive into the Epic brunch buffet where you’ll find everything from sliced fresh fruit, and pastries to signature “AAA” roast prime rib of beef, Yorkshire pudding and Lyonnaise potatoes.