Coach House Restaurant

Three co-workers embark on a quest to eat lunch at every restaurant in their office's surrounding vicinity, documenting their reactions and reviewing the food. This is OUT TO LUNCH.

"I want to get married here." - Lisa Bettencourt on Coach House Restaurant

Lisa: One of the greatest hidden gems of the city. A classic diner owned by the same couple for over 40 years - with a menu and décor to boot -and refreshingly absent of hipsters in such a downtown location. What I love the most – processed cheese slices on my western omelet sandwich. Home fries that made you happy to be alive - tender, greasy and seasoned just right.  Friendly service. Everything here is just perfect if you like a cheap, authentic diner. Not to be missed!

Melissa: Loved it. We stumbled upon this tiny restaurant by accident... but what a treasure. Walking in to Coach House is like walking into something classic.
The food was quick, delicious, and generously portioned. I had an Omelets and toast, which was excellent, but all the while wishing I had ordered Paul's over-the-top meal of waffles, over easy eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries... (there was probably more that I can't remember now!) This is a "must return" restaurant for me.

Paul: I am in love and her name is Coach House Restaurant.

A rejuvinating oasis quietly tucked away among the onslaught of noise and commotion at the corner of Yonge and Wellesley, the discovery of Coach House itself was a magical event. Entering the cozy restaurant time-travels you back to the 1940's with it's dark wood paneled bar, cozy bench seats and incredibly delicious and amazingly cheap plate specials. The staff is so friendly and the atmosphere is so homey the entire dining experience is like something out of a movie. I almost expected Jimmy Stewart to walk in and order.

If you know me, you know that if a menu features an all-day-breakfast special, it's going to be next to impossible to persuade me to not order it. And let me say that Coach Houses's all-day-breakfast special is without a doubt the best all-day-breakfast special I have ever had. Eggs, sausage, bacon and ham with an enormous freshly baked golden waffle so deliciously crispy and sugary, it shines as the crown jewel of this royal banquet. Needless to say, I've returned to Coach House since and urge everyone to visit this incredible Toronto gem.

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Ethiopian House

Three co-workers embark on a quest to eat lunch at every restaurant in their office's surrounding vicinity, documenting their reactions and reviewing the food. This is OUT TO LUNCH.

Melissa: Delish. Again, this is another hidden gem in Toronto that was brought to my attention by Lisa. We were starving the day we went so the food felt like it was taking forever but I think it was worth the wait. I ordered a vegetarian plate that was delicious and plentiful. Some of the flavours were new but definitely welcomed! I will return when I have more than an hour break.

Lisa: I have heard this is the best Ethiopian food in the city, but I think we just came on an off day. The food took almost an hour and the portion sizes were small and the injera lacked the texture and flavor that it usually has at other Ethiopian restaurants. The vegetarian meal lack variety. I would give it a second chance but not recommend it based on this one time. Try Nazareth, Lailebela or Addis Abada for better food and service.

Paul: Unlike Melissa and Lisa, I've never had Ethiopian food before, so I can honestly say this is the best Ethiopian food I've ever had. Kidding aside, this was a pretty great lunch. I ordered the lunch special that came with pan fried beef and collared greens (a phrase I enjoy both typing and saying aloud) and different vegetables that were all delicious and flavourful. The one downside for me was cottage cheese, which I didn't know anyone actually liked until my two lunch-mates happily ate my portion.

The experience of eating with your hands using the Injera bread made the meal oddly more satisfying (probably because after the wait it took for our order to come I no longer had time for utensils.) The decor is appropriately funky, with brightly coloured throw pillows meeting your gaze in all directions and the walls filled with interesting pictures and designs in a style reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film set in Ethiopia. Suffice it to say, I would definitely go back for another meal.

Ethiopian House Website


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