Restaurant Review: Lazy Daisy's Café
LAZY DAISY'S CAFÉ
1515 Gerrard Street East ~ lazydaisyscafe.ca Instagram: @lazydaisysto ~ Twitter: @LazyDaisysCafe Co-Diners: Tim Golem & Rachelle Spence
I am someone who has a child. A two year old boy, to be exact. So when I heard about Leslieville's Lazy Daisy's as being voted #1 Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant 2018 by NOW Toronto, I was like "take me there now." They are also known for having an incredibly good breakfast sandwich. If you ask me, this all adds up to a haven for parents who still want to visit great places to eat - even with a tiny child in tow. The idea at Lazy Daisy's is to bring the spirit of the farm to the community in the city. This means farm fresh vegetables, locally sourced and seasonal, the meats naturally raised, drug & hormone free, and pastries all handmade with only the finest ingredients. I was very much looking forward to visiting them on a Sunday morning. Located in a super cute and hip area, surrounded by super cute and hip businesses, Lazy Daisy's Café is adorable right from the start. The entire vibe is "rustic barnwood chic" which pairs perfectly with everything that they believe in. The large space is bright and lively, the teal walls feel joyful while the exposed brick and distressed wood keeps things very down-to-earth. My eyes immediately searched for evidence of a kid-friendly room and I instantly found what I was looking for; plenty of highchairs, tons of toys and books, and the pièce de résistance? A full Thomas wooden railway table near the back of the restaurant. My son was in instant heaven. Their large counter serves as a viewing area for all of their fresh baking and is also where you go to place your order. There are several chalkboard menus to peruse, offering lots of breakfast options and also plenty of choices for lunch. You'll also find a great kid's menu, of course. I noticed one of those machines that makes fresh-squeezed orange juice, and while I'm partial to a chai latte, I couldn't refuse a glass of Fresh OJ ($5.75). Available in tree sizes, I took a medium.
Can't go wrong with this sweet, sweet freshness! It makes orange juice from a carton look silly. One small issue is that my mason jar had a chip in the glass and I had to avoid sipping from the sharp edge. I realize that I could have returned my glass for a different one but I didn't bother. Once your order is placed, you are given a number to place on your table. You are free to seat yourself wherever you want. We sat next to the train table, of course, which was ideal. My son played happily while the adults were able to sit and relax with our food and beverages. I can't think of anything better for a parent! Lazy Daisy's serves a brunch menu on the weekends which is a bit more involved compared to their weekday menu. You'll find everything from pancakes to quiche to sandwiches and more. I gravitated to the breakfast sandwiches since they sounded great and I'd heard good things. There wasn't much question that the Son-of-a-Rise ($9.95) was the sando for me.
Best of both Rises! Free-run egg, cheddar & Mennonite smoked bacon, avocado & tomato on a homemade buttery country biscuit.
After a reasonable wait, my breakfast sandwich arrived. My sando sat, simple and beautiful, waiting for me to dive in. I did just that, enjoying each and every bite! All of the classic breakfast flavours of bacon (nice and crisp!) and eggs worked together in perfect harmony. The cheddar brought some much-desired melty sharpness. And the avocado and tomato added a bright freshness. The biggest surprise for me was the country biscuit. I usually shy away from a biscuit-type situation, as I usually find them way too dense and bready, taking away from the other ingredients. Not so in this case. This homemade country biscuit was incredibly buttery and delicious. Yes, it still had the denseness of a biscuit but in this case it complimented the other ingredients to create something truly delicious. Each table in the restaurant is adorned with a bottle of Cholula hot sauce, which I used to dip my 'wich into for a bit of added kick. I could eat this sandwich every day. I will certainly return to Lazy Daisy's Café. The food was delicious and I actually got to blissfully enjoy eating while my son was completely preoccupied. I absolutely love their farm fresh, local and all natural vibe. Obviously this is the kind of food that I prefer that my family eats. I really liked that there's a sign on the wall that shows exactly where all of the farms are located that their products come from. They've got a B.L.T. sandwich on the menu that I'd love to try. My only caution would be to non-parents. If you're not into the "family scene" this may not be the place for you. Many families flock to this cafe and you should expect to be eating among them. The food is good enough to make it worth it!