Janine Café-Brunch
Brunch restaurant · Wellington-de-L'Église ·
Creative brunch dishes with unique flavors and homemade pastries
Creative brunch dishes with unique flavors and homemade pastries
"Sister to pivotal Rosemont brunch spot Régine, Janine borrows some cues but adds its own flare with a plate of smoked mackerel and latkes, and chicken and waffles served with harissa yogurt and mango jam." - Eater Staff
"At Janine Café in Verdun (which the co-owner also runs alongside Régine Café), I found that the brunch experience has been forced to adapt: the long lineups are now virtual, and Pierre-Luc Chevalier admits he originally didn’t think eggs would travel for takeout but after rolling out a shortened menu “my God, it worked.” They’ve since returned to their regular menus but sell far fewer eggs Benedict or sunny-side-up eggs (scrambled stays warm longer), and have kept afloat by emphasizing traditional brunch plates, pastries and sides — customers are even ordering more sides to have leftovers. Despite that, the business has seen a 75 percent drop in sales and cut staff by 60 percent, and Chevalier calls them the “lucky” ones." - Joel Balsam
"A sister to Rosemont’s Régine has opened in Verdun: Janine Café takes over the former Cucina Linda on Wellington at Hickson with an opulent-looking space seating around 85." - Eater Staff
"I note Café Janine as part of the wave of openings in Verdun that commentators say bode well for the district’s culinary future." - Tim Forster
"A sister restaurant to popular Rosemont brunch spot Régine, Janine Café has opened in Verdun on Wellington, taking over the former Italian restaurant Cucina Linda on the corner of Hickson in an opulent-looking space that seats around 85. The owners—Pierre-Luc Chevalier, Charles Deschamps, and Maxim Lepage—say they’re not looking to “copy-paste” Régine, and the menu reflects that with new plates like latkes with smoked mackerel; buckwheat oatmeal with apple-butternut butter, caramelized apple, and rooibos tea cream; and chicken and waffles, while a few Régine favourites have made the trip down to Verdun, including a hearty pulled ham with eggs, potatoes, and lardons and the bacon and duck confit sandwich; the beloved French toast is also reworked with bananas, mascarpone, dates, and pecan popcorn. The program is overseen by chef Gregory Chandler, and the design mixes vintage furniture with a more classical brasserie vibe—checkered floors, sconce lighting, and warm light boosted by a brassy ceiling. Janine Café is open at 3900 Wellington from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekends." - Tim Forster
