Saving Grace

You can go with their basic breakfast or do one of their funky specials. Would be awesome to add a tofu scramble to the menu. I like the option for half size pancakes so you can order on top of your main dish and share with others. I love that their hot sauce is served with a teaspoon, you’ll get what I mean when you order. Service is somewhat inconsistent, staff aren’t always that friendly and helpful but they’re also pretty overwhelmed with lots of people.

Visited on a Monday for brunch, and the space was almost full of local diners. It's clear that this place is popular. I ordered a mint tea and the Angela sandwich. The mint tea was loose leaf came in a clay tea pot. I'll be ordering this again. I like that the rye bread used for the sandwich is thinly sliced and crunchy - great texture and won't destroy the roof of your mouth. I'm unsure about the tomato chutney and aged cheddar pairing used in the sandwich. The salad helps cut through that flavour combo when it becomes overwhelming. I won't be ordering this again. Service: Friendly servers who have service timing down. The servers checked in on the hot water for my tea. Much appreciated! Thanks for understanding customer body language and being inviting. Atmosphere: a very cozy space with well used creaky stairs and flooring. The front windows let in a lot of sunlight, highlighting the decor. The building is quite old and needs renovations like many of the other neighbouring buildings. Tables and bathrooms are clean. Will be back to try more! Notes: - Closes at 2:45pm - Only accepts Canadian debit and cash - Join the Yelp wait list if dining here on high traffic days (weekends)

One of the healthiest brunch places that I have ever been to. Never have I ever tried lentil salads with poached eggs topped with pomegranate, feta, avocados and a nutritious side salad!! Very affordable and good service. It’s a small place so make sure to reserve a table beforehand especially on weekends.

Saving grace is good place for a fast breakfast with friends! People there are nice and very welcoming. Eve was our waitress during my visit there. She was very kind and polite. She was very careful with the food she suggested to me as it must be halal, she checked multiple times that my order is done perfectly and with halal ingredients. Overall it was a great experience due to Eve’s hospitality and warm welcoming! Definitely will be going there again soon🥰

This was our second attempt to eat at Saving Grace, almost didn't go, but I'm so glad we did! It seems unassuming when you walk in but the service is so friendly and quick! We ended up ordering their "desserts" which you can do half and half! Which is amazing for people who want to try everything and honestly everything was amazing! We ordered the french toast with caramelized bananas, the raspberry pancakes with lemon curd sauce and, my favourite dish so far, the blintzes filled with lemon ricotta topped with erry sauce. The ricotta was devine! We have already planned to go back just for this item and try a few other items that caught out eyes. Did I mention unlimited coffee refills that went perfectly with our food?

The wait for a table wasn't too bad. We were told that it would be a 30 minute wait but we were seated in 15 minutes. Unfortunately, our waitress must have forgotten to place our order because it was 75 minutes before we got our food. It would have made sense for them to rush our order when we followed up after waiting for 45 minutes and watching 5 parties seated after us receive their orders. Or, at this point, a reasonable gesture would have been to cover our meal. Exceptional food would have been the "saving grace" but unfortunately that was not the case. The ginger pear pancakes were a good blend of flavours and the best item we ordered, but they were soggy. The panfried Reuben ham sandwich with spicy mayo was rubbery and too salty. The enfrijolados were forgettable at best. This place was well reviewed but our experience left us wondering if the reviews were from actual diners or we were just unfortunate.

A nice family-oriented brunch spot in the city. I loved that their menu is on a black board and it keeps changing every week. The staff is super sweet and they provide accurate descriptions of each item. The only unfortunate bit is that the food prep is quite slow and it took a long time for us to get our food. They have Yelp to help you put yourself on the waitlist. Great spot and we will be back!

A favourite brunch place of my daughter’s and mine! We’re not from Toronto but will make a point to go out of our way to eat here if we’re nearby at the right time. Everything is interesting and delicious, and the staff are super friendly. There’s sometimes a line but it’s worth the wait!

Brunch with a Yelp waitlist! We came on a Friday morning and were immediately seated, and were forewarned that food was going to take longer than expected. While dining, the line did get longer outside. I ordered an avocado cheese sandwich, and my friend got a banana french toast. The food was good, but we liked the ambiance more. Accessibility: The washroom is up the stairs. Door does not have an automatic door opener.

I love sweet breakfasts, but I can't finish a stack of pancakes by myself, so when I saw that I could get a half order of French toast with caramelized bananas ($7.50) AND a half order of lime blueberry pancakes ($7.50), I was sold! This honestly sets the standard for other brunches. Next time, I'm going to try a half order of French toast with a side order of breakfast sausage; that will be the perfect combo of salty and sweet. (Yes, I'm putting this in my review BOTH for all of you and for future me, haha.) We also got the Spanish frittata ($17.25); it came with chorizo sausage, potato and onion, with greens, coleslaw and hummus, and bread. The potatoes needed a bit of salt, but the sausage was excellent. Thanks to Yelp for having a waitlist option! It was my first time using this. Bravo!

Genuinely one of the worst brunches in Toronto. Bad service, long wait times, prepackaged food, loud atmosphere, etc etc etc This place is honestly so bad it makes Toronto food culture worse as a whole. It's incredible.

A cute, small breakfast spot with an interesting menu to match. You can put yourself on the waitlist through yelp which is extra convenient! We got the scrambled eggs in a roti, which was filled with potato and chickpeas. The spices were excellent and a sweet chutney to pair. Ask for the hot sauce if you want more of a kick. It was surprisingly filling and satisfying.

Very much a hole in the wall type place -- they don't offer a paper/digital menu but instead of a chalkboard in the front for the current offerings which was very charming but also slightly inconvenient (especially if you are seated far away from the menu). The food was pretty tasty but the servers were very nice, but the service in general was very slow -- we were notified that we would be seated and then waited another 30 minutes. After we were seated and ordered, it took roughly 25 more minutes to get any food which was not the best experience. If you do go, I would recommend getting the French toast with caramelized bananas!! They were truly the star of the show

This was our second attempt to eat at Saving Grace, almost didn't go, but I'm so glad we did! It seems unassuming when you walk in but the service is so friendly and quick! We ended up ordering their "desserts" which you can do half and half! Which is amazing for people who want to try everything and honestly everything was amazing! We ordered the french toast with caramelized bananas, the raspberry pancakes with lemon curd sauce and, my favourite dish so far, the blintzes filled with lemon ricotta topped with erry sauce. The ricotta was devine! We have already planned to go back just for this item and try a few other items that caught out eyes. Did I mention unlimited coffee refills that went perfectly with our food?

Really great food and fun options, love for brunch. Cute decoration and friendly staff

Fantastic brunch, home style plates, lovely people. We come to Saving Grace regularly and are never disappointed.

I reviewed Saving Grace on Yelp in 2014 (!) and baby, it's still as good as ever. Definitely one of the best, most consistent brunch spots in the city. Super low key, super qua-li-ty. The menu changes daily but features some consistent items that are worth your attention. One: the caramelized banana French toast is so good it's...bananas (wow, how clever of me). Two: the eggs Rajasthani is such a wonderful savory dish. But you can always count on a creative list of brunch specials. Today I had the unbelievably delicious huevos ahogados, "drowned eggs" in an addictive tomato salsa with feta and avocado. I've also gone gaga for their cheddar cheese scrambled eggs. And don't miss the smoothies or fresh juices either (beet/apple/ginger juice is so refreshing). But definitely use the Yelp waitlist feature if you plan to come here during peak brunching hours on weekends...like, between 12-2pm you'll want to join the virtual waitlist an hour in advance or whatever. Pro tip: if you do find yourself standing around Dundas waiting forever for a table (a weekly ritual here, it seems) then Ella's Uncle across the street makes amazing coffee that you can enjoy while you wait. But yeah, overall, Saving Grace remains a Toronto brunch superstar.

The food was so tasty! The rotating menu is creative, fresh and delicious. Portions are filling and not over-the-top. Large drink selection, including non-dairy smoothie option. They are not currently licensed so they don't have alcohol. I had the scrambled eggs with gruyere cheese waffles, topped with blueberry preserve which came with a side of salad and breakfast sausages (or bacon or avocado). The eggs were perfectly fluffy and the savoury + sweet combination on the waffles was so good. The indoor space is small and tables are small, but worth the food! If it's busy, getting takeout and eating at Trinity Bellwoods Park is a great option. Service was a bit slow when I came on a Saturday morning; just one server for all the tables, and another server running all the food. Food came out quick once you ordered though! note that they are cash & debit only (e-transfer an option). Definitely a neighbourhood keeper!

My favourite brunch spot! Always a good time, mango smoothie highly recommended. Sometimes a bit of a wait but worth it.

Dropped by Saving Grace with the best on a weekday afternoon and the place was already filled up. We decided to come here at 10AM after hearing that this place has long wait times during brunch time around 11AM but even during and after we enjoyed our meals, the traffic was steady and there was seating available. I got the go-to breakfast of two sunny side up eggs, a salad, toast, and breakfast sausage with a side of ketchup and an espresso over ice. It was delicious and for the price, it was so worth it! The wait time was fine too and service was pretty attentive.

Great spot! I had an amazing egg dish with cheddar cheese and avocado on the scrambled eggs, a side salad, perfect corn bread, baked beans, and plantains. Really interesting combination of foods, I loved it. Food comes out a little slow but well worth the wait. Enjoy'

Really chill vibe, lovely staff and beaut food! Such a cool place and will definitely be back!

Inaccurate wait times. Poor customer service. Waited for 45 mins after being told wait time would be 18. Went back after 45 and was told the time was being extended again. Over an hour waiting with no resolution or effort from staff.

Wow. Best brunch place in Toronto. The menu is just spectacular! Everything was awesome. Highly recommend.

Only reason why I'm not giving it 5 stars is because of the iffy service. Sometimes the waitress is really nice and welcoming, and sometimes, perhaps because it is a very small restaurant yet extremely busy, they are dismissive and not very friendly. Their regular menu is great and always delicious. I love that their dishes are all homey items, but with a healthy twist. They also have daily choices and they all always sound great, which makes it really hard to pick something! Overall, the aesthetics of the restaurant compliment the great selection. recommend it

Four words: caramelized banana French toast. It was worth the drive from Markham to downtown Toronto. So satisfying, made fresh and made right - just like I had imagined it would be. The latte was pretty awesome too. Three more words: I'll be back!!!!

Incredible food. Favourite Toronto brunch spot for the quality of food, exciting pairings and flavours, ambiance and staff. I have met friends here. It's a magical place. Unforgettable beautiful moments.

I've tried to come here a number of times on the weekend but the huge line has also sent me elsewhere. Today I came in at 9:30am midweek and was able to snag a table. It's very small but ultra cozy. The menu is always changing. Lots of vegetarian options. Coffee was good. Service was slow and less than attentive. The food was the star. Around 11:00am when we left there was a line up outside.

The ratings I've found online are skewed as it is comprised of weekend warriors that get upset about wait times for a place that's popular.... The food is fantastic and creative. It is my favourite brunch spot in the city and I have always recommended it to those who are visiting the city

This review is for the service and general waiting protocol only! We came here on Sunday at around 11 to put down our name for a spot for five. The place looked extremely small so we did expect a wait. The wait staff told us it would be about 45 minutes. There was no system to put down a phone number. They would call your name when your table is ready. It was -5 Celcius outside. We waited for 15 minutes and decided to walk around to see if we would be able to get a table faster elsewhere as the neighborhood has lots of options. Turned out everywhere was about a 30-minute or more wait. We came back at the 45-minute mark. The list HAS NOT MOVED DOWN. I came in and asked for an updated wait time. The wait staff said it would be another 45 minutes. I'm sorry, but what? Your wait time is about 90 minutes and you underestimated that by half? Since when it's ok to let people wait on false hopes outside in sub-zero temperature?? Sure I get it. You guys are popular, and maybe your food is exceptional. But take a phone number and text us when our table is ready!!! Let us go shelter somewhere warm while we wait for your precious food...Will I come back?? Perhaps one day I feel like eating brunch at 9 AM.

I came here for brunch with my bf's friends because it was someone's birthday. They started lining up at 9:30 and the line was huge. Luckily, we were first and got seated at the giant table at the back for our big party. This is a cute, little, trendy brunch place for young people. I'm pretty sure everyone in the restaurant was under 30 and chic. Their paper menus were okay but it's the chalkboard menu that is the main appeal of this place. The chalkboard menu changes often and shows daily specials and deals. They have one chef, so if you want your order to come within an hour, you have to order the moment you sit down if you're the first cohort that goes in. We took 5 min to order and our order came an hour later. The taste was alright. Things tasted as they should, but nothing really stood out. My toast had scallions which I knew about but I still am iffy about it. If you like that stuff, then you'd like the whole meal. Portions are big! I eat a lot, so when I say this, I truly mean it. If you're hungry for brunch and aren't too picky, this is a good place. Their pancakes are a lot tougher than I expected. We got a plate to share and although it looked fluffy, biting into it surprised my teeth all the way to my roots. I like that it wasn't too sweet, but I def needed water to wash it down. Personally, I still like aunties and uncles a lot better.

I didn't come to this place with high expectations as my first brunch spot I decided to go to was closed for the day. I'm very surprised that this place has had some recently high ratings. I was here on a Wednesday for brunch, it was surprisingly busy for a weekday given there wasn't much seating. The restaurant is small and quaint. The waitress came within 5-10 mins of seating us. My boyfriend and I ordered quickly as we had a busy day ahead of us. We waited 35 minutes before asking the waitress why our food was taking so long. She came back 10minutes later and explained the machine was broken and is making our food now. We weren't served until an hour after ordering our food. I ordered "poached eggs with fried rice and Chinese greens on mushroom sauce" - The description sounded amazing, only to figure out I was finessed. I paid $16 for eggs on white rice with some vegetable and oyster sauce. Still not understanding how this meal took an hour to prepare. I also ordered a side of their banana coconut pancake. All expectations out the window at this point. These were good considering the trash they just tried to serve me.

Second time here and it was fantastic. Unique brunch dishes that pleased both my GF and I. Fair pricing, expect to wait. Sunday at 11:30 it took about an hour for us to be seated and a little longer for the food but it was worth it! Panfried Egg Panzemella - Sagahati -Greek Fried Cheese, Croutons, Tomato & Red Onion Okonomiyaki - Japanese Mushrooms Cabbage Pancake w egg in center & Spicy Mayo As per usual I shared the dishes and would recommend both, the pancake had a lot of sauce on it so it was nice to have the salad portion of the other dish.

Great place for brunch! Absolutely insane lines though no matter what time you come, but it's well worth the wait. Food was delicious - ordered the waffles and poached eggs taboule. The poached eggs was quite the large dish and had lots going on; quinoa and chick peas, with slices of avocado and fried halloumi, along with a side salad and a hummus like sauce, and also a couple slices of toasted bread. Waffles were not bad - not spectacular but good! Improvements: I wish the servers were a bit more attentive; I think it was so busy that they were dropping orders and not checking up on tables (the table next to me got the wrong order and then they ran out of what he wanted). Also due to how busy it was, food took quite a while to get here. Overall: It's a nice spot with yummy food at reasonable prices! If you need a brunch place in Toronto, you'll want to check this out.

Good food does indeed take time to cook. I went on a sunday and the line appeared long but trust me folks, hang around cause 1. Its worth it and 2. the line dwindles fast since some ppl end up leaving. Menu is small but they do it all well. Parking directly outside was a bonus for me. I ordered the french toast with bananas, channa indian paratha, and another dish I can't remember what it was but it has an egg, greens and rice (see pic). EVERYTHING was just perfect and yes I ate all 3. My waitress Michelle (super friendly pretty lady - Hi Michelle!!!) was in disbelief that I polished off all 3 dishes. My friend got the waffles. I can't wait to go back!!!

Came with a bunch of friends for brunch and was excited to try this place out. The menu is quite extensive and the wall posts several daily specials. The staff was nice and gave their recommendations and any help needed. The reason for the 2 stars is they do not have AC. It kind of baffles me that a hipster spot downtown would not have AC. Our entire group was very uncomfortable throughout the meal and could not enjoy our food. Ok, so food. We ordered quite a few different dishes and drinks. I can say all were very tasty and was an interestingly fusion of Mexican and Asian elements. Most dishes were filling, except for the waffles which came with two small pieces. I'll be honest and say, I wanted to enjoy my meal but could not on this occasion because of the blazing heat.

Great food and cosy ambiance. Service can be slow though and it's very small so wait times can be long.

Unique menu with fresh and flavourful ingredients! Will be coming back to try some of the menu items that caught my eye but that I didn't end up ordering. Will also be recommending this spot to my friends.

The wait for a table wasn't too bad. We were told that it would be a 30 minute wait but we were seated in 15 minutes. Unfortunately, our waitress must have forgotten to place our order because it was 75 minutes before we got our food. It would have made sense for them to rush our order when we followed up after waiting for 45 minutes and watching 5 parties after us receive their orders. Or, at this point, a reasonable gesture would have been to cover our meal. All would have been forgiven if the food was exceptional. The ginger pear pancakes were a good blend of flavours but soggy and the best item we ordered. The panfried Reuben ham sandwich with spicy mayo was rubbery and too salty. The enfrijolados were forgettable at best. This place was well reviewed but our experience left us wondering if the reviews are from actual diners or we were just unfortunate.

Stopped in for brunch. We put our name on the wait list and grabbed a coffee nearby while we waited. It was worth the wait! I had a lemon waffle with ricotta and cherries and my husband had a scrambled egg dish with a middle eastern flair. I also loved my ginger coffee. Small space but comfortable and welcoming.

Located near the OVO flag store and was in the area to visit. The place is small and there is limited seating. It is recommend to be on wait list prior going there to avoid long wait time as there is no actual waiting area. I had ordered the French toast and sausage on the side. It was very delicious as it is one of the better one I had. The ice coffee is a nice touch. Overall, great experience If you're in the area, the customer service is almost non existent only when asked for the bill or order.

Came here for brunch on a very very very cold Saturday morning. Thankfully there were only two couples ahead of us and we were able to wait inside. The place is small, but turnover is relatively efficient. We were seated in the front corner window seat. It was a bit cool, but I didn't need to keep my coat on or anything. Anyway, they provide scarves at each table, presumably in case people get a bit chilly. There's a regular menu and an extensive list of chalkboard specials. We ordered the eggs rajasthani from the regular menu, a scrambled eggs special, and a half order of pancakes (listed on the regular menu but the flavour is described in the chalkboard.) Everything was good to excellent. Although the place is small, it's busy. There were two servers working and they were HUSTLING. Even so, service was friendly and we didn't feel rushed. All in all, a great place for a great brunch.

when i arrived there was a bit of a wait and its monday so i knew this place must be poppin. My friend and i both ordered from their specials. I got the crumpet earl grey french toast which was good i just would have liked something to go along with it. She got the spinach toast with egg and parmeson it came with potatoes and a small side salad. The taste of everything was great, i would definitely go back and wait in line again.

Always looking for a new brunch place. Found this place after searching online for good brunch place. It was close by, and there were many recommendations online and from blogs. Decided to check it out. The food here is really good actually. Had the quesadilla, waffles pancakes and side of sausage including a coffee. I liked their coffee alot, it was really good. The quesadilla and waffle pancakes were really good too. I would recommend both.

All around goodness. Worth the wait. Food is fresh, flavorful, and inventive twist on brunch. Menu changes pretty regularly, but always offers good options. Everyone that works there is friendly.

This place is tiny, there will be a wait to get but man, is the wait worth it! They have avocado coffee (esspressado), which was very creamy and slightly too bitter for me. But if you love espressos, you'll probably like the esspressado. I also got their lavender waffles. The flavours all mixed so well. Definitely most unique and delicious tasting waffles I've had. Sadly it's a little far for me to get here, but defiantly worth the travel.

They let you split some orders into halves. So I had 1/2 order of date pancakes and 1/2 order of waffles. Pancakes really good, waffles okay. or by the time I got to waffles, I was already full. Worth the money, not the wait. They do not seat you unless everyone in your party is there. Which makes sense since it is small place but would have preferred to know in advance. They also do not split cheques on the weekend, which does not make sense. It is easier on everyone involved. Also no credit. Anyhow, the food is good but I may not wait in a long lineup.

Came here on a weekend afternoon and it was packed. We waitlist on Yelp beforehand which helped a lot but the queue was still around 1 hour. Very small restaurant and limited seating area but food is ok and price reasonably. Probably not if it's worth the 1 hour wait though. We got the French toast and their pancake of the day.

I suspect that Saving Grace is one of those places where the overall quality of the experience is determined by how busy it is. I've been there on a Saturday morning and a Thursday morning, and I can say without a doubt that the weekend experience was a nightmare compared to a weekday. Seriously, I'll never understand why people would wait an hour or more just for brunch. That being said, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend avoiding weekend visits unless you're part of the first 16 people to enter the door when they open, or if you're a masochist. I can't speak for other reviewers, but my weekday experience was perfect. The food arrived in a respectable time and was perfect. My friend had the french toast with caramelized bananas and maple syrup. I had one of the daily specials, which was pan-fried eggs bahn mi style with pickled carrots, daikon, bacon, sriracha and maple syrup on a bun. The french toast was particularly impressive. Instead of standard bread, they use a fresh french baguette, which was perfectly soft on the inside with a crisp crust, and had a delicious buttery flavour that complimented the caramelized bananas. I know I'm gushing about the french toast, and haven't said much about the bahn mi eggs, but seriously, the french toast was REALLY REALLY good. (though a word of warning, if you not a fan of sweet, I recommend ordering it with maple syrup ONLY on the side) On a surprising note, they've also got a great selection of fresh juices. I had the pear-ginger juice, and it was absolutely refreshing. Their avocado-espresso is next on my list to order. Overall, based on my two experiences, Saving Grace has good food and good service BUT ONLY when they're not getting slammed by cranky customers who have tortured themselves by waiting a ridiculous amount of time.

A small, unique local business that may be short on decoration but knocks it out of the park on food, coffee and service. Breakfast is plentiful, get the Mexican inspired chilaquilas!!! The staff is friendly, the food is great. Americano was dark, rich and delicious. I'm hooked! Yeah there are bigger chains, but something about this local gem will keep me coming back.

Great, creative menu! We've never had a meal we didn't love! I highly resend it fir a casual brunch!

Amazing food with a cute home style kitchen. Delicious flavours with a unique brunch menu. Stellar service with a cozy and intimate atmosphere.

One of my favourite brunch spots for the past 15 years. Excellent recurring options and always delicious and interesting new options every day. The espressado (avocado/espresso smoothie - fyi contains dairy) and French toast are THE BEST. I usually split them with someone (with the French toast as brunch dessert after something savoury)

Amazing cute little spot in Toronto. Brunch was great! You can join the waitlist on Yelp!! Highly recommended the Banana Foster French Toast and Open Omelette. Staff was friendly and service was fast!

Worth the wait... but man what a wait. I think if you come at 10:17, during a snowstorm, on a Wednesday you can walk right in, but otherwise bring a good book 'cuz you'll be lining up! When you finally sit you'll have all the brunch options you've been waiting for - avocado, eggs, waffles, salads, high test coffee! The staff is fast and friendly but the prices are on the high side - brunch for 2 will run you north of $30. One last tip - if you come in the summer wear a tank top because it is HOT inside!

One of the best brunch in the city (food-wise, I don't care about service). Highly recommend the french toast with caramelized bananas.

Honestly not worth of wait. For place that is selected for best french toast/ brunch in BlogTO its very questionable. Maybe because it was high demand or low staff(which is also a problem they have too many tables compare to what they can manage) or they were running out of egg that day but my french toast barely touched egg (it was more like caramelized toast). And other foods were below average than other brunch places. (Cold, frozen food taste, small portion..etc) Will not visit again.