The Gardiner Café

The Gardiner Café Review

Well-known local- and seasonal-cuisine advocate chef Jamie Kennedy is still at the helm here, although his name is no longer in the title. All limestone, slate, blond oak, and glass, the airy dining room is a fitting accompaniment to a simple focus on sandwiches and salads. The lunch crowd (dinner is not served) enjoys seasonal starters before more substantial offerings like a smooth Ontario sweet corn bisque with a plump, seared scallop. Count on excellent signature frites with cider mayo, fabulous cheese plates and charcuterie, the daily poutine, and bulgar wheat salad. Wines are matched with each dish, including many from Ontario's Niagara region—home, too, to the berries in the pleasingly retro strawberry shortcake. To enjoy Jamie Kennedy's creations in the evening, head to Gilead Cafe at the less accessible neighborhood of Corktown.