Edgar and Joe's Cafe — Restaurant in Ontario

*Updated: Came in on Thanksgiving Sunday for a late breakfast and ordered the Eggs Benny with a coffee. The Benny costs $12.00 and Coffee $1.30. The food took 9 minutes to arrive at my table which is not bad but not great considering that it was a slow lunch hour and most people seated where already served. The service was as unimpressive as the first time I reviewed this restaurant - the waitress taking orders barely made eye contact (all the more important now that everyone is wearing masks and smiles cannot be seen) she was not particularly friendly or welcoming. I felt like I was walking up to my local OHIP branch to get my health card renewed when placing my order. Very sterile. When I asked for a second cup of coffee towards the end of my visit the service was better and more gregarious although a different person from the original.

One cannot go wrong with Las Chicas Del Cafe out of St. Thomas so the coffee gets a passing grade but the food was another matter. The presentation was sloppy and dated which was surprising because it was better in my original review but most unsatisfactory were the portions and the quality. The eggs benny themselves where smallish and the biscuits they were sitting on were barely visible and bordered on burnt and the peameal bacon had an off flavour as if it were old ... the Hollandaise Sauce was runny and lackluster in flavour almost as if it had been watered down. The lack of creaminess and thickness as well as flavor was unexpected, this Hollandaise would have failed the spoon test in any culinary school ... a basic of good Eggs Benedict and sauces.

The potato wedges were rustic but undercooked as they lacked the crunch and crust one expects of well made breakfast potatos from scratch be they deep fried or cooked on the stove top, if I wanted blanched potatos I could have made them at home. The potato wedges portion was also very thrifty ... It felt and looked like a portion you might feed a cat for breakfast. I really dislike it when a breakfast restaurant skimps on sides because it is unnecessary and takes away from the experience. I left still hungry after having drank a second cup of coffee (which I never do) to fill up the empty feeling in my gut.

Cost of food is not economical so be prepared to pay above average prices for run of the mill food and this applies to the newer King St. location as well.

For the most part both locations cater to an upper middle class/non for profit demographic that are well salaried and employed as well as a coterie of civil servants and agency administrators and managers - so a selective representation of Goodwill Services, family of non-for-profit agencies staff and city employees and their support staff.

There are decent and comparable restaurant cafes in the downtown and the city of London that have more economical menus given quality and portions if you are concerned about getting value for your dollar which most people are these days.

No improvement on the portions which I happen to know is something other customers have complained about and the similarity in service between this visit and the previous would incline me to rate it 2 stars as this seems to indicate lip service to feedback by management, however due to this being a non-for-profit venture and the positive influence this may have for employees working here who have challenges with work elsewhere I will retain my original 3 star rating. No improvement means you keep the same...

The ambiance of this place is relaxing and minimalistic, with a lot of natural lighting and spacious seating, making it a fantastic spot for grabbing a meal with either friends or coworkers as well as a great spot to get some work done.

The food was delicious and tasted incredibly fresh. The coffee is certainly something I'll be returning for in the future.

Now it's story time:

My friends and I were excited to try Edgar and Joe's $4 breakfast wrap and coffee promotion as we've heard great things about the cafe, but we've never had the opportunity to experience it ourselves. Unfortunately, on our way to the cafe one of our tires blew, which meant we weren't able to make it to the cafe in time before their breakfast meal promotion ended. We were quite upset with a blown tire and our breakfast plans all screwed up, so we called the cafe in a last ditch effort to save our crummy day.

Crystal was extremely understanding and helpful; she may be one of the most personable workers I've had the pleasure of interacting with before. Not only did Crystal assure us that the cafe would serve us the breakfast special, but she even placed our orders in with a hold on them so that the food would be made fresh for us when we did finally arrive at the cafe. Without a doubt, Crystal's stellar service and kindness turned our day around and because of that we would not hesitate to recommend Edgar and Joe's Cafe to any of our family and friends.

Thanks for all of your help Crystal! And thank you to the staff of Edgar and Joe's Cafe for being so incredibly accommodating, it made all the difference...

While visiting my in-laws in London I was looking for a place to go for a nice brunch. I picked this place based on Google reviews, and was not disappointed. I was really surprised to learn that this place is part of the local Goodwill. The place has a really cool, hipster vibe to it. Their mission is to remove the stigma of poverty by offering and inclusive space. And you're encouraged those who are able to donate coffees for those less fortunate. I had the Brisket hash...for $11, the serving was really generous, and besides being a touch salty was really really good. Came with fresh whole wheat toast and I was impressed with the quality of the ingredients. Really high-quality stuff, which I did not expect for that price. My wife had a hand pressed hamburger for ten bucks with a really great side salad. My kids had the classic breakfast, both with a homemade handpressed sausage patty. Again great quality.

We all left very satisfied both with the portion and the quality. The price can't be beat. And when you realize that you're helping Goodwill provide Hands-On hospitality training to those learning new skills or starting over, it just makes the whole experience more satisfying. I will definitely return next time...