Karine’s Fresh — Restaurant in Toronto

Leaving this review as a warning to others. I don’t like to be hard on a small business, but please DO NOT BE FOOLED by the high ratings, Karine’s is dismal. One can only assume the positive reviews are fake and/or bought. It’s a shame because you can go anywhere else in the immediate area for a better and cheaper meal.

My partner and I were in Toronto for a weekend and wanted to grab something quick before going to the AGO. Karine’s seemed to fit the bill. Entering into the dated food court where it’s located, we naively assumed this place was a real hidden gem. We were warmly greeted (one of the only positives) and proceed to order our food. The counter attendant (maybe Karine herself) suggested we add cheese to our breakfast sandwiches and we agreed.

It’s the kind of place where you pay before you get your food. There was no bill though; it looked like she rang up our order on a calculator. A fair number of menu items didn’t even have prices, and the prices which were posted definitely didn’t match up with prices from their online menu.

I was still surprised to be charged $54 for 2 breakfast sandwiches (with cheese), a smoothie, and a juice - and this was before adding a tip. I shrugged and chalked it up to inflation and rising labour costs. Again, I held out hope this place was going to impress, based on those high reviews. Looking at the posted menu prices again afterwards, I deduced we must have been charged $10 to add that cheese.

We find a seat and notice a busy McDonalds close by, also serving breakfast. Our paper-plated food arrives quickly and the tray is unceremoniously plopped before us. The tableau is grim. Our breakfast sandwiches aren’t on toasted bread, but instead on untoasted, stale whole-wheat bagels (which are already falling apart). The eggs are cooked through and barely warm. That $10 cheese is just a half-melted, pre-shredded mix. Chunks of soggy tomato and limp spring-mix salad are spilling out from all sides (the bacon is ok). The accompanying fresh fruit is no more than a couple of pithy pomelo slices, some wedges of pineapple with the core intact, and half a strawberry. We have to go back to the counter ourselves to get the drinks. The orange juice is good, but the cup is filled to the brim with ice. The smoothie is also decent, but very basic for the premium price - nothing more than almond milk, banana, peanut butter, and chocolate syrup.

The whole experience was disappointing. We spent over $60 for something you’d make for yourself on a lazy morning when you didn’t feel like going out for groceries. Ingredients seemed to be the absolute cheapest, low-quality options available, with apparently no thought put into preparation or presentation. Overall it felt like a scam.

Toronto is full of breakfast places, and I’m sure most are better - for your wallet and your stomach. If you’re stuck having to pick something in this food court, go to McDonalds. Go anywhere else. I’d go hungry before...

Giving 5 stars because the owner and workers are kind, hard-working people that remember your name. They're also killing it with the limited resources they have in the Grange Food Court. For personability and effort, they get a 10/10.

I personally wasn't a huge fan of the food I ordered. I will come back to try something else next time and adjust my review. For now, I'll run-down on what I had.

I sat in and ordered the 'All Day Every Day Breakfast'. I chose to have it with a sunny-side-up egg, sausages, and garlic fries.

Eggs were cooked perfectly and were just the right amount. There were two fat sausages that were halved and pan fried- they were delicious. The toast was toasted perfectly, but did not have nearly enough margarine. The garlic fries were a type of fries that I don't personally enjoy, but you might! They were light and crunchy: however, they arrived cold. The fruits on the side were okay overall, with the pineapple being the best (to me).

I would personally rate my food experience a 7.5/10. I paid around 14.95 for it (pre-tip). I would say the food was worth the price.

When I come back, I will probably try the pancakes or waffles. I can also see that the mixed drinks look lovely, so I will probably try those too.

Thank you Karine for having a lovely team. Your positivity and kindness are magnetic! I will definitely come back to try more...

When we stopped in for lunch to Village at the Grange's food court, I wasn't expecting to find this gem! I'm not vegan, I just have an egg and various other allergies so breakfast spots are hard for me to find.

Let me tell you, this has been the best spot for an egg free breakfast I've found since I moved back to the city. I got the tofu scramble plate and a warm cider. Came with fries, salad and fresh fruit. The portion size is perfect for the price, service was excellent (I was served at my table in the food court after I placed my order) and all my allergies were accommodated! I am usually a slow eater but this time I devoured the scramble, it was that good. Salad and fruit were fresh and the fries looked fresh cut and were cooked and seasoned well. Cider was refreshing and delicious.

The food court itself seems a little run down, but there's a good amount of seating and it was relatively quiet, so we were able to easily keep up a low conversation as a group.

All in all, I'm definitely going to be popping back in when I can to try all their offerings even though I don't live close, definitely worth the trip!

TLDR: If you're looking for tasty vegan eats, I highly...