SCENIC — Restaurant in Toronto

After hearing good things about SCENIC coffee + brunch, I was in the area, so I gave it a try! Located right off Hwy 407 on Woodbine (near the Costco in Yorktech), SCENIC coffee + brunch is a brunch cafe with a Japanese twist. Reservations are strongly recommended as they have limited tables available. I made a reservation for 6 for 1pm on a Sunday. We ended up having 7 people, and it was still okay. For some reason their online system only allows reservations for up to 6. It's also important to note that they share the space with a hair salon, which I think is really weird and also not very sanitary maybe?

We arrived a bit earlier than 1pm (12:45pm) and they told us to wait as our reserved table was still occupied. There were a couple of bar table benches available though, which they ended up putting together to give to us after waiting for 5-10 minutes. There's a QR code on the table that you can scan with your phone to pull up the menu on their website. Someone will then come take your order. We ordered several things, including the yuzu eggs benedict, okonomiyaki grilled cheese, tamagoyaki omelette, and the nanban chicken sandwich. We also ordered a london fog and matcha latte for drinks. The okonomiyaki grilled cheese wasn't a favourite - it was a regular grilled cheese with nori strips/flakes on top and okonomiyaki sauce on the side that you dip or spread your grilled cheese on. For $10, it's not really worth the two slices of bread. The nanban chicken sandwich was also just OK - the chicken and bread combination made it a bit dry, and definitely not worth the $20 price tag. The other two entrees, the omelette and the eggs benedict were very good and we enjoyed those. The tamagoyaki omelette was subtly sweet and the salad was a nice pairing. The eggs benedict features onsen eggs and the slight citric yuzu taste of the hollandaise sauce matches the egg very well. However, keep in mind that onsen eggs are very, very running and if you don't like half-cooked eggs like that, then I wouldn't recommend it.

Unlike the food, the service was very good. The waitstaff were very helpful and friendly. Beware that there is an automatic 20% gratuity that is added to parties of 6 or more. It's mentioned when you make an online reservation and they will let you know when you...

A Leslieville Mom’s Perspective – A Little More Heart Could Go a Long Way!

I don’t usually write reviews, but I felt compelled to share my thoughts, especially from the perspective of a local mom living in this community. I genuinely want to love this coffee shop!

When they first opened on Gerrard, I was so excited to bring my kids and check it out. They handed out Pokémon cards, which was such a sweet and memorable touch! my boys loved them, and we still have them! The coffee and matcha are great too, no complaints there.

But here’s the thing, every time we’ve been back, it just doesn’t feel family-friendly. The space has a quiet, almost library-like vibe, which I understand appeals to those working or studying. But as a mom in a family-centric neighbourhood like Leslieville, I was hoping for something a bit more inclusive for parents with young kids.

There are fun toys at the front, which gave me the impression it was a kid-welcoming spot, but it always feels like we have to whisper so we don’t disturb the atmosphere. Once, I brought crayons for my kids and forgot paper—when I asked if they had any, they kindly gave us a receipt paper, which we appreciated! Still, it made me wish there was just a little more intention behind making families feel truly welcome.

Also worth noting, they do have a ramp, which is great, but the automatic door opener is broken. The times I’ve been ive struggle to get in with a stroller, and while sometimes someone inside kindly comes to help, I wish the convenience and accessibility were just consistently there.

For comparison, we’re big fans of Dineen, not just for the coffee, but for how welcoming they are to families. They offer crayons, colouring pages, and even mini drinks for kids year-round. They put stickers on their mini kids cups which many kids absolutely love! The vibe is warm, inviting, and thoughtful!! and it keeps us coming back.

Leslieville is a community full of families, and I really hope this spot can reflect that more in the future. A few small changes could make a huge difference in helping everyone feel like they belong—parents, kids, and coffee lovers alike.

Hope to see that shift someday soon!

— A hopeful mom from the...

I had brunch here on a Saturday afternoon in March 2022 and would like to share that I was overall very DISAPPOINTED. The Pros about this cafe is that the music selection was good, (targets the Gen Z/TikTok crowd). Our server was kind and attentive with filling our waters and the cafe ambience was bright, simple and clean however lacked substance or personality. Just to let you know, that as a customer I felt thrown off by the fact that the restaurant is connected to a busy Hair Salon, so it felt like the space wasn't an intimate cozy setting because your view is watching multiple clients getting their hair cut, washed/blow dried while you are enjoying your expensive coffee and tasteless brunch... how fabulous. First, the meals and drinks are way OVERPRICED for what you get on your plate. Our table of two ordered an Espresso and Flat White, however there was no sugar or sweetener served with the hot drinks. Second, The Eggs Benedict (add Salmon for $4, but thinly sliced) and Scenic Signature Brunch (with Peameal Bacon) came to our table lukewarm and presented small portions. Half the plate was undressed greens paired with a kid size scoop of their mediocre potato salad. The dishes lacked flavour and unpalatable... it was quite bland and I even asked the server for salt and pepper because the egg benedict was savourless. The small biscuit that was "homemade" tasted like flour, described as undermixed and undercooked. The menu selection for brunch was very LIMITED, and lacked originality probably because the owners want to avoid food/inventory waste. If you are going to have a limited menu, at least do your signature dishes justice! I wanted to explore new brunch places in Markham and thought I would try this place out... however, I would recommend other brunch places that are so much more established and better... Inspire, Restaurant Next Door on Main St Unionville, Smash Kitchen or even Main's Mansion. I wished I went to the lunch/brunch chain Cora's because I wouldn't have left hungry and unsatisfied. Would not recommend...