Toronto Guide: Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie

Brunch at Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie

Address | 35 Tank House Lane, Toronto ON M5A 3C4

Brunch in Toronto. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, brunch is one of my favorite meals to have at a restaurant. There’s just something about the atmosphere of everyone excited and enjoying the weekend by meeting with friends and family for a leisure, tasty brunch. We landed in Toronto on a Sunday so we were solidly in brunch territory after we checked into our hotel and got out to explore. Our first stop was the Distillery District for brunch at Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie. It had come highly recommended. We had not planned in advance and so without reservations put our name of the waiting list. Approximate waiting time, 45 minutes. No problem! We had been recommended to try Soma Chocolate Maker and so we used the time to take a stroll down the lane for chocolate while we waited. In what felt like no time at all, we were seated.

One of the best parts about dinning at Cluny Bistro is space itself. At 11,000 square feet it’s very large and bright—and felt bright even though the day was overcast and rainy. There was a wedding party happening on one end of the restaurant, while the remainder of tables and space were filled with diners.

We started off with cocktails. Always in the mood for bubbles, Lynette had the Bulles en fumée (Citadelle Gin, Aperol, Elderflower Cordial, Sparkling Wine) while I settled on the Riviera (Jalapeño Infused El Jimador Blanco Tequila, Agave, Lime Juice, Grapefruit Soda). The bread basket genuinely was the best thing that we were served. The rustic bread had a nice crust on the outside and a perfect airiness on the middle. For our mains, Lynette ordered the seafood shore lunch which is described as whitefish, shrimp and frites. She did want to indulge in some French fries but did not expect the fish and shrimp to be breaded. Although it was tasty for that reason it was a bit of a let down. For my part, I ordered the Basque Benny because it had a little bit of everything that I enjoy for brunch. Poached eggs, avocado, shrimp, and of course hollandaise. Normally I’m not a frites guy with one exception…when I can dip them in hollandaise. At that point all bets are off and I’m going in.

All in all it was a pleasant brunch. After we settled our tab we made our way to the bakery to grab some French pastry to go.

Tell me more about where you’re from and some of your favorite brunch spots in the comments section below!