No frozen chicken fingers. Just five restaurants that satisfy young palates and keep the grown-ups happy
Reasons to love Ceili Cottage: its drippingly juicy pork bangers in caramelized onion gravy with creamy mash; an eye-closingly cheddary mac-and-cheese; and its decadent sticky toffee pudding. 1301 Queen St. E., 416-406-1301.
Le Sélect Bistro’s haute kids’ menu includes a tender, five-ounce flap steak with caramelized shallots and light, thin frites, and a creamy risotto with chicken, asparagus, fennel and pine nuts. Parents swoon over the under-$50 wine list. 432 Wellington St. W., 416-596-6405.
There’s plenty of Borscht Belt shtick from the waiters at Caplansky’s deli. Then there’s the all-day breakfast, which includes a kids’ menu of downsized, $4 items, like an egg with beef bacon, a latke, apple sauce and toast. 356 College St., 416-500-3852.
Leslieville’s family contingent makes for a loud crowd at Lil’ Baci, which offers an unfussy selection of Roman-style pizzas and a handful of pastas, including the pure-and-simple pepper-and-pecorino spaghetti cacio e pepe. 892 Queen St. E., 416-465-4888.
Little India’s Lahore Tikka House has plenty of amusing distractions—diners spilling out the door, twinkly Christmas lights—plus first-rate chicken tikka, lamb kebabs, biryani and child-shushing kulfi pop-sicles. 1365 Gerrard St. E., 416-406-1668.
(Image: The mac-and-cheese at Ceili Cottage, by John Cullen)
How can there be only 5?!?!
October 31, 2011 at 2:49 pm | by BiancaConsidering the size of Toronto and the number of restaurants out there I wonder why I keep reading about the same dozen or so over and over again in Toronto Life. Do a little leg work will ya?
October 31, 2011 at 3:28 pm | by mattagascarRe: Le Select
If your kids have peanut allergies (like mine) be careful of the frites as they are fried in peanut oil.
October 31, 2011 at 4:04 pm | by JenSneaky Dees @ College and Bathurst for tex-mex breakfast & lunch. No one will know or care if your kids are loud (they will be drowned out by Metallica or blues) or if they lightly vandalize the furniture. Staff are good about getting hot water to heat up bottles and quick on the coffee refills.
November 19, 2011 at 5:25 pm | by P.M.