Parkette

They seem to be closed as their phone number is out service. Too bad. I really liked dining here.

This is my favourite brunch spot in the city. If you’re debating on going, stop. Just go. The atmosphere is both comforting and cool. The service was impeccable (very personable, attentive and knowledgable of the menu). The food was perfectly prepared; fresh, tasty, and nicely presented.
I ordered the smoked salmon and poached eggs and my friend ordered the egg white omelette. Note, the omelette is so fluffy you won’t believe your eyes.
Thanks for a great dining experience. We will be back!

A couple of friends and I went for lunch today, and it was fantastic!
We had the Cornish Club and open-​faced Short Rib sandwich. Everything is made in-​house, including the bread — and this attention to detail really does elevate the meal. Portions are a bit on the small side, but the quality makes up for it.
The only issue I had was the side salad that accompanied the club sandwich. It was a handful of arugula in an overly acidic dressing: If it was meant to offset the fatty (and delicious) meat in the sandwich, it should have been ON the sandwich.

Nothing special — basically an overflow for Swan brunch crowd… or at least that is how we landed there. It is dark & unfinished… I am getting tired of this ‘we are too hip to finish our restaurant’ look. The menu was ok, the service distracted… the Cesar over bedazzled, but watery…
Would never go back and recommend anyone wait a bit longer on the Swan line rather than give this place a try… sub-​par.

Slow service, small portions, and sub-​par food.
Two of us ordered the seafood ravioli after seeing it on a nearby table, but when ours arrived they looked half the size. I would have been ok with a small portion if it had been really great, but the taste wasn’t anything special, the texture was strange, and my portion wasn’t hot.
The server wasn’t great either — he took a long time to take our order and never checked on us after bringing out the food. However, when we mentioned our small ravioli portions they comped us for one of them.

Came here for dinner after a friends recommendation as a new restaurant to try west of Toronto. Service was great for a restaurant — given that it is not very big it should be expected but I’ve had bad experiences in other places.
Prices were decent, both the drinks and food menu. Ordered beef tartare and Soppressata pizza. Beef tartare was delicious and the pizza was relatively large.
Overall a good meal. Would come back if I was in the area.

I’ve got a special spot in my heart for the good folks at Parkette. After being turned away from both, Oyster Boy & The County General we we’re welcomed at Parkette like Paesans. Okay, maybe not completely welcomed. They did mention the kitchen would close soon because we were so damn late. Our fault.
The service was great considering we were the almost last party of the weeknight and a group service charge was added to our bill. I ordered the Wild Mushroom risotto, which was infused with fresh garlic and so rich as a super late dinner. The pizza was decent, though I wouldn’t come here for pizza over a trip West to Libretto (
).
I agree with Sara P., in that the ambiance is fit for a romantic dinner and the restaurant is pretty quiet even though it was far from empty. I’d be back here in a heartbeat and I can’t wait to recommend it to others.
Next visit, Brunch.

I went here for a friend’s birthday party on a Friday night after a failed attempt at getting a table Pizzeria Libretto. The birthday girl made reservations at Parkette shortly after realizing it was a 1.5 hour wait at Pizzeria Libretto, so we had no troubles getting seated once we arrived. The restaurant is quite small, so if you intend on eating here I would suggest making reservations.
I ordered the Margherita pizza. The pizzas are pretty big. I finished half of mine and brought the rest home. It was okay, but nothing mind-​blowing. I was expecting a thiner crust, but it was quite thick. I had a taste of my friend’s Porco pizza, which was topped mainly with squash and pork shoulder. I think I liked hers better than mine. The service was great. They were friendly and able to accommodate our party of eight.
Would I go back? Probably not. But it is a cozy place that would be great for a first date.

My hats off to «foodista» supreme Viviana M for leading a mass exodus of us hungry Unilocalers, après Elite event to the savoury oasis of the surprisingly underrated Parkette.
After being turned away from The Cunty General, and Oyster Boy for being either too large a party or too late, in a last ditch effort we’d arrived at Parkette with sheepish grins and growling bellies, hoping for a place of gastronomic sanctuary. My heart (and stomach) beamed with delight as the AMAZING server and kitchen chefs warmly welcomed us to dine at Parkette, thus becoming our epicurean angels of mercy.
The ambiance is very intimate and warm, probably an excellent choice for a romantic dinner too and the aromas emanating from the kitchen were intoxicatingly heavenly. Also worth noting, considering our sizeable party of 11 and late arrival, our food was served quite expediently and our server was super pleasant and absolutely on the ball.
My meal consisted of a Roasted Chicken with a grape sweetened gravy, stewed greens with Corn Grits (abso-​fricking amazing!). Let’s just say the meal was so extrordinarily good that I couldn’t even finish my sentences as my reserves of energy were spent by my tastebuds going into overdrive trying to soak in every last iota of mad deliciousity (yep, I made up a word cuz it’s so damned good!) dished out by the virtuosos of Parkette. Admittedly I was high as sh*t on my food, but from what I could gather around me, my companion’s meals were also consumed with much flavouful zeal.
For dessert I order the Beignets filled with strawberry jam and vanilla sabayon dipping sauce on the side, this ain’t your average Timbit and f*ck yeah those too were amazing!
Yes, a gratuity was added to our bill for our large party, but for food and service this exceptional it was well worth the expense.
Next time you’re hungry, want a classy meal and are in the general vicinity of Queen far west, please don’t waste your time lining-​up at some of the other joints, and get your ass to Parkette NOW!

Sunday Brunch was extremely tasty!
Word from the wise (my friend who is a Parkette regular): Get there before 11 and be seated with ease, after 11 and it was busy! We had a table of 10 and arrived around 10 15 and were seated straight away… in fact we were the only people in the place (for the whole of oh 5 minutes!!).
Food/​Drinks: OJ, latte (or 2) and the eggs benny served on a donut! Oh praise the gods of good food… this was so tasty! The fact that I should not eat gluten was overcome by curiosity and greed. Curiosity killed the cat in this case, but it was worth it! Served with huge chunky slice of pork belly, spinach and potatoes. So I felt the need to walk home after this considerably calorific brunch but it was worth every mouthful! Other friends had the omelette of the day. I was advised by a friend, who frequents Parkette for brunch not t have the corned beef hash as he found it very disappointing.
Really good choice of brunch items on the menu, everything was fresh and just delicious! Reasonably priced as far as I am concerned for a brunch spot on Queen West, for the above I was around $ 24 including tax and tip.
Atmosphere/​Décor: Cool, clean… I love that you can see in to the kitchen. For a small brunch place they have used the space will and have a fair number of tables without feeling squashed together.
Staff: Attentive, helpful and fast.
I really liked Parkette, definitely try the eggs benny. worth every forkful!

Order:
Corned Beef Hash
French Toast with Walnuts and Maple Syrup
Side of Pork Belly
We hit this spot because Swan had a long waiting list on a Sunday, and it seemed cool enough. Maybe this place could get up to a 4-​star rating, but I’m not feeling generous today. I might come back if I order something like the Eggs Benny with pork belly (although I saw two of the dishes go by us and the thickness of the cuts were very inconsistent! Nothing would bother me more than getting skimped of pork belly).
So, service was alright — friendly and timely, but even in our laid-​back morning I had to get their attention for more coffee, and the bill, while they walked by. A refill on the house was expected, but our Americano bill (for 2 cups each) came to $ 12. At least mention it on the menu.
My partner had the French Toast with Walnuts and I had a few bites — seriously a dish to come back for! Sweet, thick, lovely bread toasted perfectly, with a side of whipped cream. Excellent.
Lighting is mostly natural, but the lack of indoor lighting felt a bit uncomfortable because it gleams in from the front windows putting most of the dining area into darkness with the red walls.
An okay experience — may go back — but there’s a list waiting of great places to try first!

Had brunch at Parkette a couple of weekends ago. Great little spot with friendly service. I had the eggs benny, my favorite brunch meal!
Overall, It was pretty good. My friend had the corned beef hash which was really different than the ones I’ve seen before.
Probably not a spot I’d go to every weekend but the food was decent, the prices reasonable and the staff friendly.
Worth a try.

There was a line up at Swan for brunch, so I decided to try Parkette instead (and there were was no wait) and I am glad I did.
The décor is casual yet cool.
The waitress was very pleasant and courteous.
I ordered the Eggs Benedict with Pork Belly, which was excellent. It had a nice smokey flavor with a hint of spice. The eggs were prefectly poached. The side salad was perfectly dressed in a slightly sweet and tangy vinegrette.
I had a bloody caesar which was very tasty, and I love the spice mixture they used to rim the glass (which happened to be pepper, salt and horseradish).
My only gripe was the imbalanced sound system in the restaurant. The speakers at the front of the restaurant had no base and sounded very sharp and scratchy while the speakers in the kitchen at the back of the restaurant was bass heavy and muffled, which made it sound like there are two kinds of music competiting with each other — particularly annoying when you are sitting in the middle of the restaurant.

I finally was able to coordinate my timing and visit this place when it was open! (They always seemed to be closed when I was hungry!). Living across the street I really have been keen to try this restaurant for Brunch and on Sunday I finally got that chance.
The décor is brilliant. Rustic Chic. I love the lighting and the long table in the back (perhaps it will fill the void in my heart since odd fellows left). The service was great, helpful but not pushy and the best part… the food was FANTASTIC. I had the sandwich of the day which was pork belly with Arugula and a pear spread and Gorgonzola. it was heavenly. Any time I see that as their sandwich on the menu, I will be going back! My BF had the beef corn hash and he ate it faster than I have ever seen him eat before. his only comment was that he wished there was a second one coming as it was so good.
The portion sizes were very great and the prices were incredibly reasonable to match the quality of the food.
I would highly recommend coordinating your timing and checking out this location. You will NOT be disappointed

After my UYE: Yoga In the Park at Trinity Bellwoods Park, we were hungry and ready for the highlight of the UYE, BRUNCH!
I don’t know why we ended up at Parkette… I guess there was a table for the 5 of us with no wait and I never been here before really sealed the deal!
I shared with another Unilocaler:
Egg Benedict with Fried Pork Belly ($ 12)/Corn Beef Hash with Eggs ($ 13)
— I don’t like Deep Fried Pork Belly! I found it way too dry, chewy and rubbery!
— The harsh was not bad but taste a little bland
The services though was excellent. The atmosphere here is casual and laid back, great place to chill with friends on a Sunday afternoon…
I might come back to Parkette for their dinner but I would just skip their brunch!

Parkette sure snuck up and surprised me. With the slew of restaurants always popping up in the city, trying yet another spot serving up Italian food was not even close to the Top 10 on my «To Try» list.
I found myself there for a friend’s birthday (party of 12 with reservations on a bustly Saturday evening), and after ordering a bottle of Mill St. Wit, opted to share a bowl of mussels to start with a companion. They should have called this dish ‘The Best Freaking Mussels You’ll Have’, cause that’s what they were. Simmered in a broth of tomatoes, chorizo sausage (the secret ingredient?), and fennel, we were slurping up that broth like nobody’s business. To our server’s chagrin, we had to keep asking for more bread so that those within arm’s reach of our mussels could dunk and try the tastiness. Highly recommended.
My entrée was the most basic pasta on their menu, a Spaghettini dressed with nothing but garlic, chilis, parsley and parm. It was delicious. Simply delicious. If you’re looking for a pasta dish that’s not too heavy (well, in Italian terms), this is a goodie, and the flavour still packs a punch.
With dessert topped with a candle for the birthday boy, so ended our evening. With a warm, cozy atmosphere, delicious food, and attentive service, I’m glad this dark horse shone through all the other buzzy restos on my massive foodie list… for the win!

Parkette, a perfectly nice place for brunch by Trinity Bellwoods park!
…Especially when Swan down the street has a super long line up.
After Jenn K’s yoga UYE (which I totally wish I could have been a part of because she did an awesome job teaching!), we ended up at Parkette for brunch.
It’s a bright space and I love coca-​cola décor!
They offered some interesting brunch options.
Deep fried pork belly eggs benedict?!
.Okay!
For $ 12 dollars, you can have crispy pork belly smothered in hollandaise sauce, with spinach, potatoes, and eggs.
* Fatty pork belly for breakfast was good but different.
* I found the hollandaise had a bit too much lemon juice and it was a bit citrusy for my liking.
* I wasn’t into the eggs benedict served on fresh cut bread.
* A bit skimpy on the fruit
It’s a nice spot though, so if I’m in the area, I would consider popping in again, perhaps for a rustic Italian dinner.

Decided to check out this Trinity-​Bellwoods restaurant on a Friday evening with 2 other guests.
Food (⁴⁄₅): Menu is Italian. I tried one of the specials of the day, a pasta with stuffed rabbit and apricot, garnished with bacon in a light sauce. The pasta reminded me of a chinese dumpling… overall a nice dish. My fellow diners had the lobster and mushroom tagliatelle and the margharita pizza. Both were admirable. I believe there is a focus on simplicity and quality ingredients.
Drinks (²⁄₅): Only one red wine was available that night which was strange, but there are about 10 reds and whites on the drink menu, along with a few beers. We had a nice Californian Merlot from a small winery. This rating is mainly a function of the lack of selection that night.
Ambiance (³⁄₅): The space is quite small and intimate, with part exposed brick and retro décor items (Coca Cola sign from 1937, old radio, lights). Semi-​open kitchen. I would say ambiance is more well suited for night out with friends, rather than a romantic dinner. I find the tables are all quite close to each other.
Service (³⁄₅): We came as a walk-​in and were turned away initially, only to come back 45 minutes later to find out that there were many spaces available. The waitress was nice and helpful with the menu, but that night only one person was working the tables therefore I found the service lacked the standard level of attention.
Value (³⁄₅): with bottle of wine and mains only, all-​inclusive total was about $ 40 – 50 per person. I’d say overall the prices were reasonable.
I wouldn’t be dying to go there again given the abundance of Italian alternatives in the city, but would consider it more if I lived in the area and wanted some good no-​fuss italian food.

Parkette is a charming new addition to the Trinity-​Bellwoods neighbourhood. I came for dinner on a weeknight with a friend. The space is warm and inviting. There are a few tables along one side of the room and a long communal table on the other. There is sort of a semi-​open kitchen at the back. Décor is retro kitsch, including a huge Coca-​Cola sign.
I had the ricotta gnocchi with pork meatballs, rapini and cheese brodo ($ 15). The gnocchi was fluffy and oh-​so-​good. The meatballs were also juicy and delicious! The whole dish came in a mild broth-​like sauce. My DC had the pasta special ($ 16) which was a tagliatelle with chicken and vegetables in a light but creamy sauce (I tried a bite — spot on). We shared a side order of rapini with garlic and chili ($ 5).
Our server was exceedingly thoughtful and lovely, a rarity these days. The restaurant wasn’t very busy when we went, so I hope through Unilocal and word-​of-​mouth that this place gets more recognition and does well. The menu changes regularly, so it’s worth it to come back often and the price point is very reasonable (feels like casual fine dining without fine dining prices).

If you venture away from the downtown core, just outside the hustle and bustle of the 9 – 5 crowd, the theatres and skyscrapers, you might just find a restaurant that is surprisingly unique and that shows some real passion. You can still see the CN Tower, but it all seems far removed from the tourist-​focused mentality. Preparing food requires creativity and there is no better place for the chefs of Parkette to find artistic inspiration than on Queen West beside Trinity Bellwoods Park.
A very tiny restaurant, Parkette offers an equally small, very succinct menu with starters, second courses, salads, pasta, pizza mains and desserts. The server tells me, «our dishes are meant to be shared, like family-​style,» and so we did.
A meal for two should typically be made of three dishes; a starter, a salad and a main or a «second» and two mains, and so on. They offer, what I would call, up-​to-​date traditional Italian food. Our starter of mussels in tomato broth, topped with fennel and white beans ($ 10), was just light enough to leave room for the heavier mains of beef cheeks on bed of polenta ($ 16) and ricotta gnocchi with oxtail ($ 14). The beef was tender enough that only a fork was needed to pull the pieces apart and, though not experienced with polenta, I thought it was appropriately soft and that it held up to the rich beef.
As mentioned in previous reviews, I am a new gnocchi-​addict. Parkette’s was not so dumpling-​like as I’ve had before and it was certainly not topped with your typical pasta sauce. Little packets of tender potato, assumingly kept so soft by the ricotta, were paired with oxtail and sun-​dried tomatoes in more of an aus jus, than a sauce. I think I had a bit more than my fair share of that dish — at a $ 14 price-​point, this was the best of the night. The ingredients are bold, but the layered flavours hold up perfectly.
Humble, but delicious, Parkette offers carefully prepared food in a great atmosphere; natural woods, stemless wine glasses and paper napkins prevent the tiny interior from becoming claustrophobic. Parkette does almost make you feel like you’re having a lovely dinner in the park.