Best Breakfast and Brunch Places in Pickering

"What is it: If you're looking for classic Toronto, look no further than this little breakfast joint in Little Italy. Since 1998, Aunties has been slinging eggs and bacon on mismatched plates to appreciative locals. If you're craving a sweet start to the day, the cinnamon French toast or oatmeal pancakes should fit the bill."

"Why go: Tucked away on Lippencott, Aunties & Uncles is the quintessential brunch spot that one daydreams about owning one day. Kitschy and cute, with some of the best and most well-priced breakfast plates in the city. What to order: Thebreakfast pocket, breakfast tacos and banana oatmeal pancakes are a few faves."

"Comfort food and not-through-the-roof prices come together at this cozy brunch spot, tucked into Lippincott Street. Ease your hangover with a fierce, carb-heavy sando, or a plate of breakfast tacos, plus a steamy cup of coffee. Address: 74 Lippincott StreetPhone: 416-324-1375"

"A tried and true favourite for brunch in the city, you’ve got to hit up Old School for a taste of what’s good. Savoury, sweet, light or carb-heavy, this spot is serving the goods to the best of the brunch crowd, and it’s well worth waiting for if there’s a line when you arrive. Address: 800 Dundas Street WestPhone:  416-815-8790"

"Old School has some epic comfort food and is also the home of Toronto’s best pancake stack, the Blueberry Hill. This brunch all-day hotspot has fresh classics made from scratch with a modern twist. Expect to dig into delicious BLTs to chicken and waffles, pulled pork sandwiches, French toast, and so much more."

"School meets diner vibes at this adorable brunch spot on Dundas West. I’d say Old School is definitely up there on my list of the best brunch places in Toronto – the food here is absolutely incredible!. Their Blueberry Hill Pancakes are life – definitely some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had in Toronto."

"Set under fairy lights and behind the wooden fence, Marben’s lovely tented patio is opening just in time for its new menu. Featuring an added extension to seat more diners, the streetside patio offers a cozy ambiance to enjoy new menu items like Grilled Fogo Island Squid and the New Farms Greens Salad. On weekends, Marben gives customers the chance to turn any meal into brunch with the “put an egg on it” option."

"This restaurant at Wellington and Portland has become one of the city’s top purveyors of Canadian comfort food thanks to the talent of executive chef Chris Locke. Marben had established a grocery box pickup program for various pantry staples but has also recently added takeout home-cooked meals such as shepherd’s pie, requiring 48 hours notice. View this post on Instagram"

"In bustling downtown Toronto, there is a brick and tinder building that stands out. Marben is one of Toronto's original farm-to-table restaurants. It continues to focus on fresh and local ingredients."

"Goûter by RA is a pâtisserie, boulangerie, and chocolaterie offering the best traditional classic French delicacies revisited with a modern twist. If you’re a chocolate lover, be sure to try their Chocolate BonBons available in flavours such as Fresh Mint, Passion Fruit and Salted Caramel."

"Set in the heart of the Kensington Market district, Tortería San Cosme ranks among the best sandwiches we’ve eaten all year, and well worth the hype and the wait. This well-themed Mexican eatery is devoted only to torterías (bread-based sandwiches), with menu staples that include the Cubano (ham, pork, and bacon base - $9.95 CAD or about $8 USD), the Poblano (roasted chicken and mole - $9.95 CAD), and the Adobada (steak - $9.95 CAD)."

"A photo posted by Tortería San Cosme (@sancosme_) on Nov 8, 2016 at 2:55pm PST. Skip the typical lunch combos in lieu of a hearty Mexican meal from this Kensington Market torteria. Choose from any of the griddle-cooked sandwiches on the menu and then add on esquites, charros or salad with an agua fresca on the side."

"Peterson heads to the famous Kensington Market district of downtown Toronto in this episode, to eat at Torteria San Cosme, which serves traditional Mexican sandwiches, called tortas. Opened by Mexico City-born chef Arturo Anhalt, San Cosme takes the often messy street food to a sit-down restaurant level."

"Starting with the freshest ethically-sourced local ingredients, The Green Wood does a lot. Their brunch menu is diverse, exciting and changes with the seasons, naturally. It features knock-out dishes such as the Chickpea Shakshuka, Salmon Rosti and even a B.Y.O.B Build Your Own Benny option."

"Why go: Ample selection all with the options to go healthy and fresh, or give in to a seriously indulgent craving!. Using local and sustainable ingredients, the brunch menu is available 7 days a week. What to order: The smoothie bowls are works of art, as is the Salmon Rosti."

"The minimalist cafe has white-brick walls with flashes of greenery, concrete floors, marble tabletops, and wood counters. While their coffee from international roasters is delicious, you must get food here, too—if only because it's just so good to look at."

"A post shared by Bake Shoppe (@bakeshoppeto) on Mar 12, 2020 at 3:46pm PDT. Sweets and sass, sass and sweets. They go together like peanut butter and jelly, and Bake Shoppe knows it."

"HCafe is a Japanese bakery serving up freshly-baked, traditional Japanese cheesecakes. It’s one of my family’s favourite dessert places in Markham – we love the taro Japanese cheesecake!. Their Markham location is located in Main Street Unionville neighbourhood, which is also one of the cutest and most Instagram-worthy spots in York Region 😉"

"E. Units 14–15, 254 Spadina Ave., 102–650 Highway 7 E.; liuyishouna.com, @liuyishouhotpot.toronto. Delivery options: Offering discounts for house-run delivery (order by phone) and takeout. For delivery app options, see here for Scarborough, here for Chinatown, and here for Richmond Hill."

"If there were a People’s Choice Award for best Toronto buffet dining, odds are that this chain would walk away with the hardware. Never mind brunch; it’s ALL buffet, ALL the time, so no reason to wait until the weekend. Mandarin is a popular restaurant to feast with families, seniors, tour groups and anyone celebrating any kind of special event."

"The Village of Yorkville Park is a compact park in Toronto that is surrounded by upscale shops and restaurants and is home to a variety of events throughout the year, such as Holiday Magic Tree Lighting, Icefest, and Music in the Park. This park houses many unique and non-traditional pieces that will truly make your photo. (credit: @tiffschoi / Instagram)"

"A post shared by Susan Drysdale (@drysdaleandco) on May 4, 2017 at 6:24am PDT. Located in Rosedale, Craigleigh Gardens park is a beautiful landscape for our Midtown naturalists. A little smaller, this quiet community park is only 3.4 hectares."

"Why You Need To Go: The antique gate and old canopy tree give this place a secret garden vibe and we're here for it."

"Sunnybrook Park was once the country estate of Joseph Kilgour, a prominent businessman back in the 1800s. At the time, it was known as Sunnybrook Farm, a 175-acre property that featured country homes and horse stables. When Kilgour passed away, his wife Alice donated the property to the city with only one requirement, that it be turned into a public park."

"A post shared by Rudy 🐾 (@rudythepotcake) on Mar 10, 2020 at 2:15pm PDT. This 154-hectare green space is the perfect place to spend an afternoon out of isolation. Located north of Leaside and south of The Bridle Path, this foliage-full park has 25 different biking trails, an off-leash dog park and many different walking trails."

"Why You Need To Go: You'll find plenty of wide-open green spaces in this large Toronto park. It's a perfect picnic area, just watch those peak times!"