The Porch Light in Toronto

Server was great. Food was good

sandwich delicious. cute presentation, nice atmosphere, staff friendly. will return for dinner

I recently visited the porch light for brunch with a group, and was sadly disappointed by the experience. I hardly ever give less than 4 stars to any place but unfortunately this spot really missed the mark on brunch service. It took 20 minutes for our group to be greeted, and service was incredibly slow throughout the meal. We repeatedly needed to ask for napkins, water refills, and plates/cups to be cleared from the table. As someone who has worked many hospitality jobs, I understand being understaffed etc, and that may have been the case; however, the staff didn t seem to know their own menu options very well, the menu pricing didn t accurately reflect the cost of the items (extra charges for ingredients already listed in the meal???) and the portions were very small. I will say their coffee was delicious, and the ambiance was lovely for a casual visit. I wouldn t recommend this place for breakfast dining but maybe for a simple coffee & pastry purchase.

Prix Fixe menu was delicious and service was excellent. Really lovely atmosphere at night with candlelit dining.

I started eating here recently, maybe in the last month or two. I always am accommodated nicely. I always have lovely sandwiches and lovely breakfast items as well. Great spot to eat and enjoy some time.

Food was great. Reasonably priced for the quantity and quality of food. Everyone was polite. Food came very quickly. Will come back again!

Used to love coming here, but their quality has gone downhill. My husband ordered the roast beef sandwich and it literally came with one deli slice of meat between the bread. My bacon was not cooked fresh and it had a bad aftertaste. I will probably jot come back again.

Cute brunch spot with lots of great menu options

This is my new favourite restaurant. I ve been there for tea, lunch and dinner. The food is exceptional and the service is fantastic. I m taking all my friends there. I just love it

Love this place so much!!!

Went there today for brunch and the food was delicious . The atmosphere was cozy and the server was friendly and helpful

Short rib was done perfectly! 3 course pre fix dinner is excellent value. Nice ambience and friendly service.

Horrible, we travelled all the way from Scarborough for brunch and arrived at 1:30 only to find they were closing despite the hours posted saying they closed at 3

Lovely lunch spot. Highly recommended.

Great brunches and cool atmosphere

Love the concept, the ambiance is very cool. The staff is very kind and thoughtful. Food was good but something was missing in their hollandaise sauce for my egg bennett, not sure what it was, other then that we had a good experience. P.s. if you are going on Saturday or Sunday, they are very busy as they prioritize reservations, so make sure you reserve a table before going.

I couldnt believe that when I ordered the avocado toast that the bread it was served on was the thin side bread that came with other orders. Also the avocado was not fresh and seemed to come from a container.

My absolute favourite neighbourhood restaurant- a real gem

I have not done brunch in years so when my partner suggested it I was excited to go. We wanted to try a new place so after a search we decided to try The Porch Light. The short version is that my first brunch experience in years was a complete disappointment which is very unfortunate. I ordered the Eggs Benny not wanting to take any risks because what can possibly go wrong with an Eggs Benedict... Apparently a lot. I started with the salad and first thing I noticed was a lack of flavor. Maybe I just picked a leaf without dressing so I took another bite and another but same thing. Thats strike 1. Then I proceeded to cut into the side of my Eggs Benedict and I noticed no runny yolk oozing out. Maybe I cut too much to the side so I cut it right down the middle... Not a drop of yolk. The egg was nearly fully cooked with the bare minimum of yolk that was still slightly uncooked. I cut into the second one and while it was slightly better than the first, it was also almost completely cooked through as well. Not a single drop of yolk touched my plate. Thats strike 2. I also want to note that 1 of 2 eggs in my partners meal was runny so I dont believe it was supposed to be cooked through. I was incredibly disappointed at this point but was holding out hope that the taste would redeem this whole experience. Nope didnt happen. The hollandaise sauce was bland to the point where it felt like there was no sauce at all. Me and my partner did taste a subtle sour flavor on the eggs which we did not like. When we werent tasting the sourness the egg whites didnt taste very pleasant either. I love eggs and have no issues with the taste of the egg whites so it was weird that I felt this way. Strike 3. The only decent part of the meal were the home fries which were a bit crispy on the outside but even then they were not anything special. Service here was acceptable. The folks here were very friendly and it was busy when we arrived. Maybe it was due to that reason that once our orders were taken it was hard to get anyones attention for some condiments. When we finally flagged someone down they brought just single a cup of ketchup which we had to share between the two of us. I saw several other tables with squeeze bottles of ketchup so that didnt help with the experience either. The establishment was bright and clean with a good amount of seating. As mentioned it was very busy when we arrived so we were seated near the back of the restaurant which was a lot darker but otherwise was comfortable. I hate to give bad reviews but this experience just left me with such a bad taste in my mouth (figuratively and literally). We were both so unsatisfied with our meals that I actually looked up other brunch places and was this close to actually doing another brunch to get my fix. After this experience I definitely wont be back and do not recommend this place.

Had a great lunch here last week sat outside in the sun. I had the steak salad with a Mojito, my wife has the chicken tacos. We were both very happy with our meals, great service as well from Camila. Will be going back again!!

Delicious food, friendly service, and a nice dining aesthetic!

Mothers Day, brunch with my daughter. I ordered the Avocado Toast with eggs and pea shuts ( sic ). Most disappointing dish ever - a smear of what appeared to be guacamole on the toast, a scattering of mesclun mix on that and then topped with two over easy eggs. No pea shoots in sight, no expected fresh avocado; eggs at least were runny. Presentation left a lot to be desired - no garnish, just two eggs on toast. Bland both in appearance and taste, certainly no resemblance to the photo on the website. Mimosa was passable.

Nice and fresh food. Very homey. Super friendly staff.

Food was excellent, but service was lacking. I found a piece of plastic in my food (luckily didnt break a tooth!) and the server was indifferent. No apology and not even a discount on my meal.

The Porch Light is another restaurant loved by the community as it seems to be very popular. Whoever I asked about it seemed to have a favourite dish. I went for brunch and I ordered the avocado toast with an egg on top and peameal bacon on the side. It was good, you know... just exactly what it was supposed to be - nothing more, nothing less. I have yet to find the perfect avocado toast but if I could imagine what that would be, I would want avocado to be seasoned a bit - perhaps sprinkled with chunks of truffle salt and a pinch of poblano flakes for smokiness and thinly sliced jalapeños. Does this exist? Not sure but thats not what I got here. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal which is a good sign. I would go again and definitely try one of the fan favs, which I have been told is the gnocchi!

Lovely small and welcoming place. Small menu with great items and a super prix fixe offerring. Nice artwork on the walls too! Vegetarian options: Kale and quinoa salad!

We enjoyed a very nice Sunday brunch at the Porch Light. My companions eggs Florentine were especially nice. My omelette has a generous complement of red peppers and onions. We both had a generous side of peameal bacon. Eating outside on a gorgeous Sunday set the scene for us.

Excellent meals, I would go back for sure, good date place when not full up. Place is decorated a bit sparsely, so I can see it getting loud when crowded as little to absorb sounds. Meals are excellent though.

Amazing spot. All the trappings of a fancy restaurant, including delicious food, without the high price tag

Great burger and pizza joint at very reasonable prices.

Nice spot for a quick brunch. Short and to the point menu.

Amazing place! Wonderful and friendly people and the food is always excellent. Very good value. Always grateful for your business.

Great food and great service.

Lovely little café with a nice selection of food, coffees, and cocktails services by very friendly staff.

Friendly staff, very well crafted food with a nice atmosphere. One of my favourites in the area.

Highly recommend stopping for a premium cocktail at this quaint bar! Quality drinks, amazing customer service and live music! They went above and beyond to help return a personal item. Forever grateful for this kind gesture.

Service was work in progress, food was okay, drink selection looked okay but was mostly out of stock. We had high hopes having recently moved to the neighborhood but overall it was just okay. As things open up more I hope this place will improve. So much potential.

Breakfast poutine (with peameal bacon on the side) and eggs florentine. Food was pretty good, but the service was phenomenal! Also, took resos for a Saturday morning brunch- which is a bonus.

Great food, great price, great service!

The good part first: the food was excellent! Great presentation and fast service. The so so part: no offer of a refill on the small coffee cup, no water refill. Chalk it up to young, inexperienced (but friendly) staff. The what-did-i-just-see part: (and this is offered in the spirit of - really want this place to succeed but this is dumb) They take reservations. For brunch. And turn away business. While the restaurant is mostly empty. Bird in the hand... is an appropriate maxim. We arrived to be asked Do you have a reservation? No. There were three tables in use. Much discussion and checking of a ledger ensued. Our party of two was seated. While we were eating, all other walk-in business was turned away. No parties with a reservation turned up and when we left only two tables were in use! This is not a good model. A lineup is the best advertising.

Great selection and great quality! Definitely coming back for their Prefix dinner menu! :)

Friendly service and really attentive. The atmosphere is clam and relax. It is really good place for weekend brunch. The egg Benny is good portion but the sauce is sour side.

Great service! Love the brunch poutine! Matt the male server is the best, keeps the place super clean and makes great lattes!

Nice little spot!

Cute place, good food (we had braised beef and fish of the day) and friendly service, will definitely come back!

Great lunch! Will go back. Always a great meal....LOVE the roast beef sandwich!

Cozy place with good quality food!

Nice place, will definitely go back

The oat milk latte was fabulous! The Eggs Florentine was quite bland, I had to salt it twice, almost as if there was mozzarella on top rather than hollandaise. Also, as there is no carpet nor many (if any) wall hangings, there is nothing to absorb the sound, it was a challenge to have a conversation. Cute tea lights!

Definitely over priced but food is amazing.

Yummy comfort food, v clean patio tables and chairs.

Went there today for mother-daughter time. Food is great, staff is great, great portion, everyone is happy. When I go back in the area, I will definitely return.

A delicious belated b-day dinner. Service was great. Looking forward to coming back!

Very tasty food & great, friendly service.

If I could give 10 stars I would! I m so grateful to have this lovely community restaurant a five minute walk away. The food is always stellar and so flavourful, and the people are lovely. Thank you PL

Delicious and excellent service. Best fish & chips! Kids menu has healthy options made with quality ingredients.

Very good food, very clean and good service

Ive always wanted to like the Porch Light but after several visits they always seemed to come up short. This review and updated score is based on my experience today, where I was pleasantly surprised at the many improvements. There were several tables indoors and four tables right in front. Of the ones I saw patrons leaving, the waitresses cleaned them between use. The menu is much more varied than when I last visited, and I found that both the price and quality was spot on. I had a portobello mushroom and avocado panini which tasted really good. Service was fast, both girls working there were friendly, and with a varied menu with great price, its definitely worth a visit. I didnt check the work week hours but on the weekends theyre open at 10 for brunch and lunch, a plus for those like me that like to eat early! Also, almost next door youll find Chocollata, which offers the Brazilian chocolate brigadeiro. Delicious treats and a perfect stop for a smaller dessert option.

Tasty food and very good customer service. Highly recommend!

Great staff; food was average, nothing special. Ambiance is lacking though, they need to add some plants; wall hangings and soft music throughout the restaurant as the noise is very amplified, as if you were in an echo chamber.

Went for sunday brunch with a friend. It took just under an hour to get our food. The classic breakfast wasnt bad. Apparently there was 1 cook onsite.. which explains the timing. Not sure if Ill do brunch again.

This was my first visit to the Porch Light. I was not disappointed. My friend and I both ordered the butter chicken which was absolutely scrumptious. We appreciate it that the kitchen was able to adjust the spice level to the individuals preference. The service was both attentive and very friendly. The price point was right for the quality and quantity of the food and location. The only thing I would mention is that the noise level gets very high in this restaurant because it is all hard surfaces so voices resonate and appear to be much louder than probably they are. Definitely I would go back as I was conflicted on which of the menu items to select and would like to try some of the others.

The food was just awesome! The catfish was beautifully moist with a lightly crispy outside served with delicious thin French fries and perfectly done vegetables! The kale salad was the best Ive ever had!! I ask for unique white wine, and the two glasses were well chosen by my waitress! The service was friendly and quick, and the ambiance is unpretentious and comfortably warm! I will go back often!!

Nice place to meet for coffee or lunch, good wraps and reasonably priced.

Great food and service, loved the buttered chicken!

Really love the atmosphere, friendly staff and most of all the food and drink. Spacious, well-lit room that consistently is the best in the area. Its a really wonderful place to take that special someone out as its not too noisy either.

I love coming here with my laptop. It s the perfect place to go during the week for lunch while getting work done! My favourite is their Mediterranean wraps. The staff are all very attentive and super friendly.

Adequate but a little expensive

The people here is friendly and helpful, a lovely place to visit.

Just had a great burger and fries to go from The Porch Light. They do have 2 tables on the sidewalk but a nice day to bring a burger down to the boardwalk.

Love the food! Everything Ive had here has been delicious! Brunch poutine, Mediterranean wrap, great burger and fries, great quality coffee. All the ingredients are high quality and you can really taste it. Will definitely be back to enjoy dinner soon! A couple of small tables out front in the shade are perfect for a relaxing brunch and taking a break from the pandemic.

The menu and gentle music at the street tables caught our attention. The fabulous Porch Light sandwich was more than worth the wait. Thanks for making us at home and serving us well, Sandy. All the best. May I suggest you let people know you ARE open on Mondays now.

Service okay Ambience nice and wife really liked the music Water was lukewarm Coffee came without sugar or milk We got their signature salad, cuban sandwich, and avacado eggs dish. Food was below average in terms of flavour and quality, especially given the price wasnt cheap. Salad wasnt even seasoned and chicken tasted old. I expected better based on the ambience and price. Latte was good, so I would recommend this place for a coffee date or something, but wouldnt come for the food

Great quality food and the prix fixe was excellent value, will absolutely be back!

What a lovely local gem. My best friend and I always frequent here for a delicious dinner. A wonderful place in the neighbourhood!

Delicious but simple fare and served with a smile. Very good place for a meal.

Love their lunch menu... Extensive and have tried almost everything. Versatile sandwich options, wholesome salads, and an excellent pork belly & egg option also. Service is a little slow sometimes but their overall ambiance and food is stellar!

Tasty!

Great atmosphere. Private back room with toys for young kids

lovely place, a little pricy I thought though

Awesome

Great restaurant with a nice menu and average wine selection. Dinner for 2, bottle of wine, proseco, appetizers, mains and desert for under $200. Service was great.

Not a big menu but nuce space and friendly service

Good comfort food. We love to go here with our small child as there is a play space in the back for kids!

Not impressed by young man serving me. It felt like I was disrupting his morning nap.

Great food.

great service. good food. definitely check it out.

Have been twice for brunch, and just had an amazing lunch with my wife. Wondered if it would be typical cafe food (pre-made salads and sandwiches), but was blown away. Lucky to have this spot in our neighbourhood.

Love the food here; simple but good.

Wonderful neighborhood restaurant.

Nice little neighbourhood cafe. Friendly service. Good food.

While the staff are very nice and food portions are a good size, I found my eggs Benedict incredibly bland in flavour. It just tasted like nothing. The potatoes were nicely spiced, but that s about it. My friend enjoyed her avocado toast but I didn t try it, so I can t comment too much there.

Great service and tasty food!

Location is great, food wasn t bad! Staff came across a little grumpy but I m sure it was more to do with them having a bad day!

Amazing simple food.

Coffee was great

Great lunch spot! Great healthy options as well!

Very disappointed. Food was cold, tasteless and slow service. Very overrated, unless you eat birdfood and are of the vegetarian class. And its overpriced.

Food portion ok, more on the expensive side, food taste ok, atmosphere good.

A nice little place to dine during the evening, or have coffee and pastries during the day. A small room in the back offers a childrens playing area with a couple of tables for family dining. Prix fixe menu with options to have a la carte as well.

Calm atmosphere with good food and neat little spot in the back for small children to play. My friend and I had a lovely lunch while her son played.

Really good food but tiny little portions and expensive, spent $80, came away hungry

Great food and kid friendly

Really nice place, great food and good service.

Great food. Love the kids room in the back!!!

Nice atmosphere., ood ser

First off make a reservation especially if you need a high chair, its a small place . This restaurant has a great concept in that the restaurant has a play area at the back. Unfortunately the play area, toys and in fact most of the restaurant is very dirty. The floors, stairs, lower walls and bottoms of the tables are filthy. The childrens area has toys that are dirty in the way toys abandoned outside in a park get dirty. The toy shelfs have so much dirt they clearly rarely get cleaned. Myself and my children were covered in dirt from a few minutes of playing. This really turned me off in a place serving food. The food itself was fine but nothing exciting.

Amazing food

A quiet place to have a coffee and some delicious brunch after 11am. Service is always reliable and food arrives fresh and on time.

Good food, very friendly service and they have a play area in the back so it s awesome to go there with my toddler!

Aaaaaazing

Delicious food and friendly staff, but the biggest draw for us is the kids play room at the back of the restaurant. The toddlers can run around and do their toddler thing without bothering the other patrons. Editing my review to remove a star because upon a second visit I had the Brunch Skillet Poutine and this tried their Hollandaise sauce; it s the blandest I ve ever had and it s offence to Brunch to call this sauce Hollandaise. It tastes like whipping cream with a little yolk for colouring, no lemon whatsoever. Honestly I feel like taking away 2 stars but I m too Canadian and would feel bad.

Good food quite dinner

Great little cafe. Delicious food, great service.

What more can you ask for than tasty classy food combined with a play room for your baby/toddler! Stress free family date night.

Good food at reasonable prices. Kid friendly as there is a small play area at the back of the restaurant.

Attractive room, busy lunch hour crowd today. Broad range of offerings on a compact menu. Server said the avocado toast was the second best item on the menu and it was the menu and it was delightful. Hearty slab bread covered with avocado, sprouts and (curiously but winningly) topped with two eggs.

Great service, delicious meal, lovely atmosphere!

When we finally got our meals they were delicious - fabulous Tuscan fries, yummy soup, tasty tuna on a panini. Our server was pleasant and apologetic, but the service was very slow, and they were out of the first menu item we ordered.

Very friendly and great food!

Best new cafe lounge in Upper Beaches. Simplicity... perfection!

Awesome staff and way better coffee culture than Starbucks

Great cafe. Went for a meeting, had already had too much coffee all day... But thats ok, this coffee shop serves wine. All is well.

Great vibe

Braised bison lasagna was delish! Great local spot with a nice small menu.

Very clean and new place in the beach. Excellent food and service. Friendly vibe.

Our first visit was outstanding. Service was friendly, dinners were excellent, ambiance was enjoyable. Prices are reasonable. Well certainly be back.

Amazing food and service. We love it here

Wow! Best meal Ive had in a long time. Highly recommended for their food!!! Had the summer prix fixe- a steal!

An excellent meal indeed. We went for dinner where they offer a Prix Fixe three course and the food was delicious. I had the Pork Rillete appetizers with Baked Bison Bolognese main. They also have a good wine and beer selection. In all the service was warm, friendly and helpful and the meal and wine choices were exceptional.

I knew this as a coffee place (coffee is not bitter, they clean their machine every day, owner says) but had lunch there for the first time today. A surprisingly delicious tuna sandwich on toasted ciabatta bun, with hearty beef and barley soup... quite pleased. If business keeps up, I suggest hiring more staff, it seems during the days there is only one person working most times Ive been there.

Excellent food and service. I like the prix fixed format.

Delicious food with an atmosphere thats relaxed and romantic. Candlelight and low music play beneath laughter, friendly wait staff and scrumptious shareables!

Great place for dinner. Interesting set menus at reasonable prices.

Had a great salad but it could have used a few more of the namesake olives. The fries were hot, crispy and hand cut!

I go to Porch Light all of the time for my morning americano. They use Sam James (Cut Coffee) beans which are one of the best local beans. They actually know how to pull espresso shots so their Americanos are rich and not too bitter or watery. Sooo good. My partner and I scratch our heads when we see people walking past with coffee from the Starbucks nearby. The brunch at Porch Light is also good - Im gluten free so they modify a dish and just make me potatoes, eggs, onions and really good cheese in a skillet with salad on the side. Delicious and very reasonable prices.

Great service and environment. Coffee was good and they have an awesome play area for children!

Really nice little coffee shop with decent hot food too. Has the added bonus that there is a kids room at the back with a bunch of toys to play with while you enjoy your coffee. Also, as this room is completely separate, people should not be put off from going in without kids. Highly recommended.

Delicious food in a nice quiet and cozy atmosphere. The best part is the kids toy room they have in the back. Great place for families looking to enjoy a nice meal while the kids entertain themselves.

Unfortunately, the coffee isnt organic. Non-organic coffee has more carcinogens than most any other food. Also, certified organic coffee assists in keeping the environment healthy and safe as a result of the specific conditions and regulations that the farmers must abide by to retain their certification. For example, the organic coffee beans are inspected and grown in a natural setting that is primarily under tree canopies. This supports the conservation of forests, local bird populations and helps to sustain a healthy ecosystem.