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Food & Drink

Proud brunch bunch

indicates patio

Beaver

1192 Queen W, at Gladstone, 416-537-2768, beavertoronto.ca. Though it’s certainly rougher around the edges than it was when it opened as a whimsical café, this out ‘n’ proud performance space cum avant-queer resto-lounge moves at a more relaxed pace by day. And where else will you find General Idea art on the wall and ambient electro soundscapes on the CD player? Best: the eponymous Breakfast, perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs steamed on the espresso machine, draped with dill and sided with shaved Black Forest ham likely from the Price Choppers next door, organic greens in lemony vinaigrette, sliced strawberries and toasted Calabrese pot pie du jour of shredded chicken and finely diced veggies in gravy to finish, retro house-baked butter tarts and warm Rice Crispie squares laced with hemp seeds. Complete brunches for $20 per person, including all taxes, tip and a 50. Average main $9. Open Monday to Friday 9 am to 10 pm, Saturday to Sunday 10 am to 10 pm. Bar till close. Access: one step at the door, three steps to washroom on same floor. Rating: NNN

Big Mamma’s Boy

554 Parliament, at Amelia, 416-927-1593, bigmammasboy.ca. Little has changed since the venerable Cabbagetown resto-lounge’s recent relaunch, the shabby-chic room still a riot of darkly lit Victorian kitsch, the backyard garden as blindingly sunny as ever. But co-owner/chef Michael Guenther has significantly upped his game, delivering a card that’s both locally sourced and unusually polished. Best: the Morning After, naturally raised smoked bacon, three free-range flax-fed eggs, organic potato pancakes dolloped with Hewitt’s goat’s milk yogurt, a stack of gluten-free rice flour flapjacks in Burkhart Ontario maple syrup, and sourdough toast spread with house-made plum preserves a hash of Manitoba farmer’s sausage, spuds, onions, carrots and roasted red peppers dressed with two over-easy eggs eggs Benedict, two perfectly poached eggs and meaty bacon on toasted whole wheat English muffins in alarmingly yellow hollandaise on the side, not-to-be-missed sweet ‘n’ sour kitchen-baked beans. Complete brunches for $22 per person, including all taxes, tip and a $5 Bloody Caesar. Average main $11. Open for brunch Sunday 11 am to 3 pm dinner nightly 4:30 to 11 pm bar till close. Access: five steps at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN

Fire on the East Side

6 Gloucester, at Yonge, 416-960-3473, fireontheeastside.ca. Size queens will appreciate this hectic resto-bar’s brunch philosophy: bigger is definitely better. And while we could do without the assembly-line grub, rushed service and crammed-together tables, the crowds who pack the joint every weekend obviously disagree. Best: to start, complimentary banana bread (hey, it’s free!) bowls of breakfast-style poutine topped with poached eggs, pulled pork, melted Monterrey Jack and chipotle hollandaise subtract the pork and the Jack, add smoked turkey and get not terribly Spicy Hash massive plates of egg-white scrambles dressed with grilled asparagus, roasted peppers and too much goat cheese, sided with house greens, frites and multigrain toast. Complete brunches for $22 per person, including all taxes, tip and a $5 Bloody Mary. Average main $11. Open for brunch Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10 am to 4 pm. Bar nightly till close. Rating: NN

Henhouse

1532 Dundas W, at Dufferin, 416-534-5939, henhousetoronto.com. Owned by Katie Sketch and Jenny Smyth of the late Vancouver Morrissey-obsessed combo the Organ, this lesbo musician-friendly bar breaks out the eggs every weekend. Coolest jukebox in town? Best: scrambled eggs layered with curried organic tofu, zucchini and onion sided with hash browns, mesclun in balsamic and marbled rye toast cheesy frittatas thick with cremini mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers sided with house greens sugar-dusted buttermilk pancakes sided with fruit, veggie bacon and more scrambled eggs. Complete brunches for $18 per person, including all taxes, tip and a beer. Average main $8. Open for brunch Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 3 pm. Bar nightly till close. Cash only. Access: bump at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN

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