Summerhays- Baseline

If you're looking for good cheap eats, think like a student. Right next to Algonquin college is a great spot called Summerhays. This was a favourite hangout for Toast Man while he studied at Algonquin.It is a bright and sunny restaurant with summery/artistic decor. It is quite large with a restaurant area on the left and a bar on the right. We have sat on both sides while there and have always had good experiences.

Our most recent visit was the weekend before this past one, and it was a great experience. When we walked in we were immediately seated at a table with a bench on one side and chairs on the other. We were offered a highchair, booster seat, kids menu and crayons. The waitress was ready to take our order right away but we needed a few minutes to look at the menu. I ordered the Summerhays Breakfast with 2 eggs, homefries, sausage, and toast. Priced at $4.25, it certainly meets our budget requirements! Toast Man ordered the Superboy breakfast which came with 3 eggs, bacon, Oktoberfest sausage, homefries and toast and was $8.25. Toast Girl ordered waffles off the kids menu which was $4.50. On top of those prices, we ordered 2 coffees ($2 each with free refills) and a small milk ($2.25).

Our waitress was fantastic and clearly had kids of her own. The food arrived in about 5 minutes  or less and she told us that she put a rush on it because we have 2 kids. She also brought our bill out with the food in case we needed to make a quick exit.  Everything was delicious. Toast Man really enjoyed his Oktoberfest sausages and Toast Girl loved her pancakes. This experience is certainly one of our top picks for a family friendly, affordable breakfast and it is largely because of that one waitress.

The menu is online here

Our toast rating (out of 5 toasts)

Affordability 

Food Quality Taste

Family Friendliness 

Speed of Service 

Local Heroes- Bell's Corners

This morning we tried out Local Heroes on Robertson Road in Bells Corners for the first time.

The wait to be seated was about 3 minutes, even though it wasn't very busy. We quickly noticed that this restaurant offered booths that don't connect underneath, which is essential for toddlers. They also have regular tables and several highchairs available. Unlike most pubs, Local Heroes offers a kids breakfast menu (item + juice/milk/chocolate milk) which is a plus.

 

The adult menu was very affordable, about $7 for the "What's so" breakfast that has two eggs, bacon+sausage, home fries (or a hashbrown), toast and unlimited coffee. It should be noted that some breakfasts (like the Eggs Bene) don't include coffee and if you order it on the side it only includes one refill, though in our case it wasn't adhered to.

The regular breakfast (what's so) was pretty good; decent home fries, good sausage and bacon, etc. Toast Mom got the eggs benedict which was pretty bad (and didn't include coffee!).

Toast Girl ordered pancakes (as usual!) and they were pretty good for the 4.15 price tag. They were two small pancakes (about the size of a softball). Most places charge $3 for milk, which is included here, so it's a pretty decent deal.

Service was OK and friendly.

All in all, breakfast was OK but we definetely not go out of our way to come back. And realistically, we'd probably rather try somewhere new if we were in the area.

Affordability 

Food Quality Taste

Family Friendliness 

Speed of Service 

 

 

The Burbs - Kanata

This is our regular breakfast spot so it seems appropriate that we review them first. The Burbs is a small pub/restaurant located on Hazeldean road in Kanata. It opened about a year ago, and since then, we have been going nearly every weekend for breakfast. We never have to wait for a table and the food is always delicious. It isn't anything extraordinary and isn't exceptional for family friendliness, but we always feel welcome and always leave happy. The place has small tables for 2 that are pushed together in groups for 4 or 6 seats. The washrooms are ok. Not very clean, but there is a change table in the woman's bathroom. The staff is friendly and we have never had any issues. They have plenty of high chairs but no kids menu. The front doors are a pain in the butt with small kids. They are heavy and there are 2 doors to open which is a hassle with a carseat and a toddler, They have some colouring books at the front, but I guess you have to help yourself to them, as we are never offered them. We have occasionally had staff change the tv channels for us to cartoons for our little one.

Toast Man always gets the same the same thing, The Hangover Helper. This meal is $14 and includes 3 eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, 2 large pancakes, fruit, toast, and a poutine (yes..a poutine!). Since there is no kids menu, him and Toast Girl usually share this. Honestly, we could get away with all sharing this meal. It is huge! Instead, we bring home the extras and give them to Toast Girl for breakfast on Monday morning. The pancakes are fluffy, vanilla flavoured and delicious and the poutine is amazing. The fruit has shrunk over the months of being open. I remember being so impressed the first visit with a big bowl of mixed berries, then cut fruit, then a small fruit cup, then a tiny tiny fruit cup, and now it is only a single slice of orange or melon. So if you are expecting art sculptures of fruit decoration your plate, then you will be disappointed. However, the rest of the food is great so we keep coming back.

I get the 2 egg breakfast with 2 eggs, ham/sausage/or bacon, rye toast, "fruit", and homefries. The homefries are good here. That is a deal maker/breaker for us. The homefries must be good. Both meals include very decent coffee and it is unlimited. My meal is $8.

We really enjoy eating at this place and we aren't entirely sure why it is our favourite. But we keep going back and our daughter will wake us up on Saturday mornings asking to go to the Burbs.

The menu is online here

2 Egg Breakfast

Hangover Helper Part 1

Hangover Helper Part 2

Our Toast rating (out of 5 toasts)

Affordability
Food Quality and Taste

Family Friendliness

Speed of Service