Come savor a delectable creation at Cafe Fiorentina. Come experience their casual ambiance. They are open at night from Thursday to Saturday and are conveniently reachable by public transit and bicycle but also by car. Come visit them in an area acknowledged as stimulating. Payments by American Express, Interac, MasterCard and Visa are accepted.more...See more text
Tina Leckie, owner of Café Fiorentina, isn’t afraid of rolling up her sleeves and applying a bit of elbow grease. “I worked for free for years and years in the industry,” she admits, “and from there, I got numerous culinary jobs working in the kitchen as a cook.” She’s the first to say that the restaurant industry requires a certain amount of toughness to break into — especially if you’re in back-of-house — but it’s something that she felt was just part of the process.
Having grown up in an Italian family that valued raw, honest cooking — the kind where only fresh ingredients matter and nothing boxed or pre-prepared is used — helped Tina realize her dream earlier than most. From a very early age, she was introduced to preparing food on its deepest level as she and her family made everything from scratch.
“My mom’s Italian from northern Italy and her mother was an amazing chef that used all ingredients from her garden or whatever my grandfather brought home from hunting or fishing,” she recalls, “so we ate a lot of game and a lot of fish and anything that was fresh from the garden…My dad was really involved with it as well and, every year, we’d do our own peppers.”
If you’re more of a late starter, you might want to check out brunch at this bakery on the Danforth. While they might not satisfy your craving for traditional bacon and eggs, you will find some pretty stunning quiches that will do the trick admirably. Fiorentina really shines with its baked goods. For a unique experience, try the French toast made with brioche and topped with a variety of fruits, whipped cream and maple syrup.
The menu here changes regularly – sometimes daily, sometimes weekly – but there are always delicious homemade sandwiches and paninis. Tina and Alex, the foodies in charge, focus on using local ingredients so every sandwich provides a memorable experience. They also use humanely-raised meats, so your roasted pork belly, braised beef cheek or veal meatball panini can be eaten with a clear conscience. Pair it with one of the rotating sides, such as parsnip carrot soup or fried brussels sprouts.
Café Fiorentina on the Danforth is a lovely little French cafe that makes some seriously amazing food. Their menu changes daily, depending on ingredients available, so at last check, their incredible brioche French toast was topped with a stewed plum compote, creme fraiche and maple syrup. Heavenly, and not overly sweet.