Hot House is just a wonderful place

The food is always excellent, the servers always pleasant and helpful.The mushroom soup is divine, and if you are a meat eater the wild boar bolognese on whole wheat penne is spectacular.
The all you can eat Sunday brunch is always jammed so book ahead.

Our favorite spot for Sunday Brunch

Great location, an excellent Sunday brunch buffet, and always a nice live Jazz ensemble playing in the background. We love this place.

Great Sunday Brunch - What a Find

Were not certain what to expect for Sunday brunch buffet with live jazz music for an incredibly low price. The visit did not start off well by arriving on time for our 12:00 noon reservation only to keep being told it would be a few minutes as they were clearing the table. Well, a few minutes turned out to be... more

Among the best run restaurants in the world

Toronto's decades-old HotHouse Café is a major full-service independent lunch, dinner & buffet restaurant with a Saturday brunch coinciding with the main shopping day at historic, two-centuries old St. Lawrence Market, just down the street.
Among its many specialties, Pizzette is a tasty creative super-thin-crust pizza made with regular or multi-grain flour and lots of unique topping choices.... more

Good for lunch

Four of us had lunch here mid week. It is a pleasant, light and airy restaurant with a nice open patio on Church Street. It is a good lunch and brunch place typical of many found in urban centres. The service was very good. The food was also good, although nothing to write home about . The shrimp sambal appetizer... more

When in doubt of what to eat, drop by Hot House. They've been around forever, love their brunch. Last Friday we tried having dinner - they have a pri fix menu for $35, you get salad or soup, 12oz steak, dessert. One person cannot finish it. We are glad the food quality is still holding up....Service in the beginning was ok, near the end, it was nice, there seems to be tonnes of staff working... more

Sunday Buffet Brunch is a Winner at 'Hot House Cafe

Priority #1 is to make a Sunday Brunch reservation!! You will be joining the long queue of people waiting for available tables otherwise.
Fortunately, we had made our reservation. My son had been to Hot House Cafe before and recommended it to us. For three of us it was our first visit.
Our party of four arrived at 1pm and... more

Hot spot changes name

I have been a fan of this St Lawrence Market area hot spot almost since it opened. Recently it has rebranded as The Hot House Restaurant & Bar - Est. 1994. I can't believe I've been eating there this long. All my own personal favourites are still on the menu and there a few new items, but the changes are... more

Excellent

Huge portions...come hungry. Very good chicken Parmesan . Staff excellent service. The manager very friendly. Will go back again

Hot House is a solid neighbourhood standby. It's a sprawling space with warm ambiance, and thus manages to simultaneously be a good date spot and a place to bring a big group, even a family.

Sunday brunch is a standout, and the dinner buffet is fantastic. As for the regular menu, good pizzas (including gluten-free crusts!) and pastas, and the appetizers are above average. Milage varies on the... more

Close by

We had dinner there amazing and very friendly staff excellent food worth a visit (skip Fran"s walk the extra block to come there) . Near the St. Lawrence Market.

over rated

I had dinner at the hot house café in Toronto on April 4th.
It was a little disappointing. We were a group of people going to Royal Thompson Hall afterward. We had an hour and a half for dinner. We did not have time for coffee and dessert , the service was so slow. Our steak dinners were not cooked... more

Great Downtown Toronto spot

We've eaten at the Hot House Cafe a few times in the last couple of years and have found the food and service good, with room for improvement in the food area. We've love the area of Front & Church Streets. You are close to St. Lawrence Market (as must see) as well as within walking distance of Lake Ontario... more

I come here because it is in a good location, but it is always either mediocre or poor experience. A bit disappointing.

Ordered the lamb burger this time. Taste like beef to me. And seems to be randomly thrown together. Not recommended.

Hot House Penne was amazing! The peppers, penne, sauce and vegetables in this dish was great!

Ambiance: swanky
Dress: Casual
Good for happy hour and dinner

I'm rating this for their brunch buffet. You would think a weekend brunch buffet for $20 per person, would have eggs Benedict!! Instead you serve lasagne, and cakes for brunch? We made a reservation two weeks prior to going and was told that we would be seated near the buffet. We arrived with our party of seven on time and were told that our table was not yet ready, then almost ten mins. later... more

Open Easter Sunday

Perfect restaurant. Very limited restaurants open Good Friday/Easter Sunday weekend. And from available restaurants open, this was wesome little pic. 3 course menu prix with wine pairings.
Can't go wrong for a casual but slightly upscale resto for family meal.

Good lunch

A group of work mates and I chose this restaurant last summer for lunch. It was a good place with decent service. The restaurant wasn't busy when we were there but it took a while to get our drinks and food. The taste of the food was good.

A short and sweet visit

All we had was an appetizer and wine at the bar to hold us over until dinner but it was scrumptious! We had the warm chèvre and a Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon ... it was mmm mmm good! The size was perfect to share! There was delightfully acidic tomato bruschetta, a warm black kalamata olive tapenade and a smooth velvety... more

Yummy appetizer

We were between lunch and dinner and we wanted an appetizer to hold us over. We walked into Hot House Cafe on Church St. at 6:00 pm. It was packed but the waitress found us a seat at the bar. They have a very good wine list. I had a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and my daughter had an excellent Fielding... more

My friends love having brunch here and convinced me to join them today. I was not disappointed as it is not bad brunch buffet at all. Yes it is not comparable to the Vegas style buffet, but that is what I like about it.

Once you walk into the buffet area, the first table is filled with different types of bread, and croissant, scones, corn bread... Followed by the waffle station and dessert... more

Good food and service

Along with my wife and 2 other couples we went for dinner at the Hot House before going to see a hockey game. The Pinot Grigio house wine was enjoyed by all as was the beer on tap. Two of us ordered the daily soup which was fish chowder and had I known how great it was, I would have... more

I went to this place 2 weeks ago and love the foods here. I ordered chicken and goat cheese ravioli, and also cheese cake for desert. I like the chicken but not ravioli. I didn't taste it at all. Cheese cake not bad but not the best to compare for others that I ate. The services are quite late. Last option when you don't have anywhere to go.

Nice, casual Sunday brunch

Yes there are fancier brunch places in Town, but you'll also spend an arm and a leg. For a decent place with good buffet selection and a Jazz band to boot, you can't really go wrong at the Hot House. My hubby and I used to come here many years ago to meet up with friends. After a long gap,... more

Great for Sunday Brunch

Went to the Hot House last Sunday with my sister and cousins and definitely recommend it for brunch. Loved the selection of food which ran from eggs made while you wait to a long list of desserts. I also loved the pasta and roast beef and there is stuff for everyone including dieters as there was fruit salad.
Ok, you... more

Very bland and overrated

Had the eggs benedict and the sauce had absolutely no flavor at all! Tasted like it was made from a powder you add water to or something!
The potatoes also had no flavor and were burnt.
Only positive thing was the service was pretty good!

I see the appeal. Brunch buffet, which can sometimes be an easy option for a mixed-generational-group -- where can we go that great-grandma doesn't need to wait too long, where everyone can find at least something, and we can get in and out quickly?

It failed for me on a few levels. First, you do have a server, and in my opinion if I'm giving you a tip, you might as well do something -- I... more

Wasn't overly impressed

My friend and I decided to go here for brunch on Saturday morning after we tried going to le Petit Dejuner and the line up was insane. I have been to hot house once before and I don't remember it being that great but decided to give it another chance. We ordered the eggs benedict and the french toast and... more

Try the Gourmet Wednesday Dinner Buffet

We were in Toronto for a night and a staff member at the Holiday Inn Express suggested we try the Hot House Cafe. It turned out to be a good suggestion.
We were there on a Wednesday evening when this place features a "Gourmet Wednesday Dinner Buffet." We're not big fans of buffets but when we learned the price and... more

Sunday Brunch

We visited Hot House during our recent stay in downtown Toronto. We had a 9:30 reservation for breakfast. The buffet was delicious - my favorite dish was the pear, cranberry, nut French toast. There was such a wide selection of breakfast, lunch and dessert items that I couldn't possibly try them all. Just about anything you could imagine was served... more

Always Good

This is a Saturday afternoon bottle of wine, pizza and salad favorite. Great atmosphere and food. Not the fanciest place, but they know what they are and get it right everytime.

Very ordinary and nothing special and sad to say this is among the best you can expect in Toronto. I do like the Sunday buffet but it is very blah. It reminds me of Marche, everything looks better than it taste. I give it 3 stars simply because although it is nothing to get excited about, as far as buffet is concerned, it is as good as it gets in Toronto. Unfortunately for me, I travel a lot in... more

Hoping for a better experience next time

We didn't have a very good experience today, but we have in the past... The food has been good in the past. However they need to work on their brunch service times.
I spoke to the manager about our experience and he ensured to make it up to us next time. I was especially disappointed because I was taking my... more

I went here for Winterlicious 2013. The food was pretty good. My starter salad was pretty bare, but tasted good. The main was extremely filling. My dessert was dry and hard, but the others that I tried were excellent. The service was wonderful. Not only was the waiter attentive and friendly; he even brought out a sorbet on the house because I mentioned in passing that I wished I had ordered... more

Went here for Winterlicious 2013.

Everything was just average. I wish I paid my $15 somewhere else. It was nice that we had an appetizer, main, and dessert, but the quality of food was just okay. I had crab cakes as the appetizer (which in my opinion, was the highlight of my lunch). One piece of crab cake which tasted good. I had the Neopolitan Pizza next, it was waaaaay too salty! Too salty... more

A fave

Dine in or take out - its always so good! Our office is close by and it's a wonderful patio in the summer in a great neighborhood with a full menu! When we can't get out of the office the take out catering is an awesome choice!

So, I've been to this place many times, and have always found it to be good, but maybe not great. My latest experience however was fantastic.

My mom was on a wheelchair, and they seated us in an area which would be convenient for her, despite the crowd at Winterlicious weekend lunchtime.

Service - quick, attentive, courteous and great overall!

Food - we ordered off the Winterlicious menu.... more

I had lunch here the other day and ordered the following from the winterlicious menu:
crab cake, chicken & goat cheese ravioli, and cheese cake for dessert.
The food was okay. The crab cakes were probably the tastiest part of the meal and I could have eaten a whole plate of them! They were fried, not too dry or too crumbly. Not salty at all as I often find crab cakes have too much salt added to... more

It's so good. I was looking for a winterlicious restaurant and surprisingly found this one. With $25, I have a seafood chowder, bolognese, new york cheese cake and a cocktail. Very good!

casual dining at its best, a favorite

My wife and I always visit this restaurant when we are going to movie or concert in the area. The staff are amazing and our Host Andrew the most 'welcoming' person, one who appreciates you coming to his place.
My wife had a fish dinner and I had the rack of lamb, both delicious, moderately priced. Its a downtown favorite... more

Better be hungry

Good for groups because there is something for everyone. Brunch is really breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Bad gluten free pizza

First time here, nice location and atmosphere. Excited over seeing gluten free pizza on menu since its difficult to find in most places. Ordered the Hawaiian one along with the Greek salad. Friend ordered clam chowder and salad with chicken breast. Large portions. My Greek salad was delicious and fresh with just the right amount of feta. The much anticipated... more

Excellent food and good service. Vegetab k es were fresh and cooked just right. The lamb was succulent.

The tables are a little on the small size, but not overly so. The booths look a little better

Not sure why it's listed as permanently closed. Still open as of Dec 15

Wonderful New Year Brunch

My boyfriend and I went here for NY brunch. I had never been, and it was great. We were seated near the window, and it was quite sunny, so we had asked to move. We were then seated closer to the wonderful Jazz band that was playing. I have heard that sometimes they can get a bit loud, but when... more

Hot House is the "hot" place

While in Toronto for a play, had time for an early evening dinner. The price and quality of this buffet style restaurant more than filled the bill. Additionally, staff attention and service were the best I have ever experienced in similar medium priced restaurants. A strong recommendation for this restaurant as a "must" while in Toronto.

Arguably the best brunch buffet in the city. Unlike other buffets where with low quality cuts and powdered eggs this place doesn't cut corners. Everything is fresh, plentiful and delicious. Plenty of breakfast lunch and desert options. You will definitely go back.

Consistent

I go to HHC fairly regularly. The menu is varied and the daily soups are usually quite good. They're one of the few places that I've found that serves a Manhattan Clam Chowder (Fridays) and it is delicious. The food is always consistent and even during the busy holiday season, the service was good and the servers were efficient. Never... more

Nothing special....and very over rated for brunch

We were a party of 7 (2 families from outside Toronto) who chose HHC for a get-to-gether and after Christmas brunch. The table they had reserved for us was very cramped and small...just a small booth with additional small add-on tables, really an awkward set up. I asked if we could be moved to a large table nearby which was... more

Commercial and Plain

Nothing special, the food is okay, but not what I'd call fine dinning. I suppose it could satisfy most palates in that "safe" all around kind of way. It's reminds me of an upscale Swiss Chalet.

Gnocchi

I can't remember exactly what the gnocchi is called, but it has a creamy sauce and bacon and it is to die for.

Hot House Cafe is great place for a weekend brunch

Hot House Cafe is great place for a weekend brunch (if, and where, possible do make reservations). So, taking everything into consideration, the variety and abundance of food options for veggie and meat eaters, the price and service – it’s FABulous! Afterward, walk over to St. Lawrence Market and do some grocery shopping…

it was ok. I think the boiler house on distillery is waayy better.

They had a brunch buffet that Rocked

Fresh and tasty. Omelets made to order, smoked salmon, so much selection plus great coffee, great desserts, fruit plates, cheeses I kept going back for more it was so good.

great

Soup, salad, bread, pasta, seafood, pizza. I've never had a bad meal here. They are so accomodating. But it always feels a bit cold when seated on the south side. The west side of the room is much nicer.

Very Pricey for a Very Average Experience (maybe a 3.5

The Hot House Cafe has been a place that colleagues and myself have frequented once or twice a year for the last five years. There seems to have been a noticeable decline in the quality of food and it seems that the prices have climbed during that time. That's not a good combo. I had a rib eye steak, lots... more

Hot house...kept getting this name confused with Heart House (which is at UofT!).

I went here with a group-around 40 or so. This is a big restaurant with multiple seating options, including a meeting room (which we didnt use but it looked nice with windows lining it). In fact, there seem to be windows all around-our view ended up being the metro grocer which is very close by and also has big... more

Good Sunday buffet

I had my baby shower at this venue, I have been here quote a few times only for the Sunday Buffet and I love it, come with an empty stomach for lots of variety.

Surprisingly nice

The only reason I say surprising is because the food is delicious yet it looks like a giant Swiss Chalet. Don't let the size or bus loads of elder tours scare you away. The food is really good and reasonable. I love the multigrain crust veggie pizza. All the pizzas are good. My colleague enjoyed the lamb burger. Not fancy... more

Excellent Restaurant

The last time I was there was during their Garlic Festival. it's an annual event for me and go as many times as I can during the event.
The level of service and the food are excellent. Wish they hadn't stopped serving Stella but I guess I am just one person!

Great Food and Service with GF Options

We enjoyed our dinner after theatre. My wife advised she was Celiac and the server was very attentive to her needs. Her gluten free pasta choice was very tasty and cooked nicely. She finished with Blood Orange Sherbet (GF as well), which she said was delicious. Not being GF, I had a much wider choice of meals and chose the... more

Little to be desired

I've tried to give Hot House a chance...three times. Each time they struck out. If you have the chance, skip and find something else in the area. On each different occasion, it took longer than 45 minutes for me to receive my entree (over an hour and 20 minutes during one occasion when the server decided to take a break... more

Sunday Brunch

Made reservations for the Sunday of the Grey Cup. We had excellent service, both at our table and from servers on the buffet. Never hurried or ignored as we enjoyed our drinks after finishing our meal. Great selection, over the top walnut cranberry french toast! There was a great jazz band playing. We enjoyed our table overlooking front street. The... more

Love Hot House

Best brunch in the city. The Cheese Capolletti is AMAZING! Always have great service. Great location, close to the subway and to other sites in the city ( St.Lawrence Market, theaters, Union stn, etc.) Cant go wrong here!

Meh

We went here for brunch with a bunch of people this weekend. The food was o.k. But nothing extraordinary. The cafe latte I got was tepid. I sent it back 3 times and it consistently came back tepid. The apple crisp I had seriously lacked flavour. Overall it was okay but no where near worth the price.

stale food

This used to be my Sunday brunch spot but over the years the food has been going downhill. Sometimes the meat tastes as though it was refrigerated and then reheated.

Hot House is HOT

I just left and had an incredible dinner!! I'm visiting and live in Chicago and everything was wonderful! From the minute we arrived, we were seated promptly with a smile. It was busy, but not packed. It is casual, yet a good menu. We went with my 10 year old son who enjoyed it as well. The waitress was very... more

I really want to like this place, but after two visits, I can't say I'm pleased.

My first visit was during Winterlicious with my cousin two years ago, which we collectively agreed was an ordinary meal.

My most recent visit was for their Sunday brunch, which my cousin said was amazing. And knowing my cousin, she wouldn't exaggerate over something like food.

I also took my cousin's advice in... more

Great little lunch place

Great little place to grab lunch. They have plenty of homemade hot foods available (ex: mac and cheese), salads, sandwiches, soups, etc. I find their sides to be a little pricey though.

Nice buffet

Good buffet. Big complaint was that it was incredibly loud. There was a wonderful jazz band in....about a meter away from our table. The restaurant was full and we were seated quite quickly, but it was incredibly difficult for our table to talk to each other. Buffet was good, refreshed regularly, just volume was WAY too loud for us to... more

Hot House is a good standard restaurant in the St. Lawrence Market area. It's a good restaurant, but I've never found the food to be outstanding. Last time I was there I had the orange roughy which was very good, but again not outstanding. The desserts that I've had there are excellent

Consistently consistent.

The food won't change your life, but it's always good. The Stella Mussels are awesome, and the pastas are delicious (though probably a bit overpriced).

The service is unremarkable; it's sometimes a bit slow/inattentive, but it's never been downright terrible.

The decor inside is a little tacky, but aren't all family-owned restaurants? The patio is a great spot in the... more

Sunday brunch at the Hot House Cafe, complete with live jazz, is akin to Special Turkey Dinner Night at my 86-year-old grandmother's all-Hungarian people old folks' building. But without the 100% Hungarian requirement.

I don't get it.

On the one hand, I've been for dinner, and I know the menu is....meh.....so why should I be surprised that the brunch is lesser even, then "meh"?

Perhaps... more

HISTORY/ABOUT: Hot House Cafe has been a Toronto Brunch landmark for a very long time, I can't even remember the first time I went. They are open during the week and on Saturday for breakfast but make no mistake, the Sunday award winning brunch buffet is all I have ever ben interested in.

DÉCOR/AMBIENCE: Cozy, moderately upscale. The type of restaurant where you can walk in with jeans and a... more

What Hot House has going for it is its patio. The patio is huge and usually sunny. Great place for drinks. I've been here several times and the food is fine. I've never had anything terrible, but I've never had anything particularly memorable either. That being said, it's a good place to go with a group because it's big, the food is inoffensive and the booze selection is decent.

THE greatest brunch buffet I have EVER seen! If you are in Toronto,you have to go there! Sundays they have a life jazz band. The drinks were great the food was delicious! They have everything you can dream of for brunch!

I have been here a number of times for lunch and the service is slow slow slow. Do not go if you have only an hour for lunch. Food is good but the wait ruins it

Is your sense of taste deserting you?
Do you have difficulty masticating?
Are you having difficulty viewing objects from a close distance?
Do you want to experience dining in the banquet hall of a seniors' residence?

If you answered yes to any or all of the above questions then Hot House Cafe is the right dining establishment for you! With active taste buds and active visual and olfactory... more

I sure do hope you are reading this while they still operate the patio. Hot House is one of our default restaurant when we can't think of anything else.

It's because it's good.

Try their Gnocci and tell me you didn't like it... I'll tell you four million reasons why I love it. Call me, now. Ok.. granted, sometimes they can use less salt to make it but it's good more often than not. My friends... more

Great Sunday Brunch with Numerous Deelish options! Everything I had tasted good or great. I will be back!

Stopped in here for a quick dessert after having some pizza nearby. Since my friend and I had never been in Toronto before, I looked at the previous reviews for this place and it seemed decent enough so we decided to come.

Once we entered, the atmosphere was welcoming and pleasant. We were seated and when the waiter came by I asked for the toffee pudding and a hazelnut cappuccino. As soon as I... more

I want to be honest and confess one thing.

It has been over 2 weeks that I visited Hot House Cafe and its blueberry scones still calls to me everyday.

If I comment about nothing else. Not the service (superb), the food (glory goodness!) or their overall ambiance (jazz and dripping candles!) - I must confess that I would revisit HHC... just for the scones.

This review was strictly for the... more

Amazing place. Excellent food, they all taste great. Service is exceptional. Must go to try for yourself.

Very nice place with good service. Italian food. Affordable.

GREAT pizza. Enjoyed the patio dining. Slow service but friendly. Good menu!

Had a group of 20 people here last night. We had worked with Hot House to have a custom menu, 3-course meal prepared. There were many options which was great. Here's a quick outline of our evening:

1. Got there at 6:00 pm, left at 9:00 pm - too much time between courses, main course took very long to come, but understandable, it was a big group.

2. During service, sour cream was dropped on... more

Hot House Cafe is somewhat of a landmark in the St. Lawrence Market. For those of us without lavish corporate expense accounts - this is one of the places to go to grab a bite to eat.

It has quite the buzz for its brunch buffet, and a huge patio in the summer time. The restaurant itself is quite spacious inside as well.

I came here with co-workers as one of them was leaving the company. We... more

It's "Reunion Time"! It's interesting how certain people draw you to certain places! The girls from work and I use to go here on lunch runs. We always order the cheese cappelletti and pizzas. But that was a few years ago. Now I'm back in town and it's catchup time with the girls on a late Saturday morning at 11!

By this time, I have already eaten brekky, but who says I can't have a SECOND... more

I went here for Valentine's Day and I know the food is great and filling and somewhat pricey but I knew I'd get my money's worth.

ONLY thing is is that the waiter kept coming by and asking us for our order and I felt rushed and uncomfortable: people have to give you some time especially when your spending time with your significant other. Please and thank you =)

I did the brunch buffet here a week ago. This place is adjacent to the Flat Iron building in St. Lawrence.

I was surprised by the capacity of this place. It's huge. The waiting area was packed on a Sunday at 1pm.

Food

There's plenty of selection in their brunch buffet but the quality of the food is very disappointing. I struggle to find anything decent tasting and I really question if the... more

I've been to the Hot House at least 10 times over the past few years, as it's close to the office. Every time someone suggests going to the Hot House, I cringe.
I've tried their burgers, lasanga, spaghetti, carbonera, just about everything on theiir lunch menu.

You can't say their food is bad. However, regardless of what you order, everything tastes the same. Full of garlic and overly salted.... more

I know I came here in the past like 10 or more years ago and sampled their normal day fare. I remember thinking it was tasty and different, keeping in mind I had just came from a town of 6000 people and was still wary of sushi ;)

A friend wanted to try their Sunday buffet brunch for $19.95 and so I opted to join her. I can't stress this enough. If you have a group of 4 or more make... more

I'd come here for dinner years ago and I wasn't very impressed, but my friends insisted the brunch was worth it--and wow, it really is. Every time you think you're done with the buffet you realize there's another table that you haven't even seen yet!

There's a great selection, from traditional breakfast foods like French toast and eggs (there's an omelette bar!) to things like shepherd's pie... more

This review is solely based on their Sunday Brunch. This has to be the best brunch in town. Fresh, hot, steaming food. Everything from salmon to pasta to mussels. BBQ chicken thigh, omlete station, lasagna, pilaf. Coffee is excellent. I love coming here especially during the summer. Desserts are amazing, but often I don't have room for it. Strongly reccomend making reservations if you are... more

5 of us went here for our New Year's Eve dinner. It was a last minute decision as our previous reservation at another restaurant did not work out as planned. We were set with Italian and there weren't many openings for the time slot we wanted. I was skeptical after seeing the restaurant's logo in a picture but its opentable page stated that it has a "smart casual" dress code as opposed to... more

Went here for the first time today, the restaurant was nice and the staff were friendly. The lunch dishes (Burgers, salads, etc) looked pretty good but I decided to order from the brunch menu. I got the French Toast which was three pieces of bread floating in a pool of syrup with some squishy sugary "fruit" on top. Maybe I don't have enough of a sweet tooth for this, but I think you would have... more

I'm sorry, but the signage for this restaurant immediately makes me not want to go here. Having lived close by for many years, I have never once been tempted despite the fact that it often seems quite busy and a few people have told me the food's pretty decent.

Having said that, yesterday I finally looked past my revulsion. I met my family here for lunch mainly because we had plans to go to... more

It's gettin' hot in here. so take off... nah.

But that's what I thought of when my friends told me we were going to The Hot House. The inside was quite nice with huge gigantic tables for large parties-- a mega bonus. The staff was super nice, our waitress was kind enough to take several rounds of photos. She was also rather generous in bringing the 3 bottles of wine we ordered throughout the... more

Restaurant: Hot House Cafe
Cuisine: Italian
Location: St Lawrence Market
Address: 35 Church St
Price Range: $15-25

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3
Service: 3
Ambiance: 2
Overall: 3

Extra information:

*Famous for brunch on Saturday & Sunday
*Live Jazz

Hot House Cafe is located near St Lawrence Market and is famous for their brunch buffet on weekends. I've passed by... more

Great lunch spot in St. Lawrence Market

If you're not in the mood for a peameal bacon sandwich at the market, head over to Hot House Cafe. On warm, sunny days, their patio is the perfect spot have a quick salad or sandwich. I liked their Greek salad - the leafy greens were fresh and crunchy and the feta cheese didn't overpower the whole dish. On my next visit, I'll definitely come with an empty stomach. I hear great things about... more

After hearing all the rave and reviews about the brunch buffet at Hot House, it was one of my top choices to try on a Sunday afternoon. Walking in 1:30pm without a reservation on a cold and rainy day, we expected a slow crowd, but man was I mistaken. The host informed us that the expected wait time was 1hr, but she offered 2 seats at the bar which we graciously took. Why not? You're hardly... more

When i used to work in the area, my coworkers and I would come here every few months for someone's 'birthday lunch'. I always liked it for lunch.
I recently went to Hot House for the infamous Sunday Jazz Brunch Buffet. Wow! It's super busy on a Sunday! We arrived quite early, in between 10 and 10:30 and didn't have a problem finding a table for two inside near the windows. But there was lots of... more

I liked the gnocchi quite a bit and the lemonade was really good. Three stars for the slow staff and their is no atmosphere. A family restaurant if that's what you are into. The apple dessert was nice, but otherwise it was average overall.

I like this place for what it offers: decent (if uninspired food) lots of space so no trouble getting a table. It's a good place for a last minute, no hassles, pleasant dining experience, but not a good place if you're looking for interesting food or a special/unique experience. What can I say - competent mediocrity has it's place sometimes.

Stumbled onto this place b/c the brunch place we wanted to go had a 30 min wait. Glad we went because we were all presently surprised. I had heard about their famous Sunday brunch buffet and it definitely didn't disappoint. The variety was great (cold salmon, roast beef & ham carvery, omelet station, tons of cold and hot pasta dishes and amazing desserts) and the quality is IMO above par for... more

My friend and I decided to go to St Lawrence Market on a Monday...when the market was closed. We didn't know until we got there. But, the surrounding stores were still open. We were starving and this restaurant stood out to us.

They have a good selection on their menu, but I feel like it doesn't stand out. I tried one of their pasta dishes and it was really tiny for the price of 15 dollars.... more

Went to their place for a Summerlicious dinner. The lobster fettuccine was fantastic. The server was nice, but the service was a bit slow. Nevertheless, I would still recommend this place.

Hate to say it but the words buffet and fine dining rarely ever co-exist for me . Sure the Hot House has a live band playing pedestrian jazz and the charming clientele is mainly of the cane & personal mobility scooter variety, sporting the scent of Vick's vapo rub and what of the little brats who bud in front of you in line and get their icky little hands all over the serving ladles/dishes if... more

Not what i expected

This place seems to survive on the business of tourists and the elderly. While I've heard good things about their buffet, my experience with the a la carte menu left a great deal to be desired. My girlfriend and I split an arugula pizza that looked as though they had accidentally dropped the entire bag of lettuce on the top. We noticed that the couple beside us had ordered the same thing, and... more

The worst dinner ever!!!!

I left my Birthday cards at the Hot House, it was only five minutes and when i went back the table was cleared and my cards were gone. I ask the guy that was clearing the table if he has seen two birthday cards and he just stared at me and ...a minute later he said yes, so he went in the back to get them and then gave them to me and walked away. Very weird but i looked in one of my cards to see... more

Brunch spot

Of it's delicious, food "garnished" with the best music. Favourite thing(s) at this place: brunch spot

Sunday brunch

Favourite thing(s) at this place: Sunday brunch

All you can eat brunch

How can you possibly resist an all you can eat brunch? especially when options range from waffles, to lentil pilaf, to smoked salmon. not to mention the spectacular jazz band to serenade you. also great for people watching on a hot sunny day! Favourite thing(s) at this place: all you can eat brunch

Downtown restaurant with options

Really nice in the summer when you can sit out on the patio and feel the energy of downtown Toronto. A good menu with variety -- always good when going out with a group of friends who have various tastes. Favourite thing(s) at this place: Downtown restaurant with options

Excellent buffet brunch

This is a fantastic place to take a group of friends or family for an amazing Sunday buffet brunch. The selection and quality is top notch. They also have live jazz band on Sundays to add a little extra ambiance to the already warm atmosphere. Hot House Café has a fantastic brunch menu--they have an omelets station, waffles, muffins, French toast, croissants, scones, pasta, smoked salmon, a... more

Brunch spot

Great quality and a massive selection of brunch and dessert items Favourite thing(s) at this place: brunch spot

Brunch spot

Favourite thing(s) at this place: brunch spot

You have got to be kidding me

Whoever rated this a 5 staryouve got to be kidding meThis restaurant might look palatable from the outside but the food tastes like processed food from the package

The food is so yummy. They have a breakfast...

The food is so yummy. They have a breakfast buffet that is delicious and a dinner buffet during the week. The buffet gives you the best value for your money but try ordering from the menu too everything is delicious And I love the location the patio is a nice place to eat.

ymmmm....dont forget to try their jumbalaya...very ncie ...

ymmmm.dont forget to try their jumbalayavery ncie location at front street. They even have live music on weekends sometime.

Great brunch

This is the place to come to for a fabulous Sunday buffet brunch. Good food, plenty of breakfast and lunch selections. And they even have live musicians playing jazz.

PHOTOS

Best sunday brunch!

The Hot House Cafe has the best Sunday brunch! The Roast Beef is slow roasted and absolutely scrumptious! Omelette's are made before your eyes with the freshest ingredients! The french toast is fantastic with every kind of topping you can think of.. flavored syrups..whipped cream. They have wonderful cheeses, fruits, salads, bacon, sausages, freshly baked rolls, pastas, chicken.. you name it,... more

ive been to this place a two separate visits. the restaurant offers
a huge seating capacity and a variety of food dishes. the brunch
was incredible with every dish imaginable. i would recommend
this place for brunch only.

For a brunch, this place is great. They run the brunch Sunday mornings
with live jazz. Get a reservation because the place is packed.
The brunch is actually a buffet, but unlike a typical buffet the
food is fresh a hot. The omelettes are made to order and the waffles
are turned out right before your eyes. One of the waiters will
carve you fresh beef. They have huge bread, cheese and fruit... more

I've only been here for the Sunday Brunch, and it's been a while,
but wow!!
Such a great array of dishes to try for brunch, from custom made
ommelettes, to fresh carved roast beef.
Salads and sweets, cereals and breads.
All you could want in a very nice place. (plus live jazz trio)