If I ever make a map of Easily Accessible Gross Bathrooms, Future would be #1. I'd give them 4 stars for their easy breakfasts, the dark and cozy cafeteria vibe, and their excellent, excellent looking lardycakes. But they've started saying "it's that girl again" every time I beeline from the door to the basement, and that makes me uncomfortable. There are surprisingly few bathrooms between Bathurst and Spadina on Bloor, and every alley has two fifteen years old Doing Something in it. read more

As a descendent of Ukrainians, the Future Bakery franchise always got under my skin. The food is mediocre (I once had the Future Bakery holopchi, aka cabbage rolls, and they tasted like wet newspaper--never again!), and I wouldn't recommend it as a good introduction to eastern European cuisine. Their bread (it's supposed to be a bakery, right?) is pretty good. They sell it in other bakeries and specialty food shops, but it's better to get it at the source--the bagged stuff you find around town is a bit bland. What bugs me about Future is how it's popular with people who have no clue about its ethnic roots, which is why, I suspect, the Future in heavily-Ukrainian Bloor West Village closed down a few years ago. This Future Bakery location is a little better than that one was, but it too always struck me as being a little soulless. It has a greater infusion of downtown/Annex hipsters, which is good in a way, but begs the question: with no distinctive personality, why bother? read more

The Carrot Cake and (red eye) coffee I had was pretty okay (one star for that), but the WIFI is the worst I have ever used in ages. This place is also not a good one to study in; it is really loud. I wanted to finish writing a code, but the internet connection was so slow that I could not even connect to the server. read more

Déjà vu... 3 years later and I remember why I wasn't impressed on my first visit. Had breakfast this month with my Niece because no other eateries in my area were open early on Sundays. Walk up to the counter and ordered our sausages and 2 eggs with hash browns. We both ordered a beverage with the breakfast. We had to go to another counter to get a mug and prepare our own tea and coffees like in a cafeteria but in a restaurant atmosphere. We tried to have a conversation while a group of 5 adults with a crying baby had a loud repartee. 25 minutes later breakfast was ready for pickup at the counter. Basically 1 sausage -cut in two (not kidding) and 2 eggs and buttered toast with fries. I only finished the sausage and eggs as the fries were less than edible. A big disappointment for over $22. I'm never returning to this place again -unless I have a memory laps in 3-6 years. read more

I've been to this place about a zillion times. It's a really convenient go-to spot if you need a place to hang out around Bloor & Spadina: open late, lots of seats, casual atmosphere (the staff doesn't really seem to care if you hang out indefinitely as long as you behave yourself). I haven't eaten much there, to be honest, but the soup of the day is actually pretty good and of course there's the famous cakes that everyone else here reviews. I find them pretty good and have tried a few different varieties over the years; no disappointments. I enjoy window-shopping the pastry case to see what's new. The coffee is...well, it's ok. But really, my review is more for the ease and the convenience of the place. I'm glad it's there and hope it continues to be for some time. read more

i love futures. not for their packed evenings. or their disgusting washrooms. but because it is THE spot to be a student in the annex. come alone with a book or with a group and order an unhealthy amount of cake. you can spend hours at this student haunt and feel like you're back in university. good times are definitely to be had here at all hours of the day. for those of you from vancouver, I call this my "Toronto Calhoun's" read more

A Caféteria like sweet/bakery café and bar with nice restaurant. So what a weird concept that worrks really well together Why? My friends don't drink, they don't like to go out in bar. Which kind of slows the alcohol going in my body. Ok but I want to drink some local beer. So far, make some good discovery, good product! read more

When I use to live downtown, I passed by this place several times and never really got around to this place until now. I was greeted by a nice young gentleman and was told to sit anywhere I like. Since it was patio weather I grabbed a seat outside, under some shade. The friendly server ( his hair do reminded me of Goro from Mortal Kombat) came around with water and gave me a couple of minutes to decide what I wanted to order. I couldn't make up my mind but Goro recommended the chicken schnitzel which came with mashed potatoes and a pesto pasta salad. When the food arrived, it looked kind of bland but I dove right in any way and the first thing I tasted was the pasta salad and it was delicious. Then I tried the mashed potatoes and it was a little thicker and less creamy but with the side of mushroom gravy it went down a lot better. Now the chicken schnitzel was nothing special, it tasted like a bigger version of a chicken finger and it was tough to cut through. Goro happened to come by and check on me to see if everything was okay and thats exactly what it was.. Okay. Through out the day, I was getting stomach aches and thats a symptom I get, when food is fried and the oil hasn't been changed in awhile. I prefer coming to Future Bistro for drinks and apps since thats what many of the people were doing but not for a entrée. read more

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I've eaten here on and off over the years. It's been a first date location many times! ha! Good food, great treats and a great selection of teas and/or booze. Prices are pretty reasonable as well. read more

Surprised this bar atmosphere had 20 different types of cakes to choose from!!! Tried the crime brûlée cheese cake was so good. Will be back for sure! read more

Came here to catch up with friends. We were here for hours and no one said anything about how long we were hogging a table (WHICH IS AWESOME). We ordered dinner and then dessert and coffee/tea afterwards. When you walk in, it's a bit disorienting because there's two different counters (one in the back-left for food and one to the right with dessert and coffee). The food is delicious and reasonably priced. I had the Chicken Schnitzel with the mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy and chick pea salad. Everything was delicious. I also tried a couple different cakes (a raspberry cheesecake and a chocolate cake). They were both delicious. It's not the fanciest place, but it's all delicious, unpretentious and down-to-earth. It's also super busy and popular as the night goes on, definitely a happening venue! read more

Nice breakfasts. You just have to order it at the counter. Prices are very good.

Come for the cake or the student breakfast special (only because it is cheap, not because it is anything special) but I don't recommend venturing too far into their other offerings. The food is so-so.. absolutely nothing special. The pastries can be dry. But if you want a slice of cake you can't do better! read more

A great neighborhood bar. The decor isn't particularly inspired, but the bar staff is friendly to a fault, and the food is solid. I had the chicken schnitzel, which while unremarkable, still hit the spot. Tap selection is a bit sparse, but they have a decent variety of bottles beers. Home fries are delicious, and people at my table sparred over the last few. With your meal, you also get to make a salad choice: mixed greens, coleslaw or fruit salad. The best part of this place though, is the real sense of camaraderie that seems to exist between all the regulars - it's common to see random patrons approach your table, only to discover that they're friends with someone else in your party. Everyone neighborhood has/needs a place like this. Didn't get to try the desserts, but they look fantastic as well. Will probably come back here a few more times before summer's out. read more

Dropped in on my once every five year visit and not much has changed. Still an above ground hole in the Annex and still very busy. Not a place I would go or like to admit I go, and not on any list of any kind I would have. So why 3 stars.... because this place is what it is and it does it well. A great hang out, meeting place and cheap. Think about it, where would all these people go if this place closed. read more

Update: Chicken parm is definitely good, but I've had better. Comes with pretty good mashed potatoes and mostly good mushroom gravy.

it's a hangout spot for students in the annex mainly. you got beer, regular dishes, and desserts all one diner style. the food was so-so i was expecting higher quality, had a schnitzel and a carrot cake for dessert. the schnitzel was tiny, literally 3cm squared. no less it was over cooked. carrot cake, yeah sure it was a big slice but it didn't taste too fresh which was a surprise since I had hoped it would be better because people have been raving about the cakes here. friendly servers and good hangout spot though.. read more

Man that breakfast was terrible. first time i was here i got the bfast sausages.. not good, so i decided the second time i was here to get bacon instead. how do you mess up bacon? will i be back? yeah probably.. its down the street from me and relatively cheap. who wants to cook when you're hungover??! read more

Easy, relaxing spot to catch up with a friend. Usually, it's an eclectic mix of people from the annex looking to unwind. Service and food is decent. Perogies are good and so are their sweet potato fries, which is hard to mess up. I personally enjoy their selection of cakes though--never been disappointed. This place is comfortable and familiar. I just wish they would invest in WiFi. read more

Went in for dessert - Poor and slow service. Cakes tend to be good at Future BUT the slices are too think and it's overpriced !

I love this place. Their chocolate mouse cake was delicious as well as their strawberry cheesecake. I can't stop thinking of all the wonderful cakes and pastries. I can't wait to go back and try their breakfast. Great area, great cafe to grab a cup of coffee and delicious dessert. They also have a nice patio for some beers and a snack. Like I said, I can't wait to back!! Delicious!!! read more

Pretty good cakes and a good cafe to meet friends or grab a tea. I don't think Futures has wi-fi though which makes it not the best study spot...not to mention it's usually quite loud. But, the cakes are tasty and it's nearby so it's somewhere I'll certainly keep frequenting. read more

The food is ok - the usual pub fare. Their cakes and other baked goods are absolutely delicious. In the summer, their sangriaand beer pitchers are great on their huge patio. read more

Great prices and assortment of desserts. Yummy cappuccinos with many milk options. Open late amazing people watching from open window seats or the patio. read more

A renowned polish-owned joint on the corner of a vibrant student community. Serving affordable dinner plates either in or outdoors. Great place to drink beer after work and meetup. Also have a cake corner inside with a fresh variety of sweet delights. Throughout the day and into the night, packed with people most of the time. read more

They have a lot of choices. Ordered brownie chocolate cake. Tasteless, stiff, below average. Price is high in respect to their food quality. The staff is indifferent. read more

The best chai latte and most amazing cakes in town! The breakfast is decent, and most of all cheap. It's a strong student culture place. Not our favourite by far, but great for the price! read more

Great outdoor seating..Naveem was a great server. Just chilled out with a Radler pitcher

I was at Future Bistro at the end of August. Normally, I meet a friend there and have a coffee. Like the patio. The coffee is Ok. Never had their food before. As I was hungry I ordered Potato pancakes. They came served with sour cream and tomato slices on the side that were not ripe... I started eating and discovered when I was almost finished that pancakes were half cooked. I pointed this out to the waitress and asked her to pass this on to the chef as someone is going to get sick. I was in the restaurant business for some years in the past and know a thing or two about cooking. It turned out that it was me who got sick. I had severe food poisoning, with diarrhea that lasted 2 weeks. My back was in a severe spasms for two weeks. After much pain in the back and stomach and a couple of hundred dollars of medical expenses I am getting better. I have also lost 3 weeks of work at my studio. I contacted the manager Sumit at the Future bakery by email. His reply was that they never have any complaints about their food. My experience is a bit different. Over 146 comments on Yelp about the restaurant and many are hardly glowing reviews. So far no offer was made by the management to reimburse me for my financial losses. Will avoid eating there like a plague in future! read more

Hit & miss depending on what you order. I once had bacon & eggs that weren't very tasty, but the last few times I've been there I have had pancakes and some sandwiches and they were much better than before. Waiter service is only for the patio I think. There are a lot of students here so if you like that crowd, you'll enjoy it here. It's common to find people reading or studying here too though the noise level and background music are a bit loud for that. read more

I remember the Future Bakery from the days on Queen Street when it was actually a bakery where you went to get bread and rolls, and which then started serving things gradually. Perhaps this biases me because I want it to be more elemental than it has become. The cheesecakes for which it has become famous as a late night chill out destination are really overly, cloyingly sweet. However, I don't know any better options around for the cakes and hot chocolate crowd. On the plus side, there are a ton of flavours to choose from and many people do like them! They have a really nice patio. The hat-wearing waiter is terrific. They serve beer on the patio, including a great lemon tea flavour. For a patio snack I ordered the sweet potato fries which came with a tasty chipotle mayo. Personally I found them to be the greasiest fries ever, which is really saying a lot. I could not keep eating them, they were so oily. The reason I ordered them is because most of the menu does not look to be gluten free, and I wanted a snack. It's really too bad that the food is lacking in quality because this place has so much potential. I would never actually come for a meal here. All that having been said, it is a great central location to meet friends for coffee or stop for a quick drink. read more

I used to go this cafe a lot when I lived in the Annex and I loved the place. However, I went there earlier this week and was bitterly disappointed. We ordered a pitcher of Sangria that was undrinkable; we literally left 3/4th of it unfinished. It was too sweet and tasted like it was made with some sort of processed fruit juice that comes out of a tetra pack. We also ordered two slices of cake: one blackout and one red velvet cheesecake. While the latter was passable, I basically couldn't even finish the blackout- it was dried out and tasted old and stale. I won't be going back. read more

Great patio and service but quality of food is not good. Hollandaise is not tasty and cold. Peameal is undercooked and muffins untoasted. Cmaaaaan read more

Yeah, it works if you need something in a pinch. But the patio is generally over-crowded and under-served, and the wait staff is largely indifferent if not surly and hipster-infected. Food is passable, but just that. read more

Holy Moses! This food was delicious. We were terrible people and marched in with a group of 20 but they were quick to put us out on the patio and nailed the service. They were so fast. The food was delicious, especially the perogies (pierogies). Gotta love a place that serves mashed potatoes and gravy or can wedges instead of fries!!! read more

Great cake. Nice selection of warm drinks (teas, coffees, apples cider, steamed milk with flavours, etc.). Sometimes a bit too loud for conversations when packed with students, but good for studying if you like a lively kind of white noise around you to help you stay on it. I wish they took debit though! read more

I walked by and saw the patio looked awesome so I bought a coffee inside and took a seat outside. Thirty seconds later the server comes behind me and says, "Sorry, only reserved seating on the patio" and then scampers away without even looking at me. Pretty dehumanizing. So I go inside and ask the kitchen people what the deal is, since there are a lot of seats available on the patio The one guy just shrugs helplessly while the girl doesn't make eye contact with me and explains, basically, "thems the rules." Bad experience and won't be going back again. read more

I'm so sorry but I compare future bakeries right bread. To Silverstein's Quivas and bagel world.. There is absolutely no competition for future bakery with the other bakeries that I have mentioned. First of all there's not enough salt and I have had this future bakery bread for three route weeks. No mold has formed. Bagel world kivas or silver stanch the bread would be all green. When Fred gets moldy very quickly that means there's food value in it I am thinking that future bakeries bread will last as long as a Twinkie. I do appreciate their effort into creating a right bread but it just does not cut it read more

I've been coming to Future's for over three years now, ever since I came to Toronto. Whenever I need my cake fix, this is my go-to. Great cakes, good beer, and a good atmosphere. But really great cakes. read more

Nice place but really disappointed by the rules I shouldn't have to stay inside because I order inside you can make sure I won't go back beside that it's still a nice place but I shouldn't have to choose who I order from to be able have my drink outside read more