We had an event at the Meridian Hall and met with friends for a bite to eat who lived nearby. I haven't eaten here in a long time and it wasn't busy so we sat down right away. And I have been on a new diet cutting down carbs and they had this pickerel fish dish with vegetables and no carbs. It was perfect. Plus we had some calamari that was battered in chickpea flour instead of flour, which made that gluten-free and that was awesome too. We also did get some bruschetta, which of course is bread, but it was good and one person got the pasta alle vongole (with clams) . She said it was very good and the last entree was the corn and crab mezze Luna (pasta stuffed with crab and corn I think) it was delicious as well I was told. The vegan chocolate cake was rich and my sister found it dry so that was sent back but the cheesecake was moist and rich and good I was told. Overall a great meal and definitely worth coming back to. read more

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Ok this is a so so restaurant. From service to food to ambience everything is just basic, especially food for the price and ambience. I found the food really bland. Would not recommend. read more

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I had the Deep Fried Calamari as an appetizer. It was soft and delicious. Fresh. And I had the Hothouse Signature Burger with bacon. So filling. Also had an Americano and the Banana Lava Cake. Both were really good. The service was great. The atmosphere was nice. Loved it. read more

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Came here for brunch for the first time on Sunday. We had a reservation for two which I highly suggest as it was very busy! It was a great lively atmosphere with life jazz music! The food was buffet self serve, wish there were more options like more fruit and other food options, but overall we had a good time. The jerk chicken and proteins were great, as well as the dessert. Even busy our waitress was attentive and quick to refill our drinks, she was great. Will definitely be back! read more

Hothouse - Food - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Although the reviews weren't stellar, we decided to give them a try. We were not disappointed at all! Service was great, and the restrooms were midway between the bar (no steps) and the main restaurant table section (up three steps). We opted for the Canadian Maple Glazed Salmon (which arrived moist and tender and not overcooked!)! Accompanied by a tasty basmati rice (my apologies for being surprised) and a veggie medley. We both ate every morsel on our plates! For dessert, we shared their special tiramisu (ladyfingers drenched in kahlua, etc), which was refreshing and delectable! That plate, too, was thoroughly cleaned;). We were surprised the venue was not super busy (there were many empty tables), because we were actually pleased that we gave the restaurant a try!!! read more

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I had supper last evening with my frends, Franca and Anne. I had Chicken Brochette (Moroccan spice marinated grilled chicken skewer, served with lemon scented rice, tzatziki ... I think it was just plain rice as I didn't taste any lemon), Franca had Cape d'Or Salmon (pan-Seared organic Newfoundland Atlantic salmon, lemon scented rice, butter poached broccolini, sauce vierge) and Anne had Spaghetti Alle Vongole (fresh Spaghetti Quadri, fresh Canadian Manila clams, heirloom cherry tomatoes, parsley, aglio e olio). It's been a while since we've gotten together so it was nice to catch up. Patty took good care of us. read more

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Came by first time for a Sunday brunch. Was it great? No. Was it bad? No. I would say it is good value but not great value. The key things would be mussels and selection? The meat was meh for me and lack of fruit options for a brunch. To be fair the price is low. Service was great as their staff is great. The location is great as plenty of free parking around for Sunday morning. And the seating is clean and roomy inside. read more

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We came here for dinner after a concert at the Scotiabank arena. The food is a reasonable price and it's a 7 min walk away. The restaurant was decorated nicely for the holidays. The offer daily drink specials and take-away soup. We ordered mock tails (the Arnold palmer and the no alcohol rose) as well as the daily soup as an appetizer. The drinks were not overly sweet which was great and they were large for the price. The soup was flavourful with the slight taste of maple to round out the flavour. The next set of food took over an hour to arrive! We watched another family walk out of the restaurant due to the extraordinary wait. Our server was very nice and apologetic. She offered us free bread during the long wait. The manager also noticed and went to the kitchen to check on our food. He popped out about 10 min later with two dishes and another five minutes for the other two dishes. In recompense for the slow food service they offered us dessert on the house. When we ordered two sticky toffee puddings they actually offered to comp us both desserts! For the food, the cheese capaletti was good but not amazing. I had the warm mushroom on arugula salad with chicken. The chicken was generously large and cooked to perfection and paired fabulously with the salad. Everything that was supposed to be served hot was, which was a pleasant surprise. The sticky toffee pudding was good but not the best I've had in Toronto. It follows more of a cake consistency as opposed to the traditional way to make sticky toffee pudding in a round pan. It was topped with a mint leaf and blueberry as opposed to the classic whipped cream. We asked the staff if someone called out sick and it turns out the restaurant had simply understaffed for the unique two shows in one day that Scotiabank arena was hosting that night and did not expect the restaurant to be so busy with the double sitting (pre and post concert attendees). Overall I have been here many times and I think this restaurant is really well organized. It ducks they didn't know about the Double header concert but the waitress really kept her cool and I applaud the manager for getting his hands dirty and helping staff out when the going got tough. I will return here in the future for sure. read more

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I have been to Hothouse for their Sunday brunch multiple times in the past and have enjoyed the variety of options and the ambiance. Recently, we came here for Holiday outing with our colleagues and it was great. The staff are very attentive and eve though we were a large group, they could manage taking or orders on-time and serving them in a timely fashion (and not mixing them up) and even splitting the bills. read more

I went to hot house with a few friends to catch up as it's in the area for everyone. It's in a nice central location, near st Lawrence market. I ended up getting the vegetarian burger with some fries and it was super tasty. The wait time for the food was quite long but we didn't mind as we felt time pass by rather quickly. I also ended up getting a sticky toffee pudding. I thought the taste was OK. read more

Hothouse - Quinoa and Chickpea Vegan Burger with Fries and Lemon and Serrano Chili Aioli - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Came for a summerlicious lunch. Enjoyed every dish especially the grilled calamari appetizer. Service was also great. read more

Hothouse - grilled calamari steak - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I returned to Hot House which was a favorite of mine for brunch buffets. I did hear from friends that the place had gone down hill so I had to find out for myself. Ambiance - nice - it's been reno'd and is nice. Staff are still nice. Price is the same. Food is now garbage - omlette station no longer exists and they no longer have ham (only roast beef which was tough and like they had boiled it. The gravy was clearly out of a tin). No smoked salmon this time too. Very disappointed especially since I brought 5 friends there and was raving about it. read more

Hot House Restaurant in the St.Lawrence Market stands out as one of Toronto's most popular dining spots, renowned for its exceptional food, vibrant and spacious ambiance, and impeccable service. The menu is a delightful mix of international flavors, featuring gourmet pizzas, succulent steaks, pasta dishes, seasonal salads, and decadent desserts. The extensive vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options cater to diverse dietary needs, making it a top choice for all diners. The Frutti Di Mare, Sunday brunch buffet, and expertly crafted ribs are notable recomendations. My favourite as a vegetarian is their Winterlicous menu of imaginative dishes as pictured from the last one, of Tuscany Farro Soup, Vegetable Kebabs and Cardamom Olive Cake. I'm looking forward to the next. The ambiance is equally impressive, with spacious, colorfully decorated interiors and a sunlit 150-seat patio perfect for enjoying fine Italian wines or Canadian craft beers. Whether it's a heatwave or a chilly evening, the restaurant provides a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. Attentive and friedly staff go the extra mile to accommodate guests, including handling dietary restrictions with care. Located in the heart of Toronto at 35 Church Street at Front, Hot House is steps away from local landmarks like St. Lawrence Market. With street and nearby parking available, it's a convenient and memorable spot for any occasion, which I recommend. read more

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Resume to 4 stars this time. Our favourite mushroom pizza had been long gone, this time another of our favourite cob salad was also gone. It now serves a completely new and smaller menu as the server said they have different chefs, and he advised there will be a new menu soon. For a weekday lunchtime, the restaurant is actually quite busy. This time we ordered fried calamari, Cappelletti and a salad, they were all delicious, but the Cappelletti was very rich which stuffed me for the whole afternoon. Service was good! We look forward to visiting again to sample their new menu items. read more

Hothouse - Mushroom pizza, cobb salad, Parma ham pizza, mac & cheese - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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It is a good place for an all-you-can-eat brunch on Sundays. It's a bit on the more expensive side. There were a few items that I didn't like; for example, the chicken sausages tasted a bit old. The bacon was also an issue, as it was swimming in water due to how it was stored in the buffet platters with lids. This caused condensation to pool, making the bacon less appealing. On the positive side, the dessert bar was really good, and the cakes were tasty. The roast was also enjoyable, and the salad bar had great options. The ambiance and service were both pleasant as well. However, I might not go back again. read more

We went to this place on a Friday evening. We were seated immediately. We chose to seat outside. The weather was nice. It was a good place to dine with a loved one. We ordered market salad and short rib. The market salad was nothing special. Only the most ordinary ingredients. The short rib was tasty. The service was timely and friendly. Overall, this place has the advantage of its location. Otherwise it had to try harder and be more innovative. read more

Hothouse - Market salad Mediocre - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Service was outstanding. We rented the private room for a work Christmas party. The Chicken was the best from the set 3 course menu. Steak wasn't the best quality and had a lot of fat. It was not that great and cooked the same for all due to a large group unless you requested otherwise. The cod was decent with a delicious sauce which compensated for it. The appetizers caprice salad was very good and the cocktails were good. The sticky toffee pudding at the end for dessert was the best I came here another time with a friend and ordered the paella which was not very good. It was cold and I don't think it was fresh. It's literally felt like it was from the fridge. read more

Came here for a Christmas work dinner. Keep in mind we had a specific menu so it may not reflect their normal offerings. It's honestly just a run of the mill dinner spot. Nothing food wise that will wow you. Service was great and I did like the comforting interior. Wouldn't be a bad choice for a standard dinner read more

Hothouse - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Love this spot. Has become a tradition to go here when my family is in town. Great vibe and nice staff. If you want to get the most out of it, go to there Sunday brunch. So many options and live jazz. read more

This is a good value brunch with 2 carving stations. They get 4.5 stars. The food here is generally decent, except the chicken sausage which was chewy & flavourless & whose skin had lost its bounce. The BBQ chicken was excellent. The cakes were excellent: moist, rich & flavourful. The ice cream wasn't good though: 4 flavours of Chapman's. Apple pie had a lot of ice crystals but tasted good. Lemon sorbet was good but the texture was a bit gummy, like Turkish ice cream. There was a live jazz band but they looked very cramped. Service was pretty good; most of the cakes are sliced on demand. I asked for a very thin slice & the lady really cut a very thin slice for me. read more

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Came by for lunch with colleagues not knowing what cuisine they serve. The location is great, not much parking around (street parking only). Once you enter, they have a grow dry fridge where you can pick up your favourite soup to take home. The multilevel restaurant was fairly large with ample amount of seating. They have a bar situated right in the middle. The menu consist of pastas, pizza, Indian curry, jambalaya & etc. We started with the cod cakes, they were small but delicious. Onto the main, the forest mushroom pizza came out fresh and was tasty. The service was quick, our food arrived in a timely manner. read more

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They have a very impressive brunch buffet. Tables and counters of food. $30 per person when I went. Food is typical - eggs station, pastries, some Mexican, Jamaican and Indian too. Desser table was busy, they need more ppl to help people with their sweet tooth. They also have live entertainment but just don't sit near them. There's a great bar area if u go solo or wanna make some friends. Go hungry Server and manager were nice too read more

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Went here for breakfast on a Saturday. Got the: - Amelia ($19) - St. Lawrence Classic ($16) Pros: + Lots of seating (although we weren't given the best seat despite there being so many). + Cheap drinks ($12 for 2 mimosas) + Food is decent, but not great. + Service is okay. Cons: - Above average price. read more

Hothouse - St Lawrence Classic - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We had a preset dinner here as part of a large group. I really enjoyed the food. We had a choice of chicken, trout, or falafel. I had the chicken and it was delicious. They had de-boned the chicken except for the little drumstick. It was smothered in this creamy mushroom sauce that was really good. For dessert we had lemon cake and it was really good too - good amount of tartness. read more

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I have been to the Hothouse Restaurant many times on my own and with groups. In December we had a family birthday party there for 35 people. From my first conversation with the manager to working out all the details on the day of the party, everything worked out exactly as we wanted. The events manager helped put together a menu just for our group which met the dietary needs of everyone. As always the servings were generous and delicious. Although the restaurant is large we were given our own area, so it felt like a private party as opposed to a restaurant outing. I definitely recommend the Hothouse! read more

I have been eating at Hothouse off and on for over 20 YRS! I have introduced family, friends, clients and dates to this restaurant multiple times. My last experience on Saturday night may be my last. Pros: Service was great. Waiter was super nice. My tiramisu, as always, was delicious. Cons: they have a new chef and the menu has changed! They used to have the most unique Capriccio bread on their menu and my kids and I loved it. It was one of the main reasons we went to Hothouse. We would eat two servings of it and take a third home. But it is GONE from the menu. I was very disappointed. Decided to try the Bruschetta instead. It was 4 tiny pieces for $18!! It was soggy and unsatisfying. If this is the path this restaurant is headed, I will find other restaurants to frequent. So sad. End of an era for me. read more

This is a very large restaurant. An odd observation to start off with yes, but this place is like a football field. I also don't know exactly what type of restaurant this is. It's got all types of foods on the menu, from Italian to Asian. But I'd heard good things about the place, and with my sister visiting from out of town, we decided to give it a try. Both of us ordered pasta dishes. Sister had the Penne Arabiatta and I had Penne Al Olio. Both were pretty good. The pasta was cooked Al dente, just the way it should be. It did seem like it had been cooked a little longer ago than you'd prefer, but it was still tasty. Service was quick. Our waiter was friendly and helped us with any requests we made. Prices were reasonable. The food was good, not great, which is why it gets three not four stars. I'd definitely go again, and it's great for large groups, but there's nothing too exceptional about it. Still, an enjoyable meal! read more

We went there for dinner before a show.. and told them we want to leave in time to catch the show .. but there was no urgent in getting our order to us! On top of that.. my son ordered seafood pasta.. and later that night got violently sick! It was his only big meal of the day so we are sure he got food poisoning from it! Would rate it a -1 if I could read more

Food: 2/5 bad food, not even hot. Taste like fast food. Not worth the price Environment: 4.5/5 Service: 4/5 read more

Hothouse - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I write this sadly as this is a restaurant we've been coming to for many many years. Unfortunately the food tonight was very disappointing. The pasta was lukewarm and clumpy, the mussels in my dish were lukewarm, and two had jambalaya that was bland, also lukewarm and missing the sausage. The desserts were delicious so that was a good thing and service was pleasant. And I still like the vibe. Just too bad about the main courses. I may give it a break before coming back. read more

A good spot to grab a quick drink or small bite on a hot day. The patio is well shaded and helps to beat the heat. We found the staff to be attentive and fairly quick. I ordered the macaroni and cheese and would strongly recommend that you stay away from this dish at all costs. There is no actual cheese, just noodles, breadcrumbs, and some sort of cheese sauce at the bottom of the bowl. I had to send it back it was so bad. My wife enjoyed the mussels in wine and we both enjoyed our cocktails (but stay away from the lychee mojito). All in all, if you're in the area, it's worth a stop. read more

It was always a fine experience to have the opportunity to eat outside during the 2020 summer time (Stage 3 of quarantine during the COVID pandemic). We managed to walk in for dinner at Hothouse with delightful seating at the patio overlooking the Gooderham Flatiron Building. For our orders, we had calamari & Greek salad for appetizers, then the wild boar bolognese, puttanesca, and summer striploin for the main meals. The Calamari was disappointing for its price of $17. It looks and taste unexciting. The small Greek salad priced at $9 was typical. What was unexpected was the serving size for the large order of Wild Boar Bolognese - $21. Usually for places such as Hothouse, they tend to skimp on portions but still charge a premium for the dish. That was not to be the case here. Washroom usage was still available inside the restaurant. Going there I was able to take in how the restaurant's interior looks like. I could imagine how posh it would have looked like during colder seasons. To end, there were some hits and missed but the overall the food on offer and dining experience was great. read more

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Really enjoy the grilled salmon with the marketplace salad. It was delicious and the waitress was really nice and food was organic and very healthy.! read more

The brunch menu looked great and we were excited to try a new place but the brunch buffet was the only thing available, which we weren't told when we made the reservation nor were we told until the server came over to greet us. We stayed despite not really being in the mood for that much food, and didn't realize that for two (including one cup of drip coffee) it would come to over $100USD without gratuity until we paid the check. The buffet had a carving station, fresh hot and cold salmon, a huge dessert assortment (including ice cream and freshly whipped cream) and many hot dishes (various pastas, jerk chicken) and a variety of typical breakfast offerings (bacon, eggs, French toast, waffles). The outdoor patio was a great place to sit on a nice day, and they also had live music indoors when we were there. read more

It was my first time at Hothouse and it was really great. The brunch buffet had a big selection of food, good vegetarian options as well, and everything was delicious. The french toast with the dried fruit was amazing! There was a live jazz band playing, and a really fun atmosphere. They had good COVID-19 measures in place so we felt safe. It was very busy, and we had to wait a little even though we had a reservation. Definitely make a reservation when you go. read more

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Visiting Toronto from NYC and went to Hothouse on Christmas Eve with family. We managed to get served our appetizers, which were very good, but that was it. After 90 minutes, no main orders were appearing, and our waiter gave us a heads up, and an apology. So we paid and left. As did many others. We saw waiters lined up outside the kitchen trying to get their orders, so clearly there was some kind of kitchen issue-- understaffing maybe? If you're going to open, accept reservations, and say you're a restaurant, then be one. Or don't open. read more

Great rustic home cooking. I've been here 3 times and had 3 different types of experiences, all-in-all the consistency of the food was the same - great food, well cooked and properly cooked if you want your meats/steak a certain way, but nothing seemed legendary or the type of food you can only get at this establishment. First was a corporate event - my work had a retirement party here and we'd rented out pretty much the entire place. Buffet style food was served and they had timed our apps and mains to come out without being overcooked. The service was really good and they were very attentive to our requests, to be fair we were, I believe, the only ones there but still we were occupying numerous tables. Second was a semi-private event for a friends birthday which coincided with Winterlicious. Because our group was so big (24) they were willing to give us the entire backroom for our group which we were really appreciate for - at no extra cost. The backroom actually has doors that close, so because of this you're able to have a nice intimate evening without dealing with the loud conversations of other people. This is great and for future events I may request this, although I am not aware of the minimum party size required to have this room. Finally I'd come here on a date, just for two. It happened to be a busier night, again food was the same consistency, its just our waitress only checked on us about 2 times (not including taking our order and delivering said order). read more

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Amazing as usual! I've been coming to the Hothouse for a few years new and I've never had any issues! Me and my friend decided to take advantage of their patio before we went into a lockdown (best decision we made that week). The spaced out everyone nicely on the patio and offered many heaters! The menu was given via QR code that was on our table. I ordered the calamari to start, a mule and the Sicilian Gnocchi as my main. My friend went with a Aperol Spritz and the Moroccan Chicken Sandwich. All of it was amazing and arrived quickly! I'll be doing take out now that we've entered another lockdown. If you've yet to visit the Hothouse you should 100% get their take out, you won't be disappointed! read more

Hothouse - Mule and Aperol Spritz - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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we came here during covid and sat on the heated patio. service was great. staff wore ppe and tables are maintained 6ft apart. food overall was good. we had the mussels, bruchetta, mushroom pizza, fried calamari, jerk fried cauliflower and some wine and cocktails. read more

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Drinks were good, food was ok! I had a pisco sour which was tasty! But the food overall was disappointing especially at such a high price point. Jerk Fried Cauliflower - really small portion, not much jerk flavour, I enjoyed whatever salsa they had on it with pineapple but it was just ok. Mac and Cheese - also what you'd expect from a mac and cheese although the brown sauce inside felt a bit strange and the only redeeming part was the melted cheese layer on top! Mushroom Pizza - the best item we ordered although one part of the pizza was straight up missing cheese, which feels like you're being ripped off after paying over 20 dollars. Greek Salad - was very average, what you could expect if you made a salad at home. Service was very good! And they had a large patio, we were seated in a booth that had coverage which was great since it rained all night. Would recommend only getting the drinks! read more

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