We were with 2 bus tours out of Peterboro on Saturday May 11th, 2019 to see Come From Away. We stopped for lunch at your restaurant. The service was terrible. The portions varied from plate to plate. And serving ice cream, the size of a golf ball, was an insult. It spoiled the day...... read 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 were a bit pressed for time and informed our server of such. He was quick to take our orders, but everything slowed right down after that. The wait for the food seemed long and I think that our respective definition of "time-constrained" was like the North and South Pole. But the theory I came up with is this: If you're not a regular here, don't expect stellar service. We did manage to get a spot right next to the windows which was a nice second to sitting outside, but it was too cold. The decor is nothing fancy. The menu is quite extensive, but like the decor - nothing fancy. I opted for the Fruitti di Mar pizza ($14.95 + $1.50 for multigrain crust) which had shrimp and scallops atop a bed of pesto sauce with red peppers and Asiago. It was quite a yummy pizza, though I could not ignore the oily-ness of the filling. I could probably swim a lap or two in it! I know pizzas are not healthy, and yes they're oily - but this was overly so. My coworkers ordered the Gnocchi ($10.95 for a small) and a Warm Chicken Salad ($11.95). The salad was a generous portion and the gnocchi looked creamy and delicious. I would probably eat here again, though definitely not if I want to grab a quick bite to eat. The service here is pretty lacklustre but the food is pretty good. read more

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 think it should be mandatory to bring water to the table, for instance, whereas we only got water once asked and only for the people who specifically asked. Coffee was fine, but for the group of six we only got a tiny canister of milk, and no cream at all. The selections for the meal were lackluster. Make your omelette station is always nice, but not when the guy making the omelette screws up, offers to remake it, you say "ok, sure, remake it" and then he reneges and just plops it on the plate anyway. Fruit selection was all underripe and unappetizing. Basically no salads or healthier option besides that. Not worth the price, or the wait. I'm giving it three stars because it does hold a value in some circumstances. read more

Have been here twice with large groups and can say that they can offer, consistently, average food with average service. Doesn't quite offer the authentic Italian experience for its price point. Must admit the one good discovery is their roasted beet salad with chèvre. The goat cheese comes all warm and crusted with nuts...mmmm. read more

The one thing the Hot House Café has in its favour as its size. It is huge. Vast. There are three main seating areas that house as many tables and chairs that could be found in some small size restaurants. As such, this place not only runs buffets but also a full menu-driven food line. Anchoring itself in Italian food, there's not much that is wrong with the menu nor is there much this stands out. Outside of the Garlic Festival that occurs annually, the menu is fairly standard, and child and parent friendly. You'd be hard pressed to find anything that you wouldn't want to eat on the fairly large menu that exists. As such, it's hard to find anything that really stands out. There are a few beers on tap and there are is a fairly decent wine list. If its a tame evening that you're looking for without much in the way of a challenge from either the food or the wine list, there's nothing wrong with the Hot House. read 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 and baked pasta. The place is busy, which means service isn't that prompt (drink refills took a while, as did plate clearing). It's a good place for a large party, as evidenced by all the extended family groups in the place, but I probably wouldn't go back unless someone else really wanted to go there. read more

This is a wonderful spot. The service was great, prompt, and smooth. The manager was very active overseeing things and did take the time to come and check on us to see how things were. He even was able to say goodbye on our way out. Parking was only $10 nearby underground. We ordered a the frutti di mare pizza to start and it was a decent light starter. I then mulled over a number of choices and our waitress was helpful in giving her opinion. I went with the wild boar bolognese which was a large portion, filling, and tasty. My girlfriend ordered a beet salad that was filling as well. Dessert we both highly recommend the caramel apple slice which came with ice cream and was quite tasty. Overall the night was very smooth and the meal filling and tasty. The ambience was pleasant and I'd much rather prefer a venue like this that a conversation is easy to have versus a place pumping music all night. Definitely recommend the spot as it was a hop skip and a jump from the Sony theatre. Thanks! read 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. The pasta was not outstanding, but it was still tasty. This restaurant is huge on the inside and outside. It also has a pretty view of church street in the St Lawrence Market (: read more

Not unless you have plenty of time: Took my son here on Saturday evening for dinner. Thought we had plenty of time before a concert we were attending. Not so much. What little food we got was not bad. Couple next to us arrived well after we did, but got their drinks and appetizers before we did. They then got their entrees - and we never did. Sat there half an hour before we had to just pay and leave. Wouldn't go back. read more

All the food was wonderful, but the crowning glory was the smoked margarita. Presentation and flavor were both outstanding.

Boyfriend and I were looking for a lunch spot but it just snowed the night before and it was freezing so we picked the closest place we could find that wasn't Spring Rolls (we did Spring Rolls 2 days in a row lol) and Hot House it was. It looks very chainy because of the large huge restaurant and the large menu but the food was decent. The service was awesome as always and the portions just right. What I've noticed from eating in Canada is that their portions are significantly smaller than the portions here in the US which probably explains why everyone in the US is disgustingly obese. Boyfriend and I had the pizza da parma which wasn't much of a pizza at all, the crust was super thin (I opted for multigrain) and topped with a bit of cheese and on it were thin slices of proscuitto and arugula. It was realy light and yummy. My boyfriend ordered the tortelloni which was really tortellini stuffed with cheese and truffles in a leek tomato sauce. It didn't come in a lunch portion but the waitress was able to get a lunch portion made for us. Like I said, great service. All in all it a good spot with very reasonable prices. read more

Open, airy & well lit restaurant.... popped in for a quick bite & to cool down from walking around on a Saturday afternoon. ...quick didn't happen at all. For any empty restaurant, our app took long to get to us. We ordered the nachos with wild boar chili. It was tasty - not great. Enjoyed the nice jazz music playing while we ate. read more

This place is A-OK... The food is pretty good but not outstanding... Nice place and great spot for patio when the weather is right... read more

Attended a Bridal Shower Luncheon on Saturday 10/24/2009 and overall the service and food was GOOD.......... Greek Salad - Have had better Atlantic Salmon with steamed veggies - OK Pink Velvet Cake from "Dufflet Pastries" - Amazing! 2 Thumbs Up to our waiter AJ he totally went above and beyond the call of duty being present and so into the moment of catering to 15 women! read more

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 buffets. We sat in the patio because we didn't have a reservation, which I subsequently learned is must for this place (I see why). But it was perfect because it allowed us to enjoy the beautiful neighborhood. Will definitely go back!! FYI the price is $19.95 per person. read 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 "casual" in all the other restaurants. I wanted to dress up a little for New Year's Eve so I picked this restaurant over the other ones. Well, it didn't take long until I realized the restaurant does not reinforce such a dress code and nobody felt the need to dress up a little at this restaurant (must be that sign at the front). Everyone else wore t-shirts and such, and our group looked over dressed even though we only wore casual business-like attire. ._.; The food was alright. Nothing special, but at least there isn't anything we can complain about. Our waiter was friendly and kind of cool :D but the lighting inside is really dim for a restaurant. We finished our meal and left without any complains but neither were there anything to rave about. It is an okay restaurant, but we will probably not go back. read more

Oh let me count the ways to enjoy the Hot House Cafe. Yes it's big, but that means easy access. Yes the Brunch on Sunday is a bit pedestrian but there really is a great selection of food choices and options abound: sit inside and listen to jazz, outside and enjoy the Sunday sidewalk scene. Be seated at the bar and enjoy chitchat with the friendly bartender. People; what's not too like? Don't get your panties in a bunch it's only brunch. My fave, the dinner & movie tickets deal during the week . Bevy at the bar and enjoy a great martini made by Shamus accompanied by the mushroom crustini then saunter on down to the Rainbow Theater for a charming little movie experience (think antithesis of Scottiabank theater.) Still whining? Then stay away from the Hot House Cafe, why spoil it for every one else ya friggin crybabies.. read more

Went there for Mother's day Brunch. Very busy and organized. Have been going to the Hot House for Mother's Day for the last five years. The food was Ok but nothig special. It's a buffet. The mussels were bad. Actually very bad. The rest of the buffet was good. I don't think the food has improved, but remains the same. See you next year. read more

Hothouse is a very good restaurant to get together with either family or friends. The menu has a good selection, and the wine list provides a lot of variety. I had a pleasant eggs benedict, and my friends had omelets. We had a relaxing brunch on the patio. read more

The jambalaya is a meal on its own and well worth the adventure! Good food, good service and general ambience. But gosh, the parking is fun! The closest lot featured an automated machine that claimed to work but didn't give a receipt so who knows? (BTW, it didn't appear on the monthly statement but it did keep the money of the next guyI warned him!) Not wanting to have to recover a towed vehicle and spoil the evening, I moved to another lot ... it took my money and gave me a receipt ... that was blank! I put it on the dash and took a chance. It was worth it! It`s all been said before; accessible. read more

We always try to make it to this spot about once a year about towards the end of June. Usually, summertime is the best because you can utilize the patio. The buffet never disappoints. Waffles, omelettes, french toast, scrambled eggs, stir fry, bbq chicken, and a host of other dishes are freshly made. Service is always great, I have nothing to complain about the staff. They do have flat screens at the bar area to watch an event. This place is highly recommended for family and friends. read more

North Americans love Sunday brunch, the leisurely dining experience between breakfast and lunch and nobody does brunch better than the Hot House Cafe in Toronto. For a start, it's in the St Lawrence Market which is an attraction in itself. Next is the food. It's $17.95 per head and you can choose from traditional breakfast foods or opt for carvery roast beef, a dizzying array of fresh salads, seafood, fresh baked muffins and waffles or signature dishes such as lasagne or chicken with bourbon BBQ sauce. Finally, they have live jazz to accompany your gorge fest. I know that the all you can eat buffet is an invitation rather than a challenge, but with such wonderful food available it's too difficult not to try a little bit of everything! The Sunday Brunch menu is available between 9:30am and 3:00pm and booking is not only advisable but necessary. read more

We ordered the prosciutto pizza, organic burger, and a custom poutine. The pizza was pretty much flatbread with arugula, the burger was great, and the gravy on the poutine was unreal. We also ordered the cappricio bread and it was amazing. The first pitcher of beer was warm, we made a comment and they brought us a cold one. The sangria was strong with a heavy lime taste and lots of pulp. The vodka 7 drink was smooth and great. Service was a bit slow, our waiter spilled 1/4 of our pitcher on the ground while pouring, and forgot a few times to bring our drinks. Management was very appreciative, friendly, on the ball, and eager to please. read more

I went here for Winterlicious (dinner) today with 2 friends and it was just amazing. I wasn't expecting it to be as nice as it was because it was only $25. Let's start with restaurant itself: It was my first time here and I expected a small, quiet, "hole in the wall" type of restaurant. To my surprise it was quite large and beautifully decorated. It had a very nice view and a lot of natural light. My friends who don't usually go downtown were just mesmerized by the view of the city. But to most it might not be all that special. Nonetheless, still very nice. The service: I had a really nice waiter whose name I can't remember. He was very patient with us seeing as how it took us a bit long to decide what we wanted. He constantly checked up on us throughout the meal and he was very welcoming. He even brought us bread at the beginning which wasn't on the menu. He catered to our every need. The food: Since it we ordered from the winterlicious menu, we each got an app, a main, and dessert. I had the caesar salad to start which was good considering I usually don't like Caesar dressing. The croutons were also very nice. For the main I had the "surf and turf" which was a 10oz steak (which is what attracted me to the restaurant!), a jumbo shrimp, seasonal vegetables, with a choice or mashed/baked potatoes, fries, or rice I believe. I had the fries. I asked for a rare steak and one of my friends ordered a blue steak and they were cooked to perfection. Most places tend to over cook it when asked for blue or rare. The fries were also very good; not too salty which I find is usually the case. I'm not a fan of shirmp but it was a nice touch. The flavours on it were very good. For dessert we all had the creme brûlée . It was my first time trying creme brûlée and I must say it left a good first impression for it. It had a crisp top and coconut flakes. Overall it was a great experience and I will definitely go back whether or not it's winterlicious. read more

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This place is definitely for brunch on Sunday that you have to book well in advance. It is always pretty busy but finally after a couple of times that I've tried to book it for me and other 2 friends we finally found a spot on a Sunday morning around 11:30am. The food is very abundant and all the staff there is very friendly and nice. The only thing is that sometimes they have line ups when you want something specific at the buffet and I usually can't stand waiting too much for food, but it's ok. Some may find it is a bit pricey but in downtown Toronto where isn't?! I love the fact that you are right in the heart of St Lawrence market district and you can walk pretty much every where and you find quality food or places to go. It is also close to my favourite hair salon, Tony Shamas, so every time I go for a hair visit I usually come here after even just for a drink with a girlfriend. It is definitely a must try! read more

I had the jambalaya, too much sauce and a few too many peppers. The gnocchi was very good. Crab cakes were also okay. Caesar salad was very good. Service was adequate but not great. Overall it was an average experience. We have hundreds of other places in Toronto to try before returning. read more

It's been a number of years since I've been to Hot House. We decided to have brunch for my husband's birthday. Food was as good (if not better) than I remember. We didn't have a reservation but was seated at the bar in about 40 minutes. Very busy and popular venue for brunch. The front desk was quite disorganized - gave us mixed messages about the process for walk-ins and wait time. They also called us for a table in error, which made us lose our seats in the waiting area. This is particularly stressful with a restless and hungry 7 year old. We were finally seated and the manager gave us complimentary drinks for our trouble. We appreciated the gesture. What made our visit special were the bartenders. We sat at the bar and my 7 year old son was fascinated by the disinfectant machine that washed all the glasses. The bartenders were working non stop but took time to explain how the machine worked and made conversation with my son. He was thrilled to learn so much. One of the bartenders deliberately came by to show my curious boy how to smoke a drink in a flask which one of the tables ordered. It was really cool. Mom and dad learned something too. The staff were pleasant and really made our visit special. I would normally recommend making a reservation to avoid the craziness of waiting for a table. But in this case, I'm glad we were a walk-in, otherwise, we wouldn't have been seated at the bar and never had the pleasure of meeting the bartenders. Perhaps my recommendation would be to walk-in before 11am. ;) read more

Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018, I was at the Hot House Restaurant with a tour group from Great Canadian. I have celiac disease and require a gluten free diet. Because of some bad experiences with other restaurants, I decided to contact the Hot House personally, and ensure they knew of my requirements. I was assured that they did. I got personal attention on my arrival, and my meal was wonderful. Many others in our group were also very happy with both the service and our food. I shall be recommending this restaurant to other celiacs wishing to have a place that can provide them with both a safe meal and really good food, for a moderate price. read more

I must've been here a thousand times and not even once did they dassapoint me. The food is pretty generic however (pasta, fish, salads) but it always tastes good. The pastas here are the best tasting in my opinion. The service has been consistently good as well, regardless whether i was with a group of people or just by myself. The prices are average for the downtown area read more

Whatttt ... only 3.5 stars? We went to the brunch buffet on Sunday and loved it! Great choices and options. Not overly crowded or picked over. Plenty of available seating and nice jazz quartet. Well maintained location with friendly staff. $26 for all you can eat - can't beat it! read 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 reservations. You'll have to call in beforehand to do so. When we arrived they were quoting wait times of 30-40 minutes yet my and my brunch date only had to wait 5 minutes before we were quickly whisked to our table. The diversity was what caught or attention first. And everything tasted great. Coffee was good and remarkably we had some amazing servers who even in the midst of some brutal waves of hungry patrons did their best to give us a memorably pleasant dining experience. There have been notes in other reviews that refills for coffee and water were hard to come by but with the amount of people crowding in to the restaurant I think they did a commendable job of it and and delay was expected. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Really delicious food. I eat here once a month at least. I love the Penne Alla Sambuca and all the steak choices. maybe a little bit pricy, but the food and the place it self are really great. Had my birthday reservation without any problem. Great servitors. Recommended. read more

Generally speaking, the food is quite good ON THE MENU. The buffet food was TERRIBLE. This was the week day/dinner buffet. You would think that a restaurant, such as this one, with fairly good and appetizing meals, would make sure that the buffet would be up to the same standards. NOT! Quite frankly, the buffet tasted like leftover days old food. Never again would we agree to have the buffet food. It was worse than eating at a hospital. Don't be fooled when the staff tries to convince you that the buffet food is "tasty". They are just trying to get rid of the stale food/leftovers. DON'T FALL FOR IT! read more

I recently went to the Hothouse Cafe for dinner with family and friends. I found the service excellent and timely ; the portion size was abundant for the price. Food quality was great with good flavour and no scrimping on ingredients I.e my spaghetti carbonara was full of delicious bacon and proper Ingredients ; very authentic. Kids portions were excellent and affordable. I highly recommend this restaurant for portion size and price; quality of service and food. read more

Came here for a Sunday brunch. The food quality was ok and the selection is not huge. The service was pretty poor. The hostess gave us attitude when we requested to change seat (it was pretty hot under the sun and we were literally melting) We asked for our bill and the hosted said she would let our server know and she never did. The service was very slow and our server was nowhere to be found for a good fifteen minutes. We had to walk to the counter to pay for our bill because we were not going to spend another fifteen minutes waiting for the credit card machine. I am not sure if I would come back again. read more

Excellent stop for a Saturday night. The calamari was amazing. Bonus they serve wine from the local region. Service was excellent and top level checked in more than once. We ate on the patio but the inside also was excellent. Family- toddler friendly for a nice night out on the town. read more

We came here for brunch! I got the Eggs Benny and my SO got the Eggs Florentine. The Hollandaise sauce on both was really tasty and they were priced reasonably. My poached eggs were overdone but everything else on our plates was seasoned perfectly. When choosing a side we had the choice of homefries or fruit and I wish we were able to have half and half. If possible, sit on the patio as the location is astounding. read more

Came here with my friends and their babies! Really kid-friendly and they gave my party of 8 lots of room at the back during a Saturday lunch hour. The servers were so kind and took care of us. Thank you! read more

Fabulous! Went there last night for a birthday with over 20 people. We had reservations and they were fantastic. Very accommodating with bringing in an outside cake. Service was incredible and the food was fantastic. read more

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 the floor that went all over some of our guests bags and coats - very apologetic and cleaned up. 3. One of the main courses (the Salmon) came completely raw on the inside, everyone else's was fine, it was just this one - again, very apologetic, gave the individual discounts for next time, etc etc. 4. Large portions, I personally had the steak, which was ok, the chocolate cake afterwards was great, should have ordered a glass of milk with it! All in all, interesting night, not sure of this is a typical night, but that was our experience. I will be going back at least two more times, and my group is expected there another 6 times over the next month, will continue to post if the experience gets better or worse. read more