This place has a really great vibe during the summer. I didn't have food but I had drinks there and the spicy margarita was delicious. Catch the ferry over and make a day trip out of it read more

Island Cafe - Spicy margaritas - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Had delicious lemonade after a long walk from Centre Island. It was $4 + tax. Very quick service. Would love to try its food some day. read more

Island Cafe - Entrance - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Had Fish Bowl. It was the healthiest option. Not bad, not good. They have a few menu options that are different from the Pizza and burger dominated cafes on the yak and. Located in Ward island. The patio is cute and it was a relaxing lunch. Service is friendly. They also have water for patrons. No washrooms but there are washrooms at a 5 minute walking distance. A tad pricey for comparable food off the island but understandable because of the location. I will try the tacos next time read more

Island Cafe - Fish Bowl - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Surprisingly good! We stumbled along this place while staying at Ward's island. I ordered a coffee and pastry, and it tasted really fresh and delicious! I wasn't expecting much from the outside, but the breakfast croissants and pastries looked amazing. Service was really friendly and a little laid back than in the city, but it taught me to slow down and enjoy more. Nicely decorated cafe with island touches. read more

Had shrimp and kale Caesar salad delicious.. service is slow and sometimes you don't get what you ordered or have to remind them but they were super busy it was a Friday evening, I call it island time. Ambience and people watching it's a fun little spot. read more

Do not go here. Please walk further to any other cafe that has the decency to seat you. Stood there for 15 minutes, so we walked up to the bartender and asked if we could sit at the bar, she said yes. Then this nasty server comes up and says "there were people in line" and we stated we asked to sit at the bar and the bartender said yes. Then he continued to be nasty and rude about us sitting, so we left before we even got the food that looked mediocre to begin with. Never have I experience such nasty customer service before I was even handed a menu. Truly worst experience I've had at a restaurant, if you can even call that shack a restaurant. read more

Got an oat latte to-go from the small takeout counter last Friday morning. Wanted to pay by card. Barista says "that's $7.xx" (makes sense as the beverage is $6.xx plus tax; island price I guess), and hands me the card machine so that my card is already in front of the reader. Transaction goes through immediately, before I can see the screen. When I get the receipt it shows an additional $1.97 in tip - which is 22-25%, clearly more than I would give for a self-serve rather expensive coffee, and especially not without consent. When we pointed out our surprise to the barista, she shrugged us off - not a hint of an apology or attempt to make it right by us. Negative aura for attitude. We warned the next customers to be careful with the card reader... The almost $10 not-so-huge coffee tasted ok, but only because I was beginning to compose this review in my mind. This place may have a monopoly near the ferry, but no reason to dupe customers into overtipping and being unapologetic about mistakes! read more

Solid lunch option on the islands. Way better than getting fast food on center island! We opted for to go food to enjoy a picnic but there is ample outdoor seating. Salad was fresh and tasty. Fish and chips hit the spot. Love that they have so many popsicles to choose from! I'll definitely eat hear again the next time I'm out on the islands. read more

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I would give this place Zero stars!!! Terrible service, burgers were burnt, fries were soggy, the amount of time to get our food was so long that other tables that arrived after us finished lunch before ours even arrived. One of our friends ordered a beer that never arrived. This was a terrible experience. Terrible servers and terrible food. On the contrary, the setting was nice. read more

Island Cafe - a group of people sitting at tables in a park - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

There aren't two many choices for restaurants on Ward's Island so Island Cafe is like an oasis, close to the ferry dock. They have a good sized covered patio, surrounded by lush gardens. Their bright colours gives it a tropical look. Their menu offers a nice selection of light and medium fare - Nachos, Fish & Chips, Quesadillas, Burgers, etc. They also serve brunch, with some classic and popular items - Waffles, Huevos Rancheros, Croque Monsieur, and more. Their bar menu offers a decent selection of wines and craft beers. Prices are reasonable, although one of the locals I spoke to considered it expensive. He probably doesn't eat out much. They have a quick-serve takeout counter, serving beverages, pastries, and snacks. This is where I ended up since I had already eaten lunch recently. Their pastries and fruits looked fresh but I settled for an orange-mango smoothie. It had a nice flavour, without tasting too sweet or artificial. It was perfect! The food that I saw being served looked very appetizing. I would definitely consider eating here on my next visit to the island. read more

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I would give 6 s if I could. An annual tradition, visiting Ward's island and having lunch at the Island Cafe! Food is amazing, garden on premises with fresh kale . The staff is super friendly. read more

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I like this place. Have been here many times before. Always a little slow but nice. We stopped in while on the island a few weeks ago just to grab a coffee and a few treats for my girls. Well. It was busier than usual. Ok. I accepted waiting for a bit in line. However that took an inordinately long time. But I figured I'm ordering simple stuff so that should be it. They had two people on cash doing their best. Well. I ordered a plain coffee to make sure I did not have to wait for the cue of espresso drinks and a freezie and a ready hot dog. Specifically asked if the hot dog was ready to go. Got the freebie and the hot dog. But the coffee took another 23 minutes. The one person on the coffee machine was doing their best for the resto and takeout but that is just ridiculous. I asked why I had to wait while they made frothy drinks and they just kept saying everything is in order. I will not order anything that needs human touch there next time. And make sure I clarify if a simple coffee is expected to take 23 minutes to make. Understaffed. Still nice but make sure you budget your time accordingly. read more

Why all the haters? The island cafe is not fine dining and you're not in a big city resto. Relax enjoy the slower pace (that's why you came to the island today isn't it?) and be thankful you don't need to rush to get back to work after you gobble down your quick lunch at your desk, like you did for the last five days. We stopped in after a day of biking on the island and had lunch. Reasonable food (club house and kids grilled cheese sandwiches with salad and fries) at reasonable prices. Given that there is virtually no competition the fact that you can sit on their patio and sip a cold lemonade for $2.25 was completely unexpected. Sure it was a bit slow getting the bill. The place was super busy and the waitstaff have to navigate some pretty narrow walkways between tables. Those 10 extra minutes waiting for the bill was just another 10 extra minutes enjoying the beautiful weather. I go there every time we go to the islands if not for a meal then for some of their awesome ice cream. read more

Island Cafe - Clubhouse with salad - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Food is okay (they sort of burned my vegan wrap), but the wine is terrible. I think they serve from bottles that have been open for days or just add lake water to the mix to save costs. Location is a 5 star! read more

Woahhh...there's so much anger in the other reviews. Close your eyes and listen to the lake waves and chirping birds on this scenic island landscape. Look in front of you. It's a homegrown garden in a little bathtub against a backdrop of floating boats. How can you get angry? So there seems to be a trend here that says the service is horrible. I don't know if the weekend staff is different from the weekday staff (went on a Thursday afternoon), but whaaaat? These guys were some of the nicest, most mellow people that I've ever come across in a restaurant. And this place was bustling (there was an event on the island). They forgot our items a couple times and we had to remind them, but each time, they had a great attitude about it. Everyone was very polite about any questions we had. The ice cream guy asked twice if there was anything he can get for me. Can't complain about the food either! Ordered a smoked fish board expecting the regular slices of grocery store smoked salmon. It came out as a beautiful filet on a bed of homegrown kale and pickled onions. The only thing that made it better was my iced latte, which was deliciously creamy. They even have a finishing station with all types of sugar (simple syrup and honey included) and milk, perfect for any drink. Honestly, this was a perfect island escape across from a city that is riddled with transit troubles and housing headaches. My advice? Take your date here. Too bad this place is so far from me, but I'm willing to keep up this long-distance relationship. Wait for me, Island Cafe, I'll be back to to sip coffee by the lake and eat your freshly grown veggies soon. (60/100) - 2016 read more

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We stopped here for a short break while biking through the island. Really cute, rustic place for a sunny, summer day. The patio is large, and there are many benches strewn about if you are just having a snack. We had one of their all-natural popsicles - pina colada flavoured. It was good, but a bit expensive at $4.75. But, it's the island and we expected food to come at a premium anyways. read more

Island Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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We saw this cafe right after we arrived the island and it was hot afternoon so we decided to have couple drinks before we explore the island. We had only snacks (nachos and fries) and sangria and even though fries weren't very good(not crispy) nachos and sangria were pretty good. We didn't stay too long but it is conveniently located and it's nice spot to have quick drink on the island. read more

Island Cafe - Menu - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Had the chance to eat at this lovely cafe when visiting in the summer. One of the only restaurants on Ward island, this little cafe is conveniently located near the ferry drop off and has a homey, garden feel and the restaurant sources the produce locally. We both got the grass fed burger with fries and the side salad with home grown kale. The food was really good, fresh and had great portions. The servers are super friendly and hospitable and it's a great option before island exploring! read more

Island Cafe - Grass fed burger with fries and cole slaw - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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This place is conveniently located on one side of the island and has the cutest garden surrounding the restaurant. The patio was especially cute and has great views of the garden. It was late evening and luckily there wasn't a wait to get seated but service was a tad slow. In all fairness, it was slow because there was a wedding on the other side of the restaurant which is catered by them. Anyway, back to the food... We ordered the patatas brava, garden basil fritters and fish tacos. All were tasty and washed down with the homemade kombucha. read more

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While the surrounding and locations are certainly gorgeous, nothing redeems a poorly made, over-priced hot dog and greasy fries. I ordered the all-beef hotdog for $4 and side of fries. While $4.00 on Centre Island seems reasonable, wait until you see what you get at the Island Cafe. Grocery-store untoasted buns and a microwaved beef dog. Looking for pickles, onions, vegetables? Nah. But here is some lukewarm ketchup packets and Kraft relish. Quite possibly the laziest hot dog I've had in my life. Fries were more redeeming, but they too were poorly seasoned and overly greasy. The irony is that there's a run-of-the-mill hotdog vendor just 100 metres away. Do yourself a favour and walk just a bit further. read more

Good choice for a lunch/dinner on the islands. They have a spacious patio outdoors and I was very glad that they let my dog stay on the patio. My fiancee ordered the moules frites while I ordered the Island burger. It was a good size gourmet burger, not super huge and clunky like you sometimes see in restaurants. The fries were quite salty though not overly so and were quite addictive. For drinks, we ordered a pitcher of sangria. It was decent, good for a summer's day. The servers were also quite friendly and the food did not take too long. read more

Stopped by for lunch on a Friday afternoon while visiting Toronto islands. The place wasn't very busy, with only a few tables occupied. Our food came out fairly quickly, we tried the quesadilla and the beef burger, both were pretty decent. What I actually enjoyed about this place was the amazing outdoor atmosphere and the friendly staff. Each table had fresh flowers on it and they had a really cool outdoor garden. You also get a great view of the water and the city skyline. read more

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The perfect stay-cation destination! I love this place! Island Cafe is a little outdoor restaurant on Ward's Island, just across the way from the ferry dock. The vibe is so laid back and breezy that you really feel like you're on vacation somewhere down south. My favourite routine when I'm making a day of it at Ward's Beach is to head out on the ferry early, come here first for breakfast (and mimosas of course), and then head to the beach to post up all day with a full belly. Everything is farm-fresh (or at least tastes like it!), including some of their veggies which are grown in a garden right next to the cafe. You can literally look at the kale growing in the garden as you eat! They also have a takeout counter for coffee, drinks, and ice cream. There are so few dining options on the islands so it's worth a visit to Ward's to try something homegrown and super tasty. read more

The Island Cafe is a cute little place right off the path from the Ward's Island ferry dock. It was recently featured on CBC radio but I came across it on a bike tour around the islands. It's only been open for a couple months and is under new ownership by a local Ward's Island family. The cafe is situated on a porch facing the north shore of Ward's Island. There is covered seating and couches on the porch, plus picnic tables and chairs out on the lawn. The place has a very campy feel to it. Ward's Island is the main neighbourhood island of the Toronto Islands so this cafe attracts a mix of locals, city folk and tourists but definitely nothing compared to the hot mess of tourists on Centre Island. I opted for a veggie dog which turned out to be one of the sausage-sized variety that looking very much like a real wiener. It came in a massive bun and was accompanied by your basic toppings of relish, mustard, and ketchup. At $4.20(taxes included), it was great value for the money and decently filling. The next person to order one at my recommendation was really taken a-back when she saw it, asking if it was really a veggie dog. The Island Cafe also has a good selection caffeinated drinks but it was way too hot for me to even consider an iced coffee so I went for the natural selection of the white jumbo freeze pop and was off on my bike adventure again. I would come back here to try the veggie burger or the burrito and some of their drinks. read more

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Service: The service is absolutely terrible. We needed to ask the server repeatedly to bring basic items to our table (i.e., salt, a plate, coffee). We order cake and coffee for dessert but the coffee was served 10 minutes after the cake arrived and we needed to remind the server to bring the coffee! The toilets are disgusting. Food: The food is overpriced and basic at best. We paid $15 for a BLT which was cold when served to us and contained two measly pieces of bacon. The bread served with the mussels was stale. The key lime pie contained very little pie and consisted mainly of a bowl of cream. If you are on Ward Island skip this place and try the Riveria Café. read more

*3.5 stars I had the opportunity to visit this place in the peak of summer and it sure was packed! It's got a great location and the staff is very friendly, the food itself is not the best you'll have (very pub like..) average tasting at best but it's the ambience that gets to you and makes it all better. It's a great spot to visit in the summer and they do not rush you, so gone on in and enjoy a leisurely lunch. read more

Went here with my cousin during my trip to Toronto. We came here around lunch time on a weekday, so we were seated immediately and had the option to choose our seats as well. Service was amazing--our waitress was extremely patient and helpful with the menu. The place overall has a really nice aesthetic as well--located on Toronto Island, with beautiful seats and a very homey vibe. Now, what makes me give it 3 stars is the food. Yes the service and environment is important, but the food is what MAKES the restaurant. We both ordered fish and chips just to keep things light and were greatly disappointed. The. fish. was. so. dry. OMG. I have never had anything so dry it was as if I had consumed the Sahara or something. The chips were also just basic fries--nothing special there. For the price, I was definitely expecting more. We skipped on dessert just because we didn't want to risk it. However, we did get a sangria which was quite nice. Overall, nice vibe, cute place, terrible food. I really hope they work on the food because this place as a lot of potential. read more

A really stunning view of the Toronto skyline with magical sunsets, in a stunning garden setting. The food is delicious. Yes, a bit pricier than what you would pay for the same quality on the mainland, but keep in mind that it is very expensive to ship supplies onto the island ($100 per vehicle). And it is a seasonal business heavily affected by weather. With that taken into account, this is one of my favourite places to eat in the city, and I adore everything about it. Definitely stop in the next time you are on the island! read more

The food wasn't too bad and at first you think it's good prices for center island but the portions are extremely small . They weren't too busy they didn't even have a line up out the door but our drinks took 20 mins and our food 40 mins to come. We got the fish and chip and jerk chicken which was okay but again portions are extremely small. We were only gonna tip the standard 15% because of the bad service but they autograted us 18% without even letting us know. Also the waitress basically yelled at us cause we asked to get our bill twice since the first time they didn't listen. All in all for a "family run" restaurant they should put way more effort in. Of course there's another cafe beside it that maybe a better choice. read more

Zero stars. Be prepared to wait 45 minutes for a cold cup of gross coffee and wait 60 minutes for your food order to be taken on a day that's not busy. Terrible service, rude staff, overpriced. Don't fall for the gardens and convenient location- walk down the street for much much better food and experience. read more

One last chance for redemption, and sadly they failed miserably. 15 min. in very small line to get to the girl taking orders, only to be informed they 'couldn't do' burgers today. So I opted for fish & chips (she had to inquire if they had any). 25 minutes later, a cup of grease with some under-cooked fish and some over-cooked bits of potato. Most went into the garbage bin. Most frustrating of all was the girl taking orders....I paid in cash and she short-changed me by nearly $5.00. I very politely mentioned there was an error, which she immediately recognised (this was not done on purpose).....but she literally could not make change. She fingered the quarters, the dimes, the loonies.....the confusion on her face was truly sad....and she finally just gave me a $5.00 bill. A great location that is unfortunately going to waste. I'd suggest the management do a complete 'do over'....but apparently there is no management. read more

Very nice place and decent food. Menu choices are limited and the place is packed and busy (especially on a clear day) give yourself enough time. When you get here, there are two options take away or sit down service, since the take away line is first most people invariably stand in that while waiting for a table. Make sure you check and ask. read more

Everyone leaving bad reviews because of quality of coffee & service need to chill out. It's an island cafe run by 20 year olds who are doing their best. It's a great time, good drinks, and fabulous food. Who cares if it takes too long, island time baby. Would recommend, be nice Karen's. read more

Terrible customer service. Grumpy wait staff. Argued with us when we did not receive what was listed on the menu, and didn't waive the charges. Totally ruined our experience but the food was mediocre anyways. The only redeeming quality is the patio. Hit the rectory instead. read more

I think the staff have a serious case of grumpy. I came in and asked a few people if they were in line. Turns out they were employees, and instead of answering "no" they just huffed at me and walked behind the counter. Sorry... Then I asked the lady at the takeout counter if they did takeout. She rolled her eyes and said "yeah". When I asked for the menu, she motioned behind her to a messy chalkboard sign and said "um, it's right here..." Rude. I wasn't super into any of the takeout meals, so I asked to see a dine in menu. They told me they don't make anything on the menu for takeout, so I could only see it if I waited for a table. And then she walked away, shaking her head obnoxiously. I totally would have dined in had I been treated with respect. Instead, I waited for the next grumpy staff member come to the counter and I ordered a hot dog that took 20 minutes to cook. Had I not been starving, I would have left. It cost way too much. Learn to smile, Island Cafe! You're in one the most beautiful parts of the city! read more

Definitely a cute cute cute atmosphere. Nice big veranda with couches tables and chairs. Have not even seen the inside yet. But I ask you Island Cafe, why are the grilled cheese sandwiches ONLY for children?? But if you add a tomato slice onto the sandwich and a dollar onto the price (you seemed to just make this weird rule up on the spot) then it is suddenly fit for adult consumption? This is wacky and makes no sense. I hate things that don't make any sense! read more

We had about 40 minutes until the ferry back to the city. Saw the sandwich board on the dock and decided to stop in for a drink. The sign said wait to be seated. We waited and for awhile and no one acknowledged us so we went and sat at the bar. Staff weirdly avoided eye contact and one was dancing to 90s rap. We smiled and waited patiently and were totally ignored. They were not busy and certainly saw us but 6 staff members ignored us. No "we will be with you in a sec" they just stood around talking to each other and ignored us. After about 10 minutes of this we left. Seems like a nice place, too bad the service sucks. We were talking about going there for dinner sometime. The food looked good. No way I'd set foot in there again. read more

I expected the prices to be much higher since there are not that many other places to go to once you're at the islands. but the prices are great! couches on a veranda is a win! also chess tables, yard tables with a cute front yard garden, bicycle parking and lounge chairs! and a good ice cream and lots of different types of coffee and tea. the staff wasn't super excitingly friendly but not rude either. Nice spot. read more

First things first... You're on the island. Your day should be a leisurely exploration of outdoor space and not rushing around with timelines. So with that being said, yes, the service can be a bit slow here. But given there is literally only this or the Rectory Cafe to choose from on this stretch of the island, it should be no surprise the place gets busy and servers may be more tied up that one would hope... So my advice is to chill out and take this in stride rather than being impatient. Once you get past any initial wait for a table and then subsequent wait for the waitress to actually tend to your table, things will turn around. The food is good (burger and fries for $15 was a very satisfying lunch, and nothing on the menu is over $18), the beer is reasonably priced ($6.50 + tax for a craft pint of Mill Street or Sidelaunch beers), and the atmosphere is lovely. Also, to correct the review below - there are washrooms, they are around the back of the place near the lawn bowling. If you're really impatient, just go to the takeout section. While the menu is different and it can also get busy, they do seem to work through the line pretty efficiently. Otherwise, take your time, chill out and enjoy your day with a stop into the Island Cafe. read more

Brilliant buzzing busy!!! Just on approaching the cafe...it is buzzing with people either waiting to get served for take-out or waiting to be seated for table service. I opted to take-out because it was very busy & the sun was pounding down on me. Expected high prices but good quick service nonetheless - would visit again!!! read more

Island Cafe - Outside - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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