The Federal
The Federal Photos
Business Info
THE FEDERAL ATMOSPHERE
What's the vibe?
You might also consider
More like The Federal
Recommended Reviews - The Federal
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Really good spot! Food was good and fast service, servers were friendly. The place is a little small (maybe not for Toronto standards). Average plate cost $20. The breakfast the roasted squash omelette wither chèvre was really good and filling, some shredded potatoes on the side and an arugula salad. Overall great place that I would recommend.
I absolutely loved this place. Perfect sized menu. Lovely options for vegetarians alike and cozy/intimate. Service was quick, and non bothersome - just very casual which is nice for a brunch place. I would totally go back and I wish I was closer by!
A local restaurant feel with great drinks and food. We had the eggs Benedict, breakfast burrito and shared a strawberry scone. It was savory and sweet, great service and perfect for the price. The patio made us feel right at home.
Great little breakfast spot. The breakfast burrito is the best l've ever had, The staff there are super cool and friendly, the price is very fair for the portion size you get. I wish the restaurant was bigger so l could be guaranteed a spot everytime I go.
Awesome spot on Dundas. Probably the best Cubano I've had in a while. Cozy little spot. We ordered the breakfast burrito as well which was great. The pickles on the Cubano made it. Good coffee and great little brunch and lunch spot.
I read a lot of reviews about the brunch at the fed, all great reviews, but not a lot about their dinner menu! I'm here to say that their dinner menu is just as great as their brunch! We had a great experience, in an awesome atmosphere and the food was really good, we had no complaints. The ribs were tasty, not dry and we really liked the tiger slaw it was paired with. The mushroom toast was fantastic, we enjoyed this the most, and the hummus on the falafel plate tasted like it was made in house which we really enjoyed! They've got a great wine selection and non alcoholic drinks as well, which was great for my sister whose pregnant. The server was fantastic, we appreciated the fact that if she wasn't sure about a question we had she'd let us know and get back to us. Overall we were very happy we tried the federal!
This place gets ram sacked by lunch! It has a small menu but it's soo good! They make their drinks like root beer and pear ginger soda which were both so good. Nothing over powering or too sweet. The burger was delicious and the side salad and hash browns were good as well My fav was the curry chicken sandwich. It was exactly what I had in mind for lunch! Space is small but still comfortable! The service was really cool too
My friend wanted to try out the Federal for her birthday, and so went. It's a cozy small place, and was somewhat already busy with early morning people. We wanted to try the mimosa and was told it's too early. Drinks starts at 11am. There goes that idea. We both ordered the Federal breakfast with poached eggs. The eggs were over cooked. But the sauce was really good. My friend ordered coffee as well, but the server forgot. Had to ask another server. They were nice enough to not charge us the coffee. Maybe they were just having an off day. That does happen. So maybe I will go back again.
In my quest to find a good pressed cubano, I came across The Federal on Dundas and Gladstone. That is when I learned about the Gold Standard Breakfast Sandwich (choice of bacon, kale, or house made Impossible sausage, cheesy eggs, aioli, pickles and Marie Sharps on English muffin). I ordered one with bacon and kale. The sandwich had wonderful flavors and was satisfying. Next time I will opt out of the kale due to the texture. Despite the fact that the sandwich was tasty, oh boy, it was too oily and greasy. As for the Cubano (roast pork, ham, cheddar, avocado, pickles, onion, mustard, aioli), it was alright. It was lean in terms of ingredients, sad looking, and failed to impress. Service was very nice and friendly. Street parking available. The area is served by TTC 505 Dundas route. TLDR; tasty breakfast sandwich, although very greasy
Got brunch here and ordered the federal eggs with bacon. Mushroom cream *really works* to bring everything together, to my surprise! Lovely mix of textures with the egg, bacon, and toast, with the potatoes and salad playing their roles perfectly as well. Would absolutely recommend to others!
If it's not on the list now, expect to see The Federal on a "best brunch in Toronto" list soon. My friends and I went here on a Tuesday around 10:30am for brunch and left satisfied. The Federal is a small restaurant in West Dundas, a neighborhood with plenty of quality restaurants and cafes. When you walk in, you're flanked by two glass windows that look once part of a pharmacy. Walking in, you'll see the bar in the back, brick walls, and several tables in a small room. Despite the size, they make good use of space and fit our group of five, including a high chair for our 16-month baby. The service was decent (it's a hipster place so expect a little attitude from the staff) and the food good. I ordered Eggs Federal, an English muffin stuffed with bacon, poached eggs, and the most creamy mushroom tarragon sauce. For drinks, they have brunch cocktails AND hard cider ON TAP! My entire Toronto trip, I craved another Eggs Federal breakfast sandwich. Go! You won't be disappointed.
This was right around the corner from our air bnb. We stopped in for brunch and we're very happy with with our food. Servers were also very friendly.
3 months ago
Have heard a lot about this place, as it frequently appears on lists for "Top Brunch" places in the city. We have even come here, found an hour waiting line, and decided to go elsewhere. We came for a brunch on a Friday morning, when we were both working from home with no meetings in the morning - and it was still fairly busy; though no wait for tables. The decor accentuates the age of the building and fits well with the wider neighbourhood. There is a substantial bar, but we didn't have any cocktails. The menu is pretty short, but all the regular brunch menu options are available - just not in multiple configurations. The highlight is the rosti - not often found in Toronto menus, but it was a bit too oily. The breakfast burrito was amazing; but the Benedict was fairly ordinary. I don't think it's worth the wait - but would come back here on a less busy day. read more
The Federal located along Dundas St W. near Gladstone Ave serves up brunch all day from 9am-3pm. I've been to The Federal several times as well as their sister sandwich shop (Gold Standard - best bfast sammies in the city!). The Federal is a casual chill spot for all things brunch. They do get busy on the weekends so best to come on a weekday if you're able to. The menu has plenty of brunch options for everyone. I stopped by The Federal on a Monday around 10am. The place was pretty empty although there were a few customers. Ordered an Americano and the scrambled eggs with sausage. My beverage and food came at a reasonable time. Food wise, loved everything on the plate! The scrambled eggs were cheesy, the salad was refreshing with the pickled onions, the sausage tasted great with their house made ketchup and hot sauce, the toast was toasted perfectly, and the potato rosti was the perfect potato side to this breakfast plate. Service was friendly and staff were chill and attentive. Overall, great breakfast and brunch spot along Dundas St. W! read more
Thought I would love it, but unfortunately did not meet my expectations. After a forty minute wait for a table during peak brunch time, we got seated in a pretty private area in the back. The restaurant is small so we expected to wait even longer. The brunch menu is short so I picked the Gold Standard Sandwich. I don't know what I was expecting, but it's really just a breakfast sandwich. I chose the bacon option (kale and impossible meat also available) and it was ... burned? Not sure if it was intentional but it definitely tasted very burnt. Otherwise the sandwich was pretty ordinary to me. The rosti was extremely oily and not seasoned evenly - one of my bites was essentially coated in salt, while others were bland. I didn't end up finishing. I tried a bite of my friend's breakfast burrito and it was good. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing. The price was good, we didn't get any extras so I stayed under $20 including tax and tip. Service was also good, I just didn't enjoy the food. read more
Really good spot! Food was good and fast service, servers were friendly. The place is a little small (maybe not for Toronto standards). Average plate cost $20. The breakfast the roasted squash omelette wither chèvre was really good and filling, some shredded potatoes on the side and an arugula salad. Overall great place that I would recommend. read more
1 year ago
I absolutely loved this place. Perfect sized menu. Lovely options for vegetarians alike and cozy/intimate. Service was quick, and non bothersome - just very casual which is nice for a brunch place. I would totally go back and I wish I was closer by! read more
A local restaurant feel with great drinks and food. We had the eggs Benedict, breakfast burrito and shared a strawberry scone. It was savory and sweet, great service and perfect for the price. The patio made us feel right at home. read more
2 years ago
Great little breakfast spot. The breakfast burrito is the best l've ever had, The staff there are super cool and friendly, the price is very fair for the portion size you get. I wish the restaurant was bigger so l could be guaranteed a spot everytime I go. read more
Awesome spot on Dundas. Probably the best Cubano I've had in a while. Cozy little spot. We ordered the breakfast burrito as well which was great. The pickles on the Cubano made it. Good coffee and great little brunch and lunch spot. read more
I read a lot of reviews about the brunch at the fed, all great reviews, but not a lot about their dinner menu! I'm here to say that their dinner menu is just as great as their brunch! We had a great experience, in an awesome atmosphere and the food was really good, we had no complaints. The ribs were tasty, not dry and we really liked the tiger slaw it was paired with. The mushroom toast was fantastic, we enjoyed this the most, and the hummus on the falafel plate tasted like it was made in house which we really enjoyed! They've got a great wine selection and non alcoholic drinks as well, which was great for my sister whose pregnant. The server was fantastic, we appreciated the fact that if she wasn't sure about a question we had she'd let us know and get back to us. Overall we were very happy we tried the federal! read more
This place gets ram sacked by lunch! It has a small menu but it's soo good! They make their drinks like root beer and pear ginger soda which were both so good. Nothing over powering or too sweet. The burger was delicious and the side salad and hash browns were good as well My fav was the curry chicken sandwich. It was exactly what I had in mind for lunch! Space is small but still comfortable! The service was really cool too read more
My friend wanted to try out the Federal for her birthday, and so went. It's a cozy small place, and was somewhat already busy with early morning people. We wanted to try the mimosa and was told it's too early. Drinks starts at 11am. There goes that idea. We both ordered the Federal breakfast with poached eggs. The eggs were over cooked. But the sauce was really good. My friend ordered coffee as well, but the server forgot. Had to ask another server. They were nice enough to not charge us the coffee. Maybe they were just having an off day. That does happen. So maybe I will go back again. read more
In my quest to find a good pressed cubano, I came across The Federal on Dundas and Gladstone. That is when I learned about the Gold Standard Breakfast Sandwich (choice of bacon, kale, or house made Impossible sausage, cheesy eggs, aioli, pickles and Marie Sharps on English muffin). I ordered one with bacon and kale. The sandwich had wonderful flavors and was satisfying. Next time I will opt out of the kale due to the texture. Despite the fact that the sandwich was tasty, oh boy, it was too oily and greasy. As for the Cubano (roast pork, ham, cheddar, avocado, pickles, onion, mustard, aioli), it was alright. It was lean in terms of ingredients, sad looking, and failed to impress. Service was very nice and friendly. Street parking available. The area is served by TTC 505 Dundas route. TLDR; tasty breakfast sandwich, although very greasy read more
Got brunch here and ordered the federal eggs with bacon. Mushroom cream *really works* to bring everything together, to my surprise! Lovely mix of textures with the egg, bacon, and toast, with the potatoes and salad playing their roles perfectly as well. Would absolutely recommend to others! read more
If it's not on the list now, expect to see The Federal on a "best brunch in Toronto" list soon. My friends and I went here on a Tuesday around 10:30am for brunch and left satisfied. The Federal is a small restaurant in West Dundas, a neighborhood with plenty of quality restaurants and cafes. When you walk in, you're flanked by two glass windows that look once part of a pharmacy. Walking in, you'll see the bar in the back, brick walls, and several tables in a small room. Despite the size, they make good use of space and fit our group of five, including a high chair for our 16-month baby. The service was decent (it's a hipster place so expect a little attitude from the staff) and the food good. I ordered Eggs Federal, an English muffin stuffed with bacon, poached eggs, and the most creamy mushroom tarragon sauce. For drinks, they have brunch cocktails AND hard cider ON TAP! My entire Toronto trip, I craved another Eggs Federal breakfast sandwich. Go! You won't be disappointed. read more
7 years ago
4 years ago
This was right around the corner from our air bnb. We stopped in for brunch and we're very happy with with our food. Servers were also very friendly. read more
3 years ago
Gord and I had supper this evening at The Federal. Gord had Mac & Cheese with bacon. He liked it and said he'd get it again. I tried a couple forkfuls and it was good. I had a burger (minus cheese, lettuce and onions) and fries. The patty is made in-house and was tender and tasty. The bun was soft, which I like. The fries were fun. I'd get it again. Our servers were quick and friendly. read more
I'm from New York and visited Toronto for a weekend. So glad I stumbled across The Federal. All of my friends who went with me agree that this is one of the best brunch places we've ever had. I'm so sad that I can't come here everyday :( I had the scrambled cheesy eggs with both the avocado and sausage (only $1 extra!). The sausage tasted different, yet nonetheless good. It was more on the sweet side. My friends had the four guys burger and the eggs federal. Both of them really liked their food as well. Each dish came with a side of home fries and a salad. The home fries is hands down the best. Oh and definitely ask for the ketchup. Pretty sure it's homemade and it's delicious. I swear I could just eat that by itself! read more
Eggs federal ($15) Poached eggs, mushroom tarragon cream, served on top of bacon and a nicely toasted English muffin. The sauce was amazing! Definitely a different than your normal hollandaise egg Benny. You have the option of choosing kale instead of bacon, obviously you go for the bacon! The egg was nicely poached, the sauce was noms! Was flavorful but I could feel it being heavy. The bacon was super crunchy which I was surprised, and it added a really nice crunch to each bite. This eggs Benny was definitely different an delicious! The dish comes with potato rosti and salad. The rosti was good! Cubano sandwich ($14) Roast pork sandwich with cheddar, ham, avocado mustard and pickles on sourdough bread. Served with potato rosti and a salad. The pork was like pulled pork, flavorful. I feel like there were too many different ingredients in the sandwich and all the flavours combined together it didn't really work for me. Or maybe it was the strong mustard taste that through it off. It did taste good though! They serve freshly squeezed juices. I had the tangerine kui e ($4.25). Was a decent size glass compared to other brunch places I've been to. We came a bit before 1pm on a Sunday and had to wait around half an hour for a table. Not too bad. Food was good, I'd come back. I will comment though that they are pretty slow at turning tables. While we were waiting we saw so many empty tables and people leaving but no one cleaning it up. The food came out relatively quick though. read more
8 years ago
3.5 stars The Federal is a super popular brunch spot on Dundas West and I can see why. Hipster cool and unpretentious place serving solid dishes at reasonable prices. We arrived at 9:20 am and snagged the last open 2 top and saw many people waiting for the next hour. Though the place is on the right side of the street to get the sun into the windows, it's a bit dark & rustic and the vibe is chill, hipster-lite, and welcoming. Service here is really nice and sweet. Attentive to the point you dont have to ask for a coffee refill. The restaurant isnt super big so coming here with a group bigger than 4 might be a challenge especially if you come later in the morning. Omelette of the day ... squash, kale & chevre - Solid dish that is quite tasty. It is perfectly cooked so its not rubbery or overdone. Soft egg covering a healthy amount of sweet soft squash with bits of nice green kale and a tangy molten chevre. The crispy rosti is also well done. I want to give this a 4 star rating but nothing jumped out to me as being 'oh wow, gonna order this again' 4 star rating. I'll still say it is definitely above average than other restaurants. 3.5/5 French Toast with fois gras - To me, I know this dish as the Commander Hadfield brunch. Supposedly he ordered this over the top decadence ... a hearty amount of french toast with a buttery fois gras on top. Similar to the omelette, it is well done... the french toast wasn't dry and it was good. The fois gras didn't make or break the dish either. I can't fault the dish for anything except nothing said 'oh wow, this is really really good' for a 4 star. 3.5/5 Overall, great brunch spot on Dundas West. I can see why its popular.. friendly and warm service that serves good solid dishes. read more
Small and cozy vibes are strong at The Federal! If you don't mind listening to conversations left and right and cramped spaces, this place is worth a try. I had The Federal bookmarked on Yelp forever, and the food was underwhelming. The Golden Standard tasted like a normal breakfast sandwich I could get anywhere and the potatoes on the side were cold and tasteless. The Cubano was something we ordered afterwards and that is what I call a delicious sandwich! If I were to come again, I would definitely order it! Also, I wish our server was a bit more friendly. She barely cracked a smile.. this place can do better. read more
8 years ago
We went on a Wednesday afternoon (2pm) expecting to see an empty restaurant. We ended up waiting for 20 min before we can sit down. Words can't describe how amazing the foods are!!! Simply balanced taste and layers of texture are making all dishes great! We, two girls ordered the Federal eggs, Cubano sandwich and sharing a main/dessert if Foie Gras toast. Portion was generous and price are great! Highly recommend to everybody! read more
10 years ago
One of the best brunches I've had. I've been meaning to come here for sometime just never have. Last night I felt in the brunch mood, so I made plans to meet a friend early on a Saturday to enjoy some breakie. We agreed to meet at 9:30am to beat the brunch rush. And we did exactly that. We spent an hour here with food and copious amounts of coffee. By the time we left at 10:30am the place was filling up. Service was friendly and prompt. Very chill and relax atmosphere plus some great tunes. I love the decor and ambience. The food though. The food was brunch perfection. I had the cubano which was everything that a sandwich should be. Roasted pork, bacon, aioli, avocado and pickles packed between toasted sourdough. The best! Also the side arugula salad and hash browns were delicious. Quality ingredients and fresh. Also the bottomless drip is delicious. The cocktail, beer and wine lists are well curated featuring a lot of local and Ontario offerings. I can't wait to come back. I'll be dreaming of this sandwich though. read more
7 years ago
10 years ago
We came here for Saturday morning brunch, and really enjoyed it! Granted, the place doesn't have much seating (it seats around 25 people, ish). And by the time we arrived at 9:30 AM, there was only one table for two left. So if you're coming here for breakfast/brunch and you don't want to wait, come earlier than later. First, parking. There's paid street parking right in front of the restaurant along Dundas (I can't recall how much it was per hour - it may have been $1.50, but not too sure). Second, the atmosphere. Think rustic, British pub meets homey, relaxing environment. We loved it. Simple, clean, and charming. It's a great setting for a relaxing morning, or even for an intimate evening. We enjoyed the ambiance. Third, the food. We ordered the Eggs Federal (poached eggs with mushroom terragon cream) and the Gold Standard Sandwich. The Eggs Federal was delicious, a great texture, and a unique take to a basic brunch item. The Gold Standard Sandwich looks like a pretty basic breakfast sandwich, but it didn't taste that way - very flavourful and satisfying. We also had their coffee, which is sourced from Reunion Island Coffee down the street - strong, bold, and delicious. Overall, a great meal. Service for us was also super quick and friendly. For everything, with tax and tip, we paid $40.00. We enjoyed our experience here, would definitely come back, and it was a great way to start off our Saturday morning. read more
7 years ago
Went here for breakfast with my friend who was visiting from the west coast. We honestly randomly stumbled upon it and we'd like to say - we're glad we did. I got the vegetarian omelette which was probably the best omelette I've ever had!! It was stuffed with goat cheese and I think squash(?) and kale. The sweetness of the vegetable and the creaminess of the cheese really complimented each other. The $13 omelette came with potatoes, salad, and toasts - not bad at all. We will definitely be back ! read more
15 years ago
I love a good brunch and a good brunch spot near my house - even better! A daunting line met us at the door but magically the nice man taking names first said 40 mins but came back 2 mins later to say he had a table in 5 mins! A welcoming warm wood and exposed brick decor makes you feel at home at once. The menu isn't huge but a good menu shouldn't be in my opinion! I dined with 3 of my best girlfriends and we had an eclectic sampling of the menu - all to rave reviews. I uploaded pics from all of our selections. K went for the Cubano - shaved roasted pork sandwich and she loved it. CF went for the smoked trout sandwich which she thought was delicious. CB went for the traditional scrambled eggs and raved about the potato rosti - which we all gushed about as well as the salad which was simple with pickled onions pairing nicely with the vinagrette. I went for "The Federal" two poached eggs with mushroom tarragon cream sauce over arugula - delicious!!!! I prefer that mushroom sauce to a rich Hollandiase sauce any day! There's a meat version of that dish too. Other notables, the coffee was good. The servers very nice, attentive and easy on the eyes. They have a cheese/charcuterie plate that can come with a veggie friendly option and the waffle/french toast looked amazing on our neighbour's table. I look forward to so many more experiences here. Awaiting their liquor license as anxiously as they are, I can't wait to see what they will offer for dinner fare. Sitting next to the new Midfield bar...I may have a new favourite corner on Dundas! Tip - they aren't set up for plastic yet (debit or credit) but there's a bank machine right across the street until they get their machines. read more
Great brunch place with awesome coffee! I don't always find the coffee at brunch to be of any quality or worth mentioning however, the coffee served at The Federal deserves two thumbs up. I got the scoop for all you coffee lovers, it's Reunion Island coffee! I did a quick search and you can get their beans from their shop in Roncesville or online. Now the food, we ordered the Golden star sandwich and the federal egg Benny. It was delicious! I particularly like that all meals are served with a side of fresh arugula salad and rosti. You also have a choice of substituting bacon for kale if you are health conscious. The service was great, my coffee was refilled promptly and trust me, you can't just have one cup. Definitely worth a visit. read more
This is a very popular spot, so anticipate a wait to be seated. It's a cozy place with great service and great decor. We were seated at the bar by the window, which I loved because people watching while you wait for your food to come is always fun! Especially when cute doggies walk by! I ordered the Eggs Federal and - as you've probably read from other reviews - they were on point! A take on eggs benedict, I opted to have mine traditionally rather than with kale and I ate every. single. bite. Even the greens! The dressing on the greens is light and when paired with the pickled onions, you can't help but to gobble them up. We landed a table just in time to order drinks (you can't order before 11am) and I got the Italian Mimosa with tangerine juice. Wow!! I usually don't care for mimosas but was just wanting a "hair of the dog". I'm a fan! Everything was so tasty - I hope we are able to come back again someday. read more
6 years ago
7 years ago
Stopped in for Sunday dinner. Small place. Not much seating. Wasn't busy at 6:30 pm. Great service. Server brought us a free aperitif after our meal. She was so sweet! . Delicious food. Fresh ingredients. Great flavour. Nice variety of beverages. Recommended. read more
Page 1 of 5
