In case you’re not familiar, the word scullery has nothing to do with rowing. (So yeah, this isn’t a post about how ergometers are the devil – even though they definitely are.) A scullery is, in fact, a small kitchen or a room off of a kitchen where overflow is contained. It’s that familiar type of place in a home where the real action is. It also happens to be the name of one the cutest Cafes in the east end.
Run by long-time friends Laura Sestito and Fiona Byrne, The Scullery (200 Carlton Street) is a warm, light-filled room where people come to eat fresh food, drink quality coffee, and generally linger in the laid-back atmosphere. The difference between The Scullery and a lot of other Cafes in the city is that it manages to actually capture that elusive neighbourhood feel. It’s the kind of place where you’d expect to see the same friends sliding onto the smooth wooden benches day after day but where you’d also assume passersby are often stopping in for the first time. In effect, The Scullery manages to be both local and inviting – a feeling Toronto desperately lacks.
Brewing local Pilot-roasted beans and offering an assortment of teas to choose from, The Scullery doesn’t just stop at your regular Cafe service. Here, you’ll find tallboys of Junction Craft Brewing Conductor’s Ale and Hogtown Brewers, among others. At brunch you can order yourself up the required Caesar or mimosa or enjoy a nice glass of wine come dinner time (or anytime, really – we’re not here to judge).
Speaking of the food, you’ll find a fresh menu every day. Choices rotate on a weekly basis, meaning every Monday you’ll find the same sandwiches, salads, and mains ready and waiting for you (on Monday the main is baked lamb with cumin, cardamom and coconut milk) and every other day of the week – they’re closed only on Tuesdays – will have its own special offers available. Fiona studied the culinary arts at the world famous Le Cordon Bleu in London and her food speaks for itself. After all, how many Cafes do you know that produce saffron chicken? Sure, you can still get your sugar kick from brownies and cookies, but we’ll be busy snacking on our kale, barley, and avocado salad. If you really want to see The Scullery shine, however, hit it up for a weekend brunch and you’ll curse yourself for not having discovered eggs Hemingway earlier in your life.
So the next time you’re cruising the east end, or just looking for a reason to go there, we suggest you while away some time at The Scullery. No oars allowed.
#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life)
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