Up and down stairs into cavernous basement shops, through shabby back alleys where the owners of the Asian restaurants park their Porsche SUVs, and past some questionable looking cannabis markets and massage parlors, we found ourselves ready for some food and our guide girl had just the ticket - a late lunch at the Queen Street Warehouse!
Located at 232 Queen Street West, this well situated little spot is super popular. There are multiple reasons for this but one of the biggies is that every item on the menu is priced at $4.95. Yes, you read that correctly - every item! There are optional upgrades for things like special sauces or sides, but they are priced very low too - $1.00 or thereabouts.
We arrived at the right time, just as the place was beginning to get busy. They had just one table left and it was a tiny one right beside the front window. This spot turned out to be absolutely ideal as the view was awesome. The CN Tower rose a few blocks away but appeared even closer while the east wall of the City TV building and its iconic Live Eye truck bursting through the bricks was in right across the street. Soon a line-up of waiting customers formed outside allowing us some great people watching opportunities too.
My husband, daughter and I ordered our food and just glasses of water to drink. Our pretty and friendly server, Alison, explained to us that they have a program similar to the Suspended Coffee movement whereby you can order an extra meal for $4.95 that will be brought to Evangel Hall and served to the less fortunate, as happens every Sunday. We ordered one and I was so happy to have the opportunity to do this that I had a hard time fighting back tears. I told her that I am a cook in a soup kitchen in another town and she told us that she is also a social worker. My heart filled up before my stomach did. Eat a Sandwich. Give a Sandwich.
We laughed and chatted and thoroughly enjoyed the 1980s music videos on the many TV screens for quite a while. Alison refilled our water a few times and mentioned to us that the kitchen was starting to get backed up. We were understanding of this situation but our experience was becoming slightly less positive until our server came over with an offer we couldn't refuse - FREE drinks or dessert courtesy of her manager (an owner) who said that our maximum wait time had been exceeded. Wow, I was very impressed! Queen Street Warehouse, your points with us just went up again, waaaaay up! We got a red wine, a Strongbow cider and a beer for no extra charge, Nice.
Always curious about the recent much mentioned trend of chicken and waffles, my daughter, Margaret, ordered the wafflewich which came with a side order of home fried potatoes. Ron and I got burgers, with mine being a veggie burger, as some of you may already have predicted. Both came on a light and toasty brioche bun with a side of (upgraded) yam fries, as well as a small ramekin of chipotle sauce (also an upgrade). My beautifully done soy based burger was topped with cheese, tomato and lettuce and also some less traditional but delightful items - avocado, green pea shoots, corn salsa and nacho sauce. We all agreed that this was some very delicious food here. My two table mates, a couple of still hungry (all that walking - 11 km in all) turistas, had room left for dessert and ordered a deep fried apple pie with ice cream to share. Where they put it, I do not know!
Would I go again? Yes! In the summer months, it looks to me like the side patio would hold as many guests as the interior. I love a good patio on a warm day and I would certainly be up for another visit to the Queen Street Warehouse.
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