Gilead Cafe

Opened two weeks ago on Gilead Place, just south of King Street E, is the newest addition to the Jamie Kennedy Kitchens (JKK) group. The organization's office space has been extended to encompass the Gilead Café where a production kitchen and business office remains. Ever mindful of urban sprawl, His Kennedyness has gone from the sublime to the anonymous; if you didn't know the Gilead Café was there, you would probably not find it, so discretely is it hidden down an alley.



Though the café is organized cafeteria style, it remains true to Kennedy's tradition of utilizing seasonal produce and serving his stupendous French fries. Center stage is Canadian, if not provincial, content; everything is homemade, right down to the paté. Jars of rotating preserves, depending on the season, line the walls, allowing the "menu to stay local, even in the winter," said Laura Hipple, Café manager. JKK stays true to their mandate of supporting a sustainable supply of local ingredients to the public from surrounding farms and producers, as well as using meat from naturally raised animals and fish species. The sparse venue features a large communal table and a couple smaller, more intimate dining surfaces; so you can come to hang out, read a book, or pretend to be working.

Tremendous food, first-class fun, friendly and informed service, great atmosphere, and not a hint of stuffiness. I recommend it w/o hesitation

I've eaten the danishes every week since the day this little place opened. I may have a problem.