ike a friendly little truck stop on a stretch of tiresome two-lane trajectory, Aunties and Uncles is an ambitious, retro-style lair for the young and not-so-recklessly rich.

A&U has a lot of what a working stiff needs and none of what he or she doesn't. Enter the shabby establishment on any morning or afternoon and you'll find postal workers, road crew flaggers, accountants, hairdressers, cops, and carpenters chowing on omelets, fish 'n' chips, and hearty sandwiches - this is where the salt of the earth fill up on home-style fare.

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A&U’s arborite slathered interior has been the neighborhood’s nesting grounds virtually since the day it opened. A cult-like following flocks here to the weekend brunch, filling the rugged 60's kitchen chairs, booths from the Goodwill and school auditorium chairs. We are in the land of real retro with whacked out charm.

On sunny days, the staff bring tables outdoors to form a makeshift patio. A typical weekday will see the place half full of fairly hip localers, mobs of pre-caffeinated bohemians in a room brimming with funloving activity. Satisfied grazers lounge about here and there, with their magazines, their lattés and cappuccinos, servers bumping into one another trying to fill the orders.

The chef/co-owner Russell Nicholls, cooked in Lakes and the Mercer Street Grill, before hooking up Aunties. His menu items are the big draw here, delivered by a young streetwise staff. The diner classics are mostly made from scratch - a homemade meatloaf; Croque monsieur served with garlic-spiked mashed-potato salad; spaghetti and meatballs; a chicken liver pate, served with buttered black rye toasts; battered fish and chips, served with a waxy tartar sauce. The arugula, pear and fontina cheese with walnuts, mustard seed and ricotta dressing is a hot choice.

Saving the best for last: The highly acclaimed Aunties and Uncles version of mac 'n' cheese alone is reason to visit. This is modified comfort food at its best; cheddar, Swiss, blue and pecorino cheese in a creamy and mouthwatering molten lava pleasure.

A breakfast of champions, sensible sandwiches and down-home desserts make this College West shack a fair bargain for those whose thin wallets don't quite match their sophisticated palates. - Brad Jamieson.

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Reader Reviews

Roger Dru, Toronto, ON
Nov 10, 2002
I went to A&U for the first time a year ago and it has only become a better place through the year. The food is not gourmet, but I really enjoy most everything on the menu. (Grilled cheese being my guilty pleasure). And the service there is fun.


Randy, T., Toronto, ON
Nov 8, 2002
what is the big deal about this place? The food is purely Fran’s fare. The kids that served us clearly wanted to be elsewhere. The meatloaf. Ugh. The soup was tasty though.


Nov 6, 2002
Samantha G., Toronto, ON
I love this place. I must have eaten here at least 10 times this year, and it is over a half hour drive for me to get there, so that really says something. Even stuff that wasn't to my taste was always fresh and well-prepared, and when I stick to the things I know I like, I'm never disappointed. This place has huge portions, reasonable prices, and the best spinach salad in town. Great burgers too, and unlike a lot of places, they even understand the meaning of the word "rare". I really can't think of anything bad to say except that one day the garlic mashed potatoes were more garlic than potato, but other than that I've never been disappointed


June 10, 2002
Stephen R, Toronto, ON
I have been to A & U many times and have always had an enjoyable experience. The food is good and is very reasonably priced. The atmosphere is fun and the service is always cool. It does get crowded as the night goes on however. I would recommend this place most as a place to have a nice dinner and some drinks before going out elsewhere for the night, instead of a final evening destination.