Gallery Grill

Went here for the first time today for lunch and it was phenomenal. I had the salmon and the crème brûlée (made from their own maple syrup which they make on Hart House farm). Both incredibly delicious. The menu changes all the time apparently so the menu they have up on the website is only an indication of what’s on offer. They do lunches weekdays and brunch on Sundays (& I think cocktails Weds — Fri eves). Beautiful setting — try to get a table overlooking the Great Hall. Service was impeccable and the two people I was with, who have dined there before, said that it always is. Menu is a bit pricey (about $ 20 for a main) but so worth it!

The menu is very interesting… I tried the Smoked Trout Okonomiyaki and it was lovely! The Lemon sorbet is also very on point. Hart House is full of great things!

Ambience: ⁵⁄₅
Food: 3.5−4÷5 (Deserts are to die for!)
Service: ⁴⁄₅ (The manager is fab)
Value: 3.5÷5
Repeat: Have a few times.
Note: they make their own maple syrup. Farm to table food. Charming ambience.

Le lieu est véritablement exceptionnel, (il est un peu difficile à trouver) et la nourriture est remarquable: le poulpe grillée aux herbes était excellent, les coquilles Saint Jacques fraiches parfaitement assaisonnées, et le sticky toffee pudding un vrai délice. Les ingrédients sont frais, et les assortiments originaux et très réussis. Nous recommandons chaudement !

I can’t believe the Gallery Grill has so few reviews. It is a real hidden gem in Toronto. The surroundings are beautiful and the food is delicious. The maple crème brûlée was easily the best crème brûlée I’ve ever had. The cheddar biscuits, which are available at brunch, are flaky and moist, but would be much, much better if served warm. All of the entrees that I’ve tried have been creative, well seasoned, and well presented. Most recently I had a lamb and cheese fontina sandwich with tender meat, salty cheese, and a touch of sweetness from honey. The sandwich, which was toasted on the outside like french toast, was incredibly filling. The food is definitely worth five stars.
The main drawback is the service. The last time that I was there, I was given only one tiny glass of water and it was not refilled until a waiter finally walked by and made eye contact with me and I asked for more water. I also did not find the waiter or the host particularly friendly. The service is worth about two stars.

I’ve been a long-​time fan of this place and very happy to hear that it is open for cocktail hour. Excellent and innovative cocktails — I had the iced tea cocktail with muddled orange and hibiscus, exquisite! Delicious bar snacks too, particularly the homemade spicy maple syrup bar nuts.

A gem !
Gallery Grill just opened cocktail hour — well priced, from-​scratch drinks in a luxurious building. I had something with elderflower — whatever that means — delicious! They even have a fire-​place. You’ll definitely be impressed when you check it out, and so will be your date/​friend.

Like the savory Salad

service here is wonderful and the food is divine! the meat plates are excellent and so are the desserts. pasta here is not your finest italian, but everything else is delicious!

Came here for a lunch w my team. The device was excellent and the food came out fast. Our water glasses were always kept full and the waitresses would come by and check to make sure everything was okay. The venue is really just beautiful. You feel like royalty in there. Its not a modern, chic, or contemporary décor– its the Hart House so it’s a very traditional and upscale kind of feeling. Heavy Wooden tables and chairs. I got the spicy charred savoy salad ($ 7) small portion but very tasty. It had a kimchi kind of seasoning to it. My entrée I had the gnocchi which was alright, not the best but still good. Ended the meal off w a latte which Listeners me in the China bowl. That was a nice touch and very cute, the latte itself was well made. Would def come back for a nice dinner.

The food here is amazing. Every time I go I am more and more impressed. The last time was what made me write this review and give them a 5 star high-​five!
The meal:
Spicy Beet Soup
Arctic Char on a bed of beets, pears, salad w/​almonds
Sticky Toffee Banana Pudding
Moroccan Mint Tea
Everything was just delicious. In fact, I was there the weekend before and should have gotten the arctic char. I am so glad I came back to get it.
Things you should know: I totally hate beets. And this whole meal was FILLED with beets. Gallery Grill made me like something I hate. That’s a whole star in itself!
The arctic char was so tender and flaked right off the skin. You didn’t even need to use a knife, it was fork worthy. I also enjoyed the beets, pears and almonds it was placed upon. All very fresh.
Usually after 2 courses I’m stuff but the portion sizes are perfect and we had dessert. I kind of wish I had selected a different dessert item, but do not get me wrong the sticky toffee banana pudding was great. I was a little thrown off because it wasn’t so sweet that my fillings wanted to fall out. Basically, it was done well but I’m used to BAD, sickeningly sweet sticky toffee pudding. I left without feeling like throwing up even though I had a 3 course LUNCH. Another star!
I also appreciate their tea selection. They have an assortment of teas which makes dessert THAT much more desirable AND possible (aiding in digestion).
I definitely love the Gallery Grill. The most important thing is that everything they make tastes extremely fresh. I prefer lunch over brunch, as well.

Tucked away on the second floor of Hart House @ the University of Toronto, it’s a pretty hidden gem of a brunch spot.
This place is only open during the school year and reservations are recommended, as this place doesn’t hold that many people as it is hosted in the Gallery of the «great hall» of Hart House.
Gallery Grill is the type of place, where you should dress up in your semi-​casual finest to meet the parents kind of deal…
The food is fantastic, serving up local fare pared with wines and fresh squeezed juices. My understanding is that their menu changes daily, since the menu we got was the date written on it, so there is that surprise.
I took my boyfriend here for brunch to celebrate his birthday with his university friends. We really didn’t have much to complain about, since the food and wine (for those of us who sampled) was great, the service was wonderfully attentive without being obvious.
Overall, it was a wonderfully satisfying meal and setting. I’ll come back here if I want to celebrate any significant milestone in my life.

Situated at UofT, over looking the Great Hall in Hart House, the Gallery Grill is a small place, and a great find!
It seemed like it was only locals in the restaurant. It was full of families, dates and older folk. What I liked about the venue is that it was different. The vaulting ceilings, art on the walls, wooden furniture gave it a really unique feel.
We came here with my boyfriend and my parents, and it was a great spot to chat, and have an intimate meal.
The food itself was good, but I can’t pin point the thing that bothered me about it. Maybe it was the menu, and how it seemed to embellish everything when it was simply just a salad or cheesecake. Or maybe it was was the server was a bit condescending to us, and didn’t really offer nice suggestions. Or maybe it was because for brunch, there was only 2 breakfassy type items.
Or it just could be this pre-​dispositioned attitude of my parents who like to criticize everything (in other words, the food was really good and they ruined it)
I got the soft poached egg on cod cake with hollandaise (i.e. Eggs Benny). I was a little surprised to see only 1 egg. However, the cod cake was quite filling and delicious, and fresh. The Egg was perfectly poached. And it all sits on top of a salad. It was really healthy, yet indulgent. My only complaint was that it was not hot, but only a luke warm.
We also ordered the Rabbit Meatballs. It was definitely something different. The rabbit was actually quite soft, and the balls fell apart when you touched it. The sauce was a sweet tasting porcini tomato sauce.
They did serve us a nice fresh (not toasted) bread with butter. I forgot to order the blueberry biscuits.
For dessert, we shared the crème brûlée. It was very good, and perfectly crusted on the top. BUT, although hot on the top, it was COLD on the bottom. I understand they just took it out from the fridge, and browned the top, but the temperature difference was too great.
I’d come back again. Maybe not with my parents (my mom wasn’t impressed because she doesn’t like new things, but my dad liked it), but I would really recommend it for new to Toronto relatives on your tour of downtown, or just someone you want to impress.

September is only weeks away and you know what that means! It means that the Hart House restaurant/​grill is open again! Hallelujah! The HH restaurant is tucked away inside the U of T campus and only operates from September to June, Monday to Friday. The old school setting of the whole Hart House grounds is just such a pleasure to walk through especially during the beautiful fall months. It is the place that I have most frequented for my birthday celebrations and it meets my Virgo demands! The grill room is stunning with vaulted ceilings and stained glass that doesn’t feel dated but rather seems to enhance the history and stateliness of the buildings.
Don’t for a minute think you’ll get an old school menu here, that just ain’t so. I’ve had some really interesting and diverse foods at Hart House. One of my most favorite dishes has been a grilled Whitefish with a side salad that was comprised of apple mixed with some shredded wild boar & bacon. It had a big time bite to it and I was surprised at the balance of the tartness of the apple against the game meat. Loved it. My girlfriend had the Frittata (oh you damn vegetarians) and she told me it was delicious, layered with artichokes and Oka cheese. I must say though one of my most favorite things are the goat’s cheese biscuits. I’m a sucker for them. I could just eat up a plate of those with a bowl of soup and feel just as happy.
You’d think that a restaurant in a setting such as U of T would command a solemn, library like tone to it but this doesn’t happen. It is airy and really a very comfortable restaurant. No chrome, no glass, no snooty waiters and no restaurant makeovers here. They keep the menu small and seasonal and offering wine pairings for the dishes as well.
September is just a few weeks in the offing. I’m counting the days. Can’t wait to see what is on the menu for my birthday this year! :)