Le Vieux Vélo: rich in home fries and home style cookin’

 
Brunch is an art form, refined by few in this city of greasy spoons and chain breakfast joints. There are a couple of greats but most are on the Plateau, and Le Vieux Vélo may well be poised to conquer the breakfast void north of Mile End. While geographically located in Little Italy, Le Vieux Vélo actually somehow feels like it belongs in Toronto. From the vintage glasses and plateware to the little pieces of art that adorn the walls, from the turbinadosugar on the tables to the clean simplicity of the decor, it’s reminiscent of a thousand new and tiny cafes in Toronto.

Meals at Le Vieux Vélo are prepared with care and attention to detail. When I ordered a ‘Standard’ breakfast, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the sausages that accompanied the platter were spicy chorizo. Granola comes with a mixture of fruit, yogurt and honey, and no single flavour overpowers the others. A sprinkle of cinnamon brightens the bowl without making it too sweet. As for the eggs Benedict, well, there are traditional and more innovative options and they all receive the stamp of approval.

Appropriately for a breakfast place, Le Vieux Vélo is only open until 4 p.m., 4:30 on weekends. There is a selection of lunch offerings with a few pizzas, some sandwiches and a daily soup, but the focus here is definitely on breakfast. Service is friendly (though not overwhelming, which is key!), food is reasonably priced, and the coffee is plentiful. 

Le Vieux Vélo | 59, Beaubien E. | Métro Beaubien