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Now Open: Colette Grand Café

Colette Grand Café has replaced Scarpetta in the Thompson Hotel, and it does not disappoint. Here's everything you need to know about this modern twist on a traditional French experience

This is not your typical French restaurant.

Yes, the bakery wafts the smell of fresh bread and pastries through the air. Yes, there’s gourmet coffee.

But there’s nothing stuffy or hurried about Colette Grand Cafe. Huge windows allow natural light to fill the bright space – one that places stylistic emphasis on soft greens, blues, yellows, and whites.

This is comfort on a grand scale.

How grand? There’s a library. Like, with more than just one shelf of fake books.

Not only are their sweet and savoury options for you, but for your best friend too. As in, your dog. Homemade dog biscuits from the full-scale bakery make Colette a must-try coffee spot for anyone walking their dog in the downtown core. 

Of course, your pup’s idea of delicious probably isn’t the same as yours. Luckily, there’s lobster vichyssoise for that.

Colette now stands in place of Scarpetta, and if you ever visited the Italian restaurant you certainly won’t recognize any of it now. The dining room was completely redone, with only the wine cabinet being saved. While large enough to fit about 50 people, it remains an inviting space, one that maintains the charm, comfort, and lightness of the rest of Colette’s rooms.

We did save the best for last, though: the patio.

Facing a park, this quiet block on Wellington allows for the perfect escape from a hectic Toronto day.
Coffee, lobster, croissants, and downtown silence.

Sounds perfect.

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Maggie Sylvester