O&B Canteen

Came here for brunch over the weekend. The service was almost non existent for like 10 mins after we sat down… but when someone finally came to take our order, he was quite friendly and helpful. All was forgiven when I had their Calamari Tacos. Call me simple, but the calamari, mango sauce and herb crema in a soft taco really made my day. I did also see several more unique brunch items I’d like to try, so hey I might come back eventually.

I came here for brunch with my girlfriend and we both ordered the Canteen Breakfast. We were both very satisfied. The amount of food was abundant and it was delicious. The service and ambience was wonderful as well. Oh, brunch is only served during the weekends!

Love the atmosphere at Canteen. It’s in between casual and upscale. The menu is great. Lots of variety and everything tastes fresh. Really enjoy the view of King st through the window. I always try to ask for a seat by the windows :)

I decided to come to this place for lunch after getting an O&B gift card. The restaurant is quite spacious, with outdoor patio seating which is great for people watching. I was seated quickly as it wasn’t too busy at the time (after the lunch hour rush).
I had the soup of the day, which was cream of mushroom. It was rich and creamy, with bits of green onion in it. It didn’t taste like it was from a can. I also ordered the turkey panini with a side of fries. The sandwich itself was tasty, but the fries were forgettable. My server was friendly and attentive.
Overall, the food wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t out of this world either. If I am in the area next time, I might consider going back.

Canteen is a slick name for a restaurant. I expect no less from the Tiff Lightbox. Respect.
I popped in here for a quick bite before a movie, and it was A-​OK. A bit pricy, and quite boring, but the soup and salad I had hit the spot. Lentils, kale and some sparkling water were only a B-​, but the people watching was A+. Canteen is covered in floor to ceiling windows looking out over their patio and King W. It’s quite the scene, and my normally chatty partner and I spent a lot of time gawking and mocking passersby. This might sound bitchy, but it’s King W… so it’s totally socially acceptable.

3.5
I came here with a coworker yesterday. I have walked by many times but had no idea it had anything to do with O&B.
He really wanted to go and said the food was really good. Obviously I looked it up on Unilocal before going in and was a little iffy about the 3 stars as that can be very hit or miss. I ended up being pleasantly surprised.
Our waiter was nice and attentive when he explained to us the specials. My coworker got a soup to start. He was starving and asked for crackers. The waiter said they didn’t have crackers and offered to bring him some bread. When he walked away I jokingly said, «if he charges you for the bread, they’re losing a star on Unilocal because he didn’t warn you.» Well, unfortunately we forgot to check for that on the bill, but I feel like they might have charged him because they brought him a small plate with lots of bread and butter. Oh well.
I ordered the turkey pesto panini with tomato chick pea soup as my side. I confirmed with the waiter beforehand that the soup wouldn’t be ‘chunky tomato’ as that does not appeal to me. He said it was not. It was fantastic and I really loved the touch of the chick pea and overall it was really delicious. The panini was out of this world. It was the best I’ve had in a long time. Not that I eat paninis often but this one was killer! I was kicking myself about it afterwards though because I’m currently dieting and that was a lot of bread. Oh well, gotta treat yourself sometimes I guess!
My coworker got the pulled pork sandwich with fries. The fries came in this cute little pot. He seemed to really enjoy it.
I’d come back but not as my first choice, not for any reason I just like to explore and try new things :)

I have perpetual mixed feelings about this place.
Sometimes I’m shocked I paid so much for «mac and cheese» that tastes like boxed alfredo and stunned wr paid «per person» for the usually complimentary Q Water.
Other times, I’m celebrating the 15 dollar soup and sandwich takeout combo and trying to peg the flavour of the chickpea and tomato soup. (Is it curry? HOW DO THEY DO IT?).
The vibe isn’t bad and the location is great so I keep coming back. Often have pretty awesome menu items and creative vegetarian dishes, but portions are small and over priced and they really nickel and dime you.
Like… add a side salad… i dare you… to a meal already almost baron…
I don’t even know if I love or hate this place.

My husband and I went there on Sunday around 2pm. The location is amazing.
The place was crowded but we didnt have to wait for our food to be prepared.
The food itself (soup, pizza, macncheese) was great.
The waiter was corteous.
You will not be blown away by the taste of the food or the ambience but considering the location and the prices, it definitely deserves 4 stars.

The place itself is in a good location and has some decent menu choices. The interior is cafeteria chic, open airy and bright.
The staff however is very average. 5 minutes to be greeted when not even very busy. 5 more to even have a waiter come by. Then I ordered a coffee with milk and no milk came. Quite frankly very disappointed. I choose to leave after coffee without ordering food. This is the second time this place has been at best average.
There are way better options.

You know what I think is major to the success of the O&B chain of restaurants? There’s something for everyone — it doesn’t particular stand out and it isn’t awful at anything either.
Located in part of the TIFF Lightbox theatre, Canteen feels both chic yet casual at the same time. The high ceilings, exposed light fixtures, large windows, wood-​topped bar, and the generally open feel of the interior is welcoming. So too is their 3-​paged menu, offering just enough variety to suit food allergies and preferences (gluten-​free/​vegan/​nut-​free, anyone?) yet not so vast that they fall into that dreadful «jack of all trades» rut.
I ordered a side of fries plus octopus panzanella (a bread «salad»). The fries were crispy, in a medium cut size, sprinkled with crisped parsley and a generous smattering of sea salt. The sous-​vide then grilled octopus was considerably less salted, and while not bad, I have to admit it didn’t stand out too much for me. It was plated nicely and the tentacles looked both spooky and lovely amongst the thinly sliced, colourful zucchini, but somehow, I feel like it wasn’t as flavourful as it looked.
I liken Canteen to a middle child: not at the top, not the lowest. Inoffensive and perfectly acceptable, but not my choice dining pick. Whew, good thing I don’t have any kids…

I came here for lunch the other day and got the mac n cheese. Presentation wasn’t the greatest… looked a little bit of a mess (I know I know… it’s mac n cheese)
My real issue was how damn salty it was. It had bacon lardons which were pretty difficult to chew, and there was A LOT of them. I know bacon is salty, but after a few bites i couldn’t eat any more with out drinking a ton of water. I didn’t want to send it back because I didn’t have much time, but I wish I had. It was pretty disappointing.
Our server was attentive and nice, no problems with service.
On our way out we grabbed a to-​go coffee. The coffee was good. I’d come back for that!

I was excited to come here after hearing some good things but I was severely disappointed.
I ordered the lamb gnocchi and the «untitled» pizza and both were not appetizing at all. the lamb gnocchi had zero taste, and after adding round and rounds of salt, it finally felt a little more edible. I should also mention that the gnocchi was completely soggy and it felt like just eating soggy chunks of nothingness. (please refer to the picture I posted)
as for the untitled pizza, it was really nothing special. looked like some flatbread with some cheese, vegetables and chicken just randomly sprinkled on top. when you lift a piece they practically all jus topple off. (please also refer to the picture I posted)
did I also mention that each of these dishes were more than $ 20? so there goes an expensive and unsatisfying almost 60 dollar lunch.

For a seemingly inspired menu, Canteen falls short on execution. Food is mediocre at best, not what youse come to expect for a restaurant in the O&B repertoire.
Sandwiches are okay, salads are small, and mains are specific enough to appeal only to some.
I intend to come back because the location and the potential are worthy of another visit.
Drinks are also quite pricey but at least you get what you expect with them!

Canteen is right next to where I work and I find myself coming here on my lunch breaks all the time.
The menu is good, it has a variety of dishes to choose from. It’s not AMAZING, but good enough to always get me to come back.
The patio is really nice in the summer, especially for people watching. It’s located in one of the best areas in Toronto so that’s a huge plus.
I recommend the forbidden rice bowl — it’s my fav thing on the menu!
I’d give the food 7.5÷10
Service is always great — 8.5÷10
Location: 9.5÷10

Good spot to grab a bite if you are around the area. Came here for brunch on the weekend and liked the open concept of the restaurant. Service was fast and my beet salad tasted pretty fresh. The portion of the egg Benedict was on the smaller but I liked how the hollandaise sauce was light and not too overpowering.

A really beautiful patio and very nice host! I love prompt and professional service and I found it here! A cool view of the top half of the CN Tower between buildings and some older buildings in the area made it a great place to stop to get a REALLY COLD Muskoka pint. Come to Canada and have local beer, and Muskoka is a great one to have.
Again the staff checked in with me often and were so pleasant. I was very impressed with this spot I happened to come across. I didn’t eat but the food looked wonderful and the menu very tasty (well the food on the menu looked tasty, not the actual menu. But you get the idea ;)
I’d recommend it to anyone who is in the area!

While the service was very friendly, the food simply didn’t live up to the O&B brand. The untitled pizza was passable, but needed a lot of help from red chili flakes in order to make interesting. Sparse with chicken and even less shrimp, nothing really stood out and could easily have been something sold at Pizza Nova. The dessert was laughable. $ 6 for a cheesecake the size of a postage stamp, even our server apologized as she lowered the small square in front of me. Sure it tasted fine, but how do you mess up cheesecake? My friend got the panna cotta, which I would recommend instead. The honeyed strawberries were refreshing, the panna cotta was generously sized, creamy and had a nice hint of citrus. Perfect for the summer.
And one final thing. If you really want to look and sound like a bozo, try and read the backs of the servers shirts. Hilarious.

Very nice place ! We tested it 3 consecutive evenings. Consistent friendly and efficient service ! Original and good food.

Underwhelmed. For a place that’s branded under the O&B name, the canteen was a disappointment. Now, for starters, my friends and I came here for breakfast. Perhaps their lunch/​dinner would fare better.
The O&B canteen opens up at 10, which is why my friends and I met here — it’s one of the few breakfast places that opens up early. We were seated fairly quickly and our waitress came and took coffee/​water orders, but after that, she was pretty much MIA.
Breakfast was actually quite boring. I ordered the Chef’s Omelette which was basically egg. Nothing special. It came with a side order of Home Fries, which were more like, dry, baked potato chunks. My friends had the Egg, Toast, Sausage, Bacon combination which was also lack lustre in taste. The sausage wasn’t meaty and didn’t burst into flavour when you bit into them. The bacon was stringy and soft… not the crisp, chip-​y bacon that should start any breakfast.
We were finished and waited for about 15 minutes until finally our waitress got the bill. My friend had mentioned before that he experienced sub-​par service the last time he was here and unfortunately, this time was not good either.
Nothing special. For a place that I wanted to try for a very long time, I wasn’t impressed.

Unique but the food isn’t as great as their other restaurant lines. However, this was expected as it provides a different setting and menu.
I came here for Brunch and had eggs Benedict while my partner had the steak. I enjoyed my eggs Benedict dish — but my partners steak was a little on the dry side. Then again, for the cost, we can’t really say much.
Environment is really great — neat, cozy, modern twist with the arrangements and décor. I do like how its located right beside TIFF — extremely convenient. The servers are amazing — polite, quick, and helpful. Overall, I would probably go back again if I was in the area.