The Daily Ritual Café is now open at the base of the One King West Hotel and Residence and is a modern, airy one-stop shop serving fresh sandwiches, salads, pastries, coffee and more––right in the heart of downtown Toronto.
Formerly located in the space belonging to Café Plenty, the Daily Ritual café is a fully liquor licensed destination with so much to offer. The space is open concept, with marble countertops, bright white tile, high ceilings, and exposed shelving handmade by Deep Water Wood, a Muskoka-based reclaimed wood company.
On sunnier days, patio seating will be available, but high top stools and counters also line the inside space, so you can sip on a hand crafted chai latté and enjoy your food while people watching.
Executive Chef Akshay Shastry has years working in the hospitality industry and has ensured that all of Daily Ritual’s products are made with only the highest quality ingredients from local vendors. Their massive selection of grab-and-go products is more than impressive and has a little something for everyone.
If you’re feeling thirsty, grab a Flow water, a can of Sapsucker sparkling tree water, a yogurt smoothie or milk by Sheldon Creek, a bottle of Tonica Kombucha, a Black River lemonade or even a collagen-infused sparkling water by Gldn Hour Inc.
They also offer a variety of fruit and granola cups, as well as fresh cold pressed juices made by Juice Concepts, with flavours including Green Natural Energy Boost, and a classic freshly squeezed OJ.
Shastry’s line of wraps and sandwiches will make it very difficult to decide what to order. The standout items are the Lamb Pita (with lamb, onions, peppers, arugula and roasted garlic aioli) and the Mortadella Focaccia (with freshly baked focaccia, arugula, tomatoes, mortadella, Reggiano and Bomba aioli).
The Chicken Caesar wrap is another must-try, with crunchy Romaine hearts, Parmigiano-Reggiano and a delightfully creamy Caesar dressing. The Panini Press is also noteworthy, with 24-hour marinated roast beef, peppers, onion, caramelized onion jam and horseradish aioli.
For breakfast, start your day off with one of their many breakfast sandwich options, or even an Eggs Benedict, with mushrooms, spinach, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce on an English muffin.
For those who like to kick-off the morning with a pastry, you’ll want to get your hands on one of their freshly baked goods––from croissants to cookies to muffins, everything is made in house and will perfectly compliment your morning.
Shastry also highly recommends trying the Bostock, an uncommon French pastry made by soaking day-old brioche in syrup, generously coating it with an almond paste (frangipane), then baking the dough until it's crispy on top, soft in the centre, and irresistibly delicious throughout.
Their coffee selection has every espresso based beverage you can think of, along with alternatives like hot chocolates and chai lattes, made with only the finest ingredients. The espresso beans used are made specifically for Daily Ritual by Classic Gourmet Coffee, the same team behind Rufino Espresso, one of the GTA's most well-known roasters.
The café also doubles as a grocer, offering a number of unique spreads, pickled veggies, pastas, sauces and snacks, so you can take home a variety of local goods after enjoying your meal.
Pick up a jar of Ontario Caramelized Jam, or Ontario Strawberry Rhubarb spread from Stasis Preserves, or a bag of whole (or freshly ground) coffee beans made exclusively for the café. They even carry a number of meats and cheeses from the Cheese Boutique, so you don’t have to make the lengthy drive out to Etobicoke.
The café also acts a wine bar, with nine unique varietals of wine available for purchase or for enjoying alongside a cheese and salumi board, containing a mixture of high-quality antipasto, carefully crafted by Shastry and his team.
As a bonus, if you happen to be a resident or are staying at the One King West Hotel, you can pick up some wine, a charcuterie board or a couple of the cafés groceries, so you can whip up a fantastic meal and have a cozy night in, right in the comfort of your suite.
The Daily Ritual Café is located at 1 King Street West and can be accessed either through the hotel lobby, or directly via King Street. The café is open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
