Salad lovers, unite! If you've been looking for a new salad spot with fresh ingredients, cozy, aesthetic vibes and healthy, hearty bowls, trek over to this new spot in midtown.
Forest Hill Farmhouse opened its doors at 2 Lola Road, just off of the Yonge Street strip, in December 2022. A post on Forest Hill Farmhouse's Instagram page notes that the concept is not simply a bowl or a salad, but a Salad Club.
Founder Blair Bitove brings her keen eye and love for salads to the restaurant.
"I found it very hard to find a salad in the city that I actually enjoyed eating," says Bitove.
"I love cooking and making different salads myself, but the ingredients can be costly to make just one salad. I found myself either making the same salad for a few days in a row or, unfortunately, throwing out a lot of ingredients. I realized I wasn't the only one who thought this and that is where the idea for Forest Hill Farmhouse began."
Bitove's career background is actually in communications, which she studied at the University of Southern California. She notes that living in California, with its plethora of salad spots, was a big inspiration for the Forest Hill Farmhouse brand.
After completing her studies in California, Bitove continued her education at law school in Chicago, and came back to Toronto to work in franchise development. This has led to her experience as one of the lead operators of Dave's Hot Chicken in Canada, and now, the Forest Hill Farmhouse concept and menu.
"I compiled my favourite salads that I make at home to then offer to the public while also giving the option to build your own with all the fresh and homemade ingredients we have prepared," says Bitove.
The delectable menu at Forest Hill Farmhouse includes eleven curated salad options, three bowls and a build-your-own option. The signature Forest Hill salad compiles roasted chicken with a selection of fresh veggies like romaine, red onion and Kalamata olives topped with a balsamic vinaigrette, while the Dunloe Date salad explores ingredients like dates, roasted corn, toasted almonds and cornbread croutons, and the Spadina Spring Roll salad incorporates watermelon radish, mint and vermicelli noodles. The bowls include Miso Salmon, Shawarma Chicken and Roasted Vegetable Falafel.
As for the space itself, a peek inside the chic new salad spot reveals earthy tones in a comfortable space, full of plants and wooden fixtures, true to its Farmhouse name.
"The space is designed to be very cozy and inviting," says Bitove. "It has a lot of wood features to give the guests that feeling of being in the countryside."
Forest Hill Farmhouse may have opened a mere month ago, but thanks to a rave response, the restaurant is already gearing up to expand.
"We are starting to look for more locations already as we have received such a great response even in the first month," says Bitove. "It seems that I wasn't the only one who was having a tough time finding a delicious, healthy salad in the city."
Forest Hill Farmhouse is open every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
