Gilead Cafe is a must-go-to hot spot for lunchtime dining. Entertaining a wide variety of guests and providing free 1-hour parking (on Eastern Ave.), this hidden gem is a pleasure to dine at. The word “dine” is here used more in the way that one would describe the art and atmosphere of restaurant dining then using the word to simply describe the act of consuming food. The gist of it: local, fresh, food.

Nestled in an alleyway between King Street East and Eastern Ave., just east of Parliament, Gilead Cafe is easy to miss and does not bring in a lot of foot traffic. Its location provides the ultimate “exclusiveness” to dining, that is, it is in no way visible from the main streets nor is there any directional signage. Making the whole experience feel like its members only, you have to know.

For Lunch,
Cheese burger – lean patty on a kitchen baked warm and moist English muffin with house-made aioli and ketchup sauces and dill pickle ($10.00)
Fresh Fries and aioli – classic ($6.00)
Mixed Salad – ($7.00)
Rosemary Chicken Salad (not shown) – ($4.00)

Price Points
Local Roastery Coffee – $2.50
Steam Whistle Beer – $6.00
Wines – $6.25 – $10.25 glass
Apple Cider – $2.00

Soups and Salads $6.00 – $7.00
Cheese Burger $10.00 +$6.00 for fries
Entrees – $7.00 – $12.00
Cheese Plate $12.00
Pastries: $.50 – $5.00

Clientele
Anyone who loves locally grown produce and fresh handcrafted food. Young and 20-something? bring your friends or bring your grandparents, there’s something to cater to and impress them all.
A couple of tables hosted business meetings and interviews of authors and accomplished artists.

Young folk also filter in and out grabbing meals to go and sometimes taking a seat. It could be the area (Corktown) that doesn’t house enough young people to draw them in. This place would be completely swarmed with the new-aged hipsters and trend setters of the Queen West / Trinity Bellwoods area.