The Lunch Lady

Name: The Lunch Lady
Address: 93 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada, M6J 2Z2
Telephone: (647) 748-9550
Price range: CAN$31 to CAN$50
Rating: 4.9

4.9 (4)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Vietnamese

93 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J 2Z2

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 28, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 182 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Lively
Good for groups

The Lunch Lady Toronto is the next chapter in the remarkable story of Ms. Nguyễn Thị Thanh—known around the world as "The Lunch Lady"—after her unforgettable appearance on Chef Anthony Bourdain’s "No Reservations". Her food, humble in origin but bold in flavour, moved Bourdain and went on to capture hearts across the globe.

In 2020, we partnered with Ms. Thanh to bring her dream to life in Vancouver—translating her soulful dishes into a modern Vietnamese kitchen. The Lunch Lady quickly became a beloved fixture in Vancouver, earning 3 consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards.

Now, in Toronto, we continue our journey. Our menu honours the cuisine that Ms. Thanh perfected over decades, while embracing the creative & vibrant energy of our new home on Ossington Avenue.

From the streets of Saigon to the heart of Toronto, we are proud to offer a dining experience that is rooted in heritage, driven by innovation, and carried by the belief that a great meal can tell a powerful story.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
CAN$31 to CAN$50
Cuisines
Vietnamese
Hours of operation
Lunch Tue–Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Phone number
(647) 748-9550
Website
https://thelunchlady.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Benedict Lim

Location
93 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J 2Z2
Neighborhood
Trinity-Bellwoods
Cross street
Ossington Ave & Humbert St
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
Streetcar: Queen St. West at Ossington Ave, Stop ID: 6846
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Experiences

"ĂN CHƠI" Set Menu
CA$65.00 per person
Multiple dates available
Gather around the table and enjoy a shared dining experience inspired by the Vietnamese tradition of communal feasts! Our Ăn Chơi Set Menu features a curated selection of our signature dishes, served family style. This experience is perfect for those looking to explore the full spectrum of our menu in one sitting, and experience what Lunch Lady is all about. Come hungry, and leave happy. The Ăn Chơi Set Menu is designed for parties of 2 or 4 guests. For other party sizes, we will serve the closest combination of Set Menus. For example: • Parties of 3 receive a set for 2 • Parties of 5 receive a set for 4 • Parties of 6 receive sets for 2 and 4 For parties of 3 or 5 guests, we highly recommend adding additional à la carte dishes from our regular menu to ensure everyone leaves well-fed and satisfied! Our current Ăn Chơi Set Menu can be viewed on our website: https://thelunchlady.com/dinner-toronto

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What people are saying

The Lunch Lady reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9

4.9 based on recent ratings

5.0Food
5.0Service
5.0Ambience
4.7Value

Noise • Moderate

4 Reviews

S
Sojung
Toronto / Ontario5 reviews
4.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food, service and atmosphere was amazing. I absolutely enjoyed night out and congrats to the opening. One thing I realized was the cost of pho.. it seemed little too high for a vietnamese home meal vibe.
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V
Vaishnavi
Vancouver / British Columbia1 review
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Highly recommend! We tried it in Vancouver last month and were so excited for it to open in Toronto. The food, service and vibes are on par with the Vancouver location. Definitely recommend the Soft shell crabs, the chargrilled octopus and the Che Ba May (for dessert). Will definitely go back to try their lunch menu and the other dishes on the dinner menu!!
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L
Lisa
Toronto / Ontario8 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
What a fantastic experience; such unexpected and delicious flavors in every dish! We'll be back to try many other things on the menu.
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S
Samuel
Toronto / Ontario1 review
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We've lived in Toronto for years and years, and dined in the finest restaurants. The Lunch Lady of Toronto is easily one of the best places we've ever been to. From its frenetic energy reminiscent of the Vietnamese street-food scene, to its friendly and attentive servers, to its pho-based lunch dishes drawn directly from Cô Thanh's original recipes, to its innovative Asian fusion dinner menus, this restaurant is simply amazing. We've been able to sample quite a few items from the menu. The taro chip crackers and aioli-inspired dip are a nice preparatory treat for what's to come. The beef carpaccio, infused with peanut and lime, is to die for. The prawns in a deep-fried coconut batter come crispy and succulent. The steak lúc lắc, carved into bite-sized squares, is a savory melt-in-you-mouth experience. The wagyu pho, complemented by a half-bone filled with marrow, is deliciously aromatic and rich. The house fried rice, with oils, sausages and fine spices, was among the best we've ever tasted anywhere in the world. The korchata bubble-tea-inspired drink and the calamansi lime soda elevated street-food drinks into accompaniments worthy of the culinary works they complemented. We plan to make Lunch Lady a regular date on the calendar, and think you should too.
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FAQs

The Lunch Lady is rated 4.9 stars by 4 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 28, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 182 times today

Experiences are available.

93 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J 2Z2

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Ossington Ave & Humbert St
Neighborhood
Trinity-Bellwoods
Hours of operation
Lunch Tue–Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Price
CAN$31 to CAN$50
Cuisines
Vietnamese
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
Streetcar: Queen St. West at Ossington Ave, Stop ID: 6846
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Benedict Lim
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Website
https://thelunchlady.com/
Phone number
(647) 748-9550

The Lunch Lady

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Experiences

"ĂN CHƠI" Set Menu

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Menu

What people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

How is The Lunch Lady restaurant rated?

Is The Lunch Lady currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information