thyme & again

cutest little place. thyme & again is my favouriteplaceto take a quiet lunch, grab a great handmade sandwich with the best coleslaw i've ever eaten and a crunchy dill pickle. their soups are to die for and service is quick and sweet. the atmosphere is great, although on the main level and patio, there is limited seating. if you go up the back stairs, there's a lot more room/chairs/tables to house more people, although the light and airy feeling on the main floor is a lot more attractive. there's decorations and knick-knacks for sale and i often find cute little things to buy for friends and family there. overall, it's a greatplaceto go for a coffee, a snack or a meal. it's suitable for children, working or just meeting up with friends for a great meal.

some folks at a local theatre said it would be a greatplacefor a pre show treat.

my partner and i went over, and upon entering we notice two lines of people, so we picked one. after waiting a bit we got to the counter. wrong line. it was the pay line.

we asked if we could order there, and we rudely got told to go to the other line, so we made our way. after another wait in line, we made it to the counter, again.

we wanted to prefer a treat, so we got some cake. after ordering we went back to the other line, met grumpy again and paid.

then we went back to the order line and got our cake. guess what is arbitrarily sliced, cake. clearly different sizes. same price, very different sizes. as i was handed a sliver, i took it clearly as a comment on my weight.

when i pointed out the difference in portions, i was met with a huff and an eye roll to the likes of a valley girl would give her father when he makes a bad joke. it was truly epic.

after finally getting equal portions for equal pay, we attempted to get around the, what i assume are regulars, who just stood right in our path. just try and find a table! i dare you.

know what made this whole thing worse, i realized as i was eating that this was the catering company that totally forgot to bring enough food to a wedding to which i was a guest. wish i had never walked in.

i will never get that money nor my time back. and to top it off, the flavour did not compensate for the grief.

i read the reviews and was really excited to try thisplaceout however upon visiting it i found the food to be rather bland and very expensive for what i was getting. however the atmosphere was nice and friendly and so was the customer service.

fabulous, except..... my daughter and i have been patrons of thyme & again for many years. they catered my sister's wedding. we routinely order their cakes for celebrations. and we've tried so many items on the menu that i really feel i can give a thorough, experienced review of this establishment.

so here's the dirt: i love thisplace... except for the hot entrees.

i love their soup. sometimes it can be a little bit salty, but mostly it's delicious. if you ask, they will give you a small shot to taste before youplaceyour order and my daughter and i have taken advantage of this offer in order to ensure we choose the right soup. the sandwiches are also wonderful and my favourite is the smoked salmon (lots of smoked salmon, red onions and sprouts on a chewy, fresh bun!). their tuna and apple sandwich is also delicious. and their salads are lovely as well.

so if you're looking for a meal, stick with the soup/sandwich or a salad and you won't be disappointed. it's marvelous. and inexpensive.

they have hot entrees that sound like they are going to be delicious and yet every single time, have disappointed us. don't fool yourself by thinking these meals are going to be prepared hot for you: they are pre-made and then microwaved. as such, meals are always in varying degrees of lukewarm and cold. my daughter once ordered lambchops that were so rare, they were bloody and she couldn't even bite through them. we've learned to stay away from these expensive items on the menu.

but we routinely go back not only for soup/sandwiches, but for the desserts. oh my. the desserts are out of this world fabulous!!! my daughter always insists we bring home the vegan cherry brownies (we're not vegan but we also don't discriminate and these are the superb!) my favourite cake is the poppyseed grand marnier cake which, sadly, is no longer available by the slice (but you can take home an entire cake). i also love the lemon thyme cake. honestly, if you stop by, you need to try one of their desserts. don't be disciplined. don't be good. just do it.

the atmosphere of this shop is so lovely, i often bring my friends for some coffee and a dessert. i love the brick, the fresh green paint and the old wood floors. it looks like a small shop, but if you go upstairs, there is a large room with more seating. but it's so much more fun to sit in the front windows, partake in a delicious piece of cheesecake and watch the people stroll by. there's nothing more pleasurable than one of their café au lait or warm apple ciders on a cold day.

they also have package food to take home. we love to bring home pate (they make it) and their tortiere and chicken pot pie is also good. my daughter loves to buy a bag of their spicy pecans.

i highly recommend thisplace(if you stay away from the hot entrees).

not always fresh!. i have bought lunch at thyme & again several times since moving to the neighbourhood, and about half the time when i get to the cash and take a closer look at what was served to me at the counter before paying for it, it is old. wilted lettuce, translucent fruit, nasty salad dressing... on top of that your sandwich is always served to you with bare hands that squish down the bread as they wrap it up to go. is thisplacetoo trendy for their staff to wear gloves?! it's not cheap, either, so i don't think i will be going back again.

so cute!. delicious food. the pickles and the coffee are fantastic. sara is the friendliest food server ever! the atmosphere of thisplaceis very welcoming. a definite weekend favourite.

a decentplacefor a simple lunch. but when it comes to catering large events (such as my wedding) these guys get 5 stars. delicious food, impeccable service, miraculous delivery of perfectly cooked food to over 100 guests (including gelato that they managed to serve in tact despite 32c heat). highly recommend.

good location, not so good food. quaint coffee/tea shop offering a selection of fresh baked goods and other light meals such as sandwiches and salads.

although i haven't tried any of their meals (either served on-site or take-outs), the baked goods were surprisingly dry especially since thisplacebakes its own.