While the Wellington Market at The Well complex has been open for less than a month, the city’s newest food hall has already become a popular destination with thousands of office workers, tourists and nearby residents descending during the lunch rush.
It’s also become a go-to spot for a lot of my Star coworkers, since our newsroom is in the same complex. Perhaps you’ve seen a post about it on your social feeds but aren’t sure what it’s really like. It’s a beautiful space but coworkers also told me the wait times can be long, and some of the prices take eating there into splurge territory.
This market at Front Street and Spadina Avenue is a distillation of the city’s food scene under one roof: there are 39 food stalls, with plans for more, with outposts of existing local restaurants such as Ryu’s Noodle Bar, La Cubana, Isabella’s Mochi Doughnuts and the Samosarie along with less typical food court fare such as lobster rolls, shucked raw oysters, and bibimbap. Unlike a typical mall food court, this hall is meant to be a hangout space, with a dog-friendly policy, charging outlets at most tables, alcohol, and an outpost of board game cafe Snakes & Lattes. And the aim is to have the food lean closer to a sit-down restaurant.
“You want the food to be hot and things produced piece by piece, and not a mass-produced assembly line,” said The Well’s general manager, Anthony Casalanguida.Ìý“It’s gourmet, a lot of the stuff is something we’re proud of.” He adds that they track which days and times see the most foot traffic and alert the vendors so that they can staff the stalls accordingly. Still, he said there are other things in the works to reduce wait times, such as adding QR codes to the tables for ordering and looking for a delivery and pickup app to partner with.
The º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar tests out Wellington Market, the new food hall at The Well building located at Spadina Avenue and Front Street in Toronto.
I decided it was time to check it out for myself and enlisted three fellow reporters —Ìýplus an additional editor to film it allÌý— to head to the market with me during peak Thursday lunch rush, pick a stall, note the queue times and judge whether what they ordered is worth the wait and money. We reconvened back at the newsroom, meals in hand, to eat together and share our experiences.ÌýSpoiler alert: the lines weren’t that bad, and the food was overall good (and we’re not just saying that cause it’s our only food option on the block).
Karon Liu, food reporter
Order:ÌýTheÌýOriginal Iekei ramen with regular broth from Ramen Ryu, $17Ìýbefore tax and tip
Original Iekei Ramen from Ramen Ryu.
R.J. Johnston º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar·¡³æ±è±ð°ù¾±±ð²Ô³¦±ð:Ìý“Ryu’s was tucked far in the corner and kind of hidden by a big column, so it’s easy to miss, but it’s good for me because there were zero people in line and my ramen only took three minutes for pickup. I chatted a bit with the person behind the counter and as cheesy as it sounds, that human interaction made the chaos of the lunchtime rush less stressful. I did stay at the food hall throughout the day and the sweet spot is between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. or after 2 p.m. to avoid the big crowds. At just over $20 in total, it’s not something I’d get every day, but prices are on par for downtown food at a non-chain. Even then, I’m sure I would have spent that much at a McDonald’s nowadays.”
How did it taste:Ìý“I’m judging on a curve because takeout soup noodles will never be as good as a sit-down setting when the soup is piping hot, and the noodles haven’t been steaming in a closed container. (If you can, always heat up the soup at home before adding the noodles.) That being said, the noodles remained chewy, and it was a good, filling portion with a big sheet of nori, some spinach, a slice of char siu and a slice of swirly naruto. I chose a ‘regular’ level of broth richness because ramen broth is typically quite salty, and I didn’t want to be drinking water all day.”Ìý
Ana Pereira, business reporter
Order:ÌýThe Barrington Spicy Roll with regular fries and a Coke Zero from Blue Claw Lobster Shack, $21.95Ìýbefore tax and tip
Lobster roll with fries and a Coke from Blue Claw Lobster Shack.
R.J. Johnston º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStarExperience: “Overall, the experience was solid. The line looked intimidating at first, but a clerk with a portable card machine beside the main cashier made the checkout process quick and seamless. They estimated I’d wait five to seven minutes for my food, and I was impressed by the accuracy. (I waited six minutes.) My main criticism is the price — $28 far exceeds my daily lunch budget, and I’m not sure most workers can justify splurging on lobster on a regular Tuesday.”
How did it taste?Ìý“The bun was buttery, the sauce fragrant and the fries were crispy and well-seasoned with paprika and other spices. The lobster was chewy but just a tad fishy.”Ìý
Andy Takagi, express desk reporter
Order:ÌýShort rib medianoche from La Cubana, $17Ìýbefore tax and tip
Short rib medianoche from La Cubana.
R.J. Johnston º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStarExperience:Ìý“I got in line at 12:17 p.m. and ordered at 12:25 p.m. ... the server told me my order would be an extra couple of minutes as they were preparing the buns, so she gave me an estimate of 10 to 15 minutes. I got my food at 12:38 p.m., 13 minutes after. Service was pretty quick. The server recognized me when calling out my number and waved for my attention while I was on my phone.”
How did it taste?Ìý“The sandwich was jam-packed with short rib, so you get your money’s worth. The heaviness of the beef is cut well with the pickle, and the bun was light and airy. It is a messy eat so be sure to grab some napkins —Ìýif you let the sandwich sit too long the bottom bun can get a bit soggy.”
Asma Sahebzada,Ìýradio room reporter
Order:ÌýBibimbap with bulgogi beef on purple rice, upgraded to a combo that includes a side of kimchi and soybean soup, $15.98Ìýbefore tax and tip
Bibimbap with bulgogi beef with a side of soybean paste soup and kimchi from Doraji.
R.J. Johnston º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStarExperience:Ìý“The wait in line took around 18 minutes.ÌýI ordered my food and was able to pick it up after around six minutes. There were about a total of six employees working behind the counter. They were very quick and efficient and customer service was pleasant.”
How did it taste?Ìý“My favourite part of the bibimbap was the bulgogi beef: flavourful and not too salty. The vegetables had a nice crunch to them and it tasted similar to other bibimbaps I’ve had from other restaurants. Not a big fan of the kimchi they served —Ìýcould be better. I would recommend it to those who like bibimbap but because the wait was long, it might not be ideal for colleagues who only have a 30-minute lunch break.”
What did others in the newsroom order?
We also asked the rest of the newsroom to share what they had for lunch, and if they were happy with what they got.Ìý
Sabrina Melchiori, digital team editor
Chocolate chip cookie from Big Fat Cookies, $5.37Ìý
How long did it take: One minuteÌý
How did it taste: “The cookie was warm, soft, gooey and delicious with a slight crunch.”
Chocolate chip cookie from Big Fat Cookies.
Sabrina MelchioriBecky Guthrie, art director
Samosas and sauce from the Samosarie; $1.29 per samosa, $6.50 for 6, $11.95 for a dozen
How long did it take: “There is never a line. Immediate service.”
How did it taste: “I think these might be the hidden treasure of the Wellington Market — flaky crust with delicious fillings including butter chicken, tandoori chicken, masala dosa and Jamaican beefy patty.”
Samosas from the Samosarie.
Becky GuthrieGrant Ellis, managing editor
Red dragon roll from Ren Sushi, $14.99
How long did it take: A couple minutes total
How did it taste: “It was pretty average sushi-chain quality, which is decent for grab-and-go from a food court.”
Sushi from Ren Sushi.
Grant EllisAaliyah Dasoo, newsletters producer
Jerk chicken sandwich from The Islands Caribbean Cookshop, $8.50
How long did it take:ÌýAbout 20 minutes
How did it taste: “The chicken was mildly spicy and smoky, contrasting nicely with the sweet coleslaw.”
Jerk chicken sandwich fromÌýThe Islands Caribbean Cookshop.
Aaliyah DasooManuela Vega, housing and real estate reporter
Mini vegan minced meat and mayoÌýrice bowl with a side of edamame fromÌýRamen RYU, $16.27Ìý
How long did it take: Three minutes
How did it taste: “The mini rice bowl was hearty and flavourful, and the edamame didn’t disappoint!”
Rrice bowl with a side of edamame fromÌýRamen RYU.
Manuela VegaRani Sheen, team editor, living and culture
Veggie lunch special from The Islands Caribbean Cookshop, $9.99
How long did it take: “About one minute — no lineups at 1:30 p.m.”
How did it taste: “Really delicious and well-balanced, between the mild, pleasant heat of the channa, the salty freshness of the callaloo and the coconutty warmth of the rice and peas — and the creamy, sweet coleslaw brought it all together.”
Veggie lunch special from The Islands Caribbean Cookshop.
Rani SheenAstrid Lange, library and research specialist
East Coast lobster roll from Blue Claw Lobster Shack, $16.95
How long did it take: “Two minutes, after 2 p.m.”
How did it taste: “Overflowing with creamy lobster, though a tad salty. It was nestled in lovely buttery bread, but not greasy.”
East Coast lobster roll from Blue Claw Lobster Shack.
Astrid LangeEmily Fagan, staff reporterÌý
Steak and carnitas tacos (1 of each) fromÌýGus Tacos, $11
How long did it take: Six minutes
How did it taste: “It was a filling and not as pricey a meal compared to other places I’ve tried in the food hall, but a bit greasy for a lunch to bring back to the office.”
Steak and carnitas tacos fromÌýGus Tacos.
Emily FaganChristine Loureiro, senior editor, digital strategy and initiatives
Noodles and ginger beef from Szechuan, $10
How long did it take: Two minutes
How did it taste: “Savoury, salty, crispy — everything I wanted from a food court lunch.”Ìý
Noodles and ginger beef from Szechuan.
Christine LoureiroIvy Mak, team editor, express desk and breaking news
The Rosie combo from Rosie’s Burgers, $27.20
How long did it take: Seven minutes
How did it taste: “If you’re looking for a solid smash burger with crispy edges and a soft bun, and perfect crinkle fries (andÌýyou’re silly enough to spend nearly $30 for lunch on food journalism research) go here.”
The Rosie combo from Rosie’s Burgers.
Ivy Mak
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