Chef Claudio Aprile is a modern-day Renaissance man. The former MasterChef Canada judge is now the culinary director at Etobicoke’s Via Allegro, plus he’s been writing—something he’s enjoyed since he was a kid—for Best Side, a magazine dedicated to life in the burbs from Mississauga to Hamilton. “As many people did during Covid, I took an inventory of things I wanted to pursue in addition to food,” says Aprile. “I get bored easily, and these are wonderful ways of tapping into new and stimulating creative opportunities.” He’s also in the early stages of working on a podcast. But his first love will always be food, and his newest project is a big one. “I’m in talks to revitalize Origin,” Aprile says of his popular restaurant brand, the last location of which closed in 2017. “So there could be an Origin 2.0 down the line very soon—maybe in Toronto, maybe in Oakville. I’m scouting for potential spaces right now.”
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Why Oakville? Aprile moved there from his Summerhill home during the pandemic. “I love it. I’ve been here for three years now, and it has everything you need—it’s quaint and relaxed but with a deep sense of community. The city also has these wonderful pockets of discovery,” says Aprile, citing Speers Road as one example. “On one stretch of the street, there’s a high-end furniture shop, an army surplus and my favourite record store, PCV Records. I love how all these random businesses can coexist in harmony.” When he’s not busy in the kitchen or flipping through stacks of vinyl, Aprile visits his go-to cafés and restaurants in the neighbourhood. Here are a few of them.
174 Lakeshore Rd. E., 905-844-3333, tribecacoffeeco.ca
“I invested in a Rocket espresso machine for my home kitchen and have probably made 6,000 cups from it so far—so technically I don’t need to come here, but I love coffee shops from a cultural aspect. They’re places where you can connect with other people without having to say a word. For me, coffee shops are an essential service and a key element to providing a boost—not only from caffeine but also for one’s community spirit. This spot has been locally owned since 2016 by Dave Despins, who showcases local art and artisan goods, all of which are available for purchase.”
Go-to dish #1: Lemongrass tea “I need to preface this order with the fact that I always have to enjoy it outside. There’s a single table outside the shop, and it’s my favorite place to sit. They source their loose-leaf from the Metropolitan Tea Company. It’s clean tasting with herbal and lemongrass undertones.”
Go-to dish: #2: A croissant or a doughnut “Tea and a pastry is my ritual here. Usually I’ll get a doughnut, but they only make them every other Tuesday. So today I’m going with a classic croissant. You can never go wrong with one of these. They’re flaky, buttery—everything you want in a croissant.”
Related: Toronto’s most decadent croissants, in order of deliciousness
298 Kerr St., 289-837-1535, kerrstreetcafe.com
“My good friend Eric Ling, who used to deejay for me at Origin, told me about this place. He said, ‘Claudio, you gotta check it out—it’s fire.’ So of course I did. I became fast friends with the owner, Alex Flye. She’s fantastic, and she grew up here, so she gave me the low-down on what to check out and do in Oakville. She also has impeccable taste, which you can experience at her café. As for the food here, I’d say it’s kind of like comforting Canadiana with global influences.”
Go-to dish #1: Avocado toast with poached egg “Eating this really makes you feel great; it lifts you up. The toast is roasted to ensure that it’s sturdy enough to hold all of the toppings, like the chunky avocado. It is rich and creamy but also light, with a touch of acidity to balance out the avocado’s natural sweetness. Then you have the fresh pop from the pomegranate, heirloom tomatoes, radishes and greens, all tossed with a lemon-dijon vinaigrette. And lastly, there’s this addictive green goddess dressing that echoes the herbaceousness of the greens in the dish. A bit of togarashi adds a little welcome heat to each bite. It’s perfect as is, but if you want to indulge, you can add a runny egg on top.”
Go-to dish #2: Chia bowl “I love the way I feel when I eat this, and it has so much going for it: half the bowl is matcha-flavoured and the other half is coconut. And then you have fresh, crunchy, just-sweet-enough house-made granola on top, which is full of hazelnuts and pecans. There are also poached pear slices, orange segments, hemp hearts, fresh mint and coconut chips. It’s so hearty and healthy.”
282 Kerr St., 905-582-0862, thesweetestthing.com
“I discovered this bakery by chance one day when I was strolling along Kerr Street. It was the Tiffany Blue frontage that lured me in, and I’ve been hooked ever since—it’s my happy place now. The aroma of cookies and cakes is what hits you when you enter. Chef Erin Nocent has owned and operated this place for six years. My favourite part about her baked goodies is that none of them are overly sweet. And she makes literally everything herself, by hand, in small batches.”
Go-to dish #1: Lemon loaf “Looks are deceiving here. It looks like a pretty humble loaf, but when you take a bite, it’s like an explosion of flavours. It’s one of my favourite things to get here, hands down. The pound cake is light and airy, and then you have that citrus hit from the glaze because there’s so much fresh lemon juice and zest in it.”
Go-to dish #2: Skor cookie “Skor is my favourite candy bar, so of course this cookie is one of my go-tos here. It’s chewy and crunchy with such well-balanced sweetness. I also like the wafer-like thickness. I want to repeat: nothing is mass-produced here, and you can taste it. It’s funny because you think that such a small workspace would be a disadvantage, but in some respects it works in her favour. I think it’s an advantage to be limited to making a set amount of product so that there’s always quality control involved.”
Go-to dish #3: Crispy Chewy, a rectangular chocolate chip cookie “They can’t all be round! This has been one of the bakery’s top sellers since day one. The look is what makes them stand out. And then there’s the flavour! You get the hit of Callebaut chocolate, then the butter and a salt finish. It’s such an evolved and sophisticated flavour profile. The salty edge is not only addictive but also acts like a palate cleanser.”
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