Introducing: Urban Eatery, the Eaton Centre’s new, disconcertingly Danish food court

By Caroline Aksich | September 1, 2011

By Caroline Aksich | 09/01/2011

The Eaton Centre’s new food court, featuring Panton S chairs. No, really. (Image: Caroline Aksich)

The food court experience is a notoriously horrible one. The ambiance is nonexistent, the options are limited to the typical fast-food chains, and the waste produced is enormous. For years, the Eaton Centre food court has been no exception—that is, until Cadillac-Fairview embarked on creating Canada’s first “destination food court” there. It took $48 million and 14 months of renovations to transform the subterranean food court into an “urban eatery”—something that feels more like Copenhagen (mid-century modern furniture, a red, white and wood colour palette) than Toronto—until you see the A&W at least. But Cadillac-Fairview didn’t just want to give the space a facelift; they wanted to change the experience as a whole (indeed, they’ve billed it as “downtown eating, redefined”). The Styrofoam plates and next-to-useless plastic knives are out (unless of course, you order to go), and surprisingly strong crockery and decently weighted cutlery are in. They’ve also brought in a handful of Toronto restaurants and mini-chains, like Urban Herbivore, Amaya Express and Liberty Noodle. It’s not Splendido, but it’s a whole lot better than what it replaced. And it’s home to what has to be the nicest KFC we’ve ever seen.

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Inside the bright, shiny new Eaton Centre food court

Mid-century modern Bertoia side chairs. At the Eaton Centre.

Panton S chairs designed by Denmark’s Verner Panton in the ’60s. Their playful shape and vibrant colour break the neutral colour monotony, and they’re comfortable too.

This is the pulper. After food is collected at a food station, the food and paper waste is tossed into the pulper, which draws out 88 per cent of the moisture, then spits out dry, compostable pulp. Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the future.

This bad boy can spit out 1,400 clean dishes an hour.

Say goodbye to Styrofoam! The urban eatery is all about the sit-down dining service.

In an attempt to curb waste, there are no garbage bins around, only collection stations.

There are 980 seats of various heights, colours and materials in the new space.

Los Angles–based Table Art manufactured the dishware. The unbreakable plates and mugs are made out of melamine.

These stackable glasses clink like real glass, but they sure don’t crack like real glass. They’re actually made out of borosilicate, a material typically used to make chemistry lab equipment. It’s not shatterproof, but it’s far more durable than traditional glass.

The new food court is home to 24 vendors, dominated by big international chains (Subway, McDonald’s). But there’s also a number of Toronto-based restaurants that have joined the Eaton Centre roster, including Amaya Express, Liberty Noodles and Urban Herbivore.

The Urban Herbivore, more familiar from Augusta Avenue, serves vegan food. At the Eaton Centre

Hemant Bhagwani’s ubiquitous Amaya Express chain

When the food operators planned their redesigns, they had to collaborate with the Eaton Centre to achieve a cohesive aesthetic. This is what happened to Sbarro.

Urban Eatery, Eaton Centre, 220 Yonge St., torontoeatoncentre.com

16 thoughts on “Introducing: Urban Eatery, the Eaton Centre’s new, disconcertingly Danish food court”

HPC says:

September 1, 2011 at 6:12 pm

First destination food court in the GTA? Yet another Anglo-centric comment. Why don’t you go to Pacific Mall or any of the Chinese food courts in Scarborough. Those have been destination food courts for people who actually know food for years.
Francois says:

September 1, 2011 at 9:59 pm

@HPC: Let’s just say that there are a few more people around the Eaton Centre than near the places you describe, which are located far away in Car Land. But it’s just a food court. No need to start an ethnic conflict over this.
J says:

September 2, 2011 at 7:39 am

Pacific Mall definitely has a great food court – words I have never typed before – worth the drive if you have a car. It’s like a little piece of Hong Kong. No designer ambiance, but really authentic food and hubbub to match.
lucy says:

September 2, 2011 at 10:21 am

The designer of the dinning terrace aka food court is brillant!
madra beag says:

September 2, 2011 at 6:39 pm

48 million. Good grief. Wasn’t the old, ugly food court making bank?

This is kinda similar to the look the new McDonalds are going for, no?
Jackontrack says:

September 3, 2011 at 2:02 am

Madness! You would not find me eating out of those plates or knifes… good grief! the centre has so many street people and shady people… yuk! Th eonly good thing is that it employs so much more people as you have to think how many plain clothes security officers they have to spy on who is stealing the dinnerware!
TexSquared says:

September 3, 2011 at 6:35 pm

The photos looked good until I saw the Bourbon St. Grill (Americans know it as Kelly’s Cajun Grill — the “bourbon chicken samples” people) which is hands down the worst fast food chain in history.

For those who haven’t noticed, they serve junk Chinese crap passing itself off as Cajun, and people actually line up for it. Boggles the mind. Why not serve sushi at the Mexican booth and BBQ pork ribs at the Halal or vegan booth while they’re at it? That would be just as authentic as putting Cajun names over Manchu Wok crap.
Moi says:

September 6, 2011 at 6:53 am

Congratulations IKEA for your newest E X P A N S I O N!

LAME!
the occasional chef says:

September 6, 2011 at 9:41 am

Looks like a food court I would actually want to eat in – well done! And finally an vegetarian option in a food court, progress!
hmph says:

September 9, 2011 at 12:18 am

shut your hole, Francois, I don’t think HPC was making this some kind of ethnic war, just that it’s been done. as for your snootiness about there being a larger population around eaton ctr, who said that had anything to do with it? what kind of deflection/argument is that?
oing?? says:

September 9, 2011 at 12:21 am

$48 mill for this?? Is there a doorman as well?
JW says:

September 9, 2011 at 4:13 am

Profits with undertone of class war.

A swankier place allows mall to charge more rent from the restos, who then charge mall-goers in turn. Also pays for more security folks, further deterring bums and kids.

Exclude baseball cap & backpack hi-school kids in favour of richer 20-30 somethings (who attract upscale chains to mall). After all, if you don’t shop and just mill about, ur just hanging out at the food court leaving chewed gum on the expensive new chairs.

Hey, Eaton Centre’s investors need solid investment returns since the world’s gotten more expensive (thanks to swankier malls).

Sorry for my cynicism. What’s food got to do with this?
Francois says:

September 11, 2011 at 11:25 am

@hmph: “Shut your hole”? I would answer your questions if you had asked them in a civilized manner.
TexSquaredSUX says:

October 13, 2011 at 12:17 am

Hey Tex,

Your anger and hostility is alarming. So tired of seeing your childish and meaningless rants on every board you can find. Get a life!!
Keith says:

October 29, 2011 at 5:25 pm

I was at Eaton Centre the other night and noticed the south end food court and retail section was shut down. I’m not a big fan of food courts in general. I decided to go check out the new digs. It’s modern – sleek – great high ceilings and space which the old location didn’t have. PLUS… it’s on a level down below the lowest level of stores so it’s kind of isolated from shopping. Congrats Cadillac Fairview for the reno – much needed. There will always be whiners leaving comments… let them eat cake.
Jason says:

June 2, 2012 at 9:39 pm

Pacific Mall?! I wouldn’t put that crap in my mouth even if someone paid me to do so.