Introducing: Ruby Eats, Lynn Crawford and Cherie Stinson’s new gourmet food shop
Ruby Eats is the sister food shop to Lynn Crawford and Cherie Stinson’s nearby restaurant, Ruby Watchco. (Image: Gizelle Lau)
March 2010 saw the opening of Ruby Watchco , a new Riverside venture by Restaurant Makeover duo chef Lynn Crawford and designer Cherie Stinson (who also works at Yabu Pushelberg ). Two weeks ago, the same team opened their newest venture, Ruby Eats , a new neighbourhood specialty grocery store.
Located on the corner of Queen Street East and Grant Street, steps from Ruby Watchco, Ruby Eats is meant to feel like “stepping into the chef’s pantry,” says Stinson. Indeed, you can find the same ingredients and products used at the restaurant on the shelves. The store offers fresh, seasonal produce and cheeses from local farms and 100km Foods. There are also other specialty products like olive oils, vinegars and sauces; a small selection of food books; Le Creuset merchandise; kitchen gadgets; and a special Ruby Eats line. The homemade products include jams and marmalades ($6-7), truffle honey ($8), flavoured salts ($5), infused caramels (Ruby Watchco chef Lora Kirk ’ s bacon-infused caramel, $10, is particularly eye-catching), marinades and candied olives ($9), which are roasted for 20 hours in maple syrup and olive oil.
Stinson’s design takes inspiration from European-style kitchens to create a warm, inviting space for locals to browse, complete with homemade products in mason jars, a classic tin ceiling with a rotating fan and large glass apothecary jars filled with bulk spice blends. Saturday and Sunday afternoons feature kitchen demos of seasonal dishes (last week’s was a summer corn succotash). For hungry visitors dropping in, there’s a small selection of take-away foods, coffee, baked goods (Nanaimo bars, $3.50, at the time of our visit) and drinks like homemade lemonade ($3)—plus the requisite stools to watch passersby on Queen Street East.
84411 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Outside Lynn Crawford and Cherie Stinson’s new gourmet food shop Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-outside-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-outside.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-outside.jpg 656 588 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-outside/ ruby-eats-outside 0 0
Outside Lynn Crawford and Cherie Stinson’s new gourmet food shop
84409 (Image: Gizelle Lau) A small nook by the window for sipping coffee or sampling the baked goods Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-nook-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-nook.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-nook.jpg 415 624 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-nook/ ruby-eats-nook 0 0
A small nook by the window for sipping coffee or sampling the baked goods
84412 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Inside Ruby Eats Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-pantry-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-pantry.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-pantry.jpg 624 415 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-pantry/ ruby-eats-pantry 0 0
Inside Ruby Eats
84408 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-inside-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-inside.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-inside.jpg 624 403 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-inside/ ruby-eats-inside 0 0
84406 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-cookware-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-cookware.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-cookware.jpg 624 407 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-cookware/ ruby-eats-cookware 0 0
84403 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-back-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-back.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-back.jpg 624 409 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-back/ ruby-eats-back 0 0
84413 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-produce-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-produce.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-produce.jpg 624 443 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-produce/ ruby-eats-produce 0 0
84407 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-drinks-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-drinks.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-drinks.jpg 624 435 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-drinks/ ruby-eats-drinks 0 0
84410 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-olives-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-olives.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-olives.jpg 624 415 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-olives/ ruby-eats-olives 0 0
84405 (Image: Gizelle Lau) The Ruby Eats brand of products includes flavoured salts Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-brand-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-brand.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-brand.jpg 624 423 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-brand/ ruby-eats-brand 0 0
The Ruby Eats brand of products includes flavoured salts
84404 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Chef Lora Kirk’s bacon-infused caramel Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-bacon-caramel-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-bacon-caramel.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-bacon-caramel.jpg 624 384 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-bacon-caramel/ ruby-eats-bacon-caramel 0 0
Chef Lora Kirk’s bacon-infused caramel
84414 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Ruby Eats–brand truffle honey Introducing: Ruby Eats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-truffle-honey-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-truffle-honey.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ruby-eats-truffle-honey.jpg 624 415 {"copyright":"Gizelle Lau"} https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-ruby-eats/slide/ruby-eats-truffle-honey/ ruby-eats-truffle-honey 0 0
Ruby Eats–brand truffle honey
Ruby Eats, 742 Queen St. E., 416-901-3355, www.rubyeats.com.
I had the pleasure of swinging by this shop last weekend, and I am excited to have this food emporium open in my neighborhood. The shop was quite busy, and the staff were friendly and eager to assist. I bought a jar of olives that were delicious! Riverside is becoming a haven for foodies!
the-occasionalchef.com
Love this store! It’s nice to find somewhere with all kinds of home made things that are so delicious!