Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian, a new Harbord Street café that caters to raw foodists, vegans and vegetarians
Name: The Bickford Flexitarian
Neighbourhood: West Annex/Little Italy
Contact Info: 326 Harbord St., 416-535-7717, thebickfordflexitarian.com, @TheBickfordF
Owners: Kyle Debouvrie, Jessica Cain, Lena Ciarlariello and Gualtiero Cavaliere
Chefs: Kyle Debouvrie and Jessica Cain
The Food: Baked goods, salads and sandwiches, including raw, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and sugar-free options, as well as meats like blackened chicken, roast beef and ham. A vegan BLT subs dehydrated eggplant for bacon (according to the raw food philosophy, dehydrating veggies preserves their nutrients). On the breakfast menu, French toast cups come stuffed with tomatoes and spinach, and topped with brie. Bread is supplied by the Little Italy restaurant Woodlot, and meat comes from Sanagan’s in Kensington Market.
The Drinks: Italian sodas, lattes infused with ginseng and macha, and teas like toasted rice and basil-mint.
The Place: The owners turned the space formerly occupied by the much-loved LinuxCaffe into an airy breakfast and lunch spot with booth seating, indoor greenery and black-and-white photos of the neighbourhood pulled from the City of Toronto Archives.
The Numbers:
• 18 bar stools at the counter
• 12 booth seats
• 12 hours to dehydrate zucchini bread according to raw food methods
• 3 different kinds of slaw: cabbage, kale and apple
223507 The Bickford Flexitarian, at the corner of Harbord and Grace (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-02/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-02 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223508 (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-03/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223506 Cranberry, lemon and pecan muffins ($3) (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-01/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223510 Savoury French toast cups ($3) (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-05/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223509 The black-and-white photos above the booths were pulled from the City of Toronto Archives (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-04/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223515 Blackened chicken, spinach and goat cheese omelette ($8.25) (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-10/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-10 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223518 Raw tacos with apple slaw ($7.50) (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-intro/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-intro 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223514 Roast beef sandwich with preserved lemon, shaved onion, arugula, horseradish aioli and Parmesan ($7.75) (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-09/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223511 Raspberry cream cheese brownies ($3.50) (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-06/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-06 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223512 Raw spicy brownies ($3) (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-07/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-07 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223517 Basil-mint tea ($3) (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-12/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-12 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)
223516 Cappuccino ($3) (Image: Valerie Howes) Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian Introducing: The Bickford Flexitarian https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurants/slide/bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-11/ bickford-flexitarian-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
(Image: Valerie Howes)