What’s on the menu at Vilda’s, Taverne Bernhardt’s new sandwich shop across the street
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Name: Vilda’s
Contact: 209 Dovercourt Rd., vildastoronto.com, @vildastoronto
Neighbourhood: Beaconsfield Village
Owner: Carmelina Imola, Zachary Kolomeir, Tristan Eves (Taverne Bernhardt’s)
Chef: Thomas Creery
Seating: Takeout only
Accessibility: Accessible; no washrooms
The food
When Bernhardt’s temporarily pivoted to takeout during the pandemic, its menu shifted towards sandwiches and salads for optimal portability. The community loved the new offerings so much that Bernhardt’s owners decided to make a permanent home for them across the street. Like its parent restaurant, Vilda’s food is seasonal and vegetable-heavy (but not necessarily vegetarian) with a mix of Jewish and Italian influences, and a strong emphasis on sourcing ingredients from local suppliers including Blue Goose Farms and Harbord Street Bakery.
Striking a happy medium between homey and creative fare, Vilda’s tight, rotating menu features sandwiches stacked with layers on layers of flavourful accoutrements, like roasted, thinly-sliced squash and heavenly gribiche sauce; satisfying salads; and a mix of sweet and savoury baked goods. There’s also a well-curated pantry stocked with dry goods and a dairy section—the products reflect what the two restaurants use in their kitchens: high-quality butter and olive oil, pickles, hot sauce and pasta. That means if something from the shelves doesn’t sell, it won’t go to waste—a closed-circuit kitchen is a driving principle for these eco-conscious restaurateurs.
The drinks
Hot drinks include drip coffee from Montreal-based PS Coffee and Toronto’s Java Roasters, and herbal tea from Collingwood’s Rosewood + Silver Holistic Studio (also available for sale in the dry goods section). In the fridge, you’ll find a selection of Greenhouse Juices, Niasca Portofino sodas, La Croix and Ontarieau water, among your classic Cokes and Dr. Peppers.
The space
Inspired by Rascal House, a now-closed institution of a Jewish deli in Miami, the sun-drenched room has a warm, whimsical palette of green, yellow and aquamarine, complete with Ontario Douglas Fir shelving. The aesthetic retains hints of its former life as a convenience store, but with a brighter, more modern feel.
Liza Agrba has worked as a freelance journalist in Toronto for over a decade and has earned multiple awards. She covers food, business and culture and writes memoir-style pieces. Her work frequently appears in the Globe and Mail, Maclean’s, Toronto Life and many other publications
