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The Local Cafe and Restaurant, Scarborough, ON

The Local Cafe and Restaurant

4.8
4.8
356 Reviews
CAN$30 and under
Canadian

Make a reservation

2 people
8:00 PM
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for brunch
  • Good for business meals
The Local Cafe and Restaurant was created to offer experiential learning opportunities for our students. The Local is located on Centennial College, Progress Campus. At The Local, the hospitality, culinary and baking students learn in the restaurant as part of their embedded courses as well as their field placement's under the direction of our Faculty, Chef and Restaurant Technicians.

Our menus are inspired by the flavour profiles that represent the incredibly rich diversity of those who call Scarborough home. While sourcing local ingredients from within Ontario, we are proud to provide our students with the opportunity to develop the skills that hospitality employers demand.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    CAN$30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Canadian, Global, International
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–1:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (416) 289-5000 ext. 6897
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Lilian Cardoso
  • Neighborhood
    Scarborough
  • Cross street
    Markham and Progress
  • Parking details
    Monday to Friday parking will not be eligible for validation at the restaurant. The Local guests can use the Pay and Display Parking available directly in front of the restaurant, or park in Lot #2 or Lot #3 just north of the building and pay for parking with a credit card at the exit gate. Saturday & Sunday brunch guests can receive parking validation with purchase of a main course.
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Gluten-free Options, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 356 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.8Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Local Cafe and Restaurant is celebrated for its "amazing experience" with "great food and service." Guests appreciate the "affordable pricing" and "delicious" dishes like salmon and pizza. The venue is a "hidden gem," offering a fun atmosphere and the chance to engage with "polite, attentive" culinary students.

356 Reviews
  1. Denise

    Toronto

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Servers were diligent, conscientious and energetic. If anything they were over attentive but that is totally understandable and appreciated. Food was expertly and perfectly prepared.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Mithra

    Toronto

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Local is not just a restaurant—it’s an inspiring showcase of culinary artistry and hospitality excellence, powered entirely by the hardworking students of the college. From the moment you walk in, the passion and dedication of these future industry leaders are palpable.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Donna

    Toronto

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 12, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Exemplary food - different tastes that worked so well together. Very reasonably priced - lovely presentation. Students polite, attentive - instructor nice enough to take the time to ask about our culinary experience. Will definitely tell my friends and plan to return.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Mr. Elvis

    VIP

    Toronto

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on November 4, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Awesome job excellent food! I keep coming back for more 😀

    Is this helpful?

  5. Neren

    Toronto

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 28, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was so good particularly, the salmon and pizza, and all the desserts were not too sweet. Good presentation on plating that makes food more tempting.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Mr. Elvis

    VIP

    Toronto

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on October 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing and so happy to always choose the Local!!!

    Is this helpful?

  7. OpenTable Diner

    Toronto

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 9, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    We used to love this place but my experience this time was sub-par at best. I was called 3 times to confirm the reservation. The parking is not validated which they did before. Food: I ordered the cumin beef. They severed two tiny skewers with maybe a tablespoon of pineapple salsa. The beef was dry and under seasoned, My husband ordered the Pickerel which was also under seasoned but much better than the beef. My son ordered the Mushroom ragu pasta which was the best of the lot. Sadly, I won’t be coming here again.
    The Local Cafe and RestaurantResponded on September 3, 2024
    Hello, I am very sorry to hear about your recent experiences and disappointment at The Local Cafe and Restaurant. I have shared your feedback with our faculty, staff and students so that they are aware and can work to make improvements. As we are an experiential learning restaurant, there is always room for improvement and your feedback is helpful to highlight the importance of quality control and communication to our team. We reopen with a brand new group of students on September 10th and hope you may decide to join us again this Fall! Shannon Carrigan General Manager scarrigan@centennialcollege.ca

    Is this helpful?

  8. Kathryn

    Toronto

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on August 1, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Local Cafe is a hidden gem. The food is always delicious and it is a fun place to visit. It is great to meet the students and hear some of their stories.

    Is this helpful?

  9. OpenTable Diner

    Toronto

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 25, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    My mother loves this place, so I brought her for her birthday, and now I know why she always talks about it. The food was very good and the servers were all very attentive and helpful. I also picked up some fresh fruit tarts from the cafe and they were delicious. I'll definitely be coming back.

    Is this helpful?

  10. OpenTable Diner

    Toronto

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 16, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great experience. White wine could be served colder. Staff friendly.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Local Cafe and Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (416) 289-5000 ext. 6897.

The Local Cafe and Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 356 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
8:00 PM

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Local Cafe and Restaurant

937 Progress Ave, Scarborough, ON M1G 3T8

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Markham and Progress
  • Neighborhood
    Scarborough
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–1:00 pm
  • Price
    CAN$30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Canadian, Global, International
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Monday to Friday parking will not be eligible for validation at the restaurant. The Local guests can use the Pay and Display Parking available directly in front of the restaurant, or park in Lot #2 or Lot #3 just north of the building and pay for parking with a credit card at the exit gate. Saturday & Sunday brunch guests can receive parking validation with purchase of a main course.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Lilian Cardoso
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Gluten-free Options, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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  • Terms of Use
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