“Life is delicious,” is the slogan at Jack & Lil’s Commissary Kitchen and, for nearly 7 years, they’ve helped Torontonians realize that phrase, serving up mouthwatering fare like focaccia roast beef sandwiches, peanut butter blondies and French onion grilled cheese.
But, sadly, owners and mother-and-son team Lauren and Dan are moving on from their St. Clair laneway, with this weekend being the last that they are open to the public, on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4pm. They announced Jack & Lil’s closure on Instagram, thanking their visitors and clients for the time they spent together. “Thank you to every single person that came to a Sunday Brunch, visited us in the lane, ordered our food on set or invited us to cook in their home,” the post reads. “A special thanks to our clients who have been with us since the beginning (you know who you are) and who not only supported us with their bookings but spread the word and helped us grow. We’ll never forget.”
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The name of the commissary serves as an homage to Lauren’s parents, Dan’s grandparents, and the eatery combines Dan’s formal culinary training with Lauren’s experience in fashion design and love of South African culture, paying respect to their heritage.
Jack & Lil’s brought vibrancy and life to a laneway in the St. Clair and Bathurst area, and garnered tons of loyal fans and foodies as a result. The rotating menu of flavourful dishes attracted locals for years, and the laid-back, commissary style energy kept them coming for nearly seven.
It’s unclear what Lauren and Dan will do next, or whether they’ll even stay in Toronto’s food game. For now, snap up their goodies while you still can–they’ll serve their final meals this weekend, and honour orders and private bookings until the end of the month.