At first glance, the menu at Gloria keeps it humble. “French Toast,” it says. No adjectives. No clues. No warning. Then it arrives, and you realize this isn’t just French toast — it’s something else entirely.
Sitting pretty in a pool of blueberry compote, Gloria’s version looks more like a slice of cake than breakfast. It’s a thick-cut brioche cube — golden, custardy and crispy on the edges —topped with a tower of whipped vanilla cream, a dollop of Biscoff cookie butter, crushed pistachios, cocoa powder, and a slow drizzle of maple syrup.
You’ll find it at Gloria, the French-American bistro inside the historic Great Hall (formerly Astoria). The restaurant comes from the team behind Bar Poet — Rob Dyer and Spencer McMahon — who joined forces with Adrian Montes de Oca of Milou and chef Shivam Munjal.
Together, they reimagined the Queen West space once known as Otto’s Bierhalle, turning it into a nostalgic, moody brasserie that blends the divide between old world and new.
“Gloria’s menu is classic, which is what we aim for,” Munjal says. “But the French toast at brunch has a few unique twists that make it stand out. When a dish hits the table and guests smile, that’s always a good sign.”
The inspiration, he explains, came from the flavour profile of traditional French toast —blueberries, maple syrup, cinnamon and cream—but with a chef’s touch. “We didn’t reinvent the classic, just made it a little fun and exciting for everyone.”
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Munjal describes the process: “Whole loaves of bread are delivered for weekend brunch service. We trim the crust and cut them into thick cubes — each one only makes a few portions. A slit is made into the side of the bread and filled with blueberry filling before it’s soaked in French toast batter and cooked in butter on all sides for that golden brown finish. It’s served with maple syrup and fresh whipped vanilla cream made to order. On the side is a spoonful of whipped lotus cookie butter — that’s a personal favourite cookie of mine.”
If this sounds like dessert disguised as breakfast, that’s the point. Historically, French toast was a way to save stale bread; at Gloria, it’s how you ruin every other brunch spot in the city.
Beyond brunch, Munjal — who’s cooked at Nodo Junction, Harbour 60, Marbl and Bar Poet before becoming executive chef at Gloria, Public Gardens, Ruby SoHo, and Café Renee — brings a deeply personal touch to Gloria’s menu.
“A guest favourite is the braised short rib,” he says. “It’s slow-cooked prime short rib with mashed potatoes, pearl onions and a red wine jus. It’s a classic we put the love into — great for cooler nights.”
Gloria is located at 1087 Queen St. W. Brunch served Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
