Queen Mother Cafe

The name, Queen Mother Café, encapsulates the spirit that the owners wanted for the space – to create a welcoming “Home away from Home” – the “Mother of Queen West”. Gracing the walls of the restaurant since its inception, there’s an original gelatin print of the young Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It was that picture that triggered the play on words that inspired the name. At first, the menu was primarily one of salads and sandwiches. In 1980 members of an extended Laotian family joined the kitchen staff and introduced Lao/Thai flavors. At that time, Pad Thai was virtually unknown in Toronto. Around 1982, certain items such as nam jeun, nam dip, sticky rice, pad Thai, and ping gai were added to our menu where they have remained staples to this day. The present Chef, Noy, is a member of that original family. Over the years, the Queen Mother Café has become particularly well known as one of the earliest, most consistent and best Thai restaurants in Toronto.