Donna’s : A Delicious Spot on Lansdowne Avenue

There is no Donna. There never was. But if she existed, say the owners, she’d be “a fun young grandma” who once boogied in discotheques and now travels the world. “She’d be pretty eclectic, friendly, and want to give everybody a hug,” says co-owner Jed Smith. That invented spirit has guided every decision at this Lansdowne Avenue gem since it opened in November 2018, and nearly eight years later, the place still feels exactly like her.

Three Momofuku Alumni Walk Into a Café

Jed Smith, Peter Jensen, and Ann Kim all met while working at Momofuku in Toronto, though Jed and Peter first crossed paths at Momofuku in New York back in 2012. Peter later went on to open Grey Gardens, while Jed stayed on at Momofuku Shōtō. By 2017, the trio was shopping for a space of their own. They found a small daytime café called Hello Darling on a quiet stretch of Lansdowne Avenue in the Wallace-Emerson neighbourhood, close to where Ann and Peter were living at the time.

“We took it over, kind of DIY’d it, opened really fast,” Jed recalls. They started with lunch only, no alcohol license. Then the traction came. They got their liquor license, opened for dinner, and the city fell in love. Then the pandemic hit, and they survived that too. Today, Donna’s runs all day, from 9 AM through dinner, Tuesday to Saturday, without closing between services. Breakfast becomes lunch becomes dinner, all in one seamless flow.

A Leafy Salad That Will Change Your Mind About Salads

The menu at Donna’s reads like home cooking, but made by chefs who’ve trained in some of the finest kitchens in the world. Jed is from England, Peter from Denmark, and their years in North America have woven all of those influences together into something warm, familiar, and quietly surprising.

“We always say it’s like home cooking, but done with expert chefs,” says Jed. “There’s always something a little bit unfamiliar that piques people’s interest.”

The classics are the backbone. The roast beef sandwich at lunch is legendary (“the greatest roast beef of all time,” according to the team). The leafy salad looks unassuming, almost like a dictionary definition of a salad, but the brown butter soy sauce dressing with sumac and pickled beans delivers a flavour that catches you completely off guard. And the lamb liver on toast has been on since day one and never left.

Then there are the seasonal dishes that return year after year like old friends. Guests look forward to spring for the pea salad and to winter for the sticky toffee pudding. It’s a menu that rewards loyalty.

Late 80s Kitsch and a Rotating Gallery Wall

The decor at Donna’s is eclectic in the truest sense. Mismatched plates, thrifted trinkets, vintage furniture, funky music, and a general vibe that leans into the kitschiness of the late 80s and 90s without ever overdoing it. The trio didn’t pour a fortune into design, and it shows in the best way: the beadboard bar, the lino floors, the LP stand, the jungle of potted plants all feel genuinely personal rather than curated by a firm.

A rotating art gallery on the wall changes every six weeks, drawing a strong crowd from the artist and creative community. During the day, big windows flood the room with natural light. At night, the lights dim and the energy shifts: cozy, warm, more date night than group dinner, though birthdays are a regular occurrence.

“It’s a place where you bring your parents,” Jed adds. That says a lot.

Wine Without the Guilt

The wine list at Donna’s is a group effort, built collaboratively by all three owners. It leans natural but has evolved over the years toward a more balanced mix of natural and classic.

“When we first started out, everyone wanted the weird and funky stuff,” Jed explains. “But we’ve gotten older and our tastes have gotten older as well.”

The markups are deliberately low. “We want people to drink wine and not feel bad about spending 150 bucks on a bottle,” says Jed. “Good value, I would say.” The cocktail list is short, around five options, all classics or subtle variations, with off-menu requests welcome if they have the liquor on hand.

The Regulars Who Never Left

After nearly eight years, what the Donna’s team is proudest of isn’t a review or an award. It’s the regulars.

“We have customers that have been coming to us since day one,” Jed says. “We see them every week, every two weeks, on their own schedules. We know them by name, give them hugs most of the time.”

And sometimes, on a random weekday, you look up and the whole room is packed and you wonder where all these people came from. “We’ve built something that people want,” says Jed. “And they want to come and enjoy what we’re giving.”

The staff has stayed too, some since the very first day. And the three owners? They still get along. “That’s important,” Jed laughs. It is.

Written by Fabie Lubin
Photography by Scott Usheroff (Craving Curator)

Updated on September 13, 2026

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