Melanie Pedersen, the marketing manager at Northeastern in Toronto, recommends a “quaint, homey” restaurant just around the corner from the university’s new campus in the bustling Queen Street West neighborhood.
TORONTO — Melanie Pedersen has lived in Toronto her whole life. She was raised in Midtown, one of four major districts in the city, and among her earliest memories as a child were trips to the downtown core, where Northeastern’s new campus building nears completion in the Queen Street West neighborhood.
“I’m a Midtown girl. I have lived in Midtown Toronto my whole life. And so when I was younger, downtown Toronto was always like the cool scene,” says Pedersen, the marketing manager at the university’s Toronto campus.
“I always wanted to travel down there when I was younger. My first time going downtown was actually a trip to Queen Street West with my mom, aunt and cousins because we went down to check out all the cool shops.”
Pedersen has spent most of her career working in the downtown area. So, what does she recommend for a place to visit in Toronto?
Ravi Soups, a cafe she calls a “hidden gem.”
Ravi Soups is known for its soups, wraps and hospitality. It’s a “charming little spot” in Queen West, Pedersen says, right around the corner from the new seven-story Northeastern building, which will officially open this year.
“Ravi Soups is a small and quaint spot. It feels very homey when you go in there. I think it’s the type of place that once you’ve been there, even just a couple of times, they already recognize you and they’ve got your order memorized,” Pedersen says.
“It just feels very friendly and welcoming, which is really nice,” she says. “And the food is top tier. My favorite dish to get there is the porcini mushroom soup. It is thick, luxurious and delicious. It comes with a flaky cheddar biscuit on the side with a red pepper jelly to dip it in.”
Situated at 322 Adelaide St. West, about 300 meters from the new Northeastern building, Ravi Soups was founded in 2007 by Ravi Kanagarajah, who immigrated to Canada from Sri Lanka. In addition to the most popular soups such as the porcini mushroom wild rice bisque and curried apricot and red lentil soup, the Sri Lankan-Canadian fusion menu also includes roasted free-range chicken wrap, curried lamb wrap and oven-roasted veggies wrap.