The Depanneur is a sun-drenched place to spend your mornings surrounded by fantastic foods and the energetic, charismatic people who are passionate about making them

Annie Webber | APRIL 25, 2012 | shedoesthecity.com

Len Senater wanted a different party. He wanted a small gathering of friends to cook together, joined later by a few more to enjoy the fruits of their labour. When the best he could do was a church basement that required no swearing and everybody out by 8pm, an idea was born. That idea is all grown up now, and it’s on the corner of College and Rusholme Park. It’s called the Depanneur.

A depanneur, in other, more francophone parts of our country, is more or less a corner store. Some people’s Montréal-based friends will accidentally/adorably refer to a corner store here in Ontario as a “dep” — but this eatery is so much more than that. Originally a corner store, Len kept the gum stickers (pictured below), gave the name a Mtl twist, but rooted his shop’s philosophy to the original meaning of the word – which is someone who helps you out of a jam.

“I wanted a place where more interesting food things can happen than in a regular restaurant,” says Len of his open concept kitchen and eating space. With a commercially inspected kitchen, a commercial dishwasher, plenty of cooking tools and space, it’s the ideal spot to whip up something tasty.