Brickyard Bistro is a quietly gorgeous neighbourhood French spot, serving coffee during the day and wine flights and rustic comfort food plats at night. It’s co-owned by Eiko Anderson, Corey Durand, Carly Thorne and Jesse Hughes, who manages Bar Hop and ran theatre company Unit 102.

This spot used to be home to Brickyard Grounds, which only sold coffee and simple sandwiches and was frequented by the current co-owners. Chef Jason Kibyuk of Le Baratin incorporates Hughes’ Bar Hop philosophy of keeping things local and frequently rotating into Brickyard Bistro’s menu.

The space keeps the same wide open windows of Brickyard Grounds on all sides, with a slightly more intimate area at the back with smaller windows.

Shareables like charcuterie ($15) are available at lunch and dinner, a rotating array of meats served with pate, pickles and grainy mustard.

A bread board ($10) is only available for dinner, featuring a kale and cheese loaf homemade by Chef Kibyuk along with warm baguette and featured dips.

Veal sweetbreads ($11) steal the show for me, fried crispy and served over a lusciously light and velvety parsnip puree with a mouthwatering demi glaze that’s been simmered for 48 hours.

Escargot ($12) swimming in a bacon cream sauce with mushrooms and bacon on puff pastry is similarly swoon-worthy.

Ratatouille ($15) is one of Kibyuk’s specialties, eggplant, bell pepper, and zucchini in a “tomato caviar” topped with dried olives and shaved parm in the Nice style, or without parm for vegans.

Pork cassoulet ($16) plates two huge slices of crispy pork belly atop protein-packed slow-simmered beans and demi glaze with a bit of bitter red cabbage.

Steak frites ($21) is a six ounce shoulder cooked to medium rare with a sublime tangy blue cheese sauce, or a red wine reduction that seeps through the mound of crispy frites.

As far as drinks go, Neil, the Designer ($10) is named after actual restaurant designer Neil Schmidt of Faux Plus Studio. It's a crushable blend of Dillon’s, Cocchi Americano, lemon juice, simple syrup, and orange and juniper bitters topped off with soda.

Wine flights are easily put together with any glass on the list available in a 2-ounce pour. From the all-local options we sample an applesauce-y Ridgepoint white cab, a Calamus strawberry rosé, an award-winning Malivoire Gamay, and a Prince Edward County brut from Nicholas Pearce.

Complete your meal with a chocolatey de Mello Ethiopian espresso served with sparkling water ($3). Pounds of de Mello coffee are available for $12.

Cafe fare includes treats by Circles and Squares, including pop tarts ($3).

Tons of light make this place feel spacious and bright. The Brickyard name pays homage to the sleepy but historic Bricktowne neighbourhood where this bistro resides.