The Ellery is a cozy bistro with a menu of seasonal comfort foods, fitting for a classic neighbourhood restaurant. 

Taking over the old family-run favourite Melanie's Bistro, this teal-accented restaurant is totally no-frills without being overly casual.

Comfy booths and light Motown playing on the sound system meet all the needed requirements for a reliable spot. Surrounded by largely residential streets, it's a refreshing addition to Danforth East.

While family friendly, it's also got a wine menu and well-crafted cocktails. 

With a little patio out front and a small bar area equipped with a TV in the back, the Ellery is definitely a multipurpose space in a back-to-basics way. 

It may have a humble interior, but a glance at the menu reveals a well-assembled selection of necessary classics — at the end of the day, the main focus here is really the food. 

A great cheese and charcuterie board ($22) features smoked prosciutto, salami and Ontario bresaola (hard air-dried beef).

Cheese from the award-winning cheese shop Fifth Town in Prince Edward County is outstanding, especially the maple leaf brie, which is aged and wrapped in an actual maple leaf. There's also Fifth Town's goat milk Cape Vessey cheese. 

The board comes with some cherries, some of Kozlik's famous triple crunch Canadian mustard, and baguettes. 

A hearty bistro burger ($17) offers a meaty mouthful of chuck and brisket, topped with some aged white cheddar. 

The house cut fries that come with it are absolutely addictive, as is the lemon aoili mayo it arrives with. 

A fillet of pan seared salmon ($25) is simple but delicious.

The salmon skin is crisped to near perfection, accompanied with a really tasty dill crema and some fresh-grilled asparagus with cucumber salad.

Equally refreshing drinks are on hand, including a dark and stormy cocktail with ginger beer and rum. 

Too often, restaurants opt for dazzling interiors and end up with a faltering menu and wavering service instead. Playing the opposite end of the spectrum, it doesn't get much more classic than the Ellery.