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$$$ | Ossington |
The Asian-Jamaican mishmash you see at hip Dundas West joint Patois is unlike any other in town. The spot is fueled by dishes from chef Craig Wong's Jamaican-Chinese upbringing, with plenty of tropical cocktails to wash it all down.
794 Dundas St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M6J 1V1, Canada
Known For
- Family-style "feasts" that let you try the whole menu
- Colorful cocktails like rum punch
- Tuesday and Wednesday "patty hours" with free Jamaican patties
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$$ | The Annex |
On a quiet stretch of Harbord lies this low-lit modern trattoria, popular with couples and families alike. The menu spans from antipasti and fresh pastas (the mushroom cavatelli and giant ravioli are crowd-pleasers) to excellent blistered-crust pizzas and picturesque desserts—but whatever you order is bound to be great.
88 Harbord St., Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1G5, Canada
Known For
- Delicious updated Italian classics
- Striking rose-patterned wallpaper and front mural
- Sister snack bar (Piccolo Piano) located across the street
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$$$$ | Old Town |
This intimate establishment serves refined, European classic fare made with thought and painstaking care, beautifully presented and delicious on the palate. Warm and friendly staff greet guests inside this modern space with old-world charm; here, the pace is relaxed, and the restaurant’s minimalist kitchen is on full display. Advanced reservations are required for the dining room, where guests partake in the seasonal tasting menu which can be accompanied by thoughtful wine pairings—spots are released mid-month for the coming month. If you’re unable to obtain a coveted dining room reservation, the restaurant’s bar area is open for walk-ins where you can order from a curated à la carte menu.
20 Victoria St., Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2A1, Canada
Known For
- Small and intimate romantic setting
- Seasonal tasting menu
- Attentive and friendly service and staff
Restaurant Details
Book the month before for dining room
Rate Includes: Closed Sat.–Mon.
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$ | Old Town |
Fulfill your dessert fantasies by picking up a sweet treat from Roselle, one of the city’s finest dessert shops. Stephanie Duong and Bruce Lee opened Roselle in 2015; since then, they’ve fed the sweet cravings of Torontonians with their playful take on classic flavors using French techniques. Offering curbside pickup only, the seasonality of Roselle’s offerings sets them apart and contributes to their enduring popularity: their pavlova toppings change several times a year; their summer soft-serve ice cream is creamy and refreshing; and their rotating cake cup flavors are perfectly portioned treats. Staples such as the banana éclair and Earl Grey cake slices are available year-round, and the shop also specializes in cookies and caramels.
362 King St. E, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1K9, Canada
Known For
- Seasonal pavlova using fresh fruit
- Creating playful desserts using French techniques
- Rotating cake cup flavors
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Thurs., Debit and credit cards only
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$ | Kensington Market |
With only 10 seats, this taco joint almost always has long lines, but it's worth the wait. The menu brings the best of SoCal and Tijuana seafood together, featuring taco options like the gobernador (smoked marlin and shrimp), and a vegetarian option with corn fungus (trust us, it tastes better than it sounds).
69 Kensington Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2K1, Canada
Known For
- Delicious shrimp-and-cheese tacos
- Range of fiery hot sauces
- Gluten-free tortillas available
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Chinatown |
Downtown Toronto's quintessential dim sum eatery overlooks all of Chinatown from its secret rooftop perch at the Dragon City Mall. Carts with towers of bamboo steamed baskets containing shrimp dumplings or black-bean-sauce chicken feet ("phoenix claws" in Chinese), banquet-size platters of noodles, and traditional delicacies like black or yellow curried cuttlefish are pushed around the hall by gregarious servers who tick off boxes from your order list as they are served. There's also an extensive à la carte menu.
280 Spadina Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1H2, Canada
Known For
- Surprisingly expansive views through the huge windows
- Traditional Cantonese dim sum service
- Savory chive-and-shrimp dumplings
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$$$$ | Yorkville |
This southern Italian hideaway has been a magnet for visiting celebrities and well-heeled Yorkville locals since the early 1990s, and it's still one of the city's most popular posh restaurants. The dozen or so pastas, including freshly made gnocchi, are reliably excellent, but the grilled seafood options, spanning yellowfin tuna to tiger shrimp to calamari, are stellar.
120 Avenue Rd., Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2H4, Canada
Known For
- Low-lit, intimate setting
- Refined Italian dishes
- Wall of celebrity photos
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.
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$$ | Leslieville |
Bold Middle Eastern flavors and spices are showcased at Tabülè, where traditional appetizers include baba ghanoush and hummus served with warm flatbread, and standout falafel fried to a deep golden brown and served with thick, rich tahini sauce. Grilled meats and seafood are also excellent.
810 Queen St. E, Toronto, Ontario, M4M 1H7, Canada
Known For
- Moroccan-chic decor
- Varied drinks list
- Colorful back patio
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$$$ | Kensington Market |
The thin-crust pies at this airy family-run pizzeria are authentically Neapolitan and consistently earn top marks on local (and even global) critics' lists thanks to their fresh ingredients and use of traditional methods. Pasta mains (with gluten-free options) like a fiery Naples-style rigatoni and seafood linguini may take second place but are certainly worth a look.
188 Augusta Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2L6, Canada
Known For
- Extensive antipasti (traditional Italian appetizer) list
- Sidewalk patio
- The ciambella ripiena, a ricotta and hot soppressata--stuffed crust pie
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$ | Queen West |
It takes its name from the city’s most popular area code, so it’s no surprise that 416—a dim, boisterous bar that echoes the general vibe of West Queen West—draws inspiration from the city around it. The menu of inexpensive small plates, best enjoyed with a cocktail or two, is a fun mishmash of cultures, from Jamaican to Chinese to Peruvian, that serves as a one-stop culinary crash course to this city of immigrants.
181 Bathurst St., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2R7, Canada
Known For
- Sometimes controversial no-cutlery policy
- Fun spot for a first date
- Buzzy atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
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$$ | Church–Wellesley |
No late-night craving goes unsatisfied at this decades-running 24-hour eatery specializing in lighter fare. Soups like Moroccan or vegetarian chili and sandwiches like sloppy joes and herbed chicken with honey mustard are comforting and filling. There is also a brunch menu.
7 Charles St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 1R4, Canada
Known For
- Optimal socializing on the hidden rooftop patio
- Cozy atmosphere with lots of candles
- Home-style fare
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$$$ | Harbourfront |
Making the most of its proximity to Sugar Beach, Against the Grain is a sunbathing destination minutes from downtown, with a stellar patio in full sunny view of the lake. Shareable apps like nachos and wings, plus a great craft beer selection, capitalize on the laid-back vibe. Sink your teeth into comfort food mains like the jerk chicken, house-made veggie burger, or the steak frites and Caesar.
25 Dockside Dr., Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1B6, Canada
Known For
- Great water views
- Popularity with the after-work crowd
- Diverse comfort food menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$ | Chinatown |
Like the art gallery in which it's located, this bistro was designed by starchitect Frank Gehry, whose touches are seen in the minimalist decor and geometric ceilings. The dishes themselves, like the Basque-style eggs with chorizo, or grilled cornish hen with dandelion greens on coconut curry, are plated as works of art.
317 Dundas St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1G4, Canada
Known For
- Prix-fixe meals inspired by gallery exhibits
- French meets western Canadian dishes
- Handcrafted cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Danforth |
On the edge of a small plaza—a gathering spot for Danforth locals—sits this venerable hole-in-the-wall spot, known for serving hot, fresh gyros and souvlaki into the wee hours.
484 Danforth Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4K1P6, Canada
Known For
- Quick, tasty takeout gyros
- Retro interior
- Late-night service
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$$$ | Danforth |
Slide into a well-worn wood booth or sit at a checkered table at this low-key steak house, complete with oak bar and pressed-tin ceiling. The steaks and Guinness-braised lamb shanks get rave reviews, but the hamburgers, ground in-house, might be Allen's secret weapon.
143 Danforth Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4K 1N2, Canada
Known For
- Willow-shaded patio in summer
- 300-plus types of whiskey
- Decadent desserts
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$ | Danforth |
Pick up a frosty treat—and some truffles or chocolate bars to take home—at this ice cream shop and chocolatier just off the main Danforth drag.
176 Hampton Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4K 2Z1, Canada
Known For
- Ice cream made in-house
- Vegan gelato options
- Wide array of beautiful truffles
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$ | Ossington |
The lines might be long at this ice cream shop specializing in artisanal options like Cinnamon Toast and London Fog—but oh is it worth the wait. The flavors are good on their own, but the queues form for their incredible ice cream sandwiches made with freshly baked cookies, Hong Kong waffles, carrot cake, and cinnamon buns.
93A Ossington Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6J 2Z2, Canada
Known For
- Quirky ice cream flavors that change daily
- Ice cream sandwiches with freshly baked cookies
- Homemade cinnamon buns and waffles
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Chinatown |
Imagine yourself lost at a Saigon night market at this trendy sandwich and snack bar that specializes in banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches). Not satisfied with the traditional crusty white bread, Banh Haus offers whole-wheat and fried banh tieu (Vietnamese donut) buns as a vessel for fillings like grilled lemongrass chicken, five-spice sweet pork sausage, or deep-fried tiger shrimp. Other modernized street food classics include rice-paper-wrapped summer rolls and green mango salad.
81 Huron St., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2A8, Canada
Known For
- Exotic fruit smoothies
- Vietnamese coffee drinks
- Vietnamese-style patio with micro-stool seating
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$ | Queen West |
Brothers David, Philip, and Peter Chau have banh mi in their blood—their parents opened one of the original Vietnamese sandwich shops in Chinatown—but they've taken the classic and decked it out with top-notch ingredients such as melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, duck confit, and kalbi beef. Other offerings include Asian-inspired tacos and steamed bao.
392 Queen St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2A9, Canada
Known For
- A modern take on a classic eatery
- Crunchy kimchi fries
- Five-spice pork belly
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$$$$ | Dundas Square Area |
A Toronto landmark where wheeling, dealing, and lots of eating have gone on since 1959, Barberian's also has a romantic history: Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton got engaged here (for the first time). It's one of the oldest steak houses in the city, and the menu is full of classic dishes, such as Caesar salad and jumbo shrimp cocktail. Mains are all about the meat, but the fish of the day and grilled free-range capon are also solid.
7 Elm St., Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1H1, Canada
Known For
- Beautifully maintained midcentury modern decor
- Steaks ranging from porterhouse to filet mignon
- Enormous underground wine cellar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sat.--Wed., Reservations essential
