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$$ | King West |
In a quiet dining room tucked into the first floor of a house just off King West, this adventurous pizza parlor serves New York--style pies with topping combos like braised beef tongue and smoked bacon, or anchovies and crispy chicken skin. While there are pasta offerings on the menu, diners can also slurp cheesy bone marrow and order decadent house-made Twinkies for dessert.
96 Tecumseth St., Toronto, Ontario, M6J 2H1, Canada
Known For
- Cozy interior
- Adventurous menu items
- Daily specials
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch. Closed Mon.–Tues.
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$$$ | Entertainment District |
With its refreshing roster of Italian classics, stylish Buca was a pioneer on this stretch of King Street, and its influence continues today. Tucked into an alley just off the main drag, the repurposed boiler room has exposed brick walls, metal columns, and wooden tables that reflect the philosophy behind the menu. Start with a selection of cheeses and cured meats and perhaps an order of nodini, warm bread knots seasoned with rosemary and sea salt.
604 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1K7, Canada
Known For
- Consistently voted one of the best Italian restaurants in Toronto
- Wines meticulously chosen from Italian vintners
- Trendy decor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$$ | King West |
European bistro meets local forager is the theme at Edulis, where the five- and seven-course tasting menus are devoted to classic rustic dishes. Rough-hewn wood walls and burlap breadbaskets evoke a farmhouse feel, and the soft lighting adds to the intimate atmosphere.
169 Niagara St., Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1C9, Canada
Known For
- Affordable lunchtime specials on weekends
- Standout seafood dishes
- Truffle menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. No lunch Thurs.–Sat., Reservations essential
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$$ | Entertainment District |
Named for a street in Bangkok bursting with nightlife and excellent street eats, Khao San Road lives up to its moniker. The squash fritters are a head-turning crispy delight that you'll want to order when you see them show up at another table. For heartier dishes, try for the khao soi, a dish of egg noodles in a rich coconut milk sauce, or try the warming massaman, a tamarind-infused curry with peanuts, potatoes, and deep-fried shallots.
11 Charlotte St., Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1P7, Canada
Known For
- Ingredients sourced directly from Thailand
- Busy, vibrant atmosphere
- All of the noodle dishes are standouts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun., Reservations not accepted
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$$$ | Entertainment District |
Duck out of a double-feature at the TIFF Bell Lightbox to grab a meal at Luma, a mini-oasis on the second floor of the bustling glass-paneled film venue. Even if you're not going to a film, it's a great restaurant, complete with a patio overlooking the lively Entertainment District and the CN Tower. Start with a whole charcoal-grilled branzino and finish things off with a gooey apple confit soaked in crème anglaise.
330 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3X5, Canada
Known For
- Great spot for people-watching
- Globally inspired menu
- Fresh seafood dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | Entertainment District |
Transport yourself to an Old World, intimate Spanish wine cave while dining on highly creative tapas dishes. While the menu is frequently changing—like any tapas bar worth its salt—one can expect the flair of French choux a la crème filled with a salmon-like uni mousse; a scallop ceviche layered with green honeydew, topped with a floral crown; and mainstays like acorn-fed Iberico ham imported from Spain.
75 Portland St., Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2M9, Canada
Known For
- Late-night dining
- Elegant and inventive cocktails
- Locally foraged ingredients
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$$ | Entertainment District |
Don't let the opulent interior at this busy breakfast spot fool you: the meals here are affordable (and yummy). It's one of the closest brunch restaurants to the Rogers Centre, making it a good place to grab a cup of coffee and some pancakes before an afternoon Jays game.
25 Lower Simcoe St., Toronto, Ontario, M5J 3A1, Canada
Known For
- Velvet chairs and grand chandeliers
- Small but cozy side patio
- Extensive vegan brunch menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$$ | Entertainment District |
This delicious restaurant has been a vegan mecca for over 20 years and will make even the most die-hard meat eaters happy. The menu has evolved far past their power shake and rice bowl origins, and while the Balance bowl still tops the charts with its jicama, tofu, and addictive peanut sauce, they now offer everything from pizzas to decadent breakfast items like a crispy, corn-flake-coated almond butter French toast.
147 Spadina Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2L7, Canada
Known For
- Cold-pressed juices and smoothies
- Garden-like atmosphere
- Young, lively crowd
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$$$ | Entertainment District |
Lapinou (bunny) is a French term of endearment you might hear lovers whisper between bites at Toronto's neo-bistro with a frequently rotating menu and 1920s flair. Every dish is a work of modern art, fusing French traditions with creative twists like grilled asparagus slathered with a bechamel-like sauce, dotted with puffed buckwheat. Other dishes that graced the menu include a culture-clashing duck breast cooked in a delicate Chinese XO sauce, and fanciful desserts like strawberries in sabayon cream, and honeyed gouda layered over puff pastry crisps.
642 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1M7, Canada
Known For
- Locally sourced seasonal ingredients
- Private patio seating
- Extensive wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Recommended
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$$$$ | Entertainment District |
Le Sélect occupies a special place in the heart of Toronto's Parisian cuisine aficionados. The sprawling plush booths, zinc bar, and mosaic flooring create the ideal ambience for buttery escargots with pillowy pain au lait (milk buns), hearty bowls of saffron-tinged bouillabaisse, and an oversized apple tarte tatin for two, drizzled tableside with rich caramel sauce.
432 Wellington St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1E3, Canada
Known For
- Large front patio and private dining rooms
- Extensive wine list with over 1,200 bottles
- Seafood towers and whole-fish specialties
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Recommended
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$$$$ | Entertainment District |
You'd never know this St. Tropez--inspired seafood restaurant and raw bar with an indoor garden decor was once an infamous lady bar. Full-fledged beluga caviar and blini experiences, a 45-ounce tomahawk steak served on enormous sharing platters, and extravagant sushi rolls layered with luxuries such as torched Wagyu beef, foie gras, truffles, lobster tempura, and gold flakes make up part of the menu. Champagne girls can be seen parading the fantastical garden interior with sparklers in hand to announce milestones like college graduations and marriage proposals.
563 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1M1, Canada
Known For
- Over-the-top boozy cocktails
- Japanese-imported ingredients
- Private dining experiences
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: recommended
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$$$$ | Entertainment District |
The game will always be playing but this upscale, airy establishment is not your average sports bar. Show up post-game and you're likely to spot at least one of the Toronto Raptors or visiting team members dining on a platter of decadent appetizers like thick, creamy Dungeness crab cakes, or mounds of steak tartare decorated with a layer of silver-dollar-sized truffle shavings. The veal Parmesan steak is another creation in a class of its own, and gold-leaf-flecked cookies served with a butterscotch sauce make for a decadent way to finish things off.
455 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1K4, Canada
Known For
- Weekend brunch
- Intimate private patio
- Rapper Drake is a frequent patron
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Recommended
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$$$ | Entertainment District |
A pink sky at night makes for dining delights at this extravagant eatery with surrealist schooner elements and wall-sized wood carvings. The captain's bounty of a menu features a gooey eight-cheese lobster mac with oversized rigatoni, tuna tartare prepped tableside scooped into Bibb lettuce leaves, and succulent octopus that bursts in the mouth like pomegranate candy.
480 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1L7, Canada
Known For
- DJs on the weekend
- Playful twists on classic cocktails
- Charcoal-grilled seafood creations
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$$ | Entertainment District |
If you love Italian cuisine, this Toronto institution serves authentic sourdough Neapolitan pizzas and a selection of traditional antipasti to discerning locals. It caters to all dietary restrictions, including gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegetarian, and vegan. The King Street location is a great date spot, too.
545 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1M1, Canada
Known For
- Lunchtime specials
- Family-style menu options
- Outstanding negroni selection
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$$$ | Entertainment District |
A den of oceanic delicacies, this playful basement raw bar is frequented by solo diners and showbiz types. Among the options are soft-shell steamer clams, a variety of smoked fish, East Coast lobster rolls, plus a rotating list of more than 20 varieties of oysters (including perfect Malpeques from owner Rodney Clark's own oyster beds on Prince Edward Island). A zap of Rodney's in-house line of condiments or a splash of vodka and freshly grated horseradish are eye-openers.
Ask about the daily "white-plate" specials.
469 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1K4, Canada
Known For
- Impressive wine list
- Maritime hospitality
- Fun, vibrant vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$ | Entertainment District |
"Shook" means market in Hebrew, and the quality and creativity of the chefs will get your taste buds dancing. Weekday brunch apps like the kibbeh (stuffed buckwheat dumplings) create a minimalist explosion for the senses, plated with truffle honey and sour labneh. Heavily-spiced veggie shawarmas, like the celeriac (that has a three-day prep process) come served on stand-up trays, and classic breakfast shakshouka arrives piping hot in a cast-iron pan with pita for you to scoop up the smoky, soupy mixture of eggs and a bushel of blistered sour cherry tomatoes.
77 Portland St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Known For
- Separate weekday and weekend brunch menus
- Creative cocktails
- Fluffy three-flour pitas that are baked in-house
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$$ | Entertainment District |
Toronto's oldest bar, established in 1849, has upscaled its traditional sports bar menu to gastronomic proportions. Grab a patio perch in warmer months to take the pulse of the bustling King and Bathurst, while dining on offerings like XL-sized marinara meatballs, thick and crispy battered fish-and-chips with requisite mushy peas, or a juicy prime-rib sando washed down with a local beer. The evening cocktail game mimics the revamped food options, with suggestions for both classics and playful modern twists.
667 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1M9, Canada
Known For
- Live rock bands Wednesday through Sunday
- Half-price wings on Tuesday
- Friendly and attentive service
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$$$$ | Entertainment District |
The swanky Ritz-Carlton dining experience comes to Toronto in the form of TOCA, where the menu of elevated Italian food takes advantage of local ingredients. To really up the ante you can reserve seats at the chef's table, at a private dining nook in the kitchen. Splurge on the Sunday Market Brunch, which includes a cold seafood station of oysters, shrimp, and lobster, as well as made-to-order omelets and all-you-can-drink mimosas and bellinis.
181 Wellington St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2H5, Canada
Known For
- 30-minute "express" lunch option on weekdays for business diners
- The Sunday Market Brunch
- The cheese cave
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$$$ | Entertainment District |
Just off King Street in the Hôtel Le Germain, Victor presents a French-themed menu in a swanky atmosphere with abstract industrial brass tube lighting, wood floors, and subdued teal banquettes. Start with fried artichokes or roasted mushrooms for the table; add a serving of buttery roasted scallops or a smoke-saturated blackened trout; and pair with a bottle of white from their extensive French, Italian, and Californian wine list.
30 Mercer St., Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1H3, Canada
Known For
- Great spot for a pre-theater dinner or romantic date night
- Quiet location, unlike other busy spots in this neighborhood
- Carefully curated wine, beer, and cocktail list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$ | Entertainment District |
This fun, lively counter-service joint serves up Southern California–style Mexican street food like burritos and tacos. It's more than the average fast-food joint, though, and patrons like to linger with friends over beers.
552 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1M3, Canada
Known For
- The hot sauce bar
- Great value
- Outstanding guacamole
