8 Best Restaurants in Side Trips from Toronto, Ontario

In an elevated French bistro setting, Mercer Kitchen engages chefs who have no interest in doing anything that's been done before. Wash down the innovative pan-Asian cuisine—think crispy arctic char with a sweet and spicy papaya salad—with a pint from one of a dozen rotating local craft beer taps. The kitchen welcomes post-theater snackers with a tasty late-night menu. Offerings change every few months, so expect something new every visit.

This buzzy spot run by a pair of hip Toronto expats expertly conjures both coziness and versatility. By night, enjoy delightful light bites like sweet pea and pistachio dips; elevated bar snacks like spicy Jamaican beef patties and sticky hoisin wings; or more substantial mains like cheesy shrimp-and-grits and locally caught seared pickerel. Later on (and on Mondays), there's a more limited "Essentials" menu. It's also the perfect spot to unwind with a post-theater nightcap chosen from an extensive wine and cocktail list featuring homegrown producers. There are no bad times to pay a visit.

The well-stocked bar at this casual sports pub with booth and patio seating divides the room into two equal halves, with the locals converging on the east side. The pub fare includes quintessentials such as fish-and-chips, grilled steak and fries, burgers, and finger food. Salads, pasta, and sandwiches are also available. Upstairs you'll find a handful of loft-style suites to rent by the night.

Consistent with the aesthetics of Taboo Resort, the Boathouse offers luxurious and contemporary international cuisine in a subdued dining room with sleek furnishings, hardwood floors, and a wall of lakefront windows. The kitchen has oriented the menu to appeal to a health-conscious crowd.

A five-minute drive from Clifton Hill, this local joint manages to be both casual and refined. Sit in the back room where exposed-brick columns and black-and-white photos of Naples on the walls set the scene for the southern Italian pasta dishes and thin-crust pizzas. The extensive menu includes 10 pizzas with wafer-thin crusts and generous dollops of tomato sauce, and plenty of pasta dishes and hearty meat dishes to choose from.

A cut above the rest, The Oar entertains guests with its beautiful pinewood floors and rustic cabin-like interiors. Burgers and steaks are offered, but the upscale tavern menu has been known to include more interesting specials like lobster mac 'n cheese and pan-fried locally caught pickerel, plated with root veggies and pecans. Expect live music from locals and even an occasional Canadian star like Jim Cuddy. 

You can request a Yorkshire pudding to accompany any meal at this tavern just off Queen Street, which should tip you off to its British leanings, played out further in the decor: a warren of rooms with creaky floors and well-used wooden tables and chairs, low ceilings and exposed beams, and convivial chatter throughout. Ontario's oldest operating inn sets out pub fare such as shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, and steak-and-kidney pie. Entrées change periodically but always include the house specialty, prime rib of beef au jus.

One of the city's best and most convivial Italian restaurants is right in the heart of Stratford. The lower-level eatery focuses on creative pies with hearty toppings—many sourced from local neighboring businesses—as well as a delicious series of rotating dishes of house-made pastas. It's a popular meeting place after a play, offering soothing and modern decor as well as quick and friendly service.