24 Best Restaurants in Leslieville, Greektown, Little India, and The Beach, Toronto

A Leslieville staple, this brunch spot occupies an airy two-floor space with huge windows in a converted old home just north of the main Queen East drag. It's a lovely spot for hearty, homey dishes like cheddar jalapeño waffles, washed down with coffee in vintage Corningware mugs.

This low-lit dining room—presided over by murals of Kate Bush and Virginia Woolf—is an east-end cult fave, thanks to its warm service and seasonal small plates. The compact seafood- and vegetable-heavy menu changes constantly, but you might find a seafood crudo or a sourdough slab heaped with seasonal produce alongside deconstructed tributes to childhood desserts.

From the falafel-wrapped Scotch eggs to the Pharaoh's po' boy with fried shrimp, it's hard to go wrong at this cheerful, intimate family-run Egyptian brunch joint, located at Little India's eastern edge. A grab-and-go sister café serves Leslieville at 978 Queen East.

Bold Middle Eastern flavors and spices are showcased at Tabülè, where traditional appetizers include baba ghanoush and hummus served with flatbread, and standout falafel fried to a deep golden brown and served with thick, rich tahini sauce. Grilled meats and seafood are also excellent.

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, souvlaki, and burgers into the wee hours.

Slide into a well-worn wooden 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—from meat that is ground in-house—might be this spot's secret weapon.

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.

The most ambitious restaurant to call this part of town home is a warmly modern tasting-menu spot that draws from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors, Canadian ingredients, and fine-dining techniques. Plan for a couple of leisurely hours to experience the menu, which marries dukkah spice, za'atar, and pomegranate with foie mousse, Arctic char, and Iberico ham over a dozen well-considered, painstakingly plated small courses.

With espresso, baked goods, bar snacks, beers, and cocktails on offer, this colorful café/bar (look for the neon pegasus sign) serves as a reliable local hangout from morning 'til night.

Known for making Pinterest-perfect cakes for some of the city's splashiest fetes, this charming bakery also offers bite-sized baked goods for a spot of on-the-go luxury.

This neighborhood watering hole offers year-round beach-town atmosphere. The kitchen mostly deals in pub food, but (as the name suggests) the thing to get here is the BBQ—brisket, moist pulled pork, chicken wings, and tender ribs, available in sandwiches or hefty platters. Breakwall stays open late—a rarity in this sleepy part of town—in case you’re looking for somewhere to grab a pitcher in the wee hours.

Toronto has its fair share of places that make delicate, thin-crust Neapolitan pizzas, but this is where the locals go to indulge their carb cravings with thick Detroit-style pies cooked in rectangular pans. Go simple with the classic pepperoni, or try an international twist with the Jaffna (a twist on Sri Lankan kothu roti) or a jerk chicken version with pineapple. The pizzas might seem small for the price, but don't let your eyes fool you: they're ridiculously dense.

This neighborhood scoop joint, featuring a long list of house-made flavors, is a hot spot for locals and families in the summer months. A second location serves Leslieville at 920 Queen Street East.

A trip to Little India isn't complete without hitting up this raucous Pakistani/North Indian spot, a neighborhood staple since the 1990s. Pull up a table in the colorful dining room and dig into a broad selection of biryani, curries, kebabs, grilled specialties, and sizzling platters.

This long-running Greek spot has a loyal local following, thanks to consistently good food, a sizable menu, and friendly service. Classics like fried calamari and horiatiki salads crowned with flavorful feta are here, along with some unusual options like whole quail and—whenever the restaurant can procure them—fried sea smelts flown in from Greeze.

Luxurious takes on diner and brunch classics dominate the seasonally evolving menu at this cute corner eatery. Stop in early for eggs, grab the Angus burger or fish-and-chips at lunch, or dig into pastas and beef tartare at dinner.

This Egyptian take-out spot is a welcome herbivore-friendly destination on this souvlaki-heavy strip. Many of the satisfying, delicious dishes here are vegan, with koshari (a savory lentil, pasta, and tomato dish), ful (spiced, slow-simmered fava beans) and tameya (crisp, herbaceous Egyptian falafel) the biggest draws.

Pilot is known for roasting some of the city's finest beans and running a growing mini-empire of cafés; this spacious, laid-back location was their first. Be sure to peruse the bags of beans on display and grab a couple for your suitcase.

One of the city's fave ramen joints has the distinction of being one of a select few eateries invited to serve their wares at the presitigious ramen museum in Yokohama, Japan. The "pork blaster" ramen with eight slices of chashu is the crowd favorite—but if you're feeling particularly extravagant, there's also a version topped with Angus roast beef.

Hidden at the end of a side road north of the main Gerrard Street drag is this modern, plant-filled chocolate shop and factory. But it's just as popular a spot to sip a top-notch espresso or snack on a house-baked treat. Behind the glass walls, you can watch the team make single-origin, bean-to-bar chocolate—from fun flavored bars to 100% dark chocolate. Youc an even book a chocolate-making and -tasting workshop.

Toronto's longest-running indigenous restaurant puts staples like bison, fry bread, and arctic char front and center. If you want to get a sense of what indigenous Canadian food can be, this is a great place to start. It's a cozy, casual spot with little atmosphere but great food.

This meat-free Indian restaurant is beloved by herbivores and omnivores alike. The dosas are the thing to get here, but they also do excellent renditions of classic snacks like pakoras and bhaji, as well as curries like aloo gobi or saag paneer.

With only 20 seats, this colorful family-run neighborhood spot showcases the delicious nuances of classic Mexican cuisine. Dishes here are rich in flavor and composed with care, from duck confit and grilled octopus to a mole that's been slow-simmered over eight hours.

This is the ultimate place to fuel up, and we're not just talking about the gas tank. Leslieville Pumps is a 24/7, kitschy gas station and general store with a look straight out of a John Wayne western. But—surprise!—it serves some of the best barbecue in town. Slow and low is their cooking philosophy, which they show off in tender pulled pork and brisket sandwiches. Country sides such as BBQ corn salad and Southern coleslaw make the meal complete. At 9 pm every night, the joint is busy serving up their curry and butter chicken with rice. It is the go-to place for cab drivers looking for a late-night bite.