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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.