60 Best Restaurants in Toronto, Ontario

Watch tasty, filling Chinese noodles get stretched, folded, and beaten by hand to order at this busy and tiny shop, which specializes in Lanzhou-style lamian. Choose from seven types of noodle thickness in a beef broth; most people choose thicker noodles, which allows you to experience their full chewy texture and the soup flavor to cling to them more. The portion size of noodle soups is generous; ordering a small will easily satisfy people with modest appetites, but if you eat a lot dare to get a large or extra-large portion.

Toronto is filled with quick bubble tea—including many chains from Taiwan and other parts of Asia—but Icha Tea is a slower, homegrown shop that brews high-quality loose-leaf teas.

The Tibetan dumplings are super-tasty at this no-frills family-run counter-serve spot.

For a unique take on cheap eats, head east of Bathurst to Market 707, a strip of food stalls built out of repurposed shipping containers. Highlights include poutine at Nom Nom Nom; authentic lamb-fat-infused Damascus-style shawarmas and burgers from Chef Harwash; soul-warming Filipino at Kanto by Tita Flips; and authentic Japanese rice balls stuffed with burdock and red miso pork, along with other hearty staples from Omosubi Bar Suzume.

Local celebrity chef/often-shouting TV personality Matty Matheson always has a number of spots opening and closing in Toronto, but if you want to try the delectable smashburgers that made him famous, come here. Called a "burger club," it's a no-frills mostly-take-out spot with single, double, and triple cheeseburgers (or plant-based burgers), milkshakes, and chili cheese fries.

This hot-pink patisserie is a top destination for Torontonians with a sweet tooth. Long glass cases are filled with French macarons, cakes, and fanciful pastries, as well as savory options like croissant sandwiches and salads, while the walls are lined with a candy shop's worth of sweets (all made in-house). There's delicious espresso, as well as ice cream offered in a second storefront around back.

Whether you're in need of an espresso, a hojicha tea latte, a sandwich, or a gorgeous slice of cake, this modern Japanese café has you covered.

Located on a quiet side street, the beloved café is known for its quality coffees, teas, and seasonal, Japanese-inspired fusion pastries. Since opening in 2015, the shop’s beautiful space has seamlessly blended Japanese and Scandinavian design, featuring warm wood finishes, concrete surfaces, and minimalist furniture, earning it design accolades. Beyond its aesthetics, it serves as a cozy, hip community hub with a loyal clientele, thanks to its friendly service and commitment to using high-quality, organic ingredients. Popular menu items include the matcha latte, roll cakes, and a rotating selection of seasonal drinks and pastries. There are several other locations across Toronto.

Known for hefty, soft-centered cookies, from Oreo and s'more to Filipino-inspired delicacies, this bakery also ships its wares across Canada and the United States (in case you get a craving once you're back at home).

In hotly debated "best pizza in the city" barroom discussions, this local pizza chain is one of the top contenders. This location is a top spot in the Village for a tasty and crispy pie, slice, or handful of garlic knots.

Otto’s brings a nightlife-worthy spin to street snacks. The owners are former club promoters who fell in love with Berlin’s most popular street eats and set about bringing them to Toronto. You can sample shaved-meat-stuffed pita wraps, kebabs, and currywurst (sausages smothered in a ketchupy curry sauce).

This legendary deli has been serving kosher-style kishkes, knishes, and oversize smoked-meat-on-rye sandwiches since 1957.

This fast-casual take-out spot is an offshoot of one of the city's top catering companies, the Food Dudes---and though the salads and proteins here are produced in massive quantities, everything is handled with a deft, flavorful touch. Pick a combo size, then choose from the daily mix of multicultural offerings in the display case. Favorites include moist grilled salmon, various types of chicken (jerk, peri peri, shawarma, etc.), and hearty sides like truffle mac and cheese.

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.

Folks flock from all over town for this take-out counter's fried chicken sandwiches from lunch until the wee hours.

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.

This popular take-out joint serves up New York--style pizza by the slice, with a focus on simplicity and quality. Whether you're going for the signature vodka pie with its creamy rosé sauce or sticking with a timeless Margherita, no choice is the wrong choice. It's the perfect spot for a quick, affordable bite. Heads up: seating is scarce, so consider enjoying your pizza on a nearby park bench.

Experience the future of food service at this all-you-can-eat Japanese joint where most items are brought to your table by real robots with storage compartments for bellies.

Located where the Annex's western edge blends into Koreatown, this quirky café offers spins on Vietnamese sandwiches and mains, plus coffee and baked treats.

In a city filled with independent "third wave" coffee bars, competition-trained espresso guru Sam James is a pioneer of lovingly made cappuccinos and lattes. The big, open, black-and-white styled Parkdale shop is filled with friendly local characters, a laid-back vibe, and an on-site bakery with freshly baked bread and pastries.

Tucked just behind its big-brother restaurant Fat Pasha, Schmaltz is a love letter to the Jewish appetizing shops of yore, turning out fresh bagel sandwiches with traditional toppings like smoked lox and whitefish salad.

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.

Yorkville is filled with ice cream and gelato shops, but Summer's is the most beloved. A family-run shop since the '80s, this ice cream parlor doesn't do anything fancy or trendy but excels with the classic, made-in-house flavors. There are always at least 26 of them, with favorites like chocolate fudge brownie, pralines 'n' cream, and Toronto Pothole (a little bit of everything) often seen on cones throughout the village. 

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.

The popular Japanese dessert café chain arrived in Toronto in 2016, bringing new and creative ways to enjoy authentic, high-quality Japanese matcha. The menu features a variety of innovative drinks and sweets, with standout items like matcha soft serve, rare matcha cheesecake, and o-matcha espresso.

When this Japanese franchise arrived in Canada in 2015, people lined up to try its version of cheesecake—slightly eggier, firmer, and less sweet than the typical New York style. The brand’s success led to the opening of several additional locations across the city.

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.

Opened in 1997, World Food Market is a local landmark that operates 365 days a year. With more than 17 food vendors, this outdoor market offers a chance to experience the cultural diversity Toronto is known for—all at an affordable price. From the Caribbean to Nepal, India to Lebanon, and beyond, visitors can take a global culinary tour. Fresh food is served daily and enjoyed on a covered, heated patio. Reflecting the city’s inclusive spirit, all vendors are halal, with menus free of pork and alcohol.

You don't need to wait around until Oktoberfest to drink great German beer and indulge in delicious bratwurst; just walk into WVRST, a modern beer hall on King West. Choose amid the selection of sausages, from the traditional pork to vegetarian, or get a little wild with selections such as pheasant, duck, or bison.

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.