180 Best Restaurants in Toronto, Ontario

This local mini-chain does a brisk business in fresh, slow-cooked rotisserie chicken, sold as part of a combo meal, atop customizable salads and bowls, or stuffed into sandwiches and wraps.

For generations, hungry Torontonians have ended up at this reliable diner for classic breakfasts and greasy-spoon dishes. Burgers and Benedicts are staples, but the menu makes room for a variety of comfort food crowd-pleasers like lasagna, meat loaf, and steak. Save room for rice pudding.

Aside from European-style baked goods and all-day breakfasts, this spot also serves Old World recipes like cabbage rolls, schnitzel, and potato-cheese pierogi slathered with sour cream. It's beloved by the pastry-and-coffee crowd and by students wanting generous portions from early morning until late at night.

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.

Traditional Italian food gets a modern revamp at this intimate eatery offering a wide, delicious variety of dishes. Pastas and pizzas are both excellent, but there's standout seafoods and meats—like a showstopping strip loin for two—mixed in among the numerous veg-forward options.

A neighborhood favorite with serious cult status, this Parkdale sandwich stop punches well above its weight. The tiny space (and even tinier menu) focuses on a handful of craveable classics: the eggy Gold Standard breakfast sandwich, delicious burgers, and vegan-friendly options are all crowd-pleasers. With most items under $10, it’s a budget-friendly gem for breakfast or lunch on the go. Seating is minimal, so plan to stroll with your sandwich in hand.

Bucking the trend toward relaxed fine dining, Harbour Sixty's four-floor complex goes for sheer opulence, the drama of which is apparent from the get-go as you walk up stone steps to the grand entrance of the restored Harbour Commission building. The kitchen rises to the occasion with starters like blinis with beluga caviar and mains like Australian wagyu tomahawk steaks and a shareable seafood tower. The fluffy coconut cream pie is a must-eat dessert.

Front-row sushi bar seating, ultra-fresh ingredients, and minimalist wood-sculpted trappings keep diners coming back for these briny hand rolls and raw sashimi boats. The secret is a nori \"humidor\" that keeps seaweed sheets in a perfectly dry and crispy condition, making every bite as satisfying as the last. Sit back and marvel as chefs grill meats before your eyes with a hand torch and a binchotan charcoal stick.

For two generations, this family-run Chinese restaurant has served flavorful dishes inspired by China’s diverse regional cuisines. Hong Shing has deep community roots—locals say it offers the city’s best crispy beef and General Tso’s chicken, and hometown celebrities Drake and Simu Liu are regulars. It also features Toronto’s first baijiu-focused bar, pouring creative cocktails made with China’s potent national spirit. In 2024, Hong Shing opened Yan Dining Room, a 26-seat private space offering Chef Eva Chin’s seasonal, eight-course neo-Chinese tasting menu—advance reservations are essential.

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.

Sensuous paintings of nudes and the sea and signed celebrity photos line the walls at this two-story seafood institution. The kitchen prepares dishes from the Dalmatian side of the Adriatic Sea, and members of the international artistic community who frequent the place adore the unusual and healthy array of seafood and fish. The black risotto with squid, served in a shareable portion size, is a must, as are the grilled prawns with lemon garlic butter.

Chef Nuit Regular, Toronto's powerhouse Thai restauranteur, invites diners to a rare taste of Baan Lao cuisine, a seven-course tasting menu of specialties that have been served over centuries to the Thai royal family (and there's a vegan version as well). Don't expect fiery curries but rather a sophisticated and textural experience of imaginative dishes fit for a regal palate. An à la carte menu is available but most diners opt for the main event. Dishes ramp up from bite-sized flower-shaped dumplings to substantial fusions like five-spice–infused braised beef short ribs, or coconut milk-coated charcoal-grilled sablefish steak topped with carved coconut flowers and basil leaves on a red curry custard puree. The playful cocktail menu features Thai-infused ingredients, and you'll want to try more than one.

In a neighborhood where the bohemian vegetarian lifestyle is the norm, King's Café has become a mainstay for artists, students, and young professionals seeking vegan grub with an Asian accent. The setting is a serene and airy eatery with wide windows looking out onto bustling Augusta Avenue.

This laid-back Cabbagetown favorite is all about fresh, thoughtful Japanese food done right. The star of the show is the tasting platter—12 beautifully presented bite-sized dishes that change daily based on the chef's selection and in-season ingredients. Pair it with buttery sashimi or flavorful udon, then swing by the in-house market for frozen ramen kits, bento boxes, and pantry gems to take home. 

Since opening in 2009, this izakaya has helped define Japanese pub-style dining—small plates and drinks—for Torontonians. The atmosphere stays lively with an open kitchen and ultra-friendly staff. Standout dishes include the truffle carbonara udon, topped with mushrooms, onions, a soft-boiled egg, and fragrant truffle oil.

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.

An elegant dining room and formal service with silver serving dishes set the scene for upscale Asian food. The 100-dish inventory features excellent dishes like wok-fried shredded beef tenderloin with sundried chili peppers alongside delicacies dotted with truffle and foie gras.

This low-lit, warrenlike bistro has hardly changed at all since the 1990s—and the regulars like it that way. The open kitchen turns out reliable French fare like steak tartare and duck confit; desserts include flourless chocolate cake and house-made ice cream. Get a quieter table in one of the inner dining rooms, or belly up to the bar and watch the action.

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.

Once a classic Toronto diner, this intimate spot from local restaurateur Jen Agg pays homage to its greasy-spoon roots but with a French twist. The frequently evolving menu balances steak frites and Nicoise salads with tuna melts, onion rings, and grilled cheeses. It's also a rare Toronto spot to eat fondue. 

A winning fusion of Dutch and Indonesian flavors sets this jungle hostel-themed resto-cocktail bar apart from the rest on Portland Street. Start off with rich beef rendang croquettes; sweet, spicy, sour satay lamb skewers; or an addictive pork crackling slaw. Groups can sip themselves all the way to Bali with carafe-sized, summery cocktails like the \"It's All Gone Peach Tong\" (made with melon gin and peach liqueur) or the \"Indo Citrus Sangria\" (made with citrus gin and elderflower liqueur). The house beer, a Dutch-style Session IPA, doesn't disappoint either.

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

You'd never know this St. Tropez--inspired seafood restaurant and raw bar with 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. 

Enjoy classic and modern Catalan tapas at this lively restaurant, where guests are taken on a tasting journey by executive chef Ramon Simarro. Shareable plates make it easy to sample a wide range of dishes from the menu, paired with an extensive selection of Spanish wines and gins—more than 70 in total. Order à la carte to try items like the Iberico ham croquettes or whole fried sea bass, or opt for the 10-course chef’s tasting menu.

This Ossington staple brings its sunny, cozy vibes uptown, landing in Rosedale with the same easygoing charm and seriously good food. The all-day café serves up bright, tasty dishes like soft scrambled eggs on fresh bread, hearty salads, and roast chicken that’s anything but basic. Open daily from 10 am to 10 pm, it’s the perfect spot to linger over a latte, split a bottle of orange wine, or settle in for a relaxed meal that delivers on flavor. 

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.

Crowd-pleasing, reliable Italian fare—pizzas, pastas, and a few meaty mains—is the name of the game at this spacious Italian trattoria, part of a small local family of restaurants.

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.