12 Best Restaurants in Toronto, Ontario

Bindia serves delicious North Indian fare that will make your taste buds sing the moment you taste juicy meat and freshly baked naan cooked in its tandoor oven. This neighborhood staple is conveniently located in the heart of the St. Lawrence Market, offering casual, warm, and friendly service. Choose to sit in its modern dining room or, during the warmer months, get a table on its patio to people-watch and take in the sights and sounds of the local community.

At this classic Toronto wing joint, crispy flats and drumettes are served with pristine celery sticks and creamy dill or blue-cheese dressing. The "medium" sauce is still fairly hot—but for those truly willing to tempt fate, the options go all the way up to "armageddon."

Open in one form or another since the 1980s, this neighborhood eatery strives to capture both contemporary and authentic Japanese washoku-style cooking. Think tempura, teriyaki, sushi, sashimi, poke bowls, and creative maki rolls. Hot pots and udon noodle bowls are a great way to warm up in the colder months.

This delicious restaurant has been a vegan mecca for over 20 years and will make even the most die-hard meat eaters happy. The menu has evolved far past their power shake and rice bowl origins, and while the Balance bowl still tops the charts with its jicama, tofu, and addictive peanut sauce, they now offer everything from pizzas to decadent breakfast items like a crispy, corn-flake-coated almond butter French toast.

Hong Shing has deep community roots: customers swear that they make the best crispy beef and General Tso's chicken dishes in the city, and hometown celebrities Drake and Simu Liu are regulars. For two generations, this family-run Chinese restaurant has served delicious food inspired by China’s many regional cuisines. Chef Tim is a master of the painstaking process of Cantonese-style barbecue—the limited quantities of barbecue meats he makes each day, such as pork and duck, sell out quickly.

Luxurious takes on diner and brunch classics—think Benedicts and open-faced turkey sandwiches—dominate the ever-evolving menu at this cute corner eatery. There's something for everyone, including a menu for the under-10 set, but dishes like fried truffled mushrooms and smoked pork loin are decidedly refined.

No matter what day or time, Pizza Banfi is usually busy for two reasons: it doesn't take reservations, and the classic Italian food is really good. While the decor is slightly cliché, with Renaissance-style wall paintings over light-color bricks, the pizzas are the real attraction. Thin-crust pies are tossed in full view of the appreciative crowd, then baked to perfection.

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.

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. 

Open shelving lined with Italian provisions decorates this cool pizza joint, but it's the thin-crust pies, bubbled and blistered to perfection, that keep diners coming back. The menu suits all pizza lovers—from the simple Margherita to extravagant options like the Bruma, a white pizza with pancetta, egg, and black truffles. Daily pasta specials can be hit or miss, but desserts—like a warm, oozing round of flourless chocolate cake—are universally delicious.

Local Italian mini-chain Terroni has several locations around the city but this one, with the ground-floor Bar Centrale wine bar inspired by Italian train stations, is especially popular. Head upstairs to the bi-level Terroni for locally beloved thin-crust pizzas, seafood spaghetti, and Italian cheeses and mushrooms, along with stunning views.

Service is particular: no substitutions, no cheese on seafood dishes, and they won't cut your pie for you. Some find it a deal breaker; others say it adds to the Italian authenticity.

If you're craving a specific ice cream flavor or topping, chances are this long-standing ice cream parlor will have it ready to go.