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$$$ | Little Italy |
Inside a breathtaking room swathed in undulating waves of wood, you'll find Bar Raval, a tapas restaurant known for some marvelous food and drink. Stop by during the day and order a couple pintxos (a single-serving snack served on a skewer), feast on tins of smoked seafood and heartier tapas for a full meal, or stop in late for a nightcap.
505 College St., Toronto, Ontario, M6G 1A4, Canada
Known For
- Popular covered patio
- Standing-only tables (plus a couple stools)
- Varied drinks list with sherry, vermouth, cocktails, and "weird wine"
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No reservations.
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$$$$ | Yorkville |
Spearheaded by world-renowned restaurateur Daniel Boulud, Café Boulud occupies the coveted dining room of the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto and presents itself as a serene, airy French brasserie decked out with sage-green banquettes and gilded accents. The café does simple, well-executed classic and contemporary French fare, like mouthwatering rotisserie duck, a signature Frenchie burger and cocktails like the French 55.
60 Yorkville Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5R 3V6, Canada
Known For
- Classic French food
- Celebrity chef connection
- Inventive desserts
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$$$$ | Financial District |
Huge dining-room windows frame breathtaking views of the Toronto Islands and the lake at this restaurant, on the 54th floor of the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower. Dishes like an appetizer of bison tartare with bannock bread and foie gras and entrées like crispy pork jowl roasted with chaga and an aged tournedos paired with truffled celeriac nod to both tradition and trend.
Book a table at the chef's rail for a close-range perspective on the kitchen's artistry.
66 Wellington St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5K 1H6, Canada
Known For
- Classic desserts like a maple flan round out an exceptional meal
- Innovative tasting menus
- Food inspired by Canada
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Distillery District |
With a 5,000-square-foot, year-round patio and stunning floor-to-ceiling murals, El Catrin is the hottest place in the Distillery District. Delicious eats include traditional tacos al pastor with shaved pork and pineapple salsa, ceviche, 24-hour-braised short rib in mole sauce, and guacamole prepared table-side. Finish the evening on a sugar high with churros rolled in sugar served with a trio of chocolate, strawberry, and dulce de leche dipping sauces.
18 Tank House La., Toronto, Ontario, M5A 3C4, Canada
Known For
- Adventurous diners can sample flash-fried crickets
- More than 100 types of mescal and tequila available
- Huge patio open year-round
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$ | Entertainment District |
Named for a street in Bangkok bursting with nightlife and excellent street eats, Khao San Road lives up to its moniker. The squash fritters are a head-turning crispy delight that you'll want to order when you see them show up at another table. For heartier dishes, try for the khao soi, a dish of egg noodles in a rich coconut milk sauce, or try the warming massaman, a tamarind-infused curry with peanuts, potatoes, and deep-fried shallots.
11 Charlotte St., Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1P7, Canada
Known For
- Ingredients sourced directly from Thailand
- Busy, vibrant atmosphere
- All of the noodle dishes are standouts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun., Reservations not accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | Queen West |
Known as one of the city's tried-and-true French bistros, this brightly decorated spot lives up to expectations with a menu full of excellent standards, including steak frites, rare venison chop, and mussels in white wine. The long bar at the front of the restaurant is a great spot for drinks or solo dining.
492 Queen St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2L9, Canada
Known For
- Short but well-curated wine list
- Three-course prix-fixe dinner
- Great brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner weekends. Closed Tues.
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$$ | Leslieville |
A Leslieville staple, this brunch spot occupies an airy two-floor space with huge windows in a converted old home just north of the main Queen East drag. It's a lovely spot for hearty, homey dishes like cheddar jalapeño waffles, washed down with coffee in vintage Corningware mugs.
265 Broadview Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4M 2G8, Canada
Known For
- Gorgeous modern dining room
- Great variations on eggs Benedict
- Long waits at peak times
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$$$$ | Financial District |
It's hard not to feel a little giddy sitting in the opulent whiskey-barrel-inspired dining room on the 31st floor of the St. Regis. Upward gazes are met with a swirling painted ceiling with floral glass chandeliers to mimic melting ice cubes. The French-leaning menu features stunners like a fruit-speckled scallop ceviche served on ice in a half shell, rough-cut beef tartare accented by a fermented black garlic reduction to be devoured with taro chips, and a showstopping truffle butter, sous-vide whole organic chicken served both roasted and fried. Cocktails are dainty and balanced wizardry with elaborate details like dehydrated Aperol–salted rims and vegan egg white foam.
325 Bay St., Toronto, Ontario, M5H 4G3, Canada
Known For
- 13-layer chocolate king's cake
- 400 brown spirits on the drink list, Canada's largest collection
- Salted brioche buns served straight from the pan
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: recommended
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$$ | Little India |
From the "mindblowing chicken sandwich" 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.
226 Greenwood Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4L 2R2, Canada
Known For
- Award-winning lentil soup
- Cardamom lattes
- Long waits on sunny days and weekends
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$$$$ | Yorkville |
The modern dining room at One, inside the Hazelton Hotel, is all rich woods, smoked glass, cowhide, and onyx—and thankfully the food lives up to all the razzle-dazzle. "Lobster spoons" with vermouth butter and miso-glazed black cod share space on a broad, varied menu with fresh pastas and exceptional house-aged steaks sourced from Prince Edward Island and Alberta.
118 Yorkville Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1C2, Canada
Known For
- Buzzy streetside patio
- Excellent seafood and steak
- Top-notch service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$ | Kensington Market |
With only 10 seats, this taco joint almost always has long lines, but it's worth the wait. The menu brings the best of SoCal and Tijuana seafood together, featuring taco options like the gobernador (smoked marlin and shrimp), and a vegetarian option with corn fungus (trust us, it tastes better than it sounds).
69 Kensington Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2K1, Canada
Known For
- Delicious shrimp-and-cheese tacos
- Range of fiery hot sauces
- Gluten-free tortillas available
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$ | Chinatown |
Downtown Toronto's quintessential dim sum eatery overlooks all of Chinatown from its secret rooftop perch at the Dragon City Mall. Carts with towers of bamboo steamed baskets containing shrimp dumplings or black-bean-sauce chicken feet ("phoenix claws" in Chinese), banquet-size platters of noodles, and traditional delicacies like black or yellow curried cuttlefish are pushed around the hall by gregarious servers who tick off boxes from your order list as they are served. There's also an extensive à la carte menu.
280 Spadina Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1H2, Canada
Known For
- Surprisingly expansive views through the huge windows
- Traditional Cantonese dim sum service
- Savory chive-and-shrimp dumplings
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$$$$ | Yorkville |
This southern Italian hideaway has been a magnet for visiting celebrities and well-heeled Yorkville locals since the early 1990s, and it's still one of the city's most popular posh restaurants. The dozen or so pastas, including freshly made gnocchi, are reliably excellent, but the grilled seafood options, spanning yellowfin tuna to tiger shrimp to calamari, are stellar.
120 Avenue Rd., Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2H4, Canada
Known For
- Low-lit, intimate setting
- Refined Italian dishes
- Wall of celebrity photos
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.
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$$ | Leslieville |
Bold Middle Eastern flavors and spices are showcased at Tabülè, where traditional appetizers include baba ghanoush and hummus served with warm flatbread, and standout falafel fried to a deep golden brown and served with thick, rich tahini sauce. Grilled meats and seafood are also excellent.
810 Queen St. E, Toronto, Ontario, M4M 1H7, Canada
Known For
- Moroccan-chic decor
- Varied drinks list
- Colorful back patio
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$$$ | Kensington Market |
The thin-crust pies at this airy family-run pizzeria are authentically Neapolitan and consistently earn top marks on local (and even global) critics' lists thanks to their fresh ingredients and use of traditional methods. Pasta mains (with gluten-free options) like a fiery Naples-style rigatoni and seafood linguini may take second place but are certainly worth a look.
188 Augusta Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2L6, Canada
Known For
- Extensive antipasti (traditional Italian appetizer) list
- Sidewalk patio
- The ciambella ripiena, a ricotta and hot soppressata--stuffed crust pie
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$ | Queen West |
It takes its name from the city’s most popular area code, so it’s no surprise that 416—a dim, boisterous bar that echoes the general vibe of West Queen West—draws inspiration from the city around it. The menu of inexpensive small plates, best enjoyed with a cocktail or two, is a fun mishmash of cultures, from Jamaican to Chinese to Peruvian, that serves as a one-stop culinary crash course to this city of immigrants.
181 Bathurst St., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2R7, Canada
Known For
- Sometimes controversial no-cutlery policy
- Fun spot for a first date
- Buzzy atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
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$$ | Church–Wellesley |
No late-night craving goes unsatisfied at this decades-running 24-hour eatery specializing in lighter fare. Soups like Moroccan or vegetarian chili and sandwiches like sloppy joes and herbed chicken with honey mustard are comforting and filling. There is also a brunch menu.
7 Charles St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 1R4, Canada
Known For
- Optimal socializing on the hidden rooftop patio
- Cozy atmosphere with lots of candles
- Home-style fare
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$$$ | Harbourfront |
Making the most of its proximity to Sugar Beach, Against the Grain is a sunbathing destination minutes from downtown, with a stellar patio in full sunny view of the lake. Shareable apps like nachos and wings, plus a great craft beer selection, capitalize on the laid-back vibe. Sink your teeth into comfort food mains like the jerk chicken, house-made veggie burger, or the steak frites and Caesar.
25 Dockside Dr., Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1B6, Canada
Known For
- Great water views
- Popularity with the after-work crowd
- Diverse comfort food menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$ | Chinatown |
Like the art gallery in which it's located, this bistro was designed by starchitect Frank Gehry, whose touches are seen in the minimalist decor and geometric ceilings. The dishes themselves, like the Basque-style eggs with chorizo, or grilled cornish hen with dandelion greens on coconut curry, are plated as works of art.
317 Dundas St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1G4, Canada
Known For
- Prix-fixe meals inspired by gallery exhibits
- French meets western Canadian dishes
- Handcrafted cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Danforth |
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 and souvlaki into the wee hours.
484 Danforth Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4K1P6, Canada
Known For
- Quick, tasty takeout gyros
- Retro interior
- Late-night service
