The Best Restaurants in Toronto
Toronto’s culinary scene is full of great restaurants, ranging from the haute to the hip. Toronto's best restaurants are in the west end, where you can find international cuisines. Try Asian-inspired modern Canadian at Chantecler or Spanish tapas at the ever-humming Bar Isabel. Vietnam’s favorite sandwich is given a makeover at Banh Mi Boys while So-Cal style tacos are found at Seven Lives eatery. Whatever tickles your tastebuds, it is sure to be discovered in Toronto’s vibrant restaurant scene.
176 Dupont St, Toronto, ON M5R 2E6, Canada
Tucked behind the popular Rose and Sons is the large yet clandestine wooden back patio of Big Crow. The CN Rail Train and lots of chatter provide the background noise for groups of friends gathering around over some incredible baby back ribs....
1330 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6K 1L4, Canada
Brace the line ups because this is one of the most popular restaurants in Toronto. It's getting the accolades too: En Route named it one of their ten best restaurants in the country. The premise is simple: tacos, bourbon and loud hip hop and rap...
14 Dupont St, Toronto, ON M5R 2J4, Canada
The third outpost in the Playa Cabana restaurant empire, Hacienda, in my personal opinion is the best out of the bunch. It's in a clandestine location just north of Yorkville and has more of a bar vibe so if you come early enough, you can grab a...
1320 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6K 1L4, Canada
This intimate restaurant has quickly become one of my new favorites. It has all of the marks of an amazing experience: attentive, knowledgeable and friendly staff; simple, yet flavorful dishes; boozy libations and a gorgeous atmosphere (including...
797 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1C7, Canada
After charcuterie master Grant van Gameren moved on from popular eatery the Black Hoof, he skipped around town doing various gigs before opening up his own ode to Barcelonan tapas bars. Mismatched tiles and jujube-like lamps brighten the welcoming...
1022 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1K4, Canada
The word "detox" is not usually in my vocabulary but when I need to take a break from the caloric-inducing meals from my travels, my preferred place is Belmonte Raw, located in the heart of Leslieville. Not only do they offer a variety of cleanses...
928 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1W3, Canada
The Black Hoof gets a lot of press and for good reason. Their food and concept is different and simply one of the best. From the tongue on brioche, the bone marrow with chimichurri and foie gras with nutella on banana bread (yup...you heard that...
5 Brock Ave, Toronto, ON M6K 2K3, Canada
Toronto is currently on a BBQ craze and Electric Mud BBQ (brought to you by the boys who brought you the insanely popular Grand Electric for tacos) is at the top of the pack. Dilapidated decor gives righteous way to the food. Fried chicken was a...
392 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2A9, Canada
Former Toronto food truck superstar, Banh Mi Boys, opened up a shop at the buzzy intersection of Queen and Spadina (ironically, it's beside a McDonald's). In addition to their popular banh mi sandwiches and steam bao is one unusual dish: Kimchi...
69 Kensington Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2K2, Canada
Seven Lives is a relatively new addition to the city's taco scene, which has been dominated by Grand Electric and La Carnita. Formerly tucked into a food court, this Kensington eatery has branched out into a home of its own thanks to the buzz...
2nd Floor, 589 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1M5, Canada
La Carnita's newest incarnation as of August, 2013, Home of the Brave, brings its lively, artful atmosphere to King Street West but focuses on American classic comfort food instead of Mexican fare. I never thought I'd be a fan of a bologna...
825 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1V4, Canada
A testament to any restaurant, no matter how big or small, is the ability to transform your senses. And when you’re eating their food to not make any sense. This is how I always feel after I eat at Porchetta. I’m literally sitting there—there’s...
93 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5E 1C3, Canada
Toronto's St. Lawrence Market is crammed with 120 vendors, butcher counters, bakeries, ethnic eateries, and seafood shops. But there's one reason why most people come here: the peameal bacon sandwich, which is dished up at the Carousel Bakery....
832 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1V3, Canada
If you only have one Italian restaurant to visit in Toronto, this is the one. Yes, Buca is good too, but Campagnolo treats you like famiglia. There is a reason the restaurant was voted on En Route's top ten restaurants of 2011. Everything on the...
299 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON M6R 2M3, Canada
Barque Smokehouse is a contender for the best barbecue in Toronto (even if it's across the city in Roncesvalles Village). The barbecue sampler for one is a great value at $25. I chose short ribs, beef ribs, and a chicken thigh, all of which were...
794 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1V1, Canada
Suddenly, grub that is both Chinese and Jamaican is a thing. Chef Craig Wong, third generation Chinese-Jamaican himself, has taken over a Dundas West space and done quite the number on the local dining scene, turning out a cuisine of his own that...
81 Underhill Dr, North York, ON M3A 1K8, Canada
In Jamaica, jerk chicken is cooked in mammoth fire pits. If you arrive at a restaurant at the wrong time, you’ll end up waiting a long time for the billowing smoke to pass and your chicken, served in tinfoil, to emerge. At Allwyn’s Bakery, things...
1374 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6K 1L8, Canada
When Torontonians heard that French pastry chef Bertrand Alépée was set to open a patisserie in Parkdale, tongues wagged. While the emerging ’hood had embraced plenty of hot-to-trot restaurants, the idea of locals coughing up $6 for an saccharine...
