Restaurants & bars
180 Panorama
55 BLOOR ST W
Touristy for sure, but Panorama provides an excellent opportunity for the jaded to get a towering perspective on Hog Town. Try their specialty cocktails...
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Aria
25 YORK ST
Dramatic and playful, Aria delights in many ways. A swirling walnut sculpture by local artist Dennis Lin weaves its way across the ceiling; a huge two-s...
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B Espresso Bar
111 Queen St E
Designed by local maverick Anna Simone of Cecconi Simone, this long, narrow space is outfitted in black, white and dark chocolate – colours that s...
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BLD Restaurant
36 Toronto St
BLD Restaurant Located at street level in an 1874 office building at the edge of the Financial District, BLD – an acronym for breakfast, lunch and...
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Bar Mercurio
270 Bloor St W
Straightforward Italian dishes, top-notch wood-fired pizzas and an impressive wine list have kept BM in the good books for many years. $$$ ...
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Bent
777 DUNDAS ST W
Star chef, next generation: the sons of renowned chef Susur Lee and interior designer Brenda Bent have opened the hotly anticipated new restaurant Bent....
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Blowfish
668 King St W
Based on its westend location and appearance, you might judge Blowfish as a too-cool-for-school resto-lounge-sushi-bar where only the most posh outfits ...
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Brassaii
461 King St W
Designed by Del Terrelonge, Brassaii is a secluded oasis in the trendy King and Spadina area. This comfortable bistro-diner serves upscale comfort food ...
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Buca
604 King St W
Architect Guido Costantino carved this light-filled, double-height dining room from what was once an industrial-era boiler room. Chef Rob Gentile, whose...
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Böhmer
93 OSSINGTON AVE
This 100-plus-seat European contemporary restaurant on a strip best known for its tiny, one note bars is a study in juxtapositions. The wooden bar is pr...
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C5
ROM, 100 Queen's Pk
Housed in the Royal Ontario Museum, C5's asymmetrical space is by Daniel Libeskind, the black-and-white interior by II by IV. In other words, don't get ...
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Cafe Belong
EVERGREEN BRICK WORKS, BLDG #14
To serve three meals a day, seven days a week, according to the four seasons a year, is not an easy feat, even for the most ambitious restaurants. But C...
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Cafe Pamenar
307 Augusta Ave
Just when you thought indie coffee shops had officially jumped the shark, this cafe opens. Designed by Guido Costantino (of Buca fame) reclaim and moder...
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Caffe Doria
1094 Yonge St
When weather permits, this bustling corner café features a European-style terrace for cozy al fresco meals. Weary shoppers and locals drop ...
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Campagnolo
832 Dundas St W
All that’s left of this restaurant’s prior life as a Coffee Time is its (now highly polished) terracotta flooring. Revamped by co-owner and ...
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Catch
744 ST. CLAIR AVE W
From the owners of The Rushton next door comes this elegant seafood house. A full-frontal wall of glass lends an airy feel to the brick-heavy neighbourh...
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Chabichou
196 BORDEN ST
Like the sort of French provincial road-side place with the surprisingly good food you might bring stories home about, this rustic spot is run by Tati B...
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Chef's House
George Brown College
George Brown College’s east-end campus has gone through some major overhauls in recent years, but nothing is quite as unique as the Chefs&rsq...
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Chocolateria
361 RONCESVALLES AVE
After spending 20 years practising law, Tim English caved into his sweet tooth, enrolled in chocolate- and pastry-making courses at George Brown, and se...
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Church Aperitivo Bar
1090 QUEEN ST W
Once a Pentecostal parish, Church serves “Holy Caesars” in a lovingly refurbished space with an open ceiling that highlights the original w...
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Colborne Lane
45 Colborne St
Though executive chef and owner Claudio Aprile is following Fernand Adria's experiments with molecular gastronomy, Colborne Lane has its own sui generis...
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Crush Wine Bar
455 King St W
Crush’s set menu and à la carte items prove the existence of gourmet English cuisine – braised pork belly, steak tartare, chicken pot...
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Dark Horse Espresso Bar
682 Queen St E
The combination of mod light fixtures, a reclaimed board table serving as a communal coffee-drinking/paper-reading hub, free wireless and some impressiv...
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Delica Kitchen
1440 YONGE ST
In a city with myriad gourmet markets, there are surprisingly few high-quality takeout options. This reality does not apply if you find yourself where Y...
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Delux
92 Ossington Ave
Montrealer Corinna Mozo’s French bistro hints at her Cuban background. À la carte and daily specials please and servers provide well-inform...
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District
806 QUEEN ST E
District, a recent addition to Riverside, might be a one-trick pony, but turning out such consistently fresh and velvety sushi is one mighty fine...
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Edward Levesque's Kitchen
1290 Queen St E
Wildly popular for weekend brunch, ELK (as the locals call it) features an eclectic, French-inspired menu that changes frequently. Local faves inc...
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Enoteca Sociale
1288 Dundas St W
Owned by Chef Rocco Agostino (of Ossington's Pizzeria Libretto), ES offers a little more elbowroom to dig into Nonna-style homemade pastas (our favourit...
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Fabbrica
49 KARL FRASER RD
A shopping mall in North York seems like a rather offbeat location for Mark McEwan to open his latest restaurant – most celeb chefs stick to the d...
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Frank
AGO, 317 Dundas St W
With every new museum that opens, a designer restaurant is born. At least that’s what’s been happening over the past few years, with the ROM...
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Fresh on Bloor
326 Bloor St W
Don't mistake Fresh for its progenitor Juice for Life, or "Hippie Shake" as it's been called. Gone are the old hanging ferns and the dream cat...
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Fresh on Spadina
147 Spadina Ave
This lunch-hour hot spot serves up organic vegetarian fare; its vitamin-infused shakes and juices are particularly popular with yogis. $ Other Location:...
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Gardiner Cafe
111 QUEEN’S P
In place of Jamie Kennedy’s former swish restaurant, a casual cafe now offers faster, cheaper fixes from the celeb chef. Rustic sandwiches, like p...
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Gilead Café + Bistro
4 Gilead Pl
Tucked away in a laneway, this bistro is the kind of sweet discovery you want to keep to yourself. But chef Jamie Kennedy’s eco-friendly, locavore...
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Gio Rana's Really Really Nice Restaurant
1220 Queen St E
Rustic Italian fare served in an unfussy space that's generally boisterous. $$...
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Goods & Provisions
1124 QUEEN ST E
This cozy eatery evokes the 1920s, jammed as it is with bric-a-brac (even a stuffed pheasant) collected by owners Nikki Andriet and Dean Fletcher, who a...
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Grace
503 College St
College Street’s latest restaurant serving upscale comfort food comes from Lesle Gibson, who used to co-own Xacutti. Gibson left Toronto and moved...
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Gusto 101
101 PORTLAND ST
Beyond the garage-door-sized windows, this trattoria is rocking by 7 p.m. Inside, local design firm Munge Leung obviously had fun; industrial lighting a...
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Herbal Infusions Tea Co
404 ADELAIDE ST W
This little shop is bursting with all things tea. Against rustic barnboard cladding – sourced by owner Dan Johanis from Mount Forest Mennonites &n...
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Hotel Gelato
532 Eglinton Ave W
This is no mom-and-pop, tchotchke-filled ice cream parlour. Nor is it a hotel. The Eglinton West destination serves sophisticated sweets and gelato, plu...
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Ici Bistro
538 MANNING AVE
A lot of hype preceded this French bistro’s opening, and for good reason. Chef J.P. Challet has earned a loyal following from his stints at Auberg...
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Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse
12 BRANT ST
This menu is not for the faint of heart – literally. A modern take on the classic steakhouse, JS arguably serves up the best charbroiled meat in t...
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Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner
111 Queen's Park
The Gardiner Museum’s patrons can’t seem to get enough of Jamie Kennedy’s resto, open for lunch and Friday evenings. Like the building...
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KiWe Kitchen
587 King St W
Proving that resto-lounge dining isn’t synonymous with pretension, KiWe Kitchen brings simplified supper clubbing to swish King West. Designed by ...
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Koko Share Bar
81 YORKVILLE AVE
This little Japanese/ Korean fusion restaurant was designed by its owner and has a casual, intimate vibe about it. Maybe it’s the reclaimed wood a...
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Kultura
169 King St E
Renovated by Bryan Chartier of Core Architects and furnished by Queen West zeitgeistmeisters Commute Home, this tapas bar is unlike a lot of design-cons...
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La Bettola di Terroni
106 Victoria St
The purveyors of pasta and pizza have opened an even more casual spot that serves up Terroni’s greatest hits – including hearty comfort food...
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La Carnita
501 College St
What began as a roaming taco/art event associated with the underground food market now has a permanent address, and the come-as-you-are crowd is eating ...
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Lady Marmalade
898 Queen St E
Lineups for brunch start early on weekends at this charming retro spot. It serves up a healthy spin on breakfast classics, like eggs Benny with lemony h...
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Le Paradis
166 Bedford Rd
This French bistro is a gem, which means it's usually busy with regulars who seem almost blasé about the fine art of reduction sauces, served by ...
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Le Petit Castor
1118 Yonge St
This is the very archetype of what could become a new breed of eatery – the Canadian bistro. Understated by intention, Bradley ...
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Le Saint Tropez
315 King St W
An authentic interpretation of southern French gastronomy, Le Saint Tropez emphasizes seafood, light sauces, fresh herbs and pastas. $$-$$$ ...
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Lee Lounge
601 King St W
The latest incarnation of Susur Lee now fills Madeline’s former space. You can expect the same Asian-fusion dishes, but in a less formal – a...
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Little Nicky's
375 QUEEN ST W
The first thing you’ll notice about Little Nicky’s Coffee is that it’s clock-stopping cute. Next up is the aroma. Waiting in line at t...
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Live Organic Food Bar
264 Dupont St
Dedicated to nutrition and digestion, cooked foods follow macrobiotic principles, and raw dishes (nothing is heated above 46C) are inventive. $ ...
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Loic Gourmet
722 Queen St E
A take-out joint with French-inspired epicurean delights prepared by chef David Kokai. $ ...
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Marben
488 Wellington St W
Since opening in 2007, Marben has become the choice after-work destination. Its "farmhouse revival" menu is rich with local ingred...
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Maro
135 Liberty St
Maro, by the restaurateurs who brought you Brant House and Brassaii, leans more toward the club end of the supper club continuum. Designers Marc Kyriacou a...
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McEwan
Shop at Don Mills (Don Mills & Lawrence)
Half of this cavernous space is a grocery store, but the half that counts offers packaged food – like North 44’s salmon pastrami or Bymark&r...
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Mildred's Temple Kitchen
85 Hanna Ave
Polished concrete floors and ottomans crafted from paper and non-woven textiles (from Vancouver’s Molo) are the main ornaments at the newly re-loc...
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Museum Tavern
208 BLOOR ST W
Museum Tavern, the new Harvey Cowan-designed bistro-cum-watering hole, has opened on Bloor Street West. Brought to you by Glen and Kyle Kristenbrun &nda...
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Nadège
780 QUEEN ST W
Designed in collaboration with Nelson Kwong Architects, Nadège Nourian’s pastry shop resembles one of her desserts: little bursts of flavou...
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Nota Bene
180 QUEEN ST W
Nota Bene – the place is perfectly named. It was the last thing added to the KPMB's federal court building at Queen and University, arriving like ...
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Nyood
1096 Queen St W
Opulent high ceilings and stainless steel doors at Nyood (pronounced nude) set the mood for this resto/nightclub, where owner Hanif Harji and chef Roger...
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One Eleven
111 Yorkville Ave
The latest addition on the Yorkville block (by Michael Etherington of Lobby fame) serves up decadence in the form of a champagne and caviar bar. $$$$&nb...
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Ontario Spring Water Sake Company
55 MILL ST, BLDG #4
Knocking back sake at Sushi Queen on Queen West is one thing, but experiencing the nuances of freshly pressed rice wine is entirely another. Now that On...
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Opus
37 Prince Arthur Ave
Opus wows local residents and visitors with its staggering wine list of some 45,000 bottles, which rest in the cellar below the restaurant. $$$$...
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Origin
107-109 King St E
Already well-acquainted with chef Claudio Aprile’s aesthetic – having co-designed Colborne Lane in 2007 – local firm Stroudfoot mined ...
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Osteria Ciceri e Tria
106 Victoria St
Designed by Giannone Petricone Associates, this new family-run joint is everything an osteria should be. There’s a communal table, pine ...
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Paramour
94 OSSINGTON AVE
Let’s get this out of the way: Ossington Avenue’s Paramour is already a classic. If you are a woman wearing fur and delicate gloves or a man...
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Parts & Labour
1566 Queen St W
A Castor design, this rock 'n' roll saloon features lighting made from extinguishers above the bar, a collection of review mirrors in the loo, and a bel...
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Petite Thuet
1162 Yonge St
Busy patrons drop by for freshly baked croissants, eight kinds of bread, and on-the-go sandwiches made daily. For those who have time to browze (a...
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Pizzeria Libretto
550 DANFORTH AVE
The new Danforth location of this popular pizzeria means east-enders can get in on the authentic Neapolitan action happening at the mothership over on O...
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Prop
770 St Clair Ave W
For a minimalist space, the People’s Republic of Pasta packs a lot of character. Among architect Simon Eagar’s dark reclaimed wood and windi...
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Quanto Basta
1112 YONGE ST
If you have ever been to Italy, your best food flashbacks are likely of simpler meals enjoyed at side-street cafés – a plate of spaghetti d...
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Richmond Station
1 RICHMOND ST W
This bright, bustling, casually sophisticated space, with its circular streetside window and tube-and-tunnel motif helps fill a strangely food-barren st...
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Room 2046
1252 Yonge St
Exit Summerhill station, turn right up Yonge, past the manicure parlours and antique furniture stores. On the west side, inside a brown brick building, ...
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Rosedale Diner
1164 Yonge St
This family-run vintage diner has been offering up an international hodgepodge of tasty classics for 34 years, including steak frites, osso buco, and an...
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Ruby WatchCo
730 Queen St E
Former Four Seasons exec chef Lynn Crawford recently downsized to these laid-back digs designed by Yabu Pushelberg-staffer Cherie Stinson. The foo...
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Sassafraz
100 Cumberland St
Not even a devastating fire, like the one in 2006 that nearly burned the famous “yellow house” to the ground, can slow Sassafraz. The menu i...
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Scarpetta
550 WELLINGTON ST W
Sit at the serpentine banquettes that meander the length of the swanky dining room and try exec chef Scott Conant’s hearty, and perfectly simmered...
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School Bakery & Cafe
70 FRASER AVE
Designed by exec chef Brad Moore, this black brick “schoolhouse” in Liberty Village channels David Lee Roth’s “Hot for...
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Smith
553 CHURCH ST
With a name meant to represent the Everyman, Smith certainly does have the common touch: its servers are warm and welcoming, its patrons table-hop to hu...
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Soma Chocolatemaker
443 KING ST W
Now that Soma owners Cynthia Leung and David Castellan have opened a second location on King West, their regulars no longer have to trek out to the Dist...
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Sorrel
84 YORKVILLE AVE
This new bistro serves up indulgent French Mediterranean fare, the best of which are the cheese and charcuterie plates, fresh seafood dishes and duck co...
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Splendido
88 HARBORD ST
After light renovations by Michael Rietta of Giannone Petricone, the mysterious, old and high-priced Splendido, one of Toronto’s to-be-seen-at res...
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Stock
325 Bay St
Mainly frequented by power suits, there’s good reason for the rest of us to visit Stock and see what all the Trump Tower fuss is about. First ther...
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Swirl
946 1/2 Queen St E
Design aficionados and gourmands will find much to admire at this new wine bar, a cozy space done up like a sophisticated boudoir by local designers Fam...
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Table 17
782 Queen St E
Italian, Spanish and French cuisine housed in a button-cute bistro. Don’t miss BYOW/ prix fixe Sundays. $$$...
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Terroni Adelaide
57a Adelaide St E
This trendy trattoria has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1992 as a single ...
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The Ceili Cottage
1301 Queen St E
This resto-bar from master oyster shucker Patrick McMurray emphasizes the local and organic. Freshly shucked Irish and Malpeque oysters side well with a...
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The Comrade
758 Queen St E
The art-deco interior of this cocktail lounge helmed by Nikki Andriet and Dean Fletcher has a distinct Indochinese feel – dark woods, red swag lam...
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The Hoxton
69 BATHURST ST
King West’s slickest rock ‘n’ roll hang out, designed by Castor, features a 300-metre electro-lumine- scent wire chandelier which shoo...
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The Mascot
1267 QUEEN ST W
In a space that’s both spare and Victorian – timeless – this gallery/cafe hosts contemporary works by Toronto artists spanning all med...
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The Stockyards Smokehouse & Larder
699 ST. CLAIR AVE W
Tiny and hot from all the roasting, 14 can sit in this sliver of a space with large tile floors and barn wood ceilings but don’t be one of them. L...
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Thor Espresso Bar
35 BATHURST ST
Named after the hammer-wielding Scandinavian god, this little coffee bar serves up brew with a powerful punch. “The Slayer,” a hand-built es...
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