Restaurants in Toronto
Toronto is home to Canada's most exciting restaurant scene, with
over 5,000 eateries and a multitude of different cuisines
reflecting the vibrant ethnic make-up of this city, Canada's
largest. Great news for diners is that there is a high proportion
of good quality, great value restaurants - especially those
offering ethnic food. There are fewer top-end restaurants, but
enduring favourites like Truffles and North 44 are on a par with
the best on the continent.
Certain cuisines cluster in distinct areas: College Street,
better known as Little Italy, is home to the city's best Italian
restaurants and
trattoria. For Greek food head to
the Danforth area, while authentic Chinese joints are abundant in
Chinatown. For a diverse selection of ethnic cuisine, check out
King Street West, home to excellent Indian, Japanese and sushi
restaurants, not to mention vibrant bars and nightclubs.
In general, Toronto offers good value dining. Tip 15-20% for
good service. City law requires all restaurants, bars and pubs to
be smoke-free, so don't even think about lighting up.
| Bellini's Ristorante |
$$$$$ | Italian |
With dark wood, white linen tablecloths and soft ambient
lighting, Bellini's Restorante serves delicious hearty Italian fare
and is popular with locals and celebrities. Try the carpaccio of
beef tenderloin with arugula salad, shaved Parmesan cheese and
white truffle oil, or the delicate Truffle risotto with Arborio
rice, woodland mushrooms, Fontina fondue and white truffle oil.
Open daily for dinner. Open for lunch for tables of 25 or more.
Reservations recommended.
Address: 101 Yorkville Ave
Telephone: 416 929 9111
| Bistro 990 |
$$$$$ | French |
Known as a Hollywood celebrity hot spot, diners can rub elbows
with the stars while delighting in French country favourites such
as traditional chicken liver pâté, half roast chicken
with garlic mashed potatoes or Steak Frites in a shallot or
Roquefort sauce. There are excellent value fixed-price menus
available and an outstanding wine list. Reservations required.
Closed Sunday. No lunch Saturday.
Address: 990 Bay Street (Downtown)
E-mail: bistro990@home.com
Telephone: (416) 921 9990
| Lai Wah Heen |
$$$$$ | Chinese |
The huge menu features the finest traditional and modern
Cantonese dishes within the sophisticated setting of the
Metropolitan Hotel. The menu offers a large variety of
shark’s fin and abalone dishes, as well as some of the best
dim sum in the city, and delicious meat and noodle dishes. Service
is attentive and food elegantly served. Daily lunch and dinner.
Address: Metropolitan Hotel, 108 Chestnut Street (Downtown)
E-mail: lwh@metropolitan.com
Telephone: (416) 977 9899
| Senses |
$$$$$ | Modern Eclectic |
Senses is a combination of bakery, gourmet food retail outlet
and fine dining restaurant that makes dining here an experience for
the senses. The upstairs restaurant is delicately stylish and
tastefully furnished with luxurious seating, excellent service and
superb cuisine. The displays of smoked salmon and caviar in the
emporium below prepare the taste buds for starters such as the
goat’s cheese empanada, or main dishes like the leek
cannelloni stuffed with ground lamb, spinach and feta. Dinner
Wednesday to Sunday; bar and bistro open daily.
Address: 318 Wellington Street West
E-mail: restaurant@senses.ca
Telephone: (416) 935 0400
| North 44 |
$$$$$ | Modern Eclectic |
Named after Toronto’s latitude, North 44 has been one of
the city’s most genteel eating places for many years and is
an experience in pampering. The artistic interior bathes diners in
a warm glow, the food is superb and the service flawless. The
seasonal menu is influenced by Mediterranean, American and Asian
flavours and might include pepper and sesame crusted tuna, lamb
shank or stuffed quail, as well as a few exciting pastas and
pizzas. Desserts such as the lemon meringue mille-feuille are the
best in town. Reservations essential. Closed Sunday. Dinner
only.
Address: 2537 Yonge Street (Uptown)
E-mail: north.44@rogers.com
Telephone: (416) 487 4897
| Vanipha Lanna |
$$$$$ | Oriental |
Vanipha Lanna is different from other Thai eateries in that it
specialises in Lao-Thai cuisine from Thailand’s northwestern
Lanna region, and the flavours are permeated by the strong and
spicy influences of Lao cooking. This colourful, vibrant restaurant
attracts the crowds again and again with specialities like the
grilled chicken and garlic in a lime-chilli sauce or the bamboo
steamer of chicken and seafood dumplings. Reservations recommended.
Closed Sunday.
Address: 471 Eglington Avenue West (Uptown)
E-mail: info@vanipha.ca
Telephone: (416) 484 0895
Truffles continues to earn international acclaim and top awards
on the culinary and service front, and dining here is a luxurious
treat for gastronomes seeking indulgence. The soaring ceilings and
well-spaced tables create an ambience of sophisticated lightness,
and the quintessence of modern French cuisine is brought to the
table with a light and fresh, aromatic style of cooking.
Truffles’ signature dish is the spaghettini with a light
truffle sauce. Reservations required. Closed Sunday. Dinner
only.
Address: Four Seasons Hotel, 21 Avenue Road, Yorkville (Downtown)
Telephone: (416) 964 0411
| The Boiler House |
$$$$$ | International |
Situated in a lofty industrial space in the trendy Distillery
District, The Boiler House restaurant is renowned for being one of
the best live jazz and blues venues in Toronto. Indulge in a fine
evening meal from Thursday through to Saturday complimented with
toe tapping beats. Soak up the chic urban atmosphere, with 22 foot
wine racks, intimate private rooms and hand crafted heavy timber
tables. Serving up contemporary Canadian cuisine in a warm, chic
environment, the Boiler House restaurant is a good bet for a
satisfying Toronto evening out.
Address: 55 Mill Street
Telephone: (416) 203 2121
| 360 Revolving Restaurant |
$$$$$ | International |
Located in the world’s tallest free-standing structure,
the restaurant at the top of the CN Tower has floor-to ceiling
windows and revolves slowly so that every part of this
breath-taking view can be fully appreciated while dining in style.
The food is not as high-flying as the location, but the experience
is certainly a memorable one. The highlight of the dessert list is
the chocolate version of the CN Tower. Reservations essential. No
winter lunches.
Address: CN Tower, 301 Front Street West (Downtown)
E-mail: info@cntower.ca
Telephone: (416) 362 5411
| Bangkok Garden |
$$$$$ | Thai |
Established 25 years ago, the Bangkok Garden was one of the
first Thai restaurants in Toronto with essential ingredients being
delivered fresh from Bangkok to ensure authenticity. The lemon
seafood soup is a great starter while the red beef curry, toasted
cashew chicken, and Three Pagodas curry are all delicious. Open
Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner. Saturdays dinner only,
closed Sundays.
Address: 18 Elm Street, Toronto
E-mail: info@bangkokgarden.ca
Telephone: 416 977 6748
| Canoe |
$$$$$ | International |
This trendy eatery is a must for anyone looking to impress,
whether it be a business dinner or a romantic evening out. The
minimalist décor, imaginative and inventive menu, and
flawless execution will leave diners coming back for more. Flagship
dishes include the seared Bluefin Tuna with broccoli hash, kumquat
caramel and dandelion as well as the bacon wrapped Monkfish with
smoked ham hock, white cabbage and porcini. Open for lunch and
dinner from Monday to Friday. Open Saturday and Sunday for private
events.
Address: 54th Floor, Toronto Dominion Bank Tower, 66 Wellington St.
Telephone: 416 364 0054
