A whole micro neighborhood just west of Chinatown — with coffeehouses, fruit stands, and tons of ethnic foods from as far away as Portugal, Chile, and the West Indies. Be sure to check out Good Egg and the incredibly hip Sanagan’s Meat Locker.
67 Kensington Ave.
Toronto, Ontario M5T 2K2
+1-855-472-8687
This might be the most perfect restaurant for world travelers. Take a look at the menu and you’ll see the words Japanese, Spanish, and Moroccan all on the same page. Your tastebuds will scream for joy.
307 Spadina St.
Toronto, ON M5T 2E6
+1-416-792-1784
Here’s a bit of insider advice: if you’re on the hunt for a Drake sighting in the 6 Gods' hometown, have a stakeout at Fring’s. While you’re at it, order the Korean marinated skirt steak. This restaurant/lounge, named by Drake himself, rolls out dishes at the sweet spot between comfort food and Asian fusion. It’s all the buzz (for your tongue, too).
455 King St. W.
Toronto, ON M5V 1K4
+1-416-979-9696
Toronto has a pretty good reputation for doing fusion (that dreaded f-word amongst culinary snobs) well; Barrio Coreano is no exception. Chef/owner Dave Sidhu playfully adds Korean flavor to classic Mexican recipes at his fourth Playa Cabana outpost. Expect bulgogi shrimp tacos or grilled galbi bocaditos topped with cucumber-radish kimchi. Don't forget the tequila!
642 Bloor St. W.
Toronto, ON M6G 1K9
+1-416-901-5188
Behind the beloved Rose & Sons, Anthony Rose opened a (soon-to-be-more-beloved) BBQ spot. It's cozy and local and always feels like you're at a neighbor's cookout at the communal picnic tables. Get a full rack of ribs and a generous side of cornbread (covered in sumptuous chili maple sauce). Don't eat meat? No matter, the red pine salmon poke (yes, poke at a BBQ spot) and the grilled fish are also great.
176 Dupont St.
Toronto, ON M5R 2E6
+1-647-748-3287
It's no surprise that Top Chef Canada's Carl Heinrich brings in crowds every night to his laidback downtown bistro; he and co-owner/butcher Ryan Donovan serve up the city's best burgers. You also can't go wrong with the ever-changing chef's menu.
1 Richmond St. W.
Toronto, ON M5H 3W4
+1-
Start with the Ploughman's Platter — a delicious dish of pork belly, duck confit, smoked salmon, cheese, breads, pickled vegetables, homemade mustard, and a soft-boiled egg. Follow up with rabbit pasta or roasted quail. And if you still have space, get the almond cake with seasonal berries for dessert. Reservations can be made by text or on Open Table.
1627 Dupont St.
Toronto, ON M6P 3S8
+1-416-561-9114
The menu, designed by a nutritionist and a homeopathic doctor, manages to do the impossible: delight vegans and meat-lovers and kids alike. Get the huevos rancheros (one of the city's best).
2968 Dundas St. W.
Toronto, ON M6P 1Y8
+1-416-762-0777
A little slice of Paris on this side of the Atlantic. The lunch and dinners are delicious, but come for the flaky whole wheat croissant sprinkled with sesame and fennel seeds. The interiors are a study in French chic (comfy bright blue banquettes by the windows, that marble wraparound bar), but if the weather's good, you'll want a seat on the prettiest sidewalk patio in the city.
550 Wellington St. W.
Toronto, ON M5V 2V5
+1-647-348-7000
Welcome to the sausage party! Grab a seat at one of the long wooden picnic tables, clink a frosty glass of German brew, and share plates of hand-cut fried potatoes while comparing bites of bratwurst, merguez, and Italian pork sausage under a string of twinkling lights.
609 King St. W.
Toronto, ON M5V 1M5
+1-416-703-7775
The second location of the popular Neapolitan spot (the first is at 221 Ossington Ave.) has a wood-burning oven built by an Italian craftsman that cranks out pies — thin, crispy, blistered, charred, artisanal, addictive — in 90 seconds flat. You can practically hear a choir of angels singing as you bite into the margherita d.o.p.
550 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, ON M6J 2Z8
+1-416-466-0400
Perfectly flaky croissants, miniature marshmallow clouds, delicate sandwiches, and other french confections are housed in a minimalist, squeaky clean white space.
780 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON M6J 1G2
+1-416-368-2009
Considered by many aficionados to be the best dim sum on the continent. The soaring bi-level space inside the Metropolitan Hotel seats large parties hungry for a high Cantonese brunch blitz: colorful dumplings are crafted into whimsical shapes, Peking duck is fried to a crisp and carved at the table.
108 Chestnut St.
Toronto, ON M5G 1R3
+1-416-977-9899
The wait can be maddening, but it's all part of the fun, rowdy, boozy atmosphere. Japanese small plates are cheap and cheerful, the waitstaff is lively, and everyone’s sent out the door with a spirited sayonara.
398 Church St.
Toronto, ON M5B 2A2
+1-604-685-8678
A tiny dining room pumping out what is, quite possibly, the city's best fusion food. Asian-Latin ceviches, delicately steamed fish, and Japanese ingredients (yuzu, shiso) play nicely on your palate.
207 Ossington Ave.
Toronto, ON M6J 2Z8
+1-416-534-8520
Pace yourself for a rustic, three-course Italian meal in the heart of Little Portugal. Tuscan reds wash down oxtail stew, sweetbreads, zeppole, and local specialties from the restaurant's own cheese cave.
1288 Dundas St. W.
Toronto, ON M6J 1X7
+1-416-534-1200