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Restaurants in Toronto

It might not be on the Michelin radar, but Toronto is still one of the top foodie cities in North America. Whether you’re a fine diner, a takeaway addict or a simply prefer snuggling up in a local pub and tucking into decent comfort grub, you won’t leave disappointed. The city has a small selection of lauded restaurants with the obligatory celebrity chef connection, but its real asset is its world cuisine. From French pastry shops to Korean takeaways, nowhere is Toronto’s cosmopolitan character more evident than in its gastronomic offering.

The Toronto restaurants listed below have been handpicked by our guide author and are grouped into three pricing categories:
Expensive (over C$60)
Moderate (C$40 to C$60)
Cheap (up to C$40)

These prices are for a three-course meal for one, including half a bottle of house wine or equivalent – they do not include taxes, service charge or tip. Restaurant prices are subject to a provincial sales tax (PST) of 8% (10% on alcohol) and a federal goods and services tax (GST) of 5%. All taxes are usually added to the bill at the end of the meal. It is not usual for a compulsory service charge to be added to the bill, but a tip of between 10-20% is expected.

Expensive

360 The Restaurant at the Tower

Cuisine: Modern North American

With floor-to-ceiling windows, 114 storeys above the lakeshore, 360 is a dining experience like no other in Toronto. It's the vistas of this revolving restaurant that people come for, which take in Lake Ontario for as far as the eye can see to the south and the city spreading out in every other direction. The food is not quite as memorable, but it is still pretty good.

Address: 301 Front Street West, CN Tower, Downtown, M5V 2T6
Telephone: +1 416 362 5411.
Website: http://www.cntower.ca

Lolita's Lust

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Tucked away like Toronto's best-kept secret, intimate Lolita's Lust is a dimly lit hotspot frequented by celebrities when they are in town. Bohemian in atmosphere, this upscale eatery features a delightful range of internationally inspired meat and fish dishes - intriguing combinations include lobster dumplings and mushroom salad with miso chilli mayo. Reservations essential.

Address: Greektown, 513 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, M4K 1P5
Telephone: +1 416 465 1751.
Website: http://www.lolitaslust.ca

Sassafraz Restaurant

Cuisine: French Canadian

This classy, atmospheric restaurant, which is located in the heart of historical Yorkville, serves cuisine du soleil, a flavoursome combination of French, Italian and Canadian. With an interior blending art deco's minimalist and exotic elements, it's a seriously stylish place that's favoured by visiting celebrities.

Address: Yorkville, 100 Cumberland Street, Toronto, M5R 1A6
Telephone: +1 416 964 2222.
Website: http://www.sassafraz.ca

Moderate

Brownes Bistro

Cuisine: French

Prized by the well-heeled residents of Rosedale, this long-standing neighbourhood bistro might be lacking in culinary adventurousness and is equally unpretentious in décor, but its longevity and continued popularity speak for its quality. Some of the dishes come with a nice Gallic touch, and the meat plates are deliciously tasty.

Address: Summerhill, 4 Woodlawn Avenue East, Toronto, M4T 1C1
Telephone: +1 416 924 8132.
Website: http://www.brownesbistro.com

Julie’s Cuban Cafe

Cuisine: Caribbean

This chic Cuban cantina brings a little taste of the Caribbean to chilly Toronto. Red and white checked tablecloths, fairy lights and scattered geegaws make for a fabulously kitsch interior, and there's also a sunny patio where you can enjoy tapas, enchiladas, cerviche and fried plantain washed down with excellent margaritas.

Address: Little Portugal, 202 Dovercourt Road, Toronto, M6J 3C8
Telephone: +1 416 532 7397.
Website: http://www.juliescuban.com

The Paddock Tavern

Cuisine: Modern North American

The sumptuous, wooden 1940s décor of this bar/restaurant tends to get obscured on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights by crowds of young drinkers, but throughout the rest of the week it is a bit quieter. The menu changes seasonally - highlights might include cassoulet or bison sirloin with garlic mash.

Address: , 178 Bathurst Street, Toronto, M5V 2R4
Telephone: +1 416 504 9997.
Website: http://www.thepaddock.ca

Cheap

Dr. Laffa

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Specialising in delicious Middle Eastern vegetarian fare, Dr. Laffa is a relaxed, informal venue where many of the customers are on first name terms with the staff and the chefs use traditional Iraqi cooking methods. Try a traditional laffa (flatbread) with falafel and hummus – perfect as a snatched lunch between sightseeing stops.

Address: North York, 2032 Bathurst Street, Toronto, M6B 3B5
Telephone: +1 647 352 9000.
Website: http://www.drlaffa.com

Flo’s Diner

Cuisine: North American

Step into this classic Yorkville diner and you'll feel like you've travelled back to the 1950s. With its black and white tiled floor, swivel bar stools and vinyl booths, Flo's delights in light-hearted retro clichés. The menu, which revolves around burgers, grilled sandwiches and a greasy spoon-style all day breakfast, is guilt inducing but delicious.

Address: Yorkville, 70 Yorkville Avenue, Toronto, M5R 1B9
Telephone: +1 416 961 4333.
Website: http://www.flosdiner.ca

Fran's

Cuisine: North American

Unpretentious food served whenever you're hungry is a recipe that has made Fran's a Toronto institution since 1940. Don't expect anything gourmet, but this diner offers a slice of old Toronto at a reasonable price. Old favourites like meatloaf and tuna melts share the menu with newer fare like Baja chicken wraps.

Address: , 20 College Street, Toronto, M5G 2B3
Telephone: +1 416 923 9867.
Website: http://www.fransrestaurant.com
A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

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Eaton Chelsea

Canada's largest hotel, the glass-clad, sky-high Eaton Chelsea tries to cater for everybody within its 1,590 guest rooms. For families, there are Nintendo games, a bottomless cookie jar and kids' discounts in the restaurants. While for business travellers, there is a dedicated floor of rooms equipped with cordless speaker telephones, faxes, well-stocked desks and back-friendly chairs.

Super 8 Downtown

Super 8 is a cheap and cheerful hotel set close to the Gardiner Expressway in Chinatown. With decent continental breakfasts, a gym and massage room, plus flatscreen TVs, microwaves and fridges in all rooms, make this an excellent budget choice. There are hot tub suites available at reasonable rates too.

Cambridge Suites

Located in the heart of the Financial District, this all-suites hotel is designed with the business traveller in mind. The experienced staff can handle all kinds of business occasions, from state-of-the-art presentations to informal breakfast meetings. All rooms have work areas that are comfortable, well designed and feature two double-line telephones and high-speed Wi-Fi access.

Hazelton Hotel

Since opening in 2007, the Hazelton in the ritzy Yorkville district has drawn a steady stream of actors and hipsters, many attracted by its proximity to luxury boutiques and Toronto International Film Festival events. Amenities include a lap pool, fitness centre, spa, private screening room and 24-hour room service.

The Westin Harbour Castle

This is a mammoth 38-storey, twin-towered hotel with 977 rooms that looks straight out onto Lake Ontario. As well as boasting spectacular views, the Harbour Castle features 70,000 square foot of meeting space, tennis courts, an indoor pool, whirlpool and giant windows throughout. The rooms are exceptionally comfortable and well equipped.

Fairmont Royal York Hotel

The tallest building in the British Empire when it opened in 1929, the massive Royal York even now is a prominent feature of Toronto's Lake Ontario skyline. Amenities include a business centre, indoor lap pool, 24-hour fitness centre, spa and children's wading pool.