Restaurant Guide
Toronto has many excellent restaurants. You can find almost any type of food here thanks to our ethnic diversity.
In addition to the usual search tools such as yelp and Open Table, and YPDine, we offer some local recommendations both for specific restaurants and for areas. You can also try DINR, a reservation app offering access to same day reservations to some of Toronto’s best restaurants.
If you find a restaurant that appeals to you, it may be a good idea to book a table in advance, particularly for weekend nights.
Downtown areas with good restaurants:
Close to the St. George subway station just west of Yorkville, just a little west on Bathurst on the north side, there is Bar Mercurio (270 Bathurst Street West, 416-960-3872), a great pizza/pasta Italian restaurant (with a really good wine list). It has a sister, cafeteria-style restaurant across the street: make sure you’re at the north side location.
Trattoria Nervosa is another good Italian place, this one right in Yorkville, about 10-15 min. walk from the St. George subway station (75 Yorkville Avenue, 416-961-4642).
La Société (131 Bloor Street West, 416-551-9929) is also in Yorkville and is close to the Royal Ontario Museum. It’s a beautiful French restaurant although I see it’s been getting mixed reviews for the food of late. Its prices are higher end, especially at night.
Ossington Avenue between Dundas and Queen has some great restaurants such as:
La Banane, (227 Ossington Ave. 416-551–6263), a new favourite of mine, a French restaurant specializing in seafood. It’s a bit of a splurge, but won’t disappoint.
Foxley (207 Ossington Ave. (416) 534-8520) is an old favourite for delicious fusion sharing plates. No reservations here, but they’ll text you so you can have a drink in a bar when your table is free.
Tanto (74 Ossington Avenue 416-546-3022), described as “Argentinean inspired”, has been getting good buzz.
The Annex/Harbord Village/Korea Town
Bloor Street between Spadina and Bathurst is home to a number of inexpensive restaurants, most of the Japanese. You can walk in, but calling ahead for larger groups may be advisable.
My favourites on this strip are:
New Generation Sushi 493 and 486 (all you can eat) Bloor St. W.
Sushi on Bloor 525 Bloor St. w.
Sushi Couture (456 Bloor St West 416-538-8618) has slightly more gourmet offerings, but at a generally reasonable price. The B.C. tuna is marvelous.
OG Grill (4 Walmer Rd, just north of Bloor 416-923-0700 has delicious Greek take out and some tables to eat. It’s right next door to a take-out burritos at Burrito Bandidos
There’s a new location for an old favourite pub, the Victory Cafe (440 Bloor St W, 416) 551-8376)
Insomnia, near Bathurst Street (563 Bloor Street West 416-588-3907), is reasonably priced and open late with good food and drinks and a wonderful brunch menu.
Real Thailand, just west of Bathurst ( 570 Bloor St. W. (416) 924-7444) has delicious food. It’s a good bet for larger groups.
Along Bloor Street West of Bathurst Street there are also a number of good Korean restaurants.
Delicious, homestyle Nicaraguan food can be found La Bella Managua, farther west along Bloor (872 Bloor Street West (416) 913-4227 ) A reasonably priced, casual restaurant with fantastic food!
College and Dupont streets, running parallel to Bloor are also good food destinations:
Fat Pasha on Dupont (414 Dupont Street 647-340-6142) offers delicious fusion-y Middle Eastern food.
Dailo on College (503 College St. 647-341-8882 is a favourite for East Asian fusion. It is next to the very cool, Spanish style Bar Raval
On Harbord Street (south of Bloor) between Spadina and Bathurst, there are more good restaurants such as
Piano Piano (88 Harbord St. ( 416 ) 929 - 7788) has delicious Italian food with great service. Do make reservations, but there’s always a chance of a walk in seat at the bar.
Piano Piano’s sister restaurant Café Can Can (89 Harbord St. 647-341-3100) is a French style bistro. Reserve in advance.
More great dining areas to search:
The Danforth: Many Greek restaurants and other cuisines, on this eastern half of Bloor Street, easily accessible by subway.
St. Clair West: There are many good restaurants west of Bathurst along St. Clair Avenue, such as Pukka (778 St Clair Ave W (416) 342-1906), the best fusion Indian.
This area has a number of good, no-reservation Italian restaurants. My favourite is Nodo (794 Bloor Street West 416-748-1559). The restaurant row runs from around Wychwood to just past Arlington: since no reservations are taken at most places, you need to go early or go late on the weekend to avoid waiting.
Fresh Restaurants (multiple locations) offer good, strictly vegetarian food with many vegan options.
Farther north, nearer to campus there are also good options.
Le Montmartre (911 Sheppard Ave West (416) 630-3804) is a good French restaurant not too far from the York campus.
Camarra Pizzeria and Restaurant 2899 Dufferin St. ((416) 789-3221) has good Italian food.
Skyranch Restaurant is a family-owned Argentinean restaurant, also on Dufferin. (2473 Dufferin St. (416) 787-0491).
There are numerous quick options for lunch on the York Campus. Many good ones are located centrally in York Lanes. Here is a link to Food Services on Campus
et al is a new Faculty/Grad club with good food. It is in the Ross Building: South Ross 166.
