Toronto’s reputation for a dynamic and diverse culinary scene is well deserved. Home to over 9,000 restaurants, Toronto’s vibrant multicultural population continues to push culinary boundaries to the delight of all who visit.
From a German beer hall to a much-anticipated Kensington Market arrival, there’s lots to love about Toronto’s dining scene right now.
We spoke to the team at Tourism Toronto, who have handpicked their current top 10 hottest restaurants.
La Banane (labanane.ca)
The French restaurant on Ossington is Instagram-famous for their dessert Disco Egg but you’re also going to want to queue up to get a taste of their seafood offerings, whipped chicken liver and pastry-encrusted bass.
Lake Inez (lakeinezto.com)
A teeny lake in Michigan and global flavours are brought together at this restaurant located in the Little India neighbourhood, featuring Asian snacks to bolster cocktails like the Tokyo Hotel Bar with sake and yuzu.
STK Toronto (stkhouse.com)
International chain STK’s swanky spot in Yorkville will serve you steaks costing hundreds of dollars, luxurious sliders, grits and donuts in a club-like environment.
Awai (awai.ca)
This unconventional plant-based restaurant in Bloor West Village is just as off-beat with their restaurant conventions as they are their menu, operating on a no-gratuity basis. This is hardly unusual from chef Nathan Isberg, formerly of the no-menu, pay-what-you-want Atlantic.
Baro (barotoronto.com)
Chef Steven Gonzalez is churning out fancy drinks with aged ice cubes and edible petals, ceviche flights, and tons of elevated bar finger food like empanadas and guacamole in the King West neighbourhood.
Planta (plantatoronto.com)
What’s hotter right now than eating ethically? Very little, it would appear, according to the popularity of this Yorkville plant-based eatery headed up by David Lee. Everyone is town is just itching to try this place’s beet juice cocktails, coconut ceviche and veggie burgers.
Piano Piano (pianopianotherestaurant.com)
From the folks behind Splendido, this wildly popular Italian restaurant is impossible to dine at. Located on Harbord in the student friendly downtown Annex neighbourhood, they’re not reinventing the wheel with rustic pizzas and pastas, but those who love carbs are willing to line up to fill up on their favourites.
Oretta (oretta.to)
This new Italian joint in the King West neighbourhood is just as impressive for its sweeping architecture and cool retro-influenced decor as its menu of comforting but upscale dishes straight from nonna’s kitchen. Diners will likely find themselves rubbing shoulders with the young urban professionals of this increasingly popular neighbourhood while enjoying dishes such as Mortadella and pistachio pizza, tagliatelle, and lamb.
Otto’s Bierhalle (ottosbierhalle.com)
Nestled alongside the restaurants, boutiques and art galleries on West Queen West, this beer hall just recently rolled out the ability to make reservations, and it looks increasingly like they’re going to need it. With a packed house on weekends that resembles the Berlin clubs this place is inspired by rather than a German restaurant.
Grey Gardens (greygardens.ca)
Perfectly situated near Toronto’s famous Kensington Market, the Grey Gardens menu boasts a mix of excellent organic wine, local cider and elevated plates like ravioli and New York strip, along with bare necessities like chips n’ dip and Coors Light.
