56 Best Restaurants in Toronto, Ontario

In a quiet dining room tucked into the first floor of a house just off King West, this adventurous pizza parlor serves New York--style pies with topping combos like braised beef tongue and smoked bacon, or anchovies and crispy chicken skin. While there are pasta offerings on the menu, diners can also slurp cheesy bone marrow and order decadent house-made Twinkies for dessert.

Like the appealingly bare-bones aesthetic of its space (exposed brick, hardwoods, and candlelight), this creative contemporary Pan-Asian bistro offers unadorned dishes that are jammed with flavor. After traveling for a year, chef-owner Tom Thai returned to Toronto with inspiration from Asia, Latin America, and the Mediterranean to produce a menu featuring tapas-style offerings like arctic char ceviche, lamb and duck prosciutto dumplings, and grilled side ribs with a sticky shallot glaze. The restaurant doesn't take reservations, so get here early or late to avoid the rush.

Named for a street in Bangkok bursting with nightlife and excellent street eats, Khao San Road lives up to its moniker. The squash fritters are a head-turning crispy delight that you'll want to order when you see them show up at another table. For heartier dishes, try for the khao soi, a dish of egg noodles in a rich coconut milk sauce, or try the warming massaman, a tamarind-infused curry with peanuts, potatoes, and deep-fried shallots.

A Leslieville staple, this brunch spot occupies an airy two-floor space with huge windows in a converted old home just north of the main Queen East drag. It's a lovely spot for hearty, homey dishes like cheddar jalapeño waffles, washed down with coffee in vintage Corningware mugs.

From the "mindblowing chicken sandwich" to the Pharaoh's po' boy with fried shrimp, it's hard to go wrong at this cheerful, intimate family-run Egyptian brunch joint, located at Little India's eastern edge.

Bold Middle Eastern flavors and spices are showcased at Tabülè, where traditional appetizers include baba ghanoush and hummus served with warm flatbread, and standout falafel fried to a deep golden brown and served with thick, rich tahini sauce. Grilled meats and seafood are also excellent.

No late-night craving goes unsatisfied at this decades-running 24-hour eatery specializing in lighter fare. Soups like Moroccan or vegetarian chili and sandwiches like sloppy joes and herbed chicken with honey mustard are comforting and filling. There is also a brunch menu.

A culinary tribute to beer, the creative menu here incorporates its star ingredient in every dish, but in subtle and clever ways without causing a malted-flavor overload. Start the hoppy journey with a taster flight of three draft beers, and follow that with a beer-bread pizza made with oatmeal stout or a bowl of mussels in a beer-based broth.

This tiny café, just outside the Rosedale subway station, serves some of the city's favorite sandwiches.

Holding court over a central Little Italy corner since 1968, Diplomatico is popular for its big sidewalk patio with umbrella-shaded tables, one of the best places in the city for people-watching. "The Dip," as it's locally known, serves reliable red-sauce Italian fare until late into the night.

Head to this colorful café for locally roasted espresso and reasonably priced Mediterranean brunch. Inspired by Greek kafeneio meeting places, it's a great spot to while away a few hours.

At this classic Toronto wing joint, crispy flats and drumettes are served with pristine celery sticks and creamy dill or blue-cheese dressing. The "medium" sauce is still fairly hot—but for those truly willing to tempt fate, the options go all the way up to "armageddon."

Fried dumplings stuffed with juicy shrimp and pork or the health-conscious steamed spinach and black mushroom wrappers are the stars of the show but ordering from the selection of northern Chinese staples is highly recommended too. Top crowd-pleasing picks are the ultra-thinly sliced semi-cooked potato threads cooked in a jolting spicy vinegar, and noodley tofu strips boiled and lightly stir-fried with pork and veggies.

Enter a Middle Eastern paradise where vegans and the health conscious can feast on delicious mock-meat renditions of classics like chicken shawarma and beef kebabs doused in a variety of flavored tahinis, like beet and lemon. Chef Isra recreated her grandmother's Egyptian recipes so faithfully that not even she can tell them apart.

Open in one form or another since the 1980s, this neighborhood eatery strives to capture both contemporary and authentic Japanese washoku-style cooking. Think tempura, teriyaki, sushi, sashimi, poke bowls, and creative maki rolls. Hot pots and udon noodle bowls are a great way to warm up in the colder months.

Don't let the opulent interior at this busy breakfast spot fool you: the meals here are affordable (and yummy). It's one of the closest brunch restaurants to the Rogers Centre, making it a good place to grab a cup of coffee and some pancakes before an afternoon Jays game.

Located smack in the middle of Kensington Market, locals flock to this highly versatile cultural hub that effortlessly merges brunch restaurant, gelateria, and evening cabaret. The sprawling front and back patio make it an ideal location for soaking in local culture over an umami-rich Japanese omelet and pink sakura latte, or cocktails paired with late-night Latin-themed bites. The choices are truly endless. 

This local mini-chain does a brisk business in fresh, slow-cooked rotisserie chicken, either sold as combo meals or atop customizable salads.

For generations, hungry Torontonians have ended up at this reliable round-the-clock diner for classic breakfasts and greasy-spoon dishes. Burgers and Benedicts are staples, but the menu makes room for a variety of comfort food crowd-pleasers like lasagnas, meat loaf, and steak. Save room for rice pudding.

This delicious restaurant has been a vegan mecca for over 20 years and will make even the most die-hard meat eaters happy. The menu has evolved far past their power shake and rice bowl origins, and while the Balance bowl still tops the charts with its jicama, tofu, and addictive peanut sauce, they now offer everything from pizzas to decadent breakfast items like a crispy, corn-flake-coated almond butter French toast.

Aside from European-style baked goods and all-day breakfasts, this spot also serves Old World recipes like cabbage rolls, schnitzel, and potato-cheese pierogi slathered with sour cream. It's beloved by the pastry-and-coffee crowd and by students wanting generous portions from early morning until late at night.

Watch tasty, filling Chinese noodles get stretched, folded, and beaten by hand to order at this busy and tiny shop, which specializes in Lanzhou-style lamian. Choose from seven types of noodle thickness in a beef broth; most people choose thicker noodles, which allows you to experience their full chewy texture and the soup flavor to cling to them more. The portion size of noodle soups is generous; ordering a small will easily satisfy people with modest appetites, but if you eat a lot dare to get a large or extra-large portion.

Hong Shing has deep community roots: customers swear that they make the best crispy beef and General Tso's chicken dishes in the city, and hometown celebrities Drake and Simu Liu are regulars. For two generations, this family-run Chinese restaurant has served delicious food inspired by China’s many regional cuisines. Chef Tim is a master of the painstaking process of Cantonese-style barbecue—the limited quantities of barbecue meats he makes each day, such as pork and duck, sell out quickly.

When Kinka Izakaya opened in 2009, it quickly defined the Japanese izakaya-style dining experience (drinks and small plates) in the minds of Torontonians; it’s lively, complete with an open kitchen and ultra-friendly staff. The Truffle Carbonara Udon with mushrooms, onions, soft-boiled egg, and truffle oil reaches new heights.

A trip to Little India isn't complete without hitting up this raucous Pakistani/North Indian spot, popular with locals and families. You might have  a long wait at peak times (generally Friday and weekend nights), but standout biryani, kebabs, tandoori chicken, and sizzling plates of tikka will be your reward.

This combination general store and barbecue joint has long been a refuge for locals in need of a poutine, breakfast sandwich, or butter chicken at odd hours.

Whether you're looking for imported pesto potato chips, a bottle of wine, a fresh cappuccino, or a hearty salad, this Italian bodega has you covered.

Local celebrity chef/often-shouting TV personality Matty Matheson always has a number of spots opening and closing in Toronto, but if you want to try the delectable smash burgers that made him famous, Matty's Pattys is the place. Called a "burger club," it's a no-frills mostly-takeout spot with single, double, and triple cheeseburgers (or plant-based burgers), milkshakes, and chili cheese fries.

One of the best spots to try bier schnapps (a traditional German-style spirit that is akin to tequila), this gastropub features classics with a twist such as crispy cornish hen with Sriracha maple glaze, or ultrameaty chicken wings. Even salads are anything but boring, like the red quinoa salad with sweet and tangy sherry vinaigrette. Fondue is served up with a duo of Oka and aged cheddar with roasted beets, house-made bratwurst, apples, and mini potatoes. For dessert, opt for Nonna's sugar donuts; they're melt-in-your-mouth and pillowy soft.

In hotly debated "best pizza in the city" barroom discussions, this local pizza chain is one of the top contenders. This location is a top spot in the Village for a tasty and crispy pie, slice, or handful of garlic knots.