Unless you're me.
My credentials are: I'm a Toronto local, a food writer (so I spend an unreasonable amount of time eating my way through the city), and I'm Italian (so, yeah).
This is my definitive list of the 25 best restaurants worth your time in Toronto right now. Not just trendy. Not just hyped. Spots worth your time, your money, and your appetite.
Some are long-standing institutions, some are recent additions, and some are ones I've been gatekeeping… until now.
Dreyfus
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Contemporary French
Address: 96 Harbord St, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: Tiny, intimate, and effortlessly cool.
Set inside a brick row house on Harbord, this 30-seat French-ish spot with an ever-changing menu is inventive, indulgent, and one of the few places in the city that feels intimate.
Chef Zachary Kolomeir nods to his Jewish heritage and its influence on Quebecois cuisine, bringing thoughtful, unique dishes to the table (literally). I'd recommend a dish, but with their rotating menu, you never know what you're walking into —and that's the appeal.
Menu
Cafe Polonez
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Polish
Address: 195 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: If you want a restaurant that defines community, this is it.
In the heart of Roncesvalles, Cafe Polonez is one of the longest-standing Polish restaurants in the city — and it feels like it. World-class politicians have travelled across the globe for dinner here; Justin Trudeau has literally made pierogies in the kitchen. Matty Matheson, a local Toronto chef, is known to dine here time and time again. Yet, somehow it still feels like your grandmother's kitchen.
If you listen to just one rule: order the platter. Pierogies, cabbage rolls, schnitzel— all the fixings for Balkan comfort food at its best.
Menu
Egg Club
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Japanese-Inspired Breakfast
Address: 88 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: A breakfast sandwich, engineered to perfection: Japanese style.
Soft Japanese milk bread, folded eggs, house-made sauces — and the true stand out: their hash brown sandwich that looks like a dessert but tastes like a savoury girl's dream. A golden hash brown patty folded in half with creamy, sweet mashed potato layered between. It's fast, it's fun, it's efficient, and it's a Toronto-born company expanding far beyond this city.
Menu
Akira Back
Price: 💸💸💸💸
Cuisine: Japanese-Korean Fusion
Address: 80 Blue Jays Way, Toronto, ON M5V 2G3
Why you need to go: Luxury dining with a cult following.
When speaking with friends as I compiled this list, this spot was a unanimous add. Akira Back kept coming up.
Located inside the BISHA Hotel, this is clearly one of those places people love to recommend because it consistently delivers.
The standouts: Wagyu tacos piled into crispy wonton shells, prepared Korean barbecue-style with bulgogi sauce and tomato ponzu.
Menu
Cassius Cucina Contemporanea
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Italian
Address: 624 King St W, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: We know dinner is more than just dishes. It's ambiance. It's the atmosphere. This is where a meal turns into a night out.
A sleek King West Italian spot where authenticity meets luxury. 100% Italian owned and operated. Head chef Michael Frigo, born in Bassano Del Grappa, Italy, started his career in Veneto's top kitchens and now brings his Italian roots to our city streets.
The kind of place where adding the extra truffle to your rigatoni carbonara is so worth it. Because indulgence is earned, and Torontonians deserve it.
Menu
Bernhardt's
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: French Bistro
Address: 202 Dovercourt Rd, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: Bringing a whole new side of chic to the quintessential Canadian classic: Swiss Chalet.
A rustic French bistro known for its rotisserie chicken. Their rotating seasonal menu specializes in White Rock chicken with Quebecois-style gravy and triple-cooked fries, and sources all ingredients from local vendors.
And fair warning: skipping dessert here is a cardinal sin. Their seasonal soft-serve is a non-negotiable. Last time I went, it was a sunflower pear sorbet sundae topped with candied sunflowers.
Menu
Masa Deli
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Breakfast & Deli
Address: 985 Dovercourt Rd, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: Breakfast, but make it chaotic in the best way.
Massive egg-loaded sandwiches, Latin-inspired tortillas, and burritos that drip down your arm. Their blend of classic American breakfasts and South American flavours is the inspiration behind their infamous breakfast sandwich, which feels more like a breakfast burger, with their thick sausage patty paired with pickles.
But if you ask me, the pastrami burrito with their habanero hot sauce is a must-get.
Menu
Gold Standard
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Breakfast Sandwiches
Address: 385 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: The best classic breakfast sandwich in Toronto. Full stop.
There are a lot of breakfast sandwiches in this city. This one wins because it doesn't overcomplicate. Originating out of The Federal as a staff meal, this full-on city staple out of a takeout window doesn't skimp on the best of the best ingredients: perfectly toasted buttery English muffin, thick-cut crispy bacon, and exactly the right amount of egg.
Pair the best breakfast sandwich with a stop at Reunion Coffee and start your morning with an unstoppable combination.
Menu
Lake Inez
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Asian-Inspired Contemporary
Address: 1471 Gerrard St E, Toronto, ON M4L 2A1
Why you need to go: The kind of restaurant that almost resists description.
Located on Gerrard East, it serves creative dishes inspired by Asian cuisine constantly on rotation, in a spot with decor equally as surprising. Named after the lake, the restaurant is lined with a quirky mix of chandeliers, antique and vintage furniture curated on Kijiji, and a stained-glass tile mural created by Schwartz himself.
Menu
Athens
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Greek
Address: 707 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4J 1L2
Why you need to go: A Danforth staple that never misses.
No frills, no gimmick, no game. Just incredibly authentic Greek food. An all-tradition spot that earned its status the old-fashioned way: being consistent and building a loyal neighbourhood following.
Menu
Maha's Brunch
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Egyptian Brunch
Address: 226 Greenwood Ave, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: If you've never been to Maha's, then you've never had brunch like this.
This homey Egyptian spot on Greenwood serves traditional dishes rich with sweet spices and deeply layered flavours that melt away the brunch fatigue in this city.
With unforgettable dishes like sunny-side eggs served with foole or date-grilled cheese, this spot is warm, distinctive, and comforting in a completely reimagined way.
Menu
Hanmoto
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Japanese Izakaya
Address: 2 Lakeview Ave, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: Late-night dining done right.
A Japanese Izakaya with incredibly small plates and even better energy. When most of the city has wound down, this spot still feels alive—serving inventive late-night snacks and strong drinks out of a flea-market-inspired spot since 2015.
Do yourself a favour and don't forget to order the Dino wings. Deboned chicken wings stuffed with ground pork and bacon like a gyoza, deep-fried until crispy, and drizzled with Kewpie mayo before getting boxed up in a Chinese takeout container.
Susie's Rise and Dine
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Diner
Address: 539 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1A9
Why you need to go: A classic diner, reimagined.
Created by three Asian-Canadian founders, inspired by their childhood memories spent around local diners and their grandmother's kitchen tables, this place blends nostalgia with bold Asian flavours.
Mapo frito pie, General Tso's Buffalo Chicken Wings, and Pigs in a Blanket served with Yuzu Cool Ranch Dip. Every dish is thoughtfully curated to spark nostalgia with a fresh new flair. The pancakes alone are worth the visit: crispy edges, soft centre, all perfection.
Menu
Edulis
Price: 💸💸💸💸
Cuisine: Contemporary Fine Dining
Address: 169 Niagara St, Toronto, ON M5V 1C9
Why you need to go: Ask any chef in Toronto where they'd eat, and more often than not, this is the answer.
Expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
Every dish feels like a love letter. To Europe. To Love. To fine dining. And to mushrooms. Yes, mushrooms.
Located on Niagara St., the menu is unlike what you'll find anywhere else. Whole roasted chickens craved tableside, house-made rabbit butifarra sauce, and creamed pine nut vinaigrettes.
Menu
Sunny's Chinese
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Regional Chinese
Address: 60 Kensington Ave, Units 6-14, Toronto, ON M5T 2K1
Why you need to go: Part of the fun of this regional Chinese spot is finding it. Hidden in a hallway in Kensington Mall, the only sign of life is a small neon sign in Chinese.
Open the door, and you'll find yourself in a secret oasis hidden in plain sight. This high-energy diner is inspired by the cultures found throughout China, from shankao spots in Chengdu and Xi'an to dai pai dongs in Hong Kong.
Order the black sesame French toast and thank me later.
Menu
La Salumeria
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Italian Deli
Address: 2021 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4S 2A2
Why you need to go: No aesthetic, no trends. Another spot that places their faith in authenticity, and in this case, it's a true, authentic Italian deli. The decor includes curated shelves of pickled artichokes, hot black olives, and Paese Mio taralli.
This old-school Italian deli hasn't changed since 1984, and we hope it never does. The sandwiches are massive, messy, and perfect.
Pizzeria Badialis
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: New York-Style Pizza
Address: 181 Dovercourt Rd, Toronto, ON M6J 3C6
Why you need to go: Yes, it's hyped. Yes, there's always a line. And yes, it's always worth it.
In a city like Toronto, filled with foodies, sometimes people can't stop raving about a spot for a reason. Staples become staples for a reason. Classic New York-style pizza. The vodka slice and the cacio e pepe are reason enough to wait in that line, even if it does stretch past Osler Park.
Menu
Mamakas Taverna
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Greek
Address: 80 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: Mamakas is what happens when a restaurant manages to be both authentic and chic.
Located on Ossington, in the centre of all that is cool, this elegant 85-seat Greek tavern takes its name from a term of endearment for mother, and that warmth is woven into the space. Greek food, but elevated.
The chefs match the ambiance in blending traditional dishes with modern touches — like taramosalata topped with salmon roe.
Menu
Famiglia Baldassarre
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Fresh Pasta
Address: 122 Geary Ave, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: This pasta shop opens only for a short window each week and serves up some of the most authentic handmade pasta in the city.
For just two hours on Tuesday to Friday, this industrial kitchen, located in a shop on Geary, offers a compact rotating lunch menu for dine-in or takeout. Outside of that, it's a wholesale fresh pasta operation making 27 different types of traditional pasta from scratch.
The limited time frame, the rotating menu, and the ritual of it all make the meal feel all the more special.
Menu
Danny's Pizza Tavern
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Pizza
Address: 611 College St, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: The restaurant was so nice that they had to do it twice.
Both Danny's and Danny's Next Door are tavern-style pizza spots on College, serving up super-thin pies and packing the room with wood-panelled walls and personal photos, making the spots feel intimate and effortlessly cool.
Menu
OddSeoul
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Korean-American Fusion
Address: 90 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON
Why you need to go: Opened in 2012, still standing over a decade later — OddSeoul remains one of the best snack bars in the city.
The Korean-American-inspired fusion tapas spot is loud, lively, and fun, making you want to come back again and again.
This is a spot to share with friends, where the drinks are good, the plates are meant to be split, and you always end up staying much longer than you planned. If you're not running back for the bulgogi cheesesteak or the tempura squash poutine, then you're the problem.
Menu
Pho Real
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Address: 8099 Weston Rd, Woodbridge, ON
Why you need to go: Sharing this one feels like divulging my best-kept secret. Located slightly outside the city in Vaughan, Pho Real is a personal family gem.
It's the kind of hole-in-the-wall spot that Toronto is built on. It heals the soul. It was a childhood staple for me, and if you're from Vaughan, then it was for you too.
It's a family-owned spot, run by Vietnamese immigrants, that serves deeply authentic Vietnamese cooking without the fuss. This is the kind of place you only show someone when they've really earned it.
Menu
Hodo Kwaja
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Korean Bakery
Address: 656 Bloor St W, Toronto, ONWhy you need to go: Family-owned since 1992, another point in the case for long-standing city institutions.
This Korean bakery on Bloor specializes in traditional and popular Korean desserts. It has that low-key stumbled-upon kind of charm that makes discovering it feel extra satisfying.
Known for their red bean pancake, it remains one of the places people tend to find through word of mouth and never stop talking about.
Bear Steak Sandwiches
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Steak Sandwiches
Address: 550A College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1B1
Why you need to go: From backyard pop-up to city staple.
This spot is serving up thick-cut, juicy steak sandwiches on the rare side, slathered in chimichurri sauce and stacked onto a Portuguese roll that somehow keeps getting better — big flavour, no gimmicks — the bite that keeps on giving.
Menu
Toronto doesn't have just one food scene; it’s a food-driven city with dozens of overlapping, contradicting scenes that constantly raise the bar. That’s what makes eating in this city so exciting.
The best restaurants aren't always the flashiest or the trendiest: more often than not, they’re the family-run institutions, the hole-in-the-wall staples, or the neighbourhood spot you can't stop thinking about.
This list is personal, opinionated, and absolutely up for debate — but if there's one thing I know for sure, it's that Toronto is one of the best cities to eat in... and these restaurants prove it.
This article has been updated from its original publication date.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
A Costco Canada haul.Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
