If you're planning to hit the town for a night of food and drink in Toronto but always have trouble deciding on just one or two things to order, tapas is the way to go!
Tapas is a form of dining that consists of small, shareable plates, allowing you to try as many different dishes as possible. Though Spanish in origin, it's a branch of restaurant culture that has transcended geographic borders both in location and cuisine.
Whether you're out with a big group, on an intimate date night or just want to sample a variety of bites on your own, these Toronto restaurants are perfect for every occasion.
Lucky for us, Toronto is teeming with tremendous tapas spots, so here's a list of some standouts for your next night out with your favourite people — or even solo!
Madrina Bar y Tapas
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Spanish Tapas
Address: 2 Trinity St., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: Michelin Guide-recognized and frequently showered with praise, Madrina is a destination in the city's beautiful Distillery District for both traditional and contemporary Spanish cuisine and tapas.
The gorgeous Old-World feel of the Distillery District lends itself well to Madrina's rustic atmosphere, which plays host to a robust selection of authentic savoury and sweet Spanish share plates with a focus on seafood creations and imported ingredients. Cap it off with some Spanish-inspired cocktails and you've got a winning combination.
And while the summer weather is still here, they also have a lovely patio!
Bar Isabel
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Spanish Tapas
Address: 797 College St., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: An ever-popular nightlife spot with a moody and immersive atmosphere, Bar Isabel promises a menu of Spanish-style tapas that implements contemporary culinary approaches, locally sourced ingredients and thoughtful imports from Europe.
It's a winning combination for a focused yet rangey menu of shareable dishes, from whole grilled octopus to fine Ibérico ham to flavourful patatas bravas and so much more. Enjoy it all with house cocktails, beer and wine, then finish off with a sweet finale in the form of Basque cake with hot sherry cream or chocolate ganaches with hazelnut.
Qué Rico Tapas Bar
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Latin American
Address: 720 College St., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: Qué rico is Spanish for "how yummy," and it's an apt phrase for the offerings at this sweet little Latin American tapas bar nestled in Little Italy with bright, modern decor and a spacious patio.
The attractive tapas menu here features culinary influences from Spain, Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador and beyond, making the most out of vibrant flavours in an inclusive range of dishes that features meat-forward plates and some vegetarian options.
They've also got full-sized mains for the hungrier set and some tasty Latin-influenced cocktails to boot!
Salt Wine Bar
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Wine Bar
Address: 225 Ossington Ave., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: A standout in Ossington's booming food and drink scene, Salt Wine Bar promises Iberian and Canadian tapas alongside its thoughtfully curated selection of wines from Spain, Portugal and beyond.
Kick things off by building your own charcuterie selection with options like house-pickled vegetables, sourdough from Blackbird Bakery, select cheeses, duck prosciutto, chorizo Ibérico, Spanish Marcona almonds and more.
Then, follow it up with Salt's drool-worthy assortment of tapas like patatas bravas, yellowtail crudo, paella, Spanish octopus, truffle gnocchi, jamón Ibérico toast, steak tartare, fried shishitos and lobster ceviche.
OMG Cafe & Tapas
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Mediterranean & Latin Tapas
Address: 755 Dovercourt Rd., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: Casual and inviting trappings at this Dovercourt cafe and bar host a unique tapas menu that fuses Mediterranean and Latin flavours.
Available from 4 to 8 p.m. each night, the share plates here include coxinhas, a Brazillian croquette stuffed with creamy chicken; mandioquinha, which sees savoury dough with parsley, pepper jam, mozzarella and Grana Padano; and fun plates like the Midnight Madness with brisket, polenta, teardrop peppers and chives.
Local foodies rave about the food here, which manages to be as delicious as it is unique!
Bar Raval
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Spanish Tapas
Address: 505 College St., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: Modern Spanish tapas plates built with simple, excellent ingredients and imports are paired with stunning cocktails and a moody atmosphere at this College Street fixture that always draws a crowd.
You can enjoy a focused menu of Spanish snacks — or pintxos — like marinated octopus, tomato bread, jamón croquetas, juicy Ibérico pork, mushroom towers, and some sweets to finish, like Basque cheesecake and olive oil cake. All of it is well paired with Bar Raval's cocktails, whether it's a well-made classic or a creative and sophisticated signature drink. This place is regularly busy, and with very good reason!
La Paella
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Spanish Tapas
Address: 1146 Queen St. E., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: As their name would suggest, one of the big draws of La Paella is, indeed, their paella: It's cooked in a variety of styles that include the option of meat, seafood, or vegetarian paella that are made fresh to order and so worth the wait.
But while you're waiting those 40 minutes for your scrumptious paella to finish cooking, you can indulge in an appealing selection of Spanish tapas including gambas al ajillo, or garlic shrimp; tortilla Española, a Spanish omelette; or fideuá de mariscos, a seafood pasta dish. This place gets consistent top marks from locals for its authentic Spanish eats and immersive atmosphere!
East End Vine
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: International Wine Bar
Address: 817 Gerrard St. E., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: International bottles of red, white and rosé are complemented by internationally influenced tapas eats at this east-end wine bar and restaurant.
East End Vine is constantly shifting its curated wine list, promising selections from France, Austria, Spain, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa and beyond at any given time. Whatever you decide to have in your glass, pair it with small plates like mushroom toast with pickled quail eggs, croquettes with crispy prosciutto and caramelized onion, Norwegian smoked salmon, and BC albacore tuna tartare. It's a cozy favourite in the Riverdale/Leslieville neighbourhood for wine lovers and foodies alike!
