Where To Eat In Toronto: 7 Hottest Restaurants Right Now
Popping up in magnificent castles, above rumbling subway stations and hidden in the city's side streets, Toronto isn't lacking when it comes to restaurants in creative places.
But with new restaurants opening daily, it's hard to keep up with the city's most sought-after dining spots.
Looking for a new place to dine with your friends? Here are the seven hottest restaurants in The 6ix right now:
Brothers // 1240 Bay St, Toronto
Brothers sits directly atop Bay Street station, which means you may occasionally feel the rumble of a subway underneath your feet every now and then. The restaurant's constantly overturning menu of simple and delicious dishes causes Toronto diners to flock here, but throw in the narrow dining space and a recent New York Times review and it's almost impossible to get a seat.
If you do manage to make a reservation, make sure to try out the persimmon salad, which has rave reviews.
Pinky's Ca Phe // 53 Clinton St, Toronto
If you're looking for a little slice of 1960's Vietnam in Toronto, you'll find it at Pinky's. Tucked away on Clinton Street just north of College in Little Italy, this narrow house has an off-the-radar vibe, despite being one of the most popular bars in Toronto. The menu is inspired by Vietnamese flavours, so expect items like butter beef, mango-papaya salad topped with grilled squid and charcoal grilled chicken.
Blue Blood Steakhouse // 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto
Located inside Casa Loma, Blue Blood Steakhouse - a popular dining spot for Toronto's hometown hero Drake - is upscale and edgy all in one. Andy Warhol paintings and a large portrait of Prince hang on the century old walls here.
As for the menu? Towers of seafood and gigantic steaks are just some of the showstoppers available to diners. Oh, and the restaurant's cellar is home to over 2,000 bottles of wine. Need I say more?
La Banane // 227 Ossington Ave, Toronto
A French restaurant on Ossington, La Banane is a combination effort between the King Street Food Company (three Bucas, Jacobs and Co.) and chef Brandon Olsen. The first thing customers see when entering is the raw bar, a long display of incredibly fresh seafood.
Along with craft beer, ciders and cocktails, the restaurant also serves up cocktails and a couple of virgin drinks also.
For dinner, try out Chef Olsen's Ziggy Stardust Disco Egg, a giant, colourful chocolate egg painted in an abstract design. But its hefty price tag of $50 may mean it'll be the only thing you can afford to order.
Café Cancan // 89 Harbord St, Toronto
Located where The Harbord Room used to be, Cafe Cancan had some pretty big shoes to fill when it took the legendary restaurant's space, but if customer's rave reviews are anything to go by, it did more than a pretty good job.
This dreamy bistro is now full of colourful pastels, flamingos and and florals, and serves up classic French dishes like escargots, steak au poivre skate meuniere, French onion soup and a few wonderful cocktails.
Looking for a new brunch spot? The cozy, semi-private flamingo-styled nook in the back is perfect for a party of four or five.
La Palma // 849 Dundas St West, Toronto
It's difficult to get a seat at this Italian restaurant on Dundas, but luckily the restaurant keeps a lot of tables exclusively for walk-ins. You'll find a menu boasting Italian specials like pasta, sharing-style pizza and crostino along with all-day coffee and Italian-inspired cocktails.
Alo // 163 Spadina Ave, Toronto
Officially the winner of 2017's Best Restaurant in Canada, Alo Restaurant goes all in on high-end dining. Located on the third floor of a building on Spadina, guests exiting the elevator are greeted by the 20-seat bar with a backdrop of bottles and brass shelves greets guests.
Small plates at the bar can be assembled together by diners who aren't ready to commit to a full meal, and those with a bit of extra pocket money can indulge in the restaurant's $89 multi-course taster menu (not recommended for students who can barely afford a Tim's coffee).
