Courtesy of Stuart Murray/Getty Images/iStockphoto
What to Eat in Toronto
It should go without saying that one of the world's most multicultural cities holds the same distinction for its dining scene. There are so many foodie enclaves worth exploring here that you may have to plan another trip or two to sample the city's robust palate. Not only does Toronto have a Little Italy but there's also Chinatown, a Koreatown, a Greektown, as well as a Little Iran in North York and Little Portugal about 2 miles west of downtown. What's more, the Bazaar neighborhood serves up some top-notch Indian and Middle Eastern fare. Roncesvalles Village (formerly referred to as Little Poland), is known for its Eastern European eateries and independent coffee shops, not to mention its popular annual Little Poland festival in September. Luckily, no matter which area of town you choose to visit, locals assure that good food isn't hard to come by in this city.
Those looking for a one-stop-shop should focus their appetites on two locales: the St. Lawrence Market in Old Town and the Kensington Market. The St. Lawrence Market is a big foodie hot spot, not to mention a Torontonian institution that sells a delectable mix of Canadian classics and international dishes. You can't leave without sampling a traditional peameal bacon sandwich at Carousel Bakery, or stopping by the locally beloved Churrascos, a Portuguese stall famous for its chicken. There's also St. Urbain Bagel Bakery, which serves bagels baked in a wood-burning oven, Buster's Sea Cove (get the fish and chips) and Uno Mustachio (try the veal and eggplant parmigiana sandwich).
Kensington Market is a microcosm of Toronto's vast dining scene, to say the least. Take a trip down some of the neighborhood's central thoroughfares and you're sure to find the most unlikely of neighbors. Rasta Pasta, a Jamaican-Italian fusion eatery sits next to Seven Lives, which sells California-style tacos, on Kensington Avenue. One block over, try vegan Urban Herbivore, Wanda's Pie in the Sky shop and Otto's Berlin Döner, which sells Berlin-style doner kebabs and currywurst. There's also a variety of Asian fare, including Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants all within a two-block radius of each other near the main Spadina Avenue.
Fine dining isn't a big force in Toronto's dining scene, but that doesn't it's absent from the city's culinary landscape. For fine dining with a side of vistas, head over to Canoe, often regarded as one of Canada's best restaurants. Located on the 54th floor of the TD Bank Tower, Canoe serves a multicourse seafood menu for lunch and dinner. There's also James Beard award-winning chef David Chang's famous Momofuku Noodle Bar restaurant, which serves fine dining-quality fare for a fraction of the price.
Find the Best Restaurants in Toronto
- #1
Ed's Real Scoop#1 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto
$ - $$ | Canadian2224 Queen St E Leslieville, east end, Toronto, Ontario M4E 1E9 CanadaRead More » - #2
Scaramouche Restaurant#2 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #3
New Orleans Seafood & Steakhouse#3 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #4
Kit Kat#4 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #5
The Tilted Dog Pub & Kitchen#5 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #6
Goodfellas Wood Oven Pizza#6 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #7
ALO RESTAURANT#7 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #8
Moxie's Grill & Bar#8 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #9
LaVinia Restaurant#9 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #10
Rasa#10 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #11
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen#11 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #12
Soma Chocolatemaker#12 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #13
Antler Kitchen and Bar#13 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #14
Richmond Station#14 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #15
Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse#15 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #16
Luci Restaurant#16 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #17
Seven Lives#17 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #18
Madrina Bar Y Tapas#18 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #19
Jacques Bistro Du Parc#19 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto - #20
Miku#20 of 8,710 Places to Eat in Toronto
Explore More of Toronto
If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.