7 Must-Try Restaurants in Downtown Toronto

Tucked away in the back of the new Anndore House boutique hotel, many people still don’t know about Constantine, and they really should. Inspired by the coast of Italy, the menu has plenty of Mediterranean options; their grilled seafood dishes are particularly popular. Fresh fish is sourced sustainably and from nearby Fogo Island, a little island known as a retreat for artists off the coast of Newfoundland. With an open kitchen and a shareable menu, it’s a relaxed setting ideal for big groups.

Charming and intimate is the only way to describe French restaurant Dreyfus. Nestled in a Victorian-style row house, visitors come far and wide to this Harbord Village hotspot to try their potato croquettes and all-natural wines. Created by Joe Beef alumni, Zach Kolomeir, this restaurant offer delicious and classic French comfort food from a menu that changes daily, ensuring guests are served the freshest seasonal ingredients available.

Away from the nightclubs and bustling bars of King Street, you’ll find Baro. This lively Latin restaurant is a particularly popular spot in the summer for rooftop drinks. Serving up classic Latin American dishes, be sure to ask for the tiradito ceviche, made with albacore, passion fruit, chili, squash and cilantro. If you’re ever looking for a quick meal on the run, they also house Pablo’s Snack House with a fantastic menu of small bites.

Located on the 54th floor of the Toronto Dominion Centre, Canoe is revered as one of the best restaurants in the Great North. Serving dishes inspired by “Canada’s raw and rich land”, Canoe offers authentic Canadian seasonal dishes like the Baffin Island turbot and Canadian elk loin. The chef’s tasting menu offers a set, seven-course meal, ensuring you sample the best of what Canada has to offer.

Located in Kensington Market, Grey Gardens has become a firm favourite with Toronto’s residents. Once a former scooter store, this seafood restaurant is now decorated with vintage, bohemian furniture and mint green barstools. While the dishes are small, they are carefully considered and beautifully presented. The sea bass fermented in pepper, kohlrabi, cilantro is a must-try, while the beef cheek dish is deliciously tangy, and served with black truffles.

Richmond Station was opened by chef Carl Heinrich, who famously won the second season of Top Chef Canada. This two-level space is right in the centre of Toronto and has been designed to look like a subway station —think tiled walls and lamps restored from an old schoolhouse. With an in-house butcher, they have an extensive selection of meat dishes; however, be sure to leave room for their cheese plate that comes with carrot cardamom chutney, quinoa crackers and candied walnuts. For a truly unique experience, you can book yourself onto a private butchery and charcuterie class with their head butcher.

Located in the heart of Downtown Toronto, right on the corner of Yonge and Richmond, you’ll find Argentinean eatery, Leña Restaurante. The interior nods to an art deco era, with plush leather and velvet chairs. Chef Anthony Walsh opened the spot with the intention of paying homage to his mother-in-law’s South American roots, so you will find dishes like ceviche and empanadas on the menu. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Leña is the perfect spot to refuel after shopping at the Eaton Centre.