If you're in Toronto this winter, you're in luck. Aside from the CN Tower and the Raptors, Toronto is also home to some of the most delicious (and sustainable) restaurants in North America. And with Winterlicious right around the corner (January 31st—February 13th), there's no better time to explore the culinary scene here. The best part? Each restaurant will be offering a three-course lunch and dinner prix fixe menu!
That's why in celebration of the event, we've rounded up a list of all participating MICHELIN Guide spots, what to order, and places to stay after. So, whether it's street food favorites from various corners of India or unique and colorful Spanish bites, prepare to feast on the best Toronto has to offer.
And if you need some additional tips on how to explore Toronto like a pro, here's how Chef Masaki Saito (of Two MICHELIN Star Sushi Masaki Saito), "Shark Tank's" Kevin O'Leary, and Chef Patrick Kriss (of One MICHELIN Star Alo) do it.
Bar Chica
Cuisine: Spanish
Price: $45 dinner menu
Bar or not? It's debatable, but what's safe to say is Bar Chica is bursting with vitality in every way. Foodies in the know come for their unique take on tapas and a sherry or two.
Inspector notes: "Expect a colorful plate of heirloom tomatoes & ajo blanco in the ensalada and fluffy grated truffle on their version of croqueta de jamon. Save room for the delectable torta de chocolate."
Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen
Cuisine: Jamaican
Price: $34 lunch/$45 dinner menu
The warm breezes of the Caribbean might be far away, but even in the dead of winter, stepping into this lively haven will bring a bit of island sunshine. Warm, easygoing hospitality is matched by homey, unpretentious cooking, with traditional dishes whose humble appearances belie surprising depth of flavor.
Inspector notes: "Perhaps best of all is the succulent jerk chicken, expertly cooked over a wood-burning grill to achieve an ethereal marriage of smoke, sweetness and spice—as good as any you’re likely to find this far from a beach."
Lapinou
Cuisine: French
Price: $65 dinner menu
Just west of the Theater District in an area teeming with standout spots, Lapinou pulls its weight with a fresh spin on classic bistro fare. Don't confuse tried and true with ho-hum though, as Chef Jamie Ullrich carefully balances tradition with intrigue.
Inspector notes: "Duck confit is comfort in a casserole dish with buttery white flageolet beans and garlicky andouille sausage."
R&D
Cuisine: Fusion
Price: $55 dinner menu
In a match made on primetime, Chef Alvin Leung was one of the judges who declared Eric Chong the winner of "MasterChef Canada’s" first season, before taking on the younger chef as his protégé. Smack dab in the middle of Chinatown, this hip, unconventional eatery is the product of their partnership, serving up just the sort of freewheeling fusion cuisine that made Chong a TV hit.
Inspector notes: "The assortment of decidedly untraditional dim sum serves as a prime example, drawing upon a grab bag of international flavors, including French, Chinese and Korean, as in flaky sou filled with foie gras parfait, or bao filled with kimchi and galbi."
SARA
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $75 dinner menu
Sara, with its cool, almost monastic modernity, is a place to keep the outside world at bay—the tables are even designed with center compartments for storing phones. Reconnection and shared experiences seem to be the theme here, where a globally inspired, contemporary shared plates menu takes center stage. Fret not if you've arrived solo, as many dishes are available in half-portions for a deeper survey of the kitchen's ability.
Inspector notes: "Standouts include ikura latkes, featuring two butternut squash latkes topped with a lemon chive crème fraîche, smoked ikura and finished with a maple kombu drizzle."
Stay nearby:
1 Hotel Toronto (One MICHELIN Key)
The same 1 Hotels group responsible for eco-friendly, high-design luxury boutique offerings in New York and Miami have arrived in the upscale neighborhood of King West Village. 1 Hotel Toronto features cutting-edge sustainability measures, ultra-stylish interiors, and a handful of popular restaurants and bars, from the farm-to-table 1 Kitchen to the self-explanatory Harriet’s Rooftop bar.
Ace Hotel Toronto (One MICHELIN Key)
Ace’s first hotel in Canada is set in Toronto’s Garment District, close to the downtown core and innumerable local attractions. It’s a new build, but one with plenty of vintage inspiration, designed by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects and Atelier Ace. The curvaceous brick, concrete, and wooden forms feel retro-futuristic, and the lobby’s floor, if you look carefully, seems to hover in the air, suspended from the ceiling’s concrete arches by judiciously placed metal rods.
Bar Goa
Cuisine: Indian
Price: $34 lunch/$45 dinner menu
Bar Goa – New Age India to give it its full title comes with a pleasing helping of authenticity and earnestness. The focus is ostensibly on the food of Goa – the classic, creamy Goan prawn curry is particularly good – but there are plenty of dishes from other Indian states, such as Punjabi goat shank and keema pao, that also demonstrate the care, attention and understanding of this kitchen; there’s even the occasional whimsical presentation.
Inspector notes: "A great dish to kick things off is the appam, which comes generously loaded with fresh white crab meat – it’s delicious."
Stay nearby:
Executive Hotel Cosmopolitan Toronto
Executive Hotel Cosmopolitan Toronto calls itself an “urban sanctuary,” and while that may raise eyebrows, in the end it’s entirely accurate — once within its walls it’s hard indeed to believe that you’re at the heart of one of North America’s biggest cities.
The Zen concept is pervasive throughout, and when well-executed, as it is here, it’s uniquely calming, just as intended. Earthy tones and clean lines are there to keep guests grounded, and yoga mats and bamboo slippers help you get into character. And even if you’re not quite ready to meditate your way to a higher consciousness, there’s plenty to enjoy about the Cosmopolitan’s suites — in-room Keurig coffee makers, Egyptian linens, kitchenettes, and living rooms with flat-screen televisions are standard, as are full-length windows and balconies with views of the Toronto skyline and Lake Ontario.
Indian Street Food Company
Cuisine: Indian
Price: $34 lunch/$45 dinner menu
Found in Leaside along a packed row of shops on Bayview Avenue, this neighborhood stalwart delivers a tight menu of street food favorites and regional curries from various corners of India. Over-ordering is easy, but friendly servers are quick to offer guidance.
Inspector notes: "Order the thalis to see the breadth of this kitchen’s talent in one large, oversized platter featuring delicately spiced lamb curry, rich dhal makhani and a superb south Indian vegetable curry."
Stay nearby:
The W hotels were among the original luxury boutique hotels, and they’re just as relevant now as they were when they were trailblazers. W Toronto enters Yorkville, one of the city’s hippest neighborhoods, with all the brand’s familiar strengths turned up to 10: dazzling architecture, stylish, colorful interior design, signature in-room comforts, and public spaces that attract in-the-know locals and hotel guests in roughly equal measure.
Hero image: Pauline Yu / R&D
Thumb image: Steven Lee / Bar Chica
