Eden Grinshpan's culinary journey started in 2013 with her Cooking Channel show Log On and Eat with Eden. Bringing a fresh perspective on culture and cuisine, Grinshpan expanded upon her successful social media channels taking her (already sizable) audience along on her food discoveries. The Toronto native solidified her standing amongst the gastronomic elite taking on the role as host of Top Chef Canada with Grinshpan telling the chef-testants to 'pack their knives and go' as host since 2017.
Beyond the screen, Grinshpan shared a taste of her roots with her debut book, Eating Out Loud: Bold Middle Eastern Flavors for All Day, Every Day celebrating Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Israeli cuisine. And coming out this month is Grinshpan's eagerly awaited follow-up, Tahini Baby: Bright, Everyday Recipes That Happen to Be Vegetarian. Still harnessing the same flavors of her first book, this second installment ups the ante on fresh flavors with a vegetable-forward slant.
Below, we chat with Grinshpan about where she shops, dines, and everything in between in the cosmopolitan Canadian city, and make sure to check out more city guide insights from MICHELIN Inspectors, chefs, and celebrities.
What are your favorite restaurants in Toronto?
Dreyfus – Ido and I love going on date nights here. It is so intimate and the food is always fantastic.
Quetzal – Tacos and margaritas are always a good time and Quetzal really delivers on elevated Mexican food. The space is stunning and the energy is lively.
Joso's – This has been a fam fave for years. Squid Ink pasta, grilled fish, fried calamari, enjoyed with a vodka martini. Yes, please!
Mhel – We love to sit at the bar here. Excellent sake variety paired with small plates. I also love the open kitchen concept!
Manita – Manita has become our go-to for a quick lunch or family dinner. The salads, burgers, and plates are always on point and the vibe is great.
Raku – Nothing beats a big bowl of broth filled with bouncy noodles and all the fun toppings. Raku is consistently great and the fried maitake mushroom tempura is a fave.
Bernhardt's – The seasonal sides are truly what I come back for here over and over again but who doesn't love perfectly roasted chicken with gravy and yummy pickles.
Where is your favorite spot for takeout?
Koh Lipe – delicious...enough said.
North of Brooklyn – so yummy and we love PIZZA in this house. North of Brooklyn has an excellent slice.
Favorite shops?
Produce: Fiesta Farms, Lady York, and Cheese Boutique. Cheese Boutique has the MOST incredible cheese variety and specialty items. Fiesta farms and Lady York have a fantastic variety of high-quality produce and products.
Beauty: HEALTH HUT. I love their variety of natural beauty products.
Favorite things to do with the kids?
Visiting Riverdale Farm in the warmer months, pottery painting, going to Evergreen Brickworks (amazing farmer's market!), and of course, cooking and baking at home.
Where else do you like to explore in the city?
All the vintage along Dundas W. I love to grab lunch at Manita on Ossington, then walk down Dundas and pop into all the vintage shops along the way.
Bonne Choice for vintage furniture. It's a bit of a drive but SO worth it. The showroom is fantastic. They really have an amazing variety and beautiful pieces.
Our fave croissant is at Emmer. We go all the time and the girls order croissants and vanilla steamed milk. So cute!
The best bagels in Toronto, hands down, are Gryfe's. I've been eating them my whole life; every Sunday my dad would bring them home for his famous brunch, and I always make sure anyone visiting gets a taste. Sorry but Canadian bagels beat NYC any day.
Address Book
Bernhardt's
202 Dovercourt Rd, Toronto, ON M6J 3C8, Canada
Bonne Choice
53 Judson St, Etobicoke, ON M8Z 1Z4, Canada
Cheese Boutique
45 Ripley Ave, Toronto, ON M6S 1A8, Canada
Dreyfus
96 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S 1G6, Canada
Emmer
161 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S 1H1, Canada
Evergreen Brick Works
550 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4W 3X8, Canada
Fiesta Farms
200 Christie St, Toronto, ON M6G 3B4, Canada
Gryfe's
3421 Bathurst St, North York, ON M6A 2C1, Canada
Health Hut
786 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1C6, Canada
Joso's
202 Davenport Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 1J2, Canada
Koh Lipe Thai Kitchen
35 Baldwin St, Toronto, ON M5T 1L1, Canada
Lady York
2939 Dufferin St, North York, ON M6B 3S7, Canada
Manita
210 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J 2Z9, Canada
Mhel
276 Havelock St, Toronto, ON M6H 3B9, Canada
North of Brooklyn
650 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1E4, Canada
Raku
456 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2A8, Canada
Riverdale Farm
201 Winchester St, Toronto, ON M4X 1B8, Canada
Quetzal (One MICHELIN Star)
419 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1T1, Canada
Hero image: Chris Bernabeo / Eden Grinshpan
Thumb image: Kayla Rocca / Eden Grinshpan
