26 January 2026
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As the cold sets in, cozy Toronto restaurants serving comfort food — from piping-hot dumplings to maple syrup-drizzled pancakes — offer a welcome refuge. Add the annual Winterlicious event (January 30 to February 12, 2026), which brings three-course prix fixe menus to more than 200 restaurants across the city, and there’s even more reason to indulge.
But comfort food in Toronto goes well beyond seasonal specials. In a city defined by its diverse neighborhoods and immigrant communities, the most satisfying dishes often carry a sense of nostalgia for home. From slow-simmered curries inspired by family recipes to creamy cacio e pepe, these are the meals people return to time and time again. Here are the best places to settle in and eat well all winter long.
Maha’s
Bringing a taste of Egypt to Toronto’s brunch scene, Maha’s is a true family-run affair. Matriarch Maha Barsoom’s aromatic cooking inspired the opening of the Leslieville neighborhood restaurant in 2014, with her daughter, Chef Monika Wahba, leading the development of their iconic brunch menu. Over a decade later, the no-reservations daytime spot continues to draw a crowd. Devotees come for dishes like the Cairo Classic (a full Egyptian breakfast) with foole (slow-cooked fava beans) served alongside falafel, slices of hard-boiled egg, creamy house-made tomato feta, and charred balady bread (a yeasted whole wheat flatbread). “It was the first dish I wrote on the menu and was inspired by my mom’s breakfast table for my brother and me growing up,” says Wahba. “The smell of foole always reminds me of our house on weekends, waking up to tomatoes just starting to stew with cumin and fresh onions.” Whether you’re cradling a bowl of Maha’s award-winning lentil soup or a mug of its honey-cardamom latte, the familial atmosphere, filled with handpicked trinkets and spicy-sweet aromas, is instantly inviting.
The Cottage Cheese
Even on frigid winter days, The Cottage Cheese brings the warmth thanks to its sunlit corner perch in Kensington Market and menu that celebrates regional Indian favorites. Here, comfort comes in the form of dishes like smoky slow-cooked baigan bharta (a north Indian roasted eggplant dish), Kashmiri lamb rogan josh (New Zealand lamb simmered with spices), and fish kokum (branzino with peanut masala and coconut purée that recalls the flavors of India’s east coast). “These dishes highlight the kind of food many of us grew up eating,” says owner Pratik Parmar. “Balanced flavors, no fuss and cooked with attention rather than exaggeration.” Nearly everything is designed for sharing — right down to the must-have green-garlic naan begging to mop up every last drop on the plate.
White Lily Diner
White Lily Diner stands apart from the average greasy spoon thanks to its unwavering focus on quality ingredients sourced from White Lily Farm (about an hour’s drive north of the city) and other small Ontario producers. At this retro-inspired Queen Street East diner, nearly everything is made in-house, from the smoked meats to the preserves, giving the place a distinctly homey feel. Brunch stretches well into the afternoon, with groups squeezing into its mustard-yellow booths for buttermilk griddle cakes, Reuben sandwiches on freshly baked bread and OG patty melts with poblano relish. And for anyone still clinging to Thanksgiving flavors, there’s the stuffing French toast with smoked turkey, gravy, cranberry chutney and maple butter. Finish with one of their famously fluffy donuts if you can snag one — they’re known to sell out early.
Cà Phê Rang
Born from the mentor-protégé bond between chefs Matty Matheson and Rang Nguyen, this bright and buzzy Vietnamese spot on Spadina Avenue has built a cult following for quick lunches and casual dinners that satisfy. Regulars come for the fresh spring rolls with coconut shrimp and bánh mì sandwiches, made with baguettes from a Chinatown bakery just down the street. “These buns are so limited that we have to grab them fresh every morning,” says Coulson Armstrong, culinary director of Our House Hospitality, Matheson’s restaurant group. Cà Phê Rang’s newly expanded winter menu spotlights modern takes on Vietnamese street food, from vermicelli noodle bowls with soy BBQ beef to fried crispy rolls with chicken, pork, daikon, mushrooms and sweet and sour dipping sauce. Stay for the relaxed vibes and cocktails like the Saigon Sling — or a strong, sweet Vietnamese coffee if you’ve got places to be.
Tiflisi
At Tiflisi, a mom-and-pop Georgian restaurant in The Beaches neighborhood, comfort begins the moment you tear into the golden acharuli khachapuri, a boat-shaped bread filled with melted cheese, butter and egg yolk. The menu reflects time-honored recipes passed down through generations in the Pkhakadze family, including hearty dishes like kharcho, a beef and rice soup with tomatoes, garlic and spices. But according to the family, the delicacy that best captures true Georgian comfort food is the khinkali (soup dumplings). “You hold it by the top, take a careful bite, taste the hot, juicy broth, and instantly feel warmth spread through your whole body,” says Rezo Pkhakadze, who grew up in his father’s kitchen. Generous portions and personal service underscore Tiflisi’s focus on Georgian hospitality, making every visit feel as if you’ve been welcomed into the family’s home.
Union
A mainstay on the Ossington strip, Union serves farm-to-table bistro fare in a cozy dining room with exposed brick walls, a horseshoe-shaped bar, and a lively open kitchen. Owner-chef Teo Paul once worked on a farm and later honed his culinary skills in France, and it shows. Lunch and dinner menus change daily to reflect what’s sourced from local farmers, though beloved staples remain, including steak tartare, sticky ginger cake and sandwiches on challah bread. Favorites include the breakfast sandwich with fried egg, Swiss cheese, Paris ham and rösti (Swiss potato pancake) and the elk sliders finished with galangal glaze, spicy aioli and house-made bread-and-butter pickles.
Enoteca Sociale
A Dundas Street West fixture for more than a decade, Enoteca Sociale channels the flavors of Rome through a tightly focused menu of staples from the Lazio region. Fresh pastas like cacio e pepe and bucatini all’Amatriciana are the reason diners keep coming back, along with comforting starters like house-baked sourdough and focaccia, and arancini filled with mozzarella di bufala. The dining room feels as charming as an osteria in the Eternal City, with warm wood, terracotta tones and stained-glass ceiling lights. For an intimate experience, book one of the four seats at the chef’s counter, where chef Kyle Rindinella serves a tasting menu informed by his Italian roots.
The Ace
Lined with artisanal bakeries and old-school eateries serving pierogies, Roncesvalles Avenue (aka Roncy or Little Poland) has long been a destination for stick-to-your-ribs fare. The Ace has held court here since the 1950s and still has the vinyl-padded stools and curved bar to prove it. Today, the lovingly restored diner embraces its vintage digs by turning out classic dishes done well. Brunch is the star of the show, with plates ranging from duck confit and king oyster mushroom toast to huevos rancheros and eggs Benedict available in several iterations. For maximum decadence, order the epic French toast, a thick-cut brioche topped with caramelized Bartlett pears, vanilla bean whipped ricotta, toasted pistachios and Ontario maple syrup.
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Hero image: Hariyali Fish Tikka - ©Ananta Gulati /The Cottage Cheese
