The following restaurants in Toronto are divided into three categories:
Expensive (over C $ 100)
Moderate ( C $ 35 to C 100)
Inexpensive (up to C $ 35)
It is the average price for a three-course menu for one person and at least one glass of the cheapest wine or a comparable drink. Taxes or tips are not included.
All prices are exclusive of the Harmonized Sales Tax of 13% ( Ontario), which consists of a Provincial Sales Tax of 8% and a State Consumption Tax (Goods and Services Tax) of 5%. A 10% tax is levied on alcohol. All taxes are usually added to the bill at the end. As a tip, you also give at least 15% for good service.
Smoking is prohibited in all public areas, including restaurants and bars.
Lifted
Chiado
Located in the middle of Little Portugal, this restaurant is the best ambassador for Toronto’s large Portuguese community. Fish and seafood in grilled form dominate the menu – fresh fish is flown in every day – but meat lovers are also catered for, including beef sirloin, pheasant and lamb.
Address: 864 College Street (Little Portugal), Toronto
Telephone: (416) 538 19 10
Website: http://www.chiadorestaurant.ca
North 44
Named after Toronto’s North 44 latitude, the award-winning restaurant is located in safe Uptown and has been the city’s best gourmet gathering for more than a decade. The restaurant, which looks a bit cold and steel on the outside, is friendly and artfully decorated on the inside, and the menu changes depending on the season. All dishes – from the seared tuna sashimi, the grilled quail to the venison leg – are perfectly prepared.
Address: 2537 Yonge St. (Eglinton), Toronto
Telephone: (416) 487 48 97
Website: http://www.north44restaurant.com
opus
A dinner in the opus, housed in a nondescript townhouse on a quiet tree-lined street, is like an invitation to eat with a good friend, except for the service and the master chef. The service is attentive, friendly and very helpful when it comes to choosing from the monthly changing menu. Depending on the season, there are traditional French delicacies such as smoked duck and rack of lamb. The wine list includes more than 2,500 wines.
Address: 37 Prince Arthur Avenue (Yorkville / Annex), Toronto
Telephone: (416) 921 31 05.
Website: http: // ttp: //www.opusrestaurant.com
Moderate
Canoe Restaurant and Bar
If there’s a truly Canadian restaurant in Toronto, it’s the canoe. Typical Canadian ingredients are used here for the exquisite gourmet dishes: maple sugar, Saskatoon berry compote and Partridgeberry sauce provide an authentic flair of typical delicacies such as deer and caribou. The playful mix of the decor of yellow and blue and warm wood tones creates a friendly atmosphere. The prices are great for those who dine at company costs. There are predominantly New World wines. Reservation needed. Closed on weekends.
Address: 66 Wellington Street West (54th Floor, Toronto Dominion Bank Tower, Financial District), Toronto
Phone: (416) 364 00 54
Website: http://www.canoerestaurant.com
Indian Rice Factory
The Punjabi-influenced dishes of this restaurant are perfect for both vegetarians and meat lovers. Typical specialties are pakoras (fried, breaded vegetables) and dishes such as murgh turri (chicken curry with ginger, tomatoes and onions). Reservations are recommended.
Address: 414 Dupont Street (Annex), Toronto
Telephone: (416) 961 34 72
Website: http://www.indianricefactory.com
Bar One
This young, but already well-established bar with its high ceilings and narrow walls is an elegant meeting place in the middle of a trendy district. The interior is simple and fresh, as are the Italian and international dishes. You can choose between soups (e.g. spinach and potato soup), fish and pasta dishes (e.g. Bolognese, Carbonara or Marinara).
Address: 924 Queen Street West (Queen West), Toronto
Telephone: (416) 535 16 55
Website: http://www.bar-one.com
Cheap
7 West Café
This café has a relaxed, informal atmosphere on all three floors. Homemade pizza toppings, delicious sandwiches and salads are always a good choice. In addition to a substantial selection of wines and beers, various tea and coffee specialties are served.
Address: 7 Charles Street West, Toronto
Telephone: (416) 928 90 41
Bar Italia
Behind the bar, where the well-dressed, attractive crowd meets a martini or a beer, you will find a friendly, minimalist restaurant with excellent Italian cuisine. Insalata di funghi (warm mushroom salad), panini cubano (sandwich with pork loin) and different pasta dishes every day are just a few of the popular dishes. In summer you can sit outside on the terrace and watch the action.
Address: 582 College Street (Little Italy), Toronto
Telephone: (416) 535 36 21.
Website: http://www.bar-italia.ca
La Tavola Calda
Located in the heart of Little Italy, La Tavola Calda serves better Italian dishes than most of its neighbors at half the price. The pasta dishes range from fine and delicate to robust and hearty, vegetables are served as a side dish – the rapinni (a kind of spinach) are a special recommendation . The sausage and the veal from the grill must be tasted.
The restaurant is elongated and narrow, the bistro-like decor with its exposed masonry is kept fairly simple. In summer you can sit on the pretty terrace. One of the best and cheapest places in the city.
Address: 671 College Street (Little Italy), Toronto
Telephone: (416) 536 83 28