The 38 Best Restaurants in Toronto, Canada

Toronto’s culinary scene is shaped by its multicultural underpinnings, cobbled together from 158 neighborhoods that reflect the various groups who immigrated to the city over the centuries. In general, restaurants across the area champion this diversity and maintain a certain malleability, eschewing stringent rules or hierarchies. Since this vast tapestry of food heritages could never be encapsulated in a single creation, Toronto doesn’t have a clear signature dish, (no disrespect to the late legendary chef Anthony Bourdain, but that insipid peameal bacon sandwich was never “a thing” with locals); the city may never coalesce around one item. Instead, you can expect plenty of edible experimentation, as chefs continue finessing their craft on the fly.

These days, the energy in the city is electric, and diners are just plain ravenous for exciting meals. There are pop-ups galore, limited-edition collaboration “drops” between local and international chefs, and supper club speakeasies found through social media. Beyond the new and notable, there’s an endless smorgasbord to enjoy in Toronto (and the surrounding suburbs), a sensory feast of Ethiopian, Syrian, Sichuan, Caribbean, French, and any other kind of cuisine you can think of.

In this latest refresh, we’ve revamped our write-ups to include even more relevant info for diners, including a rough range of pricing for each destination — ranging from $ for quick, inexpensive meals with dishes largely under $10 (or the equivalent in Canadian dollars), to $$$$ for places where entrees exceed $30.

Tiffany Leigh is a BIPOC freelance journalist with degrees in communications and business. Additionally, she has a culinary background and is the recipient of the Clay Triplette James Beard Foundation scholarship. She has reported on travel, food and drink, beauty, wellness, and fashion for publications such as VinePair, Wine Enthusiast, Business Insider, Dwell, Fashion Magazine, Elle (US), Departures, Travel + Leisure, Vogue (US), Food & Wine Magazine, Bon Appetit, Shape Magazine, USA TODAY, and many more.

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