42 Best Restaurants in Toronto, Ontario

These award-winning cakey brioche donuts are fried fresh in the wee hours of the morning, dipped, and then ready to fly off the shelves by the time the converted storefront opens at 8:30 am. From the milky London Fog with an Earl Grey glaze to mini salted caramel Boston Creme bombs, you just can't go wrong.

Japanese perfectionism merges with French tradition at this minimalist coffee and pastry shop. The owners are always dreaming up new croissant creations like a flaky croissant cube (that needs to be seen to be believed), and the croffle, a—you guessed it—croissant/waffle hybrid prepared in a half-dozen ways, from churro-caramel sweet to ham-and-pesto savory.

Fulfill your dessert fantasies by picking up a sweet treat from Roselle, one of the city’s finest dessert shops. Stephanie Duong and Bruce Lee opened Roselle in 2015; since then, they’ve fed the sweet cravings of Torontonians with their playful take on classic flavors using French techniques. Offering curbside pickup only, the seasonality of Roselle’s offerings sets them apart and contributes to their enduring popularity: their pavlova toppings change several times a year; their summer soft-serve ice cream is creamy and refreshing; and their rotating cake cup flavors are perfectly portioned treats. Staples such as the banana éclair and Earl Grey cake slices are available year-round, and the shop also specializes in cookies and caramels.   

With only 10 seats, this taco joint almost always has long lines, but it's worth the wait. The menu brings the best of SoCal and Tijuana seafood together, featuring taco options like the gobernador (smoked marlin and shrimp), and a vegetarian option with corn fungus (trust us, it tastes better than it sounds).

Downtown Toronto's quintessential dim sum eatery overlooks all of Chinatown from its secret rooftop perch at the Dragon City Mall. Carts with towers of bamboo steamed baskets containing shrimp dumplings or black-bean-sauce chicken feet ("phoenix claws" in Chinese), banquet-size platters of noodles, and traditional delicacies like black or yellow curried cuttlefish are pushed around the hall by gregarious servers who tick off boxes from your order list as they are served. There's also an extensive à la carte menu.

It takes its name from the city’s most popular area code, so it’s no surprise that 416—a dim, boisterous bar that echoes the general vibe of West Queen West—draws inspiration from the city around it. The menu of inexpensive small plates, best enjoyed with a cocktail or two, is a fun mishmash of cultures, from Jamaican to Chinese to Peruvian, that serves as a one-stop culinary crash course to this city of immigrants.

On the edge of a small plaza—a gathering spot for Danforth locals—sits this venerable hole-in-the-wall spot, known for serving hot, fresh gyros and souvlaki into the wee hours.

Pick up a frosty treat—and some truffles or chocolate bars to take home—at this ice cream shop and chocolatier just off the main Danforth drag.

The lines might be long at this ice cream shop specializing in artisanal options like Cinnamon Toast and London Fog—but oh is it worth the wait. The flavors are good on their own, but the queues form for their incredible ice cream sandwiches made with freshly baked cookies, Hong Kong waffles, carrot cake, and cinnamon buns.

Imagine yourself lost at a Saigon night market at this trendy sandwich and snack bar that specializes in banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches). Not satisfied with the traditional crusty white bread, Banh Haus offers whole-wheat and fried banh tieu (Vietnamese donut) buns as a vessel for fillings like grilled lemongrass chicken, five-spice sweet pork sausage, or deep-fried tiger shrimp. Other modernized street food classics include rice-paper-wrapped summer rolls and green mango salad.

Brothers David, Philip, and Peter Chau have banh mi in their blood—their parents opened one of the original Vietnamese sandwich shops in Chinatown—but they've taken the classic and decked it out with top-notch ingredients such as melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, duck confit, and kalbi beef. Other offerings include Asian-inspired tacos and steamed bao.

Hearty sandwiches stuffed with toppings like mortadella, grilled veggies, and spreads made in-house are accompanied by selections of traditional brioche buns, and creative palm-size Viennoiseries at the local legendary boulangerie. It helps to get there earlier in the day to take score of other baked delights like tomato danishes and quirky chocolate corks.

Known for making Pinterest-perfect cakes for some of the city's splashiest fetes, this charming bakery also offers bite-sized baked goods for a spot of on-the-go luxury.

The original location of the artisan coffee shop/wine-and-spirit bar mini-chain that now has eclectic locations throughout the city, this Summerhill spot is a relaxed but lively spot from morning to evening. Located in a two-story Victorian home (and former dry cleaner), Boxcar Social has a bustling bar, a quiet and sophisticated upstairs lounge, a nice back patio, and a next-door bottle shop for those who prefer takeout.

If the smell of fresh bread and buttery croissants doesn't draw you into this charming bakery, the decadent sweets on display—like cinnamon buns, butter tarts, or scones—certainly will. For heartier appetites there are items like pulled pork sandwiches and steak-and-stout pie.

There's no better place for a quick espresso or another pick-me-up than at the poured-concrete walls of this uber-hip meeting spot, complete with front and back patios. Show up by night for a full-length bar menu of local and imported craft beers and an apothecary of spirits.

Actor-turned-baker Craig Pike started this local chain of cookie shops as a small pop-up, but they've since gone viral and then turned ubiquitous throughout the city. The signature is a simple but addictive chocolate chip cookie with a little bit of salt to balance out the sweet, though there are many, many more options in this Church Street location's glass display case. The chocolate chip base becomes a vessel for all sorts of fillings like peanut butter cups, Pop-Tarts, Rice Krispies, chocolate bars like Twix and Toblerone, and, for a cookie-within-a-cookie, Oreo. 

On an Ossington strip with plenty of restaurants but not many bakeries, Dear Grain is a veritable mecca of sourdough. The first standalone shop (or "Sourdough Studio") for the bread brand that built a cult following during the pandemic, this shop has a big wall of fresh daily loaves plus pastries, wines, tinned fish, local condiments and spreads, and even picnic boxes with meats and cheeses you can take over to nearby Trinity Bellwoods.

This neighborhood scoop joint, featuring a long list of house-made flavors, is a hot spot for locals and families in the summer months. A second location serves Leslieville at 920 Queen Street East.

Egg Club’s breakfast sandwiches are hailed as some of the best in the city because of their expertly folded eggs, which are housed in a sweet and soft Japanese milk bread called shokupan. Sandwiches are made in an open kitchen before your eyes and sauces are also created in-house. Add the hash brown to your order to experience a sweet and savory, heavenly potato creation.

Every boardwalk needs a solid burger place—and this cute takeout counter ably covers all bases, from burger and hot dog combos to soft serve and house-made canned cocktails.

Toronto is filled with quick bubble tea—including many chains from Taiwan and other parts of Asia—but Icha Tea is a slower, homegrown shop that brews high-quality loose-leaf teas.

In a neighborhood where the bohemian vegetarian lifestyle is the norm, King's Café has become a mainstay for artists, students, and young professionals seeking vegan grub with an Asian accent. The setting is a serene and airy eatery with wide windows looking out onto bustling Augusta Avenue.

This is the ultimate place to fuel up, and we're not just talking about the gas tank. Leslieville Pumps is a 24/7, kitschy gas station and general store with a look straight out of a John Wayne western. But—surprise!—it serves some of the best barbecue in town. Slow and low is their cooking philosophy, which they show off in tender pulled pork and brisket sandwiches. Country sides such as BBQ corn salad and Southern coleslaw make the meal complete. At 9 pm every night, the joint is busy serving up their curry and butter chicken with rice. It is the go-to place for cab drivers looking for a late-night bite.

The Tibetan dumplings are super-tasty at this no-frills family-run counter-serve spot.

For a unique take on cheap eats, head east of Bathurst to Market 707, a strip of food stalls built out of repurposed shipping containers. Highlights include poutine at Nom Nom Nom; authentic lamb-fat-infused Damascus-style shawarmas and burgers from Chef Harwash; soul-warming Filipino at Kanto by Tita Flips; and authentic Japanese rice balls stuffed with burdock and red miso pork, along with other hearty staples from Omosubi Bar Suzume.

Asian desserts are all the rage in Toronto, so find out what everyone's talking about at this Korean favorite that specializes in organic milk soft-serve ice cream layered with toppings like cotton candy, honeycomb, and jelly beans.

This hot-pink patisserie is a top destination for Torontonians with a sweet tooth. Long glass cases are filled with French macarons, cakes, and fanciful pastries, as well as savory options like croissant sandwiches and salads, while the walls are lined with a candy shop's worth of sweets (all made in-house). There's delicious espresso, as well as ice cream offered in a second storefront around back.

Whether you're in need of an espresso, a pour-over, a hojicha tea latte, a sandwich, or a gorgeous slice of cake, this modern Japanese café has you covered.

Located on a quiet side street, NEO COFFEE BAR is a well-loved shop that serves quality coffees and teas, with a focus on creating Japanese fusion pastries. Opened in 2015, the shop’s beautiful space combines the best of Japanese and Scandinavian design with its warm wood finishes, concrete surfaces, and minimalist furniture, which has won it design accolades. Aesthetics aside, NEO is a warm and hip community hub with a loyal clientele due to its friendly service and use of quality, organic ingredients to create delicious drinks and sweets; popular menu items are the matcha latte and roll cakes, as well as seasonal drinks and pastries.