Toronto Restaurants

Toronto is spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out. Thanks to its amazingly diverse and thriving ethnic population, you can find authentic food from every nation on earth in the city. Eating out in Toronto is also surprisingly affordable, as most of the really good, low-key restaurants have equally low prices. The taxes however can squeeze your pockets. Meals are subject to an eight per cent provincial sales tax as well as seven per cent GST. Waiters expect to be tipped between 15 and 20 per cent for good service.

Local cuisine

Canada, as a whole, is definitely not known for its cuisine. Fortunately, the myriad immigrants who call Toronto home brought their traditional dishes and cooking methods with them. The result is a culinary mosaic of traditional ethnic cuisine and a wave of innovative fusion restaurants where nothing is taboo.

Mediterranean and Asian cuisine dominates the overall dining scene in Toronto. The abundant fresh produce from the surrounding countryside finds its way into every dish, benefiting from the sweet and pungent flavours of Middle Eastern cooking as well as the passionate dishes from Latin America.

Red meat from Alberta Province, long considered a Canadian staple, is also making a comeback as upscale steak houses continue to pop up around town. Vegetarians will also have plenty to choose from in a wide range of forms. If it’s Asian food you’re after, head to Chinatown, where the choice will leave you breathless.      

Where to eat

You can’t walk along a street in this city without passing a restaurant. With over 7,000 places to choose from, you won’t have a hard time finding somewhere to eat in Toronto. Certain ethnic neighbourhoods are known for their specialties. Chinatown is the place to go for your Asian fix; Little Italy has plenty of trattorias; and Danforth is full of Greek tavernas. To explore the latest in fusion-styled bistros and cafés, simply wander along King Street West.

In general, Downtown West has the highest concentration of great restaurants. This is the part of Toronto where you can find Chinatown and Little Italy. In a single block along Baldwin Street, near Kensington Market, you find no less than 23 restaurants serving a variety of ethnic cuisine.

Don’t overlook the quintessential greasy spoon either. Toronto has some fantastic authentic diners for you to choose from. Check out Mars, The Goof or Avenue Diner to experience the character and style of a good old-fashioned diner.