Toronto has a reputation for eating well, which is both helpful and mildly exhausting. When everyone tells you the food is good, working out where to actually sit down becomes the hardest part. I approached the city with good intentions and elasticated trousers, and still managed to eat far too much in the name of research. These are the places that made that inevitable, and that should be firmly on the list for 2026.
Hello Nori
A reminder of why people say the sushi is good in Toronto. A quality set of restaurants where hand rolls built in front of you, blow torched straight to the plate, with staff offering suggestions based on what’s fresh and what they’re enjoying themselves. I chose a set menu. I did not stop when it ended.
Short Turn
A Singaporean Canadian mash up built around comfort. Bar booth seating, diner style menus, and cocktails pulled from an impressive wall of bottles and high ball taps. Taiwanese popcorn shrimp, mac and cheese, chicken supreme and kaya toast made it very easy to order too much. The team behind Short Turn clearly love what they do and it’s felt in the evening.
aKin
If there is one non negotiable stop, this is it. A pan Asian, Michelin starred restaurant that somehow still feels intimate, aKin runs a season driven blind menu that changes every two months. The room is relaxed, the staff are genuinely friendly, and yet the level of expertise is unmistakable. Wine pairings are generous, explanations are clear, and the food is playful without losing its footing. All of the fish dishes landed perfectly, but the one bite pho was the moment conversation stopped. A single mouthful, technically clever and deeply comforting. Hands down the best food we had in Toronto.
Occhiolino
A complete change of pace. Occhiolino is stripped back, calm, and ideal for groups. There’s a window into the pasta making area and an open kitchen where flames turn fresh dough into rich, moreish plates. Homemade focaccia disappeared quickly, funghi fritti arrived with lemon caper aioli, and the fettuccine al gamberi, finished tableside as the raw red shrimp cooked through warm bisque, was quietly excellent.
The Frederick
Easy, informal and excellent for dropping in for a cocktail and hearty lunch. Warm spinach and artichoke dip set the tone, followed by their famous buttermilk fried chicken with hot honey, and the Harbord Room Burger, a local favourite for good reason.
Sugar + Spice Holiday Food & Shopping Tour
Run by Culinary Adventure Co., and the quickest way to eat across the city without overthinking it. The tours are based across different neighbourhoods, stopping at delis, chocolatiers, ice cream parlours and local favourites, with plenty of opportunities to buy food based gifts. The guides were factual, entertaining, and very good at keeping everyone fed.
Linny’s
Linny’s is a place that makes sense with a group, where the challah arrives warm and early, ordering turns into a conversation, and by the time the steaks land, any attempt at pacing has quietly collapsed. Cylindra beets with rye crumble and chilli oil start things off, followed by thick cut steaks and sides built for passing across the table.
SOMA chocolatemaker
One of many worthwhile stops in the Distillery district, but notable for its hot chocolate. Thick, rich, and ideal for winter wandering, with chocolate worth taking home. While you’re there – check out the rest of the winter village, experiencing that Canada knows how to do the cold right.
Finding unique places to eat in Toronto is harder than it should be, simply because there are so many. These made the cut, and my waistband paid the price.
