The Top List of Great Restaurants - Toronto, Canada
Depending on the section you're in, Toronto can be an ultra-modern city, a city as old as London, an almost rural environment or a university town. by Nancy Berkoff
Depending on the section you're in, Toronto can be an ultra-modern city, a city as old as London, an almost rural environment or a university town. Be sure to inquire about local farmers' markets, generally held on Saturday mornings. Many downtown department stores have lovely tearooms, a wonderful way to break up the afternoon. You'll have to search for "Canadian" cuisine, usually found in small neighborhoods or in outlying areas of Toronto. Check out the local seafood whenever you can.
NORTH 44 2537 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4P 2H9 (416) 487-4897 North 44 offers both French and international cuisine. It's trendy but comfortable with an international culinary staff. The menu is a great blend of classical and new French cuisine, with Spanish, Portuguese and Italian accents. North 44 is pricey, but the food, service, wine selection and modern atmosphere are worth the expense. This is the perfect place to visit for a special occasion or a meal you will remember.
MERCER STREET GRILL 36 Mercer Street, Toronto, ON M5V 1H9 (416) 599-3399 The décor is modern yet relaxing. Mercer has a lunchtime customer mix of business people, aunt-and-niece pairs and the graduate student crowd. Both the Asian and the traditional American menu items (entrée salads, grilled sandwiches) are excellent. Chef Rene Foote creates tasty Asian fusion cuisine that is wonderfully presented. You'll be in for a treat when you visit Mercer.
MEDITERRANEO 2075 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4S 2A4 (416) 322-0161 Need to satisfy that pizza jones? Head to Toronto's main street and look trendy! You'll get a good view of the street, you can sit back and have a cocktail, and you can order pizzas and Italian appetizers and entrees while you take in the scene. Mediterraneo's Italian décor is cozy, and they offer many reasonably priced meals. They are always busy so plan on waiting for seating.
360 REVOLVING RESTAURANT 301 Front Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2T6 416 362-5411 Feeling touristy? In the mood to dress up a bit? Call for reservations, find the address and look up! 360 is located in the CN Tower - the world's tallest free standing building. The cuisine is seafood - be sure to ask about the daily chef's selection. And yes, the earth is moving under your feet - the restaurant completes a 360 degree rotation about every hour. You'll be able to see an awesome view of the city while you dine.
ACCOLADE 225 Front Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2X3 (416) 597-8142 This isn't the French section of Canada, but you'd never know that from Accolade. The menu is modern French and Continental. Forget the classic, cream-laden sauces and be prepared for a light touch. Their broad selection of wine and champagne is fabulous. The romantic and soothing ambiance is great for a date or to relax after a hard day.
7 WEST CAFÉ 7 Charles Street West, Toronto, ON M4Y 1R4 (416) 928-9041 Need to relax from all that revolving and elegant cuisine? Head downtown to 7 West, the bistro grill that serves American food and sandwich items in a casual setting. The two large patios are wonderful when the weather is nice, and their Sunday brunch is my favorite. Their portions are large, so if you're not really hungry, you can probably share a sandwich with a friend.
MAGIC OVEN 788 Broadview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4K 2P7 (416) 466-0111 Feeling virtuous? You can be "good" and still have a great eating experience at the Magic Oven. The setting is casual and the cuisine is gourmet pizza, healthy vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, salads and sandwiches. Magic Oven creates some of the best pizza I have ever enjoyed.
MARS RESTAURANT 432 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1T3 (416) 921-6332 Hang out with the college crowd and join in with the comfort-food menu. This is what mom would make if she wanted to run a restaurant. The pastries are homemade and wonderful. Have a cup of coffee and a tart or a full meal.
SUPERIOR RESTAURANT 253 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1N8 (416) 214-0416 The cuisine and the ambiance are eclectic. You get the feeling that the chef visits the farmers market and the fish market every day and creates soups, appetizers, entrees and desserts as the mood and the season strikes. The contemporary setting is comfortable, and their pricing is reasonable.
NAMI JAPANEESE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 55 Adelaide Street East, Toronto, ON M5C 1K6 (416) 362-7373 Now for something completely different- let's go for Japanese. Nami utilizes the great regional seafood to create traditional Japanese cuisine and grilled and steamed seafood dishes. If you want sushi, this is the place to go in downtown. Nami's is well known for its high quality sushi. Their prices are on the expensive side, but their authentic and innovative sushi and Japanese cuisine is well worth it.
The Top List of Great Restaurants - Toronto, Canada