Bistros, trattorias and the everyday places where Toronto actually eats.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Toronto actually eats.
25 places
Order The khao soi, northern Thai egg noodles in coconut curry with crispy noodles on top.
Pai on Duncan is chef Nuit Regular's northern Thai kitchen since 2014, the khao soi from Chiang Mai that set Toronto's modern Thai standard.
Order The boat noodles with beef and the pad see ew with extra char.
Khao San Road on Charlotte Street has run Bangkok-style street food downtown since 2011, the boat noodles and crispy pad see ew the city standard.
Order The pan-fried pork and chive dumplings and a green onion pancake.
Mother's Dumplings on Spadina has run northern Chinese comfort food in Chinatown since 2005, Shenyang-born Zhen Feng pressing dumplings by hand.
2 of the casual dining on this list serve italian.
Order The har gow, siu mai and BBQ pork buns from the order-sheet menu.
Rol San on Spadina has run Cantonese dim sum since 1994, founded by Paul and Paulie Li, reopened at 388 Spadina in 2024 after redevelopment.
Order The shrimp dumplings, BBQ pork buns and a half Peking duck.
Pearl Harbourfront on Queens Quay runs Cantonese dim sum overlooking Lake Ontario from the Queen's Quay Terminal, the city's waterfront dim sum room.
Order The dim sum tasting; the kitchen still presses every dumpling to order.
Lai Wah Heen reopened on the second floor of the DoubleTree Hilton in July 2025 after a two-year hiatus, chefs Heyden Sin and Huang Zhenqing.
Order The pho tai with brisket, plus a half order of fried chicken wings on the side.
Pho Hung on Spadina is the Chinatown Vietnamese counter the Nguyen family opened in 1985, with a 30-year broth recipe and the famous fried chicken wings.
Order The Margherita pie or the Funghi with mushrooms and pecorino.
Pizzeria Libretto on the Danforth is the AVPN-certified Neapolitan pie chain since 2009, the Margherita with San Marzano DOP and fior di latte.
Order The Margherita or the Diavola with hot calabrese salami.
Pizzeria Libretto University on University Avenue is the downtown business-lunch branch of the AVPN-certified Neapolitan chain, vegan and gluten-free pizzas.
Order The veal sandwich and an espresso at the patio bar.
Cafe Diplomatico on College Street is Little Italy's reference patio room since 1968, wood-fired pizza and veal sandwiches with the city's longest-running.
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Order The panzerotti, folded over and fried with mozzarella and tomato.
Bitondo Pizzeria on Clinton Street has run a Little Italy storefront since 1960, panzerotti and meatball sandwiches with hot sauce and sweet peppers.
Order A handmade pasta of the day and the veal piccata.
Sotto Sotto on Avenue Road has run Roman-style Italian below street level in Yorkville since 1993, chef Massimo Renzi's fresh pasta in an exposed-brick room.
Order The steak frites and a glass from the all-French list.
Cluny on Tank House Lane is the King Street Food Co.'s French bistro in the Distillery District since 2014, steak frites and an attached boulangerie.
Order The cochinita pibil tacos and a flight of mezcal espadin.
El Catrin on Tank House Lane in the Distillery District runs Mexican tapas with Canada's largest mezcal and tequila collection, plus a Sergio Sanchez mural.
Order Three or four small plates and a flight from the rotating beer list.
Lake Inez on Gerrard East is chef Robbie Hojilla's pan-Asian gastropub since 2016, Filipino, Thai, Vietnamese and Korean plates with a 24-tap beer list.
Order The Double Down sandwich, jerk chicken between two Jamaican patties.
Patois on Dundas West is chef Craig Wong's Jamaican-Chinese fusion kitchen since 2014, fine-dining French training applied to Caribbean home cooking.
Order The whole grilled fish, dressed Aegean style with lemon and olive oil.
Mamakas Taverna on Ossington is owner Thanos Tripi's 85-seat Aegean kitchen since 2015, traditional Greek taverna cooking from scratch each morning.
Order A round of tapas at the bar with a Portuguese white from the cellar.
Salt Wine Bar at the north end of Ossington is chef Dave Kemp's Iberian-Canadian tapas room since 2009 with a Portuguese-leaning natural wine list.
Order The mezze board to start and a wood-grilled main from the menu.
Byblos Downtown on Duncan Street is Charles Khabouth's Eastern Mediterranean room since 2014, family-style plates spread across the Storys Building.
Order A smoked meat sandwich on rye with deli pickle.
The Pickle Barrel at Yonge and Eglinton has run the Toronto-based deli chain since 1971, smoked meat sandwiches and Jewish-deli classics on the 2nd floor.
Order A shepherd's pie or burger with a flight of Irish whiskey.
Allen's on the Danforth has run an Irish pub kitchen since 1987, 340 whiskies and 100 VQA wines, the strip's longest-standing pub two stops east of Broadview.
Order The all-day breakfast with two eggs, toast and bottomless coffee.
Fran's Restaurant at College and Yonge has run a 24-hour diner since 1940, the breakfast served at any hour the post-shift staple plus Reubens and burgers.
Order A platter of seekh kebab, butter chicken and a fresh naan from the tandoor.
Lahore Tikka House on Gerrard East is Little India's reference Pakistani halal kitchen since 1996, tandoor-grilled meats in a Persian-tile dining room.
Order The classic smoked meat sandwich on rye with mustard and a pickle.
Centre Street Deli on Bay Street is the 2024 downtown outpost of the Thornhill original since 1988, Montreal-style smoked meat hand-sliced over light rye.
Order The split pea soup with a potato latke and applesauce.
United Bakers at Lawrence Plaza is the city's reference kosher-style dairy restaurant since 1912, no-meat menu with blintzes, smoked fish and split-pea soup.
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