Cluny Bistro and Boulangerie is a french bistro restaurant in Distillery District, Toronto.
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.
Signature dishes: Steak frites, Plateau de fruits de mer
Must order: The steak frites and a glass from the all-French list.
Tip: The patio runs onto cobblestones in summer. Sister boulangerie next door for takeout viennoiserie.
Address: 35 Tank House Lane, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4
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.
Signature: Tapas-style Mexican plates, Mezcal flights
Order: The cochinita pibil tacos and a flight of mezcal espadin.
Tip: The 400-seat patio is the largest in the Distillery District. Brunch service Saturday and Sunday.
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.
Signature: Tapas-style Mexican plates, Mezcal flights
Order: The cochinita pibil tacos and a flight of mezcal espadin.
Tip: The 400-seat patio is the largest in the Distillery District. Brunch service Saturday and Sunday.
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.
Signature: Pan-Asian small plates, Ontario craft beer flight
Order: Three or four small plates and a flight from the rotating beer list.
Tip: Walk-ins easy at the bar Tuesday through Thursday. Weekends book on Resy. The Byzantine mosaic on the wall is original.
Patois on Dundas West is chef Craig Wong's Jamaican-Chinese fusion kitchen since 2014, fine-dining French training applied to Caribbean home cooking.
Signature: Double Down patty sandwich, Juicy jerk chicken
Order: The Double Down sandwich, jerk chicken between two Jamaican patties.
Tip: JunePlum by Patois next door at 796 Dundas is the patty-and-drink offshoot. Closed Mondays.
Mamakas Taverna on Ossington is owner Thanos Tripi's 85-seat Aegean kitchen since 2015, traditional Greek taverna cooking from scratch each morning.
Signature: Whole grilled fish, Saganaki
Order: The whole grilled fish, dressed Aegean style with lemon and olive oil.
Tip: Sister Bar Mordecai sits at 1272 Dundas West for a pre-dinner drink. Weekend lunch runs into early dinner without a break.
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.
Signature: Iberian tapas, Portuguese wine flight
Order: A round of tapas at the bar with a Portuguese white from the cellar.
Tip: Closed Mondays. The wine list runs deeper Portuguese than Spanish; ask for the natural-wine section.
Byblos Downtown on Duncan Street is Charles Khabouth's Eastern Mediterranean room since 2014, family-style plates spread across the Storys Building.
Signature: Eastern Mediterranean small plates, Wood-grilled mains
Order: The mezze board to start and a wood-grilled main from the menu.
Tip: The first-floor bar runs spritzes from 16:00 and accepts walk-ins. Second floor needs a reservation.
