Patois is a caribbean restaurant in Kensington Market, Toronto.
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 dishes: Double Down patty sandwich, Juicy jerk chicken
Must 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.
Address: 794 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1V1
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.
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.
Signature: Smoked meat sandwich, Deli classics
Order: A smoked meat sandwich on rye with deli pickle.
Tip: Multiple Toronto locations. The Yonge-Eglinton branch the most-visited, on the 2nd floor next to Cineplex.
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.
Signature: Irish pub fare, Whiskey flights
Order: A shepherd's pie or burger with a flight of Irish whiskey.
Tip: Walk-ins welcome. Live Irish music Tuesday and Friday nights; the back garden runs through summer.
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.
Signature: All-day breakfast, Reuben sandwich
Order: The all-day breakfast with two eggs, toast and bottomless coffee.
Tip: 24 hours every day. The College location the original; multiple Toronto branches.
