Bar Raval is a spanish tapas restaurant in Little Italy, Toronto.
Bar Raval on College Street opened 2015 as Grant van Gameren's pintxos counter, Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2022 with mahogany-carved Partisans interior.
Signature dishes: Pintxos, Conservas, Sherry pours
Must order: A round of pintxos at the counter with a glass of vermouth.
Tip: Walk-ins only. Arrive before 17:30 for an easy stool; weekend nights run two hours deep on the lineup outside.
Address: 505 College Street, Toronto, ON M6G 1A5
Bar Isabel on College Street has been Grant van Gameren's Spanish-influenced tavern since 2013, Michelin Plate the last three guides and an Iberian wine list.
Signature: Whole grilled octopus, Spanish tapas
Order: The whole grilled octopus and a bottle from the Iberian wine list.
Tip: Reservations on the website, but the bar takes walk-ins from 17:00 weekdays. The kitchen runs late on Friday and Saturday.
Bar Isabel on College Street has been Grant van Gameren's Spanish-influenced tavern since 2013, Michelin Plate the last three guides and an Iberian wine list.
Signature: Whole grilled octopus, Spanish tapas
Order: The whole grilled octopus and a bottle from the Iberian wine list.
Tip: Reservations on the website, but the bar takes walk-ins from 17:00 weekdays. The kitchen runs late on Friday and Saturday.
Lee Restaurant on Richmond West is chef Susur Lee's reborn fusion kitchen since 2023, French technique on Hong Kong-Singaporean lines, the room that wrote.
Signature: Singaporean slaw, Lee's chicken
Order: The 19-ingredient Singaporean slaw and the crispy chicken.
Tip: Susur ran the King Street original 20 years; the Richmond location is two blocks south. Tasting menu Tuesdays cheapest entry.
Buca King West has run modern Italian on the King strip since 2009, chef Rob Gentile's pastas and house-cured salumi in a converted laneway warehouse.
Signature: Whole roasted Ontario suckling pig, House-cured salumi
Order: The salumi board and a long pasta from the seasonal list.
Tip: Sister Bar Buca next door at 604 King is the walk-in spritz counter. The full dining room books well ahead Friday and Saturday.
Donna's on Lansdowne in the Junction is the Peter Jensen, Ann Kim and Jed Smith all-day cafe-bistro since 2018, French-leaning baking with natural wines.
Signature: All-day breakfast sandwich, Family-style dinner
Order: The breakfast sandwich at 09:00 or the family-style dinner plates after 17:00.
Tip: Phone or email reservations. Breakfast 09:00-11:00 is the easy seat; lunch and dinner fill the rest of the day.
Aloette on Spadina is Patrick Kriss's all-day diner below Alo since 2017, the burger and rotisserie chicken the surviving favourites at lower price.
Signature: Burger, Lemon meringue pie
Order: The Aloette burger and a slice of lemon meringue pie.
Tip: Walk-ins only at the counter; the booths book on OpenTable. Easier weekday lunch than weekend brunch.
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.
