French bistro$$$$yorkvilleMon-Sat 07:00-22:30, Sun 07:00-22:00
Cafe Boulud at the Four Seasons Yorkville is Daniel Boulud's Toronto brasserie since 2012, Lyon classics plus contemporary plates from the wider group.
Signature: Lyonnais brasserie classics, Seasonal tasting
Order: The seasonal tasting menu or the duck a la presse from the brasserie list.
Tip: The dRink terrace bar above runs cocktails from 16:00 with hotel views. Lunch the easier reservation than dinner.
Spanish tapas$$$ossingtonTue-Sun 17:00-23:00
Salt Wine Bar at the north end of Ossington is chef Dave Kemp's Iberian-Canadian tapas room since 2009, Portuguese and Spanish wines by the glass.
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.
Italian$$$$yorkvilleDaily 17:00-23:00
Buca Yorkville in the Four Seasons hotel is the King Street Food Co.'s northern outpost since 2014, chef Rob Gentile's pasta and crudo plus a wine bar.
Signature: Handmade pasta, Roman-style pizzas, Seafood
Order: A handmade pasta and a wood-fired Roman-style pizza.
Tip: Sister to Buca King West. Reservations on OpenTable; the courtyard entry on Yorkville Avenue.
Japanese$$$$king-westSun-Wed 17:00-22:00, Thu-Sat 17:00-23:00
Akira Back at the Bisha Hotel is chef Akira Back's first Canadian outpost since 2017, the 2nd-floor Japanese-Korean fusion room behind the hotel lobby.
Signature: Tuna pizza, Korean-Japanese plates
Order: The tuna pizza and the AB tacos with hamachi.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable. Sister Kost on the 44th-floor penthouse upstairs.
French bistro$$$king-westTue-Sat 17:30-22:30
Lapinou on King West is a French neo-bistro since 2019, Michelin Guide listed, regional French dishes by chef Jamie Ullrich with a focused natural-wine list.
Signature: French neo-bistro plates, Natural wine
Order: The duck a l'orange and a glass from the Loire section.
Tip: Lapinou rabbit en cocotte the must-order; the bar pours French growers by the glass.
Irish$$$the-danforthDaily 11:30-23:00
Allen's on the Danforth has run an Irish pub kitchen since 1987, 340 whiskies and 140 beers, the strip's longest pub two stops from Broadview station.
Signature: Irish pub fare, Irish 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.