Quetzal is a modern mexican restaurant in Little Italy, Toronto.
Quetzal on College at Bathurst earned Toronto's first Mexican Michelin star in 2024, a wood-fire kitchen under chef Steven Molnar with an agave-driven bar.
Signature dishes: Wood-fired Mexican plates, Agave cocktails
Must order: The wood-fired sharing plates and a flight of mezcal at the counter.
Tip: Wednesday and Sunday seats book the fastest. Walk-ins from 18:00 at the bar window if you arrive on time.
Address: 419 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1T1
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: Pintxos, Conservas, Sherry pours
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.
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.
Canoe on the 54th floor of the TD Bank Tower runs a Canadian-ingredient tasting menu since 1995, the city's reference business-lunch and skyline dinner.
Signature: Canadian regional tasting, Wood-fired bison
Order: The full Canadian tasting menu with the wine pairing.
Tip: Closed weekends and statutory holidays. Lunch at 11:30 is the cheapest way into the room; full dinner runs $200+ per head.
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: Pintxos, Conservas, Sherry pours
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.
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.
