Toronto's luxury shopping district between Bay and Avenue Road north of Bloor. Joso's Dalmatian seafood since 1967, Sotto Sotto Italian, Sushi Masaki Saito Michelin omakase at the InterContinental, plus the Mink Mile patios.
Joso's on Davenport has run Dalmatian Adriatic seafood in Yorkville since 1967, founded by Joso Spralja and now operated by Leo and Shirley Spralja.
Signature: Black risotto, Grilled prawns
Order: The black risotto with squid and the grilled prawns with garlic butter.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The painting on Drake's Take Care album hangs upstairs; book a Saturday table for the full room.
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.
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.
Sushi Masaki Saito on Avenue Road runs an edomae omakase counter on a 200-year hinoki bar, Michelin one-star in the 2026 guide after two stars 2022-2024.
Osteria Giulia on Avenue Road is chef Rob Rossi's Ligurian-leaning pasta and seafood room, Michelin star 2022 through 2025, Canada's 100 Best #17.
Shoushin on north Yonge is chef Jackie Lin's edomae sushi counter on a 200-year hinoki bar, Michelin one-star with fish flown from Toyosu weekly.
Scaramouche on Benvenuto Place has run modern European fine dining over the skyline since 1980, chef Keith Froggett's kitchen above Avenue Road.
Cafe Boulud at the Four Seasons Yorkville is Daniel Boulud's Toronto brasserie since 2012, Lyonnais classics plus contemporary plates from his New York.
Sotto Sotto on Avenue Road has run Roman-style Italian below street level in Yorkville since 1993, chef Massimo Renzi's fresh pasta in an exposed-brick room.
Signature: Fresh pasta, Veal piccata
Order: A handmade pasta of the day and the veal piccata.
Tip: Drake's photo hangs on the wall and he eats here. Book ahead; the room seats 50 tightly.
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.
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.
Centre Street Deli on Bay Street is the 2024 downtown outpost of the Thornhill original since 1988, Montreal-style smoked meat hand-sliced over light rye.
Try: Montreal smoked meat sandwich, latkes, matzo ball soup
Order: The classic smoked meat sandwich on rye with mustard and a pickle.
Tip: Order the lean-and-medium mix; pure lean dries out fast. The Thornhill original is at 1136 Centre Street.
United Bakers at Lawrence Plaza is the city's reference kosher-style dairy restaurant since 1912, no-meat menu with blintzes, smoked fish and split-pea soup.
Try: Kosher-style dairy: blintzes, split-pea soup, smoked fish
Order: The split pea soup with a potato latke and applesauce.
Tip: Kosher-style, not certified kosher. Closed Saturday and most Jewish holidays. The Ladovsky family has run it since 1912.
Boxcar Social Summerhill on Yonge runs third-wave coffee mornings into natural-wine and craft-beer evenings, a hybrid cafe-bar room since 2014.
Signature drink: Third-wave espresso, natural wine
Order: A cortado mid-morning; a glass of natural wine after 16:00.
Tip: Three Boxcar locations; Summerhill the largest. Wine and beer license active from 11:00; the back room takes work-friendly laptops.
De Mello Coffee on Yonge near Lawrence is the award-winning Toronto roaster's flagship cafe, single-origin filters and a cold-brew tap on bar.
Signature drink: Single-origin filter, cold brew
Order: A nitro cold brew or a single-origin filter from the day's selection.
Tip: Multiple Toronto branches plus a Seoul outpost. The Yonge location has the most consistent crowd window for laptop work after 14:00.
De Mello roasts on St Clair West since 2014, an award-winning Toronto specialty roaster serving six Toronto cafes plus a Seoul retail outpost.
Order: The Wassa Ethiopian single origin, brewed as filter.
Tip: St Clair address is the roastery; cafes at 2489 Yonge, 21 Spadina and elsewhere serve retail. Public tours by appointment.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Kenya, Costa Rica
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Cold brew, Whole bean retail
Constantine in the Anndore House pours Mediterranean wines under chef Adam Lafleur, Greek Assyrtiko and Italian growers with wood-fired plates.
Signature pour: Assyrtiko from Santorini
Wine focus: Mediterranean, Greek, Italian
Food: Mediterranean small plates
Order: An Assyrtiko with the saganaki and lamb meatballs.
Tip: Hotel lobby off Yonge. The bar at 17:00 takes walk-ins; the dining room books on Resy after 18:30.
Uncle Tetsu on Bay Street is Toronto's first North American outpost of the Japanese cheesecake brand since 2015, jiggly cotton cheesecakes baked daily.
Try: Japanese cheesecake
Order: A whole jiggly cotton cheesecake, hot from the oven.
Tip: Lineup at peak 14:00-16:00. Same-day-only cake; doesn't keep. Sister madeleine and matcha tiramisu shops on Dundas.
The Chef Upstairs on Mount Pleasant has run a culinary classroom and event venue since 2007, evening hands-on classes plus team building events.
Fran's Restaurant on College at Yonge is the city's 24-hour diner since 1940, the breakfast served at any hour the post-shift staple plus the late-night.
Try: Diner breakfast, comfort food
Order: The classic breakfast at 03:00 with bottomless coffee.
Tip: Cash and card. 24 hours every day; the College location is the original.
Woody's on Church Street has been the Village's reference gay bar since 1989, the room from Queer as Folk that drew the show's location scout.
Order: A pint at the front bar before the drag show.
Tip: Drag shows nightly; cover after 22:00. The Friday tea dance at 17:00 is free.