The best restaurants in Toronto have quietly turned the city into one of North America’s most ambitious dining destinations. Michelin now rates the city and its region, with starred counters such as Sushi Masaki Saito, and a generation of chef-owned tasting-menu rooms (Alo, Edulis, Restaurant 20 Victoria) has grown up downtown. The picks ahead run the full range — tasting-menu rooms, casual mid-range tables, and the chef-owned neighbourhood spots locals book first — each with notes on how far ahead to reserve and how dressy it runs. For the wider context around all of it, our guide to the Toronto food scene ties the city together.
For the official Michelin-starred list and updates, see the official Michelin Guide Toronto.
Best Restaurants in Toronto: Michelin-Starred Picks
Sushi Masaki Saito (Yorkville) — One Michelin Star
Sushi Masaki Saito holds one Michelin star in the 2026 Toronto & Region guide, where Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Lincoln is now the only two-star address. In Yorkville, Chef Masaki Saito serves an omakase built on fish sourced directly from Japan. The current menu price and booking releases are on the restaurant’s reservations page. Best for special occasions and serious sushi enthusiasts. Diners of all ages are welcome, though a booking that includes children 12 and under must take a full seating.
Alo (Spadina) — One Michelin Star
Chef Patrick Kriss’s Alo on Spadina Avenue serves a blind French-contemporary tasting menu, six or ten courses, in a third-floor dining room at 163 Spadina in Chinatown; the casual sister bistro Aloette downstairs offers a more accessible version of the same kitchen’s output and encourages walk-ins. Alo reopened with a reimagined interior in March 2026. Of the two, Aloette is the cheaper way in.
Edulis (King West) — One Michelin Star
Edulis on Niagara Street is the gem of understated excellence among the best restaurants in Toronto — an intimate room with an ever-changing tasting menu focused on pristine seasonal ingredients prepared with Mediterranean technique and Canadian sensibility. Book as early as your dates allow.
Restaurant 20 Victoria (Financial District) — One Michelin Star
Chef Julie Hyde’s contemporary seafood-focused tasting menu in a small room in the Financial District. Notable for the kitchen’s technical precision and wine pairings.
Don Alfonso 1890 (Westin Harbour Castle) — One Michelin Star
The Toronto outpost of the iconic Italian restaurant from the Iaccarino family in Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi. Don Alfonso 1890 serves contemporary Italian cooking on the 38th floor of the Westin Harbour Castle, looking out over the waterfront.
Aburi Hana (Yorkville) — One Michelin Star
The kaiseki tasting menu specialist in Yorkville, with seasonal traditional Japanese cuisine in a refined room. Best for travellers wanting an authentic Japanese kaiseki experience without the price point of Sushi Masaki Saito.
Best Restaurants in Toronto: Fine Dining Without the Stars
Canoe (Financial District)
On the 54th floor of the TD Bank Tower, 66 Wellington Street West, Canoe is one of the best restaurants in Toronto for modern Canadian cuisine with a stunning view over the Financial District. Best for special occasions and corporate dinners; lunch is more accessible.
Buca (Yorkville & King West)
The Buca group has multiple Toronto locations — Buca Yorkville, Buca King, and Bar Buca — all delivering ambitious modern Italian cooking. Yorkville is the formal flagship; King West is more casual. Expect $80–$150 per person.
Joso’s (Yorkville)
The Adriatic seafood restaurant has been a Yorkville institution since 1967. Whole grilled fish, exceptional Croatian wine list, and a famous interior covered with maritime art.
Bar Isabel (Little Italy)
Chef Grant van Gameren’s Spanish-influenced shareable plates restaurant on College Street is consistently among the best restaurants in Toronto for both quality and atmosphere. The whole grilled octopus is the signature. Expect $60–$100 per person.
Bar Raval (Little Italy)
Sister restaurant to Bar Isabel and arguably the most beautiful room in the city — a stunning sculpted wooden interior. Spanish pintxos, exceptional natural-wine list, no reservations. Arrive at 5:30 p.m. for a chance at counter seats.
DaiLõ / Aloette / DaiLo (Multiple)
Chef Nick Liu’s Asian-fusion empire spans multiple locations, with the original DaiLõ on College Street the flagship for ambitious Asian-influenced fine dining. Expect $80–$150 per person.
Pukka (The Annex)
Chef Harsh Chawla’s contemporary Indian restaurant in The Annex consistently ranks among the best restaurants in Toronto for South Asian cuisine.
Ki Modern Japanese (Financial District)
Sleek modern Japanese restaurant with extensive sushi and izakaya options. Best for business dinners and groups.
Best Restaurants in Toronto by Cuisine
Italian
Buca Yorkville and Buca King for ambitious modern Italian; Don Alfonso 1890 for contemporary Italian above the waterfront; Sotto Sotto for traditional Yorkville-Italian; Pizzeria Libretto for Neapolitan-style pizza; Pizzeria Defina on Roncesvalles for wood-fired pizza; Osteria Giulia for the new wave of Italian.
Japanese & Sushi
Sushi Masaki Saito, with one Michelin star, and Aburi Hana are the headliners. Yasu, Shoushin, and Sushi Kaji round out the high-end. Hole-in-the-wall: Sushi by Bou. Casual: Ki Modern Japanese, Don Don Izakaya, Imanishi.
French & European
Alo (Michelin) for French-contemporary tasting menu; Edulis (Michelin) for Mediterranean-Canadian tasting menu; Le Sélect Bistro for classic Toronto French; Cafe Boulud at Four Seasons for Daniel Boulud’s Toronto outpost.
Indian
Pukka in The Annex (contemporary Indian); Banjara on Bloor (north Indian); Banjara Indian Cuisine in The Junction for casual; Cumbrae’s for South Indian dosa.
Chinese
Lai Wah Heen at the Metropolitan Hotel for fine-dining Cantonese; Rosewood Chinese Cuisine in Markham; Pearl Court on Gerrard for dim sum; Mother’s Dumplings for hand-rolled dumplings; Rol San on Spadina for Cantonese seafood.
Korean
Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu on Bloor (Korean tofu soup); Cho Sun Ok on Yonge Street in Thornhill (Korean BBQ); Han Ba Tang for ambitious modern Korean.
Modern Canadian
Canoe (Financial District); Bar Buca (King West); Joni at Park Hyatt; ONE Restaurant at Hazelton Hotel; Drake Restaurant at Drake Hotel.
Thai
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen on Duncan; Khao San Road on King West; Soos in Riverside.
Mexican
Pozole Birrieria on Queen West; La Carnita at multiple locations; El Catrin at the Distillery District; El Trompo in Kensington Market.
Vietnamese
Pho Hung on Spadina; Pho Tien Thanh in Bayview; Banh Mi Boys for sandwiches; Saigon Sister for upscale Vietnamese.
Best Restaurants in Toronto by Neighbourhood
Yorkville
Fine dining, Michelin-starred rooms included. Sushi Masaki Saito, Aburi Hana, Enigma Yorkville, Alobar Yorkville, Osteria Giulia, Buca Yorkville, ONE Restaurant, Joso’s, Café Boulud.
King West
Edulis (Michelin), Bar Isabel, Bar Raval, Buca King, Buca Bar, Patois, Khao San Road, El Catrin, Lapinou.
Financial District
Canoe, DaNico, Restaurant 20 Victoria, Ki Modern Japanese, Bymark.
Chinatown / Spadina
Alo (Michelin), Pho Hung, Rol San, Mother’s Dumplings, R&D, House of Gourmet.
Little Italy & College Street
Bar Isabel, Bar Raval, DaiLõ, Trattoria Taverniti, Fat Pasha, Maker.
The Danforth (Greektown)
Pappas Grill, Pantheon, Mezes, Christina’s on the Danforth, Astoria.
Queen West
Patois, Pizzeria Libretto, Khao San Road, Sense Appeal, BarChef (cocktails), Drake Restaurant.
Roncesvalles
Cafe Polonez, Bar Mordecai, Brick Brewery, Mabel’s Bakery, Easy Restaurant.
Leslieville & East End
Lake Inez, Le Comptoir de Sasha, Lady Marmalade for brunch, Eulalie’s Corner Store, The Tulip Steakhouse.
How to Get Reservations at the Best Restaurants in Toronto
Book early. Alo releases its reservations on the first Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m.; Sushi Masaki Saito and Edulis set their own terms, so check each restaurant’s booking page. Set calendar reminders.
Use OpenTable, Resy, and Tock. Most Toronto fine-dining restaurants use one of these three platforms. Tock is particularly common for tasting-menu restaurants requiring deposits.
Try midweek. Tuesday and Wednesday reservations are easier to land than Friday and Saturday at most of the best restaurants in Toronto.
Lunch is often easier. Restaurants that are impossible at dinner (Canoe, Edulis, Buca) often have lunch availability.
Walk-in counter seats. Bar Isabel, Bar Raval, Sushi Bar at Yasu, and BarChef all hold counter seats for walk-ins. Arrive at opening for the best chance.
Concierge connections. If you’re staying at a luxury hotel, ask the concierge to call — sometimes Hazelton, Four Seasons, and Ritz-Carlton concierges can secure tables that are otherwise impossible to book.
Cancellation alerts. Resy and OpenTable both offer cancellation-alert features that ping you when a reservation opens up. Worth setting for hard-to-book spots.
Tipping & Dining Etiquette in Toronto
Tipping is expected at sit-down restaurants in Toronto. Some restaurants add a service charge for larger parties, so check the bill before adding a tip.
Dress codes vary, so check each restaurant’s booking page. Athletic wear, ripped clothing, and beachwear are inappropriate for fine-dining rooms. Sushi Masaki Saito and Alo specifically request that diners refrain from heavy perfume or cologne.
Best Times to Eat at the Best Restaurants in Toronto
Sunday Dinners are often quieter than Friday/Saturday at fine-dining restaurants — many of the best restaurants in Toronto specifically offer Sunday-only family-style menus (Edulis truffle dinner, Bar Buca pasta night).
Brunch is a Toronto specialty. See our guide to best brunch in Toronto.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Restaurants in Toronto
What is the best restaurant in Toronto?
By Michelin stars, the best restaurants in Toronto include Sushi Masaki Saito, Alo, Edulis, Restaurant 20 Victoria and Don Alfonso 1890, each with one star.
How many Michelin-starred restaurants are in Toronto?
Michelin’s 2026 Toronto & Region guide gives two stars to one restaurant, Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Lincoln, and one star to 14, Sushi Masaki Saito among them. Multiple additional restaurants hold Bib Gourmand recognition.
How much do fine-dining restaurants in Toronto cost?
Michelin-starred tasting menus, Sushi Masaki Saito’s omakase among them, are the splurge tier. Mid-range fine dining costs a good deal less, and casual upscale rooms less again. Drinks, tax and tip add significantly to any bill, so check each restaurant’s current menu price when you book.
Where do locals eat in Toronto?
Locals tend to favour the chef-driven mid-range scene: Bar Isabel, Bar Raval, Buca, Pai Northern Thai, Pizzeria Libretto, Lake Inez, Patois. Yorkville and the Financial District lean more toward visitors and special occasions.
Are reservations required at the best restaurants in Toronto?
Yes for Michelin-starred kitchens and most fine-dining restaurants. Bar Isabel, Bar Raval, and several other counter-seat spots take walk-ins.
What time should I book dinner in Toronto?
Prime-time tables in the middle of the evening go first. If your plans are flexible, an early or late seating gives you more choice.
Can you walk in at the best restaurants in Toronto?
Bar Isabel, Bar Raval, BarChef, Aloette, and several other counter-seat spots take walk-ins. Most fine-dining tasting-menu restaurants do not.
What is the dress code at Toronto fine-dining restaurants?
Smart casual is universally appropriate. Long pants, collared shirts, and closed-toe shoes are recommended.
Where can I eat near my hotel?
Most downtown Toronto hotels have notable restaurants within a short walk. Use the OpenTable map filter or Tock’s neighbourhood search to find current openings.
Are the best restaurants in Toronto kid-friendly?
Policies on children vary by restaurant: Sushi Masaki Saito, for one, welcomes all ages but asks for a full seating when children 12 and under are booked, so check before you reserve. Casual options like Pai Northern Thai, Pizzeria Libretto, and most King West restaurants are family-friendly.
Steak deserves a note of its own, because Toronto’s steakhouses play by their own rules: everything is à la carte, Japanese Wagyu is sold by the ounce, and the bill grows by roughly a third once tax and tip land. Barberian’s has been doing it on Elm Street since 1959, Jacobs & Co. is where the city’s steak obsessives go, and the Keg Mansion serves a mid-range menu inside a Victorian house on Jarvis Street. Our guide to the best steakhouses in Toronto sorts them by the kind of night you want.
Plan Your Toronto Restaurant Reservations
The best restaurants in Toronto reward planners. Book the must-do tasting menus (Alo, Edulis, Sushi Masaki Saito) the moment their books open: Alo’s open monthly, and the other two post their terms on their own booking pages. Layer in counter-seat options (Bar Isabel, Bar Raval, BarChef) as walk-ins or last-minute bookings. Use neighbourhoods to your advantage: Yorkville for fine dining, King West for chef-driven mid-range, Chinatown for budget-friendly, Little Italy for late-night drinks-and-tapas. Toronto’s restaurant scene now competes with any major North American dining city — treat reservations like a TIFF screening and you’ll eat exceptionally well.
A great dinner is rarely the whole trip. Our brunch guide covers the weekend mornings, the cheap-eats guide keeps the in-between meals affordable, and the street-food guide — along with the broader Toronto food scene — fills in everything around the reservation.
Photo Credits
Carmen’s restaurant exterior: Carmens Streetview by KatieD26, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
