Between entertaining, travelling to see friends and family, and picking up the best foodie gifts for everyone on our list, it’s easy to miss the slew of great new Toronto restaurants that are opening up this winter. Even if you don’t have time to check out some Toronto's best restaurants in December, there are so many great bars and eateries worth exploring in the new year.
Toronto’s best new restaurant openings for winter have a little something for everyone. Celeb chef Matty Mattheson took time off from his busy schedule producing and starring in The Bear to open a new Maritime-inspired diner on Dundas West, serving buttery scallops and classic East Coast donairs. The city’s obsession with steakhouses reached new heights: INK Entertainment’s Animl on Wellington is the latest to join the trend with an unapologetically lavish space decked out in mirrors, wood panelling and, of course, animal print.
And, as we move towards the season of repentance and resolutions, those looking to give their immune systems a boost will be pleased to notice an influx of health-conscious options. BETTERBAR in Yorkville serves organic, locally sourced fare without the use of seed oils, while Stefano’s Diner (Gia’s sister spot) removes the meat for vegan and plant-curious diners.
Don’t forget, Toronto’s best Christmas markets, bars and holiday pop-ups are here for a good time, not a long time — so be sure to hit them up this month. The year might be ending but Toronto’s dining scene is just getting started. Here are 20 new Toronto restaurants to add to your list this winter.
20 new Toronto restaurants to hit this winter
1. Fallen Feather
217 Ossington Ave.
The Trinity Bellwoods hood never stops getting cooler. From the same owner as Adelaide Street's inventive (and delicious) sushi and taco spot, The Haam, Fallen Feather joined the slew of incoming cocktail and snack bars on Ossington this fall. Eclectic and antique-y, the moody, feminine space is outfitted in tons of gold detailing, crushed velvet seating and a feather motif.
The cocktails and food are easy rivals, and you'll have a hard time deciding where your heart lies. Olives aren't usually worth writing about, but the small fruits drenched in kimchi are a lip-smacking snack. Corn fritters are delightfully crunchy balls of kernels served with a tangy parmesan mayo, while the incredibly tender scallops are delicately seared. The real showstoppers, however are the mains: A large maitake mushroom is charcoal grilled for a smoky, meaty dish, and the fall-off-the-bone, 24-hour sous-vide short rib is heavenly.
The cocktail program ups the ante with serves like the Calm Medication, a warming drink with notes of baking spices, and the Herby Berry, a balanced blend of sweet, tart, fruity and boozy that's served in a plume of rose-scented smoke.
2. General Public Restaurant
201 Geary Ave.
Jen Agg is back with another tremendous opening, this time on Geary Avenue, offering an English-inspired brasserie menu and some of the city's best cocktails. Chef James Santon deftly executes the mandate across the large menu, from the tartare — curried lamb, not beef — served with a poppadom for shovelling; to the Baked Oyster Rarebit, which smothers malpeques in Worcestershire sauce, Guinness and cheddar. With its high ceilings, the pastel pink mezzanine level overlooking the dining room and the sleek wooden bar stretching one whole side of the restaurant, General Public feels like the big leagues.
One of Toronto's best restaurateurs has struck gold again with "all things British"
Jen Agg is back with another tremendous opening on Geary Avenue offering an English-inspired brasserie menu and some of the city's best cocktails.
Read more3. Occhiolino
499 Bathurst St.
What do you get when you pair Drake’s personal chef with a chef who worked at one of the world's best three-Michelin-star restaurants? Luke Donato and Nick Manzone have teamed up for Occhiolino (meaning “wink” in Italian), one of this winter's most exciting restaurant openings.
The slick, minimalist space on Bathurst Street, designed by the team behind Osteria Giulia, features a chef’s table and a retail store stocked with their signature fresh pasta and sauces. Occhiolino’s collection of small plates, with ingredients like cured meat, fried squash and burrata, combined with colourful salads and fresh pasta, make it the perfect lunch or dinner spot. There’s also a carefully curated wine list highlighting Italian selections, plus quashable, aperitivo-inspired cocktails to keep you coming back to Little Italy’s trendiest new spot.
4. Bar Clams
802 Dundas St. W.
Eyes watered when Matty Matheson's new Toronto restaurant's menu was shared around the internet ($25 rum and coke, say what?). However, the prices have since been reduced, and we can’t pretend we’re not curious to try the Golden Globe winner’s new Maritime diner on Dundas West. The celeb chef’s latest concept is inspired by the fish shacks of his childhood — more specifically Grampy Mattheson’s Blue Goose Restaurant in P.E.I. — and will wheel out plates of scallops smothered in butter and bacon, turkey sandwiches and the iconic East Coast donair. Order from Bar Clams' list of whisky-forward cocktails, a now $19 Super Rum and Coke, a bloody Mary riff, and a sizeable wine menu.
5. Hello Nori
648 King St. W.
Toronto isn’t short on great sushi and Japanese cuisine options, but our ears pricked when we heard that popular Vancouver hand roll sushi spot Hello Nori was coming to town. The hype is absolutely warranted at this 36-seat, minimalist restaurant on King Street West, which regularly sees diners waiting for a spot around the circular bar. Wagyu, truffle lobster and spicy bluefin tuna handrolls are hand-delivered by chefs and should be eaten within 10 seconds to enjoy the warm rice and perfectly crispy nori at its peak. Top up your order with a custom Hello Nori sake service, which is poured into an overflowing sake glass placed into the centre of a masu box.
6. Stefano’s Diner
1265 Dundas St. W.
This petite all-vegan spot on Dundas West imports the cool-casual vibe of sister spot Gia, sprinkles in some knockout plant-based sandwiches and other jaw-dropping mains, and condenses them into a chic diner that’s just plain fun. Named after her late dog Stefano, Jenny Coburn’s latest venture features inviting green booths, warm orange globe lights and tons of elegant wood touches.
Seating is limited, so takeout or delivery might be your best option for enjoying their famous “meat”-packed sandwiches, like the Italian sausage sub (plant-based sausage, peperonata, pepperoncini and mozzarella) or eggplant parmigiana sandwich. If you do manage to grab a table, don’t miss the salmon beurre blanc: The protein, from Toronto-based foodtech startup New/School Foods, is so remarkably flaky and tender that it’s indistinguishable from real salmon. The brie — which we’ve raved about — is served with a cinnamon spiced cranberry compote for the season.
7. aKin
51 Colborne St.
Tasting menus can get a bad rap in Toronto, for overinflated pricing and frou-frou platings. While Akin on Colbourne Street certainly isnt cheap, MasterChef winner Eric Chong and the legendary Alvin Leung’s creative and flavourful menu is worth every penny.
The blind 10-course menu ($275) takes us on a journey through careers and cultural heritage, with highlights like The Anatomy of a Fish, which utilizes every part of the seafood including the bone, and a literal flavour bomb of hot pot, served on a spoon and explosive in the mouth.
Normally a tasting menu of this magnitude demands a wine pairing (which is available), but the crafted cocktail pairings are incredible, molecular feats of the same scale as the food. If you can swing it, grab a seat at the chef’s counter, and watch the synchronized team work their magic.
8. National at The Well
486 Front St. W.
Game bars seem to be popping up all over the city, and what better place than The Well to host the latest entertainment hub? You and your friends can spend your whole night at National, having a blast at their bowling alley, full arcade and ping pong and foosball table. If all that competition has got you hungry, dive into a pie from their pizza bar, sandwiches, salads and other mains. Every day from 2–5 p.m, drinks and snacks are 50 per cent off.
9. Yan Dining Room
Hong Shing Restaurant, 195 Dundas St. W.
Put this restaurant on your spring bucket list — Yan Dining Room is already completely sold out until March, 2025. Set inside of Hong Shing, the dining series is a neo-Chinese, culinary adventure, curated by renowned chef Eva Chin. Between eight and 10 courses, the menu is crafted with modern and traditional Chinese techniques and local, seasonal ingredients. This intimate affair is a family-style experience with only one seating per night. Talk about exclusive.
10. No Vacancy
74 Ossington Ave.
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The team behind beloved (now-shuttered) Ossington poultry joint, Ghost Chicken, is back with a sultry new cocktail lounge perfect for date night. Moody orange lighting, white brick walls and leather booths set the scene for your night out. There’s a decent-sized food menu of “globally inspired” bites that journeys from France (steak frites with beef tartare), to Italy (bucatini with pork belly and pecorino), to Japan (karubi). The craft cocktail list is robust, and features a section of highballs stirred with imaginative flavours, like the Dayame with sweet potato shochu. Or, opt for sake, wine or beer and sip the night away.
11. Grape Witches Waterworks
50 Brant St.
The natural wine trend continues apace, and the Grape Witches are keeping up with Toronto’s insatiable appetite for all things unfiltered and funky with a second bottle shop and wine bar at Waterworks Food Hall.
The new wine shop and bar is located on the ground floor of the trendy food hall and features over 250 natural wines to shop from. Wine lovers can also try seasonal tasting flights and non-alcoholic options to sip at the cozy bar and outdoor patio come summer. And it wouldn’t be the Grape Witches without some unpretentious wine education sessions hosted by their team of friendly and knowledgeable sommeliers.
12. Pii Nong Thai Eatery and Experience
3321 Yonge St.
Thai food, Thai markets, Thai spas: There are plenty of great reasons to visit the Southeast Asian country. Now, thanks to a well-known Thai restaurant, you can experience all three in one location, right here in Toronto. Pii Nong Thai just unveiled plans to launch Canada’s first complete Thai experience at on Yonge Street in Midtown. The restaurant and market will open in early December, bringing authentic Thai flavours and imported specialty snacks,
Beverages and wellness products, while the Thai massage and spa is slated to arrive on the second floor of the destination in early 2025.
13. Animl Steakhouse and Cocktail Den
420A Wellington St. W.
Toronto is having a steakhouse moment, and Animl Steakhouse and Cocktail Den is the latest to join the party. Not only are there delectably aged and seared proteins for you to dine on, but there’s also plenty of kitschy decor to feast on and vibes for days. Think tasselled lampshades, leopard print everything, and, um, a bejewelled bovine hanging from the ceiling? Holy cow, indeed.
14. BETTERBAR
87 Avenue Rd.
Ready to help you achieve your new year resolutions, this new Yorkville restaurant only serves organic, locally sourced ingredients prepared without seed oils. All of their beef and butter is grass-fed, so you can feel better about your meal, too. Pop in for a to-go signature wrap, smoothie or salad, or grab a seat in their adorable pink-tiled dining room to chow down on a chipotle chicken bowl or salmon hand roll.
15. I Am Döner
433 Queen St. W.
Kebabs might call to mind memories of inebriated nights and too much garlic sauce, but a famed British doner shop is looking to change the rotisserie meat’s reputation. Chef Paul Baron used his Michelin-star kitchen training to create I Am Döner, a popular U.K. kebab shop that uses 53 fresh ingredients across its award-winning kebabs and bowls — and now it’s arrived in Toronto. The brand aims to roll out several locations over the next few years, but they’re kicking things off on Queen West. Tuck into a menu full of donors, flatbreads and poutine at lunch or after hours to a backdrop of British tunes and even a London Underground-inspired stage at I Am Döner’s flagship location.
16. Miznon Union Station
65 Front St W.
Union Station’s food offerings are quickly becoming worthy of lingering and catching the next train, instead. Fast-casual restaurant Miznon is bringing its Mediterranean street food to the transit hub. It’s the chain’s third location in Toronto, and 43rd worldwide; and yes, you’ll be able to enjoy their iconic Whole Roasted Baby Cauliflower here, too. Their popular fish-n-chips pita is bursting with sea bass, parsley and vinegar-seasoned potatoes, garlic aioli and pickles. Keep an eye out for Miznon’s new Union Station location to open this winter.
17. BHC Chicken
486 Front St. W. Unit WM45
South Korea's popular fried chicken spot has landed at The Well. The first Canadian location joins the hundreds of BHC Chicken outposts across Asia and the U.S. Now we can get a taste of their crispy Korean fried chicken, alongside Korean dishes like rabokki, tteokbokki and kimchi fried rice; western style sandwiches; and sides like red cabbage slaw and crunchy cheese sticks.
18. Jardin Kitchen + Juice Bar
28 Gristmill Lane
Once our healthy eating resolutions kick in, we'll be heading to the Distillery District's new gluten-free, garden-fresh restaurant. A bright and airy California-esque atmosphere sets the backdrop for tucking into plant-forward dishes that aim to be nourishing and indulgent. Smoothies, freshly pressed juices, bowls, avocado toasts and sandwiches are all on the menu.
19. JOEY King St.
20 King St W
The 34th location of Joey Restaurants just landed on King West, and it’s a stunner. It’s the largest Joey in North America, and feels like it; at 19,000 square feet, it’s flooded with greenery, olive trees, a towering wine wall and gorgeous commissioned art pieces.
In addition to Joey Restaurants’ tried-and-true menu of crowd-pleasers, the King West location turns up the luxury with a champagne trolley service; an old fashioned, smoked-to-order at the table; a 35-day, dry-aged tomahawk; and a sommelier-curated reserve wine program.
20. Par-Tee Pong
26 Duncan St. 2nd Floor
Ready your serve at downtown Toronto’s newest ping pong bar, Par-Tee Pong. Above rowdy sister spot Par-Tee Putt, this open-concept game bar is packed with 10 ping pong tables and lots of neon colours. Rent one for about $60 per hour and get competitive against your friends, or your date. There are plenty of drinks and shareable eats (including loaded pizza, like the Korean Fried Chicken pizza) to beat your appetite between rallies. Psst, a secret — use code ‘PONG’ for 50 per cent off your table booking.
