“In this economy?!” seems to be everyone’s new catchphrase, grapes are now a luxury item and meat is completely unaffordable (hello, vegan restaurants). Despite the skyrocketing prices of everything, we still want to go out and enjoy ourselves — and the best Winterlicious Toronto menus are the answer.
To encourage diners to brave the cold for delicious food during the frostiest time of year, some of the best restaurants in Toronto are offering prix-fixe menus for lunch and dinner from January 31 to February 13, 2025. We get a multi-course meal for a reasonable price and participating Winterlicious Toronto restaurants get to fill seats that would otherwise be empty. Win, win. And if you can convince your boo that dining out at the most romantic restaurants in Toronto on Valentine’s Day is too hectic, you could save some bucks with a Winterlicious dinner to celebrate Cupid’s day in advance. Win, win, win.
There’s no shortage of great cheap eats in city, but food somehow just tastes better when you know you’ve gotten a special deal. Unfortunately, there are too many restaurants in downtown Toronto and beyond that are offering Winterlicious menus and not enough time, so we’ve narrowed down the best Winterlicious Toronto menus for 2025. Pair a meal with a visit to one of the best bars in Toronto for a night you'll be reminiscing about long after Daylight Savings Time relinquishes that hour of sunshine it stole from us in November.
Dine the grey, gloomy days away at the best Winterlicious Toronto restaurants, and before you know it, spring will be here.
25 delicious Winterlicious Toronto menus that offer the best bang for your buck
1. The Berczy Tavern
$55 dinner | 69 Front St. E.
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The Berczy Tavern might be Toronto’s newest piano bar, but there’s more to this Front Street spot than just tinkling the ivories. Inspired by chef Michael Angeloni’s Italian heritage, the menu is full of seasonally sourced and show-stopping dishes. The Berczy keeps things simple with just a dinner menu for Winterlicious Toronto. However, the challenge will be choosing between menu hits like chicken liver mousse or tuna tostada; hanger steak or risotto; and tiramisu profiterole or dark chocolate panna cotta.
2. Ultra
$65 Dinner | 12 St. Clair Ave. E.
Midtown’s answer to the trendy resto-lounges of King West, Ultra’s golden dining room offers all the glamour but in a more mature atmosphere. For Winterlicious, dine on a $65 dinner menu of Pan-Asian dishes like Vietnamese fried spring rolls, teriyaki conish hen, bibimbap and burnt basque cheesecake for dessert.
Ultra is a glamorous spot for delicious pan-Asian fare in Midtown
Bathed in a soothing, all-gold colour palate, Ultra strikes a balance between glamour and comfort. It's a celebratory space for indulging in delicious pan-Asian fare and bright, boozey cocktails.
Read more3. SAKU
$45 dinner | 478 Queen St. W.
Even though Saku on Queen West serves Japanese-Mexican fusion, there isn’t a sushi burrito in sight here. Instead, pico de gallo pops up in salmon and hamachi tataki; tobiko adds crunch to a guac, queso and mozzarella lobster taco; salsa roja mingles with teriyaki in the salmon steak taco. Your taste buds won’t know what hit them, in the best way.
4. Bar Avelo
$35 dinner | 51 St. Nicholas St.
If your 2025 budget is too tight for a lights-out meal at fine dining sister spot, Avelo, cozy second-floor speakeasy Bar Avelo might be more your speed. Set in a quaint Victorian townhome, it’s one of the only all-vegan bars in Toronto. Pair your three courses of plant-based tapas (including an outstanding personal vegan cheese board) with handcrafted cocktails.
Bar Avelo's menu is a playground of plant-based alchemy
Climb the floral staircase above fine-dining restaurant, Avelo to discover plant-based speakeasy Bar Avelo, where the exceptional vegan à la carte menu is only outshone only by its impressive cocktail list.
Read more5. Frenchy Bar et Brasserie
$34 lunch; $43 dinner | 145 Richmond St. W.
Hilton Toronto’s Parisian-inspired lobby bar and restaurant aren’t just for hotel guests. Make a reservation this Winterlicious at the swoony Frenchy Bar et Brasserie and take your senses and your tastebuds on a très romantique journey. The three-course lunch and dinner options are the ultimate indulgence with classic Gallic dishes, like French onion soup, steak frites and a tarte au citron, at every turn.
Lobby bar, Frenchy brings 'je ne sais quoi' to the Hilton Toronto
A large-scale renovation of the Hilton Toronto sees a brand new dining concept, Frenchy, arrive to satiate guests with formidable breakfast, lunch and dinner options.
Read more6. PAI Uptown
$34 lunch; $45 dinner | 2335 Yonge St.
David Whittaker
If you’ve struggled to snag a reservation at the always-packed, Michelin-recognized downtown location, Winterlicious is your chance to savour chef Nuit Regular’s northern Thai cuisine in Midtown. We’ll be gulping down chef Regular’s iconic pad thai, on the $45 Winterlicious dinner menu, along with grabong (fried butternut squash fritters); sous-vide and fried Thai chicken wings; and pad gra pow with ground pork. The pandan coconut cake or steamed cassava cake for dessert will have you rubbing your belly in delight.
7. Chiado
$55 lunch; $75 dinner | 864 College St.
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Old-school elegance meets modern Portuguese cuisine at this fine dining restaurant on College Street. With upwards of four choices for each course, their Toronto Winterlicious menu doesn’t pull any punches. Choose from appetizers like tuna tartare, lobster and shrimp bisque and roasted quail; mains that include striploin steak, Australian rack of lamb, duck confit and seared tuna; and options like spicy chocolate cake and crème caramel for dessert. Pair it all with one of the largest selections of Portuguese wine in the city.
8. Minami
$48 lunch; $65 dinner | 225 King St. W.
Brought to life with swimming koi and cherry blossom murals, this spacious restaurant on King Street offers a gorgeous, modern backdrop for tucking into contemporary Japanese cuisine. The $65 Winterlicious dinner menu touches on all the restaurant’s greatest hits from traditional and aburi sushi to wagyu steak and miso trout to black sesame crème brûlée.
9. DaiLo
$75 dinner | 503 College St.
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The price tag of this Winterlicious Toronto dinner menu might make you wince, but it’s worth every penny for the feast of chef Nick Liu’s “New-Asian Cuisine” that will be laid on your table in the no-fuss, eclectic restaurant.
Start off with inventive dishes like a jicama taco shell stuffed with crispy octopus and braised pork belly, or a creamy caramelized onion Dumpling Pissaladière with truffle. Served with Panang fried eggplant and burrata to share between two, the delectable main course options include Hainanese chicken with foie fat rice, the show-stopping Whole Fried Giggie Trout and Singapore curry cauliflower. If you still have room for dessert, cap off the night with soju poached pear, yuzu olive cake or aloe sake sorbet.
10. Fonda Lola
$34 lunch; $45 dinner | 942 Queen St. W.
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It’s scientifically proven that tacos banish winter blues. Snack on either baja fish or caramelized hibiscus flower tacos at Fonda Lola, a cantina on Queen West that’s been slinging classic Mexican plates for over 10 years. Plus, it doesn’t have to be summer to slurp back one of their five margaritas. Oh, and one word: churros.
11. Little Sister Portland
$45 dinner | 102 Portland St.
We’d gladly pay full price for Little Sister’s mouthwatering Dutch-Indo cuisine (but we won’t turn down their Winterlicious savings, either). Transport yourself to the tropics with the green coconut char ceviche; crispy Balinese slaw with pickles, peanuts and pork; or marinated flank steak.
12. Chubby’s
$34 lunch; $45 dinner | 104 Portland St.
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Beat the winter blues with a taste of the Caribbean at this tropical restaurant inspired by the warmth of Jamaica, its cuisine and its people. Jerk chicken, jerk pork and curry chicken will heat you up from the inside out, served alongside other Winterlicious menu items like ackee and saltfish bites, soups, salads and desserts like carrot cake and cornmeal pudding.
13. Valerie
$65 dinner | 111 Princes’ Blvd.
While the main course of your meal at Valerie will always be that view, the Japanese-inspired bites don’t disappoint. Opt for the roasted sea bass to savour the fresh wasabi chimichurri, or fill up with the vegan roasted mushroom udon. Live musicians often serenade dinner service; the ambiance here is unmatched.
14. Hawker
$27 lunch; $35 dinner | 291 Augusta Ave.
This all-vegan gem tucked into a Kensington nook is committed to blending refined cuisine and naturalism — maintaining the integrity of base ingredients with little interference. Plates, artfully prepared by chef Jeff Merkel, sometimes emulate a natural setting, like the Starry Night biryani, where dollops of poblano cream resemble stellar constellations. The Sunrise turns grapes into a delicacy, with fermented cashews and flatbread. Drinks are extra, of course, but the cedar- and spruce-infused negroni is well-worth it.
15. Alice Restaurant
$45 dinner | 488 College St.
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This adorable Little Italy locale for American classics and tequila cocktails is yet another great pick. Sadly, Alice’s famous tomahawk steak is not on the Winterlicious dinner menu, but we promise you won’t go hungry. There are starter and main options aplenty, including vegan and vegetarian dishes, plus all manner of things cheesecakey and chocolatey on the dessert end of the menu. Well, there’s always next time…
16. Blu Ristorante
$48 lunch; $65 dinner | 90 Avenue Rd.
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Set behind a brick façade at the north end of Yorkville, this romantic, upscale restaurant draws diners with contemporary Italian fare and made-in-house pastas. The Winterlicious menu offers a nice mix of seafood, meat and vegetarian options. Nosh on appetizers like truffled beef carpaccio, buffalo mozzarella beet salad and zucchini fritters, followed by mains including seared arctic char, duck confit pappardelle, osso bucco and zucchini noodles. Desserts like pistachio cannoli, hibiscus panna cotta and tiramisu, will have you and your date swooning.
17. R&D
$55 dinner | 241 Spadina Ave.
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While his buzzy new restaurant Akin might be getting all the hype right now, MasterChef Canada winner Eric Chong’s OG restaurant is still a beloved spot in Chinatown — and it’s offering a great Winterlicious Toronto menu. Dine on modern Canadian Asian cuisine and dim sum dishes like soup dumplings, crab Rangoon and bánh mì bao to start, followed by mains like pad see ew with shredded duck confit, fried chicken adobo, tofu curry and rendang pappardelle with braised beef short rib. For dessert, panna cotta, fried mantou or an ube ice cream sandwich will hit the spot.
18. Sassafraz
$41 lunch; $55 dinner | 100 Cumberland St.
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Sassafraz in Yorkville is an eternal favourite of ours, and this Winterlicious, it’s getting in on the dining action. Head to the charming restaurant tucked inside a Victorian row house and get a steal of a three-course deal on their French-inspired Canadian cuisine. Kick things off with starters like fennel and apple salad, classic French onion soup or tuna and shrimp ceviche, then graduate to Muskovy duck breast in a cherry reduction or fresh pasta dishes like bucatini all' amatriciana. Both lunch and dinner come with dessert so bring your appetite and your stretchiest waistbands.
19. Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill
$41 lunch; $55 dinner | 17 Tank House Lane
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Seafood lovers have long flocked to Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill in Toronto's historic Distillery District. This January and February, there are even more reasons to visit. Chow down on East Coast Clam Chowder, featuring P.E.I. manila clams, haddock and chips, arctic char or oysters, shucked right in front of you. And it’s not all molluscs: the seafood restaurant’s tandoori chicken supreme and half chuck, half brisket Awesome Burger, are available on the Winterlicious menu.
20. Reign Restaurant + Bar
$55 lunch; $75 dinner | 100 Front St.
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Winterlicious is a great opportunity to try out restaurants that have long been on your bucket list but are a wee bit out of your budget. Reign Restaurant + Bar is Fairmont Royal York’s swankiest dining option, located on the grand floor of the hotel, offering the best of Canadian cuisine sourced from local farmers and sustainable producers. If the price tag has deterred you before, now is the time to book a table inside its lush dining room, where a piano tinkles and the fire roars — a.k.a. the perfect winter setting.
21. Bar Neon
$34 lunch; $45 dinner | 1226 Bloor St. W.
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This gem in the Junction Triangle is the kind of place where you intend to start the evening, but somehow never leave. It's trendy, but not try-hard; the small plates aren’t too stingy on the portions; and there's plenty in the way of craft beers and signature cocktails. Winterlicious serves up the best of the Greek menu, with faves like feta fries, a chicken souvlaki plate, and hilopites, a traditional pasta, making an appearance.
22. Maison Selby
$48 lunch; $65 dinner | 592 Sherbourne St.
The antidote to this frigid Toronto winter, Maison Selby’s Winterlicious menu is loaded with ultra-comforting French plates like mushroom soup, barley risotto and steak frites with Béarnaise sauce. Its setting in the historic C.H. Gooderham House is extra cozy, too. After the meal, make sure you sneak downstairs for a sundowner at seductive downstairs speakeasy, Sous Sol.
23. The Dorset
$41 lunch; $55 dinner | 457 Wellington St. W.
Coastal English cuisine reigns supreme at one of the many restaurant openings at The Well last year. The Dorset, helmed by executive chef Ryan Lister, delivers a taste of the British coast and countryside across each of its quirkily designed floors. This Winterlicious, you’ll find fish and chips, and mulligatawny soup alongside plates like beef osso bucco with dumplings and roast pork jowl. If your dining companion doesn't mind sharing, we suggest getting different desserts, so you can try as many (like maple pudding and chocolate éclairs) as possible.
A Q&A with Ryan Lister, the executive chef at coastal English spot The Dorset
We chat with Ryan Lister, executive chef at The Dorset, to find out how his hometown inspired the menu at the coastal English restaurant and where he likes to eat when he's off the clock.
Read more24. Amal
$48 lunch; $65 dinner | 131 Bloor St. W.
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Bring a little sunshine into those grey winter days at Amal. Executive chef Rony Ghaleb creates vibrant Lebanese cuisine in this bright and airy Yorkville favourite, using the traditional spices and coastal flavours of Lebanon. Tuck into kebabs, skewers, tabbouleh and more for lunch or dinner.
25. Vivoli
$45 dinner | 665 College St.
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It’s hard to beat classic Italian done right, and Vivoli knows the secret sauce. Order handmade pizzas cooked in a woodfired oven and delicious fresh pasta dishes, plus comforting mains like chicken parmigiana at this cozy spot on College.
