Picture this: It's the end of the workweek, the sun doesn't set right at 5 p.m. anymore, you’re feeling it. Maybe you want to treat yourself or someone you care about? Well, you’ve come to the right place because we’ve got Toronto’s most romantic restaurants for your next date night.
You don’t need a Hallmark movie to feel swoony. Get out there and dine at some of Toronto’s most romantic restaurants. Heck, you don’t even need to go with someone you’re dating. Date night can be with yourself, your friends or just a slice of Toronto's best pizza.
Toronto has the best restaurants, and the scene is always changing with new Toronto restaurants we can’t wait to check out, but these romantic restaurants hit different with their exceptional lighting, intimate spaces and decor that makes you want to remodel your entire life. The ambience and the aesthetics are as important as the food and, wow, the lighting — did we mention that?
This list of Toronto's most romantic restaurants will get your heart beating. Easy, tiger.
19 of Toronto's most romantic restaurants
1. Ardo
243 King St. E.
If pasta is your love language, you need to run to Ardo, an unpretentious eatery on King East that gives diners a slice of Sicily. Ardo is all about the love of food with a sense of place, and it's co-owned by husband and wife team (cuuuute), chef Roberto Marotta and Jacqueline Nicosia, who met in Sicily before moving to Canada to open their own restaurant together (double cute).
The dishes feature the highest-quality ingredients and, like any good relationship, aren't overcomplicated — even the simple house-made bread with Sicilian olive oil tastes special. Don't miss the delicate raw tuna carpaccio with crunchy celery, capers and cucumbers.
2. Parquet
97 Harbord St.
On the corner of Harbord and Robert Street, Parquet's contemporary charm and friendly atmosphere are a (very) welcome addition to the city. This French-ish restaurant may be new, but its antique-chic design moments and neighbourhood bistro vibe make it feel like it's been there for years.
Tuck into a cushy, rust-coloured banquette beneath the glow of warm brass lights and indulge in executive chef Jeremy Dennis's (Woodlot, Montgomery’s) wonders. The menu beautifully showcases the classics (cassoulet with crispy Linton pork) alongside unconventional concoctions like glazed maitake mushrooms in calvados (a French brandy) with wild rice and black walnut compound butter.
3. Bar St. Lo
26 Market St.
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Located right on Market St., this intimate, brick-walled restaurant sources its ingredients right from its neighbour: St. Lawrence Market. Its menu is constantly changing, but expect beautifully plated dishes of bright vegetables, daily catches and delicious bites like gnocchi with truffle cream and mushrooms (drool).
They do buck-a-shuck oysters every day from 5–7 p.m., along with other snack and cocktail specials. Plus, music lovers are in for a treat with their rotating list of artists that stop by every Sunday — you might even catch a surprise performance from Daniel Caesar.
4. Evangeline
51 Camden St.
This rooftop bar, inside Ace Hotel Toronto, is bookended by two oversized fireplaces for optimal coziness. The floor-to-ceiling windows face west with an unobstructed view for optimal sunset viewing.
Sink into the leather couches with some small plates or a sundowner in hand like the Meiji Restoration, a manhattan riff with Japanese whisky, Cocchi Rosa vermouth, plum wine and yuzu bitters. It's a saucy little minx of a cocktail and the perfect end to a day well spent.
5. Reign
100 Front St. W.
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The Royal York Hotel feels like old Hollywood glamour, and its main floor restaurant Reign is no exception. With its warm wood accents, sleek marble fireplace and stunning grand piano, you'll feel like you've just stepped into a gorgeous stately home (the old-money kind).
The restaurant is very distinguished, dahling, but the atmosphere is approachable and homey. It's the perfect date-night spot with just the right amount of sophistication and a killer wine list. Split a bottle with your bb, along with one of their elite tasting boards (fish board, Canadian cheese board, charcuterie, chef's selection) that will make you question every single charcuterie board you've ever made.
6. Lake Inez
1471 Gerrard St. E.
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Sometimes you love something so much, you just want to keep it all to yourself — that's how we feel about Little India's Lake Inez. The restaurant is in its sixth year, and each visit feels like the first time.
We still don't know how to fully describe the concept. The menu is refined comfort food, the craft beer is all Ontario, and the vintage furnishings are both quirky and sophisticated. OK, phew, we did it, but their Instagram captions do a way better job. Follow along for beautiful stories inspired by remarkable food, or maybe it's the other way around?
7. Grey Gardens
199 Augusta Ave.
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Not to pick favourites, but Grey Gardens is our fave Jenn Agg restaurant. The stunning 55-seat wine bar and dining room is bigger than most Kensington Market pocket shops, but it's still wonderfully intimate. Take a seat along the marble bartop or slide into a cushy booth surrounded by botanical wallpaper, then sip on rare, private-order vino and snack on fresh bites of seafood. The dishes, like the decor, command attention without being obscene or too in-your-face. And that's why we keep returning for more (the smoked fish chips n' dip also has something to do with it).
8. Canoe
66 Wellington St. W.
Canoe has been a Toronto classic for years, where suits go for important business meetings, and families celebrate extra-special occasions. But thanks to a ($$) renovation, this seminal restaurant on the 54th floor of TD Bank Tower has managed to keep up with the new kids on the block and re-establish itself as one of Toronto's most essential dining destinations.
The views of the city below are spectacular, and the menu of contemporary Canadian cuisine pays homage to The North way beyond maple syrup and poutine. From Atlantic halibut with sea lettuce tartar and delicate onion rings to an aged-Albertan filet that will make you swoon, Canoe pulls out all the moves.
9. AP
55 Bloor St. W., 51st Floor
Set on the 51st floor of the Manulife Centre, AP restaurant’s atmosphere alone makes it a perfect big-night-out date spot. The sultry space is outfitted with black marble tables and cushy, floral-patterned banquettes. Trying to pry your eyes away from the sparkling cityscape to gaze longingly into each other’s eyes might be a challenge, but the view is worth it.
Play chopstick footsy as you share beautiful plates like delicate bluefin tuna tataki that comes swimming in a ginger emulsion, crispy gyoza and maki rolls. Then dig into mains that will make your date swoon like lemongrass lamb chops and wagyu steak. Wine and beer make an appearance on the menu, but you’d be remiss not to try some sake from their delightfully extensive list. Cocktails here are as complex as the dishes, full of layers and intricacy. This is a place to sip and savour the evening. Romance: activated.
10. La Palma
849 Dundas St. W.
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If pasta is your love language, you're going to want to spend the rest of your life with La Palma's 100-layer lasagna — the pasta to end them all. Besides sensational carbs, this breezy Dundas West eatery has an al-fresco aesthetic with wavy pastel murals and playful Italian-inspired eats like a cacio e pepe pizza we never knew we needed.
11. Chubby’s Jamaican
104 Portland St.
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Chubby’s is all about celebrating Jamaica's food, drinks and people. And we're absolutely head over heels for its warmth, good vibes and homestyle Caribbean cooking: wood fire-grilled jerk chicken, curry goat, ackee and saltfish bites — Chubby's has it all.
It's impossible to have a bad time inside this 19th-century row house transformed into an island oasis with palm tree murals, tons of bushy plants and jumbo rattan lights dripping from the ceiling. P.S. Ask to see their rum-tasting menu for a trip through Caribbean rum culture. Island time starts now.
12. Milou
1375 Dundas St. W.
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The Dundas West neighbourhood is iconic for a reason, especially when restaurant concepts like Milou come around. Opened in early 2021, this café-bistro-bar is the Toronto take on a quintessential Parisian restaurant (it's inspired by the kind of haunts where artists and writers like Hemingway would post up). From the black-and-white checkered floors to the uneven brick walls, the touches look old-school Paris. Reminisce with a lover over some bubbling gruyere fondue, or catch the eye of someone new when you pop in for an afternoon cuppa.
13. Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie
35 Tank House Lane
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Every day, Cluny opens its doors at 8 a.m. to service the under-caffeinated in its stunning, light-filled café. And from Wednesday–Sunday, their dazzling eatery brings another glow to the Distillery District with modern French dishes and pastries that give us that 'joie de vivre' feeling. In the summer, their patio could give the City of Lights a run for its money with thousands of twinkly lights woven through leafy vines. It's a truly magical experience.
14. Bar Mordecai
1272 Dundas St. W.
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There's something so romantic and sentimental about a hotel lobby, and the conceptual Bar Mordecai on Dundas West evokes that same dewy-eyed grandeur of hotel lobbies from yesterday. Inspired by the imaginative sets of Wes Anderson's films, every detail in this fanciful space has been thoughtfully chosen, from the bubble-gum-pink bar to fairytale scenes covering the mirrors like ivy. The same care and creativity go into their menu of small plates, and cocktails developed by co-owner Christina Veira. Many of these crushable concoctions are takes on hotel bar classics like the Royal Old Fashioned which uses Santa Teresa 1796 rum instead of whisky. We know you'll enjoy your stay here.
15. Coffee Oysters Champagne
214 King St. W.
The swanky Coffee Oysters Champagne on King West prides itself on doing its three namesake items exceptionally well. There’s plenty of room for indulgence with fresh oysters selected daily and enough bubbly — the largest collection in the city — to cover a multitude of sins. If you're wanting more fancy feels, ask your server to see the champagne room. We won’t give any more away, because secrets don’t make friends, but they sure make things fun.
16. The Comrade
758 Queen St. E.
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Stepping into the Comrade is like sneaking back in time to a 1920s speakeasy. The warm, rustic atmosphere — and occasional taxidermy — give this Riverside hideaway a homey feel that’s hard to leave behind. Good thing there are some of the best snacks and specialty cocktails (the Beck Taxi cocktail is an ode to Toronto and one of our faves) to keep you entertained long into the night. Check out their hush-hush sister spot Goods and Provisions in Leslieville for more prohibition vibes.
17. Bar Koukla
88 Ossington Ave.
If you find yourself strolling along Ossington's restaurant row, you can't help but stop and stare at Bar Koukla's glowing copper fixtures, sparkling terrazzo countertop and statement curtains made out of fishing rope. From the outside, it's one of Toronto's most beautifully designed spaces, and it gets even better once you're inside.
'Koukla' is a Greek term of endearment meaning 'doll,' and you’ll want to be with whomever you hold dear in this intimate Mediterranean snack bar. Expect small sharing plates of Aegean-inspired dishes like baked feta wrapped in crispy phyllo and topped with pomegranates; grilled lamb ribs with creamy tzatziki; and chewy sesame bread with whipped honey butter. Have a glass (or several) from their low-intervention Greek wine list.
18. Lapinou
642 King St. W.
Everything sounds better en Français, and at Lapinou, a neo-bistro and wine bar highlighting the best of inventive French fare, it tastes pretty darn good too. The dishes may be modern takes on French flavours (hello, seared foie-gras with plum compote and toasted brioche), but whenever we're here for dinner and dessert, it's like we've been transported inside an old Hollywood movie with soft lighting and dramatic pauses. You must save room for their dark chocolate soufflé with miso chantilly.
19. Dog & Tiger
537 College St.
It may seem like a pub from the outside, but the recently re-imagined Dog & Tiger is a lesson in delectable farm-to-table cuisine. Executive chef Thomas Salvo (formerly Chase Hospitality) has created a menu of knock-out dishes like tender house-cured Beverly Creek lamb bacon with ricotta on Brodflour sourdough, and a refreshing Ontario beet salad with house-made goat cheese. Settle into a cozy spot by the fireplace with your date in their cute, wallpaper-adorned back room. The bar and restaurant have a laidback atmosphere perfect for a relaxed date night that isn’t stuffy but still has stellar food options. Don’t forget the delicious craft cocktails, too.
