Sushi, built on the foundations of the highest quality rice, fish and other ingredients, is all about using the very best products and exacting preparation from chefs that have been training for years. And the best sushi in Toronto is no exception.
You don't have to be Drake to experience some of Toronto's top sushi. Yes, there are the splurge-worthy omakase spots — chef-led tasting menus that translate to "I leave it up to you" (and your credit card) like Yasu and Shoushin. But, there are also wallet-friendly takeout faves like Monkey Sushi and The Haam.
So, let the good times roll (pun very much intended, sorry) with our list of the best Toronto sushi restaurants. Then cap it off with a trip to one of these brilliant places to get bubble tea, or if you're staying in, check out Toronto's top takeout and delivery.
Toronto has hundreds of restaurants that adhere to different sushi styles, from fancy omakase-at-home to no-fuss takeout and delivery. These are some of our faves.
Best sushi in Toronto: 22 must-try places
1. Aburi Hana
102 Yorkville Ave.
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At Yorkville omakase spot Aburi Hana, floral arrangements, artwork and wooden interiors pale into insignificance next to the restaurant's 15-course tasting menus. And they also pale in insignificance to the bill. Go for the high-end option and you'll pay an eye-wincing $350 a person. Or go for the at-home-pants version and order from their exquisite new takeout menu.
2. Kibo Secret Garden Yorkville
154 Cumberland St., Upper Level
One of Toronto's best sushi purveyors is at it again with a luxe sister spot in the heart of Yorkville. Kibo, meaning 'hope' in Japanese, is aiming to solve all of our problems with an omakase menu, sake pairings and fresh, high-quality fish prepared lovingly for a sushi supper unlike any other.
3. Shoushin
3328 Yonge St.
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Shoushin's wooden tabletops are made out of hinoki, a wood usually reserved for shrines, and an indication of the reverence with which this restaurant and its chef-owner, Jackie Lin, treat the food. Widely regarded as one of Toronto's best omakase restaurants, Shoushin offers four different menus featuring many rare ingredients. *Temporarily closed
4. Tachi
Assembly Chef's Hall, 111 Richmond St. W.
At Tachi, a stand-up meal takes on a whole other meaning. Inside this tiny eatery (eight guests max) diners stand up while they eat, recreating Japan's original stand-up sushi shops and catering to time-poor Torontonians — you can get through the premium omakase menu in 30 minutes.
5. IKUNE by Après Wine Bar
1166 Queen St. W.
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This Queen West wine bar was known for its natural vino and small share plates before ol' Covid came to town. But now, IKUNE has made its mark as a prime lunch and dinner takeaway spot for maki the size of your fist and bowls of sashimi every colour of the rainbow. Don't worry, they've still got a wonderful selection of natural wine, sake and beer from their bottle shop.
6. Gyoko Sushi Bar
2143 Danforth Ave.
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Whether you're looking to split a sushi pizza on a first date or get a lunch special to-go, Gyoko Sushi Bar on the Danforth is one of our fave east-end hideaways. Their bento boxes are ideal for a fresh meal on the fly, and you can order boats filled with up to 83 pieces of sashimi, nigiri and maki.
7. Yasu
81 Harbord St.
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Yasu has a sister restaurant in LA's super-swish Beverly Hills, which should tell you everything you need to know about its vibe. That being said, the Toronto site is the original (and dare we say, best) from chef and owner, Yasuhisa Ouchi. Order an omakase menu here and you get 20 'items' to see you all the way from appetizers to "I'm too full to eat anymore."
8. JaBistro
222 Richmond St. W.
JaBistro shakes up the traditional food and feel of sushi restaurants. It occupies a whitewashed exposed-brick space in the Entertainment District and serves cocktails. A sashimi platter washed down with a side of bourbon, shiso and lemon? Go on then.
9. Sushi Kaji
860 The Queensway, Etobicoke
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Chef Mitsuhiro Kaji has been making sushi since he was 13. We don't know how old he is now (and it would be rude to ask), but we can tell you this means he's an expert of the highest order. Kaji's fundamental philosophy is to handle the food as little as possible, which means his sushi is as close to nature's delicious ingredients as it can possibly get.
10. Miku
10 Bay St. #105
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Miku brought aburi-style sushi to Canada — which, for the uninitiated, translates to 'flame-seared'. In practice, this means the fish is cooked over fire to create new textures and enhance flavour, searing it over binchotan (Japanese bamboo charcoal). The restaurant also has a signature secret sauce, known only by a handful of its chefs. Consider us sold.
11. Japango
122 Elizabeth St.
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Approachable, unfussy and totally delicious: Japango ticks an awful lot of boxes, which it's done since it first opened all the way back in 2004. Sixteen years later, and this stamp-sized restaurant near City Hall, with dark-wood-panelled counters and a buzzy atmosphere, is a sure-fire winner for lunch or dinner. The omakase menu will set you back around $100, while a deluxe sushi dinner is $30.
12. Zen
7634 Woodbine Ave.
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At Zen, the chefs' aim is to preserve the traditional culture of Japanese cuisine. The cooking here is very much no-frills yet incredibly flavourful — think melt-in-the-mouth fillet of cod braised with miso paste, served on a single banana leaf. Hand rolls are laden with fresh fish, spider rolls are packed with soft-shell crab and the sake list is extensive. Tick, tick and tick.
13. Shunoko
1201 St Clair Ave. W.
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Shunoko is the second restaurant from the much-loved but sadly now-closed Sushi Nomi in Roncesvalles. This means it's bigger — in terms of the space and the menu, which goes beyond sushi to include lots of different dishes, including hot mains. We love their fish balls, and the spicy tuna maki rolled in crunchy popped rice and toasted coconut.
14. Minami
225 King St. W.
The latest concept from Aburi Restaurants Canada (Miku, TORA, Aburi Hana), Minami also specializes in their signature torched aburi sushi, flame-seared to perfection and dressed with specialty sauces, but this time in a stunning space on King West.
The modern Japanese menu also features plenty of bentos and bowls, alongside flavourful small plates like crispy brussels sprouts with smoked bacon; charcoal aburi chicken; and citrus-glazed chicken thigh with truffle kimizu and kurozu vinaigrette.
15. Sushi Moto
4901 Yonge St.
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Family-owned sake and wine bar Sushi Moto offers a raucous atmosphere to knock back drinks and bites late into the night (in non-lockdown times). If you’re looking to venture into the world of sake, this is the place to do it. Along with more than two dozen different types of sake, they also offer saketinis, sake sangria and sakelini, a prosecco and sake mixture.
16. Sushi Masaki Saito
88 Avenue Rd.
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If you're a sushi connoisseur, you must put Sushi Masaki Saito at the top of your bucket list. We practically screamed (OK, we did, very loudly) when two-Michelin-star chef Masaki Saito left New York to open this stunning Yorkville restaurant that specializes in Saito's version of edomae-style sushi (fish is usually marinated or cured before serving for max umami).
The multi-course tastings here will set you back a pretty penny, but you can order their gorgeous takeout for half the dine-in price — nice for you.
17. The Haam
342 Adelaide St. W.
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A fusion spot specializing in sushi and tacos might raise some eyebrows — but that was before we feasted on their crispy shell gochujang barbacoa, spicy shrimp and teriyaki chicken offerings. From sashimi to softshell, you're in for a delicious lunch order that will make it hard to return to those boring old sandwiches.
18. Fune
100 Simcoe St.
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If you struggle with chopsticks, no one at Fune will notice because everyone is too busy trying to catch their order puttering along a conveyor belt. Fune has been open since the 90s and its variety of rotating bites (literally) from lightly seared tuna tataki to thinly sliced beef sashimi with ponzu have been making guests smile ever since. *Temporarily closed
19. Oo-Kinza Fish House
395 Bamburgh Cir.
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This tiny, under-the-radar Scarborough seafood bar has some pretty impressive and extravagant omakase baskets which come with an assortment of top-grade raw and cooked fish: uni gunkan sushi, otoro sashimi, steamed snow crab legs, yakitori skewers, lobster claws and more.
Oo-Kinza Fish House is also a tiny market for premium seafood where you can purchase any fish available (the uni and sea urchin is their specialty). *Temporarily closed
20. Monkey Sushi
Multiple locations
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If you're looking for fast, affordable sushi that doesn't compromise on taste, Monkey Sushi is the antithesis to those lunchtime lulls or dinner disasters. With eight locations across the Greater Toronto Area, your next Signature Monkey Roll or Toronto Raptor Roll is closer than you think.
21. Saku sushi
478 Queen St. W.
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Sitting at the wooden-slab bar top at this family-run spot truly feels like you're a guest in their home. The delicate sashimi and rolls are presented on beautiful stone plateware and often topped with edible flowers for a little added drama. To shake up your standard sushi takeout, order one of their boats and you'll get 10 per cent off.
22. Maru Japanese Bistro
1402 Queen St. E.
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Shortly after The Green Wood closed, Maru Japanese Bistro took over the Leslieville space. It didn't take long for Maru to wow patrons with colourful plates of fresh sashimi and their beautiful blend of French cooking techniques with Japanese cuisine. You'll see this harmony in signature rolls like the Toronto Roll with Japanese charcoal-grilled beef, mushrooms, parsnip chips and teriyaki sauce.
