41 h. ago Massive fireworks show to light up Toronto skies for major festival next week

Toronto is gearing up for a huge celebration as Diwali - Festival of Lights returns to the city, complete with ethnic bites, a diverse lineup of vendors and artists, and, of course, an enormous fireworks display. This year, attendees can expect over 1,000 artists — both local and international — to grace the stage with live dance shows and musical performances. Although the international appearances are still under wraps, last year the festival featured Mumbai Troupers and Bollywood actor Omi Vaidya. So, if these appearances are anything to go by, then this year's special guests should be something to look forward to.Of course, a Diwali event also means an abundance of South Asian food. Street food vendors, such as Toronto Tikki Co. and Uncle Omelet, as well as fusion food vendors like Fukrey Indian Bistro and Streetside Munchies, will set up shop at this two-day festival.    View this post on Instagram     ...

Events

2 d. ago Restaurants set to benefit if Blue Jays go on long playoff run

October baseball will be good for Toronto restaurants. That’s according to past spending data provided by Moneris, a company that specializes in payment processing. As the Toronto Blue Jays get set to begin their playoff march with two games at home this weekend, downtown eateries should expect to see an increase in supporters dining while […]

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3 d. ago Toronto chef steps away from fine dining scene to open new casual restaurant

A Toronto chef who cut his teeth in fine dining restaurants across North America is venturing out to do something totally different.Chef Barbode Soudi says that, for the majority of his 20-year tenure working in kitchens across the continent, fine dining was always the plan."I guess my first job was Crush Wine Bar, he said. "But I think one of the most pivotal moments of my career was when I did six months, when I was young, at Eigensinn Farm under Michael Stadtlander."From there, stints at The French Laundry in Napa, Toronto's Lucien, Nota Bene, Black Hoof, and San Francisco's Quince all added feathers to his cap until, ultimately, he returned to the local fine dining scene at Actinolite and Alo."I was always trying to work for the best places and best chefs that I could," Soudi explained. Eventually, he rose in the ranks from sous chef to executive sous chef and, eventually, chef de cuisine at Alo. Then, the pandemic hit. A...

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4 d. ago What to eat at first Toronto outpost of restaurant chain made famous by Guy Fieri

Vancouver's Peaceful Restaurant has finally opened its first location in Toronto, bringing Northern Chinese cuisine to the Annex.Peaceful Restaurant had already been a local favourite across Metro Vancouver for 15 years by the time Guy Fieri rolled into town in 2013, to feature the restaurant on an episode of his show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.The episode further catapulted the restaurant into local legend status, beloved city (dare we even say, province?) over for its droolworthy Mandarin-style cuisine.It was only a matter of time before we got the chance to dust off our chopsticks and try the restaurant for ourselves, and now, nearly 30 years after Peaceful Restaurant's first location opened, we've finally scored our own location in Toronto.At the helm of the whole operation is Executive Chef and founder Charlie Huang.Huang opened the first location of Peaceful Restaurant in Vancouver back in 1998, and tells us visitors from Toronto have been begg...

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4 d. ago Toronto shopping and dining destination getting first restaurant

The Well in Toronto already has, more or less, anything you could want, but it’s about to welcome a groovy new nightclub concept.Big things are, seemingly, always going down at The Well ever since it officially opened in late 2023.Recent additions like Taline’s new casual concept Giragi and a Bear Steak Sandwiches location at the ever-popular Wellington Market Food Hall have only kept the lifestyle complex’s stock on the rise.Something new is on the way, though, that could quite possibly change everything.Opening later this fall on Wellington, Noyaa, from Dubai’s Tribes Hospitality Investment group, is finally bringing a much-needed dose of party atmosphere to The Well.The new nightlife destination is a first-of-its-kind for The Well, whose nighttime offerings have been limited to bowling at National or late-night drinks at Aera since its inception, but don’t worry, there will be plenty to eat, too.The nightclub doubles as a lux...

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4 d. ago Ritzy new Toronto restaurant from Michelin chef opens this week

A ritzy Toronto hotel is adding a new restaurant that pays homage to Indian and British cuisines to its lineup this week.Toronto's Le Germain Hotel is, in no way, wanting for great food and drink offerings.Its newly refreshed lobby bar, Library, is the stuff that lesser hotel lobby bars dream of, and it's in good company with celebrated restaurants (albeit ones attached to competing hotels) like Akira Back and Nobu just a stone's throw away.Still, the hotel is upping the ante as it prepares to launch its luxe new restaurant, Punch, this Thursday, Oct. 2.A deft blend of British and Indian cuisines, the menu at Punch is the masterwork of Executive Chef Mandar Kulkarni, who has made his name in the Michelin-starred Don Alfonso 1890 kitchen, on top of other reputed restaurants like Buca and Le Select Bistro."I feel privileged to share a menu that reflects my own story and cultural roots," says Kulkarni. Indeed, the story being told on the plate is a deeply personal...

Other

4 d. ago Breakfast restaurant with many Vancouver locations arrives in Toronto this month

A breakfast restaurant that has locations across Vancouver is finally about to make its Toronto debut this fall.We're big fans of inheriting chains from elsewhere in the country over here in Toronto.Whether they're celebrated hits like The Lunch Lady or crowd-pleaser chains like Central, we're always happy to see some hometown heroes touch down in the 'Six. We also, as most people do, love breakfast and brunch.A combination of the two? That's a sure recipe for glory. Just look at our enthusiasm when Calgary's OEB finally opened a location in the city.Now, there's a new Western Canada breakfast staple that's about to be added to the metaphorical Toronto pancake stack: Vancouver favourite, Yolks.Founded as a charming, blue cart churning out creative takes on breakfast classics in 2012, Yolks has since blossomed into a must-try chain, boasting three locations in Metro Vancouver and one in Ottawa.According to the chain's website, l...

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6 d. ago How a Toronto restaurant turned a derelict shack next door into its side hustle

Toronto's Mamma Martino's Pasta and Pizzeria has a terrifying secret behind the Etobicoke restaurant, with a spooky-looking house at the rear of the Italian eatery, known as Martino Manor, touted as the "scariest haunted attraction" in town.Known for the faint of heart, Martino Manor is a 20-minute experience that takes the bravest of the brave into a haunted manor filled with blood, gore, violence, and terrifying characters. However, this attraction is more than just a seasonally themed Halloween experience; it's a Martino family passion.Martino Manor is named for the adjacent Mamma Martino's, and the family behind the Italian restaurant is entering its seventh year of operating this annual haunted house. Fernando Martino, the 29-year-old mastermind behind the thrilling experience, has a passion for all things Halloween decor.  "My father, Bruno Martino, owned a rundown property attached to our re...

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9 d. ago Popeyes location in Toronto under fire for allegedly not paying employees and more

A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant in Toronto is under scrutiny, with employees of the franchise protesting outside the Scarborough location this week, alleging unpaid wages, unsanitary conditions, and other concerns.Employees of the Popeyes at 2633 Lawrence Ave E, in Scarborough, are protesting against their employer, Irfan Memon, and demanding action from the corporate higher-ups at Popeyes.A representative of the protesting employees reached out to blogTO with allegations of bounced cheques, using unsanctioned meat supplies, mislabeling chicken as Halal-certified, and a general sense of disorder at the Midland and Lawrence location.A concerned employee told blogTO in an email statement that Memom has not paid wages in weeks, saying that "employees are behind five pay cheques. All his cheques got bounced, not once but twice and thrice." The employee shared images of the bounced cheques to back up this claim.In addition to their unpaid wages, workers allege that Memom...

Events

9 d. ago Toronto bar shuts down permanently after decades in business

A Toronto restaurant that's been a neighbourhood favourite for decades has officially closed permanently due to development.Death, taxes, and your favourite restaurant shutting down. These are truths we must all come to accept one day or another, and Toronto's had a particularly rough go in the "restaurants closing" department as of late.While over the past several months, the city has welcomed a number of exciting (and tasty) new concepts, we've also had to say goodbye to more than a few longstanding institutions.We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but we're about to add yet another closure to that list.As of Aug. 31, Davisville Village staple Kramer's Bar & Grill has officially entered the deadpool.Located at the intersection of Yonge and Davisville, the bar, on first glance, was nothing entirely special; just your typical neighbourhood sports bar, serving pints and wings on occasionally sticky tabletops.It was the community...

Economics

1 week ago These 8 new restaurants in Toronto are actually worth the hype

A new restaurant seems to pop up in Toronto every day, but we've got the scoop on which ones you actually need to try.Summer 2025 has been a fruitful one for the Toronto food scene. Now that we think of it, every season is, but late summer has brought us some real gems we hope are able to stand the test of time.Whether you're in the mood for a one-of-a-kind luxury dining experience or a classic hot pot session with your friends, the Toronto food scene's got you covered and well-fed.Here's our round-up of some of the best new restaurants in Toronto you need to check out.Golden Horseshoe BBQ    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by Golden Horseshoe Barbecue (@goldenhorseshoebbq)If you haven't been hearing the buzz about this new barbecue spot at the corner of Dupont and Christie, you need to wake up and smell the brisket.All jokes aside, since opening its...

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1 week ago The most heartbreaking Toronto restaurant closures of summer 2025

When one door closes, another one opens, but that doesn't keep us from being heartbroken over the restaurant closures in Toronto this summer.Restaurants are like seasons: they come and, before you know it, they're gone. Summer 2025, now that we're well and truly into the fall, felt a lot like that.While restaurants in the city, all too often, are over before they even started, others manage to stand the test of time, becoming as much a fixture in the neighbourhood as the old man who feeds pigeons on the corner or the local outdoor cats.It's those restaurants whose closures stick with us the most, and, unfortunately, we lost no small number of them this past summer.Here are some of the biggest restaurant closures that happened in Toronto during Summer 2025.By The Way CafeThere's something about the closure of a restaurant that's been around since the year started with a 19 that stings especially hard. This Annex brunch spot had been a local staple since the &#...

Culture

1 week ago 'Stranger Things' stars stopped in at a Toronto restaurant and posed with staff

A gaggle of stars from Netflix's perpetually popular show Stranger Things just stopped by an equally beloved Toronto restaurant for a bite.While no telekenesis or parallel universes were present at the celebrated Entertainment District Thai restaurant Pai this weekend, diners were still treated to a somewhat strange sight, indeed.Stranger Things stars Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, and Caleb McLaughlin, who play the leading roles of Mike, Dustin and Lucas, respectively, stopped by the restaurant unannounced for a meal.Admittedly, stranger things have happened: Pai just so happens to be a celebrity hot spot in the city, attracting everyone from TIFF attendees to the entire cast of Guillermo del Toro's new Frankenstein movie.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by Jeff Regular (@paitoronto)"[Finn Wolfhard] back at ...

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1 week ago Restaurants struggle as more Canadians look for value, dine out less: report

TORONTO — A new report shows restaurants are under pressure as consumers steer away from dining out, while rising operational costs squeeze profit margins. A new Restaurants Canada report finds three in four Canadians are eating out less, often because of the high cost of living. That share is even higher among those aged 18 […]

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2 w. ago Toronto’s aKin awarded Michelin star, Niagara’s Pearl Morissette earns 2nd

Michelin has awarded an extra star to a restaurant in the Niagara Region while a Toronto eatery earned its first. The culinary tastemaker says Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Jordan Station, Ont., which offers contemporary cuisine, has been promoted to two stars. Toronto’s aKin, which features Chinese cuisine, has been awarded one star. This brings the […]

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2 w. ago Canada's most awarded restaurant dethroned on 2025 Toronto Michelin Guide

The 2025 Toronto Michelin Guide has landed, and a whole new crop of restaurants is walking away with stars.The annual Michelin Guide ceremony is to the Toronto culinary world what the Academy Awards are to the film industry: a night of glitz and glamour, honouring the best of the best on the local food landscape.According to Michelin, the star designation is awarded to "establishments serving exceptional cuisine that's rich in flavour, remarkably executed and infused with the personality of a talented chef," meaning that the distinctness of the cuisine, paired with the overall quality, is the ultimate deciding factor here.More specifically, restaurants are graded on five criteria: product quality, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavours, the personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine, and consistency over time and across the menu. Nail all of these, and you've got yourself a star.On the 2024 list, Michelin made the surprising addition of restaur...

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2 w. ago Toronto Michelin Guide 2025 unveiled and here's the complete list of restaurants

The 2025 Toronto Michelin Guide has officially been announced, honouring stalwarts and surprise additions alike.The fourth edition of Toronto's Michelin Guide is here, celebrating the cream of the culinary crop in and around Toronto.2025 also marks the second year that restaurants outside of Toronto in the southern Ontario area are eligible for inclusion, following some surprise additions from the city's surrounding area that made it onto the list in 2024.The guide acts as a framework for tourists (and residents interested in doing some at-home culinary tourism of their own) to discern the can't-miss eateries in the given city, ranking honorees on the uniqueness, flavour and execution of their cuisine.According to Michelin, one, two, and three Michelin Stars identify "establishments serving exceptional cuisine that's rich in flavour, remarkably executed and infused with the personality of a talented chef."There's also the Bib Gourmand distinction, which...

Other

2 w. ago Toronto Middle Eastern restaurant launches new healthy food venture

A Middle Eastern restaurant in Toronto, best known for its pizza, has just launched a new venture that spotlights healthy eats.Bloorcourt's Levant might proudly proclaim that their Sicilian-Levantine fusion pizza is not, actually, pizza, but that hasn't stopped hordes of hungry Toronto diners from showing it the same amount of love they do the real Italian stuff.Thick, fluffy-crusted pies served with a Middle Eastern flair are the name of the game at Levant, topped with the likes of toum, shawarma, smoked eggplant and seven-spice chicken.These rich, spice-packed non-pizzas have been Levant's claim to fame since the very beginning, but now the team is embarking on a decidedly lighter path.Levant has officially launched a brand-new healthy eating venture operating out of its own kitchen to provide a new suite of its much-loved Levantine cuisine to Toronto diners.It's called Canaan Sandwiches & Bowls, and we bet you can guess what they serve."We launc...

Science

2 w. ago Beloved Toronto restaurant to leave location after 13 years in business

A Toronto restaurant that's been a local staple for over a decade is closing permanently to move out of the city.Toronto's culinary scene is a dazzling mosaic of international cuisines that span, seemingly, every corner of the globe. It may be trite, but it's true.If you're in the mood for Nicaraguan, Georgian, Ethiopian, Peruvian or anything else, it won't take you long to find it in the city. That's what makes the 'Six so special.When it comes to Cuban food, however, the options — though great — are decidedly limited, and, since 2012, Roncesvalles' La Cubana has been the undisputed champion for the cuisine in the city.Founded by chef Corinna Mozo, the restaurant is a cool, casual spot that serves up the absolute best of Cuban cuisine, which, yes, includes but is in no way limited to, the almighty Cubano Sandwich, a forever favourite of ours.In the 13 years since opening, La Cubana has become a local institution, embodying the untucked, c...

Economics

2 w. ago Toronto neighbourhood is throwing a huge block party to close out summer

A bunch of spots in one of Toronto's most restaurant-dense neighbourhoods are joining forces to put on an epic block party this weekend.Summer might be winding down, but with a late-season heat wave bearing down upon the city and citizens' social batteries not yet drained by the incoming onslaught of holidays, there's no time like the present to get a little extra partying in.There are a ton of events happening in Toronto this weekend to celebrate the last weekend of Summer 2025, from the ever-popular Picklefest Toronto to Thai Festival YYZ, but in the case of Bloor West, it'll be the second-annual instalment of its neighbourhood block party.Taking place in Bloorcourt Village, the stretch of Bloor Street West between Crawford Street and Gladstone Avenue, the block party will see a slew of the neighbourhood's hottest restaurants team up for a day of friendly neighbourhood vibes and epic eats.A neighbourhood that's utterly packed with g...

Culture