Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, and this is something you can really notice through the food. You can go from street food and busy markets to high-quality restaurants; all serving just about every type of cuisine you can think of. And you can experience most of this all within a few blocks. That’s what makes going out to eat in Toronto so fun. There’s always something different to try. Before our trip, I did a lot of research and while exploring, talked to some locals. Because of this, we ended up checking out some amazing places, unfortunately we didn’t get to eat everywhere we wanted to, so those spots will have to wait for our next visit. Here are a few spots we checked out around Toronto, including Aloette, Chengdu Street Food, Pai Northern Thai, and Gusto 101.
Aloette Bay
Toronto’s food scene is packed with global options, but spots like Aloette show that the city also does bistro-style Canadian comfort food at a high level. We booked Aloette Bay, which is the newer location, located in the heart of downtown and right beside Union Station. We headed there on our first night to start off our trip right. The restaurant was small, classy and boasting a casual vibe; but the service was excellent and there was a nice atmosphere. The menu was slightly pricey, but being in Canadian dollars, and not having to worry about exchange the price wasn’t too bad. I ordered a few beers, we had some appetizers and a few main courses; surprisingly the bill was just north of $200, not too bad considering the quality.
We started off with the Nduja Stuffed Oliver Skewers and the East Coast Oysters. The serving sizes were small, but perfect to get us started. Both dishes were excellent and perfect before our main courses. The olives were flavourful, the oysters weren’t fishy and came with horseradish and hot sauce which gave them a nice kick. For our mains, we ordered the Grilled Sea Bream, a fish plate for our daughter, Aloette Fried Chicken, which was served similarly to an Asian style lettuce wrap and the special of the night, the Steak Frites which came with a perfectly done Prime Striploin and unlimited crispy fries. The meals were excellent and despite being on the verge of food coma, we had to get a refill of fries because they were too good.
The service was excellent and the food was great. The fish was tasty, the steak was perfectly done and covered in surprisingly a tasty gravy, and the chicken was flavorful, crispy, a massive serving and there were good toppings to make a few lettuce wraps in addition to eating it on its own. All in all it was a great first meal, and for the quality and the amount of food we got the price was reasonable.
Chengdu Street Food
In Toronto we had to have Asian cuisine, and with such a large Chinatown, Chinese was a must. I did some research prior to our trip, but the places we planned to try didn’t look as good in person. We pulled out our phones, found the top-rated Chinese, also talked to a local; google and the local both recommended Chengdu Street Food. Rated at 4.8 with over 2000 reviews, we knew the place would be good. There was a lineup; so we put our name on the list and only ended up waiting 15 minutes. The local swore the wait was worth it and recommended the General Tao Chicken… his recommendation was on point.
Sometimes the best Chinese food is found in hole in the wall restaurants; but Chengdu Street Food was an exception. It was modern and had a Toronto like vibe; but still an authentic Chinese feel. The restaurant was downstairs, had traditional Chinese décor, but an urban feel with brick walls. Upon entry, they gave us plastic aprons to prepare us for the mess and sat us on modern wooden picnic bench like tables.
The menu looked excellent and I wanted to order a bunch of dishes, but luckily, we only went with three plus steamed rice, because the portions were massive. We ordered the General Tao Chicken, Vegetable Fried Rice and Stir Fry Beef Broccoli. Unfortunately, they aren’t licensed so we ordered a few non-alcoholic Chinese beverages.
The beef was extremely tender and mildly sauced with lots of crisp broccoli. It was perfect to mix with the rice for our daughter. The fried rice was good and a monster sized serving. And like the local recommended, the General Tao Chicken was excellent; the outside was crispy and inside soft. The mildly spiced flavor was excellent. It was probably the best Chinese we’ve ever had. Despite being extremely full, we kept eating because it was so good. We ended up taking a massive portion home which made for a large, and tasty, lunch the next day. And despite the amount of food, the bill was under $80. And if you paid cash, you got a 5% discount, I only had $85 cash, and it was enough to cover the bill with tip.
A side note, earlier that day, just outside of Chinatown, there were plenty of excellent Japanese and Korean options. We ended up going for Ramen at Sansotei Ramen which was excellent. There were many other places to try but it was a chilly day and ramen was perfect for lunch.
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen
Aide from once in the Toronto airport, I’ve never had Thai food before. So, it was fitting that I try Thai again on our recent trip to Toronto. Pai Northern Thai Kitchen has excellent ratings and is known for the flavourful Thai menu and distinct feel: a high energy Thai street market feel and lively atmosphere. We couldn’t get a reservation at the downtown location so settled for Pai in Uptown which was still fun and slightly busy. The décor was unique with the signature floating lanterns, street art and cool collectables displayed throughout the restaurant including jerseys and vintage souvenirs.
We ordered the Pad Gra Prow which was essentially a loaded rice bowl. I got it with pork and mildly spicey. It was flavourful but similar to other rice bowls I’ve had in the past. We also got the Khao Pla Tawt, which was crispy Basa fillets served over rice with curry sauce on the side. And the big winner was the Gaeng Hunglay, a mildly spicey curry served with braised oxtail.
All in all, the food was good and the atmosphere was fun. We went to Pai on our last night and it was a perfect way to end our Toronto food tour.
Gusto 101
And saving the best for last, was Gusto 101. Outside of Italy, Toronto has one of the largest Italian populations, so Italian food at Gusto 101 was a must. Gusto 101 was once an old industrial garage, and that is part of the experience. The décor is modern industrial, and the restaurants is lively and fun. Gusto 101 serves up authentic Italian with Toronto flair.
We started off with the Arancini, two mozzarella balls drizzled with pomodoro sauce. It was a nice starter and was just enough to tide us over to our mains. We ordered Mafalde al Funghi, the truffle mushroom pasta, the Diavola, a spicy Italian style pizza and the Branzino, a grilled Italian fish for our daughter. The dishes were excellent, they were flavourful, authentic Italian but safe enough even for picky eaters and children. The pasta was flavorful and creamy, and usually I don’t like fancy pizzas, but the Diavola had some kick and a burst of flavors served up on thin wood smoked crust.
We also ordered some wine and Cannoli for dessert. All in all, despite the heavy rainstorm it was a fantastic night and excellent dinner. The atmosphere was lively and fun, service was excellent and the food was delicious; all for a reasonable price with the amount and quality. This was probably our favorite restaurant and somewhere we’d definitely recommend.
Other Options
We just scratched the surface of the Toronto food scene, but our experience was excellent. We also ate some bar food which was good too and there were many other places we wanted to try. We didn’t end up having time to visit the St. Lawrence Market, but next time we’ll be back to try the market food and the famous Toronto Peameal Bacon Sandwich. There is also Chotto Matte, the Japanese-Peruvian restaurant located in the heart of downtown which I’ve heard is excellent. We had plans to go there, but with limited time and a bit of the budget, we will save Chotto Matte for next time.
The Toronto food scene is diverse and excellent; and Toronto has some of the best food in the world. All the places I’ve recommended were excellent, but I’m sure there are many other amazing restaurants to try.
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