The west end has long been Toronto’s go-to for buzzy restaurants, packed tables and menus that keep food lovers coming back. But with the crowds come the downsides — long waits, loud rooms and servers who sometimes seem like they’d rather be anywhere else. Maybe it’s time for a change of pace. Over in the east end, things are looking up: friendlier service, more breathing room and dishes that more than hold their own. Here are the best spots to check out now.
Ricky + Olivia
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Ricky + Olivia is a Leslieville standout that delivers big on heart and even bigger on flavour. Chefs Ricky Casipe and Olivia Simpson built their following through winery pop-ups and now bring their playful, Ontario-focused cooking to a permanent Queen East address. The narrow space hides a lot: a bottle shop up front, a tasting lounge in the middle and an intimate back dining room where you’ll find hits like PB&J chicken liver mousse and a Big Mac-style steak tartare. The laid -back spot is also full of personal touches — including the exact spot where the couple first kissed.
Tatsuro’s
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Toronto doesn’t need another eggs Benny spot — and Tatsuro’s knows it. This new east-end brunch restaurant skips the usual format in favour of Japanese comfort staples, both classic and reimagined. There’s karaage with mochi waffles and miso syrup, shokupan toast with honey butter and sea salt and wafu pasta that feels more Sunday supper than Saturday hangover cure. The space is spare and unfussy, with white tile and deep green trim, matching a menu that keeps things simple but smart. If your weekend routine needs shaking up, 1378 Queen Street East is a good place to start.
Wynona
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Two words: Handmade pasta. And that is just the beginning of the mouth-watering options chef and owner Jeff Bovis is cooking up at his newest restaurant, Wynona. Located in the ever-charming Leslieville neighbourhood, enjoy a delicately cooked fish on Wynona’s patio with a bottle of wine. From the extensive and totally unique wine list: there is a “contact” section that offers wines between a white and red wherein the grapes used for the wine are left unpeeled for a distinctive taste and texture. The restaurant space is organized in a sleek and modern open concept way, which is emphasized by its high ceilings and a huge front window, to give diners an airy and fresh atmosphere to match the fresh food.
Lake Inez
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Lake Inez doesn’t bother with signage. A name etched on the front door and a half-drawn curtain are all that mark this low-key gem in Little India, turning out pan-Asian plates with zero pretension.The menu changes often, but regulars know to look for dishes like grilled pork chop with fish sauce caramel and pineapple salsa, or mussels in a sinigang-style broth with tamarind and pork crackling. There’s a mosaic of Virginia Woolf and Kate Bush at the back, a semi-secret patio out back that runs seasonal tasting menus, and a team that’s clearly cooking what they actually want to eat. Toronto needs more restaurants like this.
The Wood Owl
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Just west of Greenwood, The Wood Owl brings vintage charm and a sharp wine list to the Danforth. The cozy room leans 1970s — wood panelling, burgundy velvet wallpaper, brass chain-hung lamps, and owl-shaped lights that glow golden at night. The food’s tight and thoughtful, built to match the wine: Salt Spring mussels in white wine cream, crispy lamb shoulder with shishito peppers and dukkah, trout croquettes with fennel and rye, and eggplant frites with tahini and onion jam. The rockfish crudo and charred trout feel like house favourites already.Wines come from just-off-the-radar regions in Europe—lots of value, plenty of orange, plus a few neat cocktails like a cava spritz and a Negroni Bianco.
White Lily Diner
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Local love meets greasy spoon vibes at White Lily Diner, a Riverside staple since 2016. Owners Ben Denham and Ashley Lloyd don’t just talk about provenance — they grow it. Since 2021, much of the produce on your plate comes straight from their sprawling 40-acre White Lily Farms in Uxbridge. The all-day menu delivers classic diner comforts with a farm-fresh twist. Think triple-stack buttermilk griddle cakes, Southern breakfast plates stacked with eggs, bacon, grits, fermented greens and biscuits smothered in gravy. Shareables like buttery buttermilk biscuits with jam or rich gravies and the pimento cheese spread keep things light and tasty.
Gio Rana’s
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Gio Rana’s Really Really Nice Restaurant — known simply as The Nose — has anchored Leslieville since 1989. Family-run and focused on authentic Italian small plates, it serves housemade crespelle, rich mushroom pappardelle, giant meatballs and crispy Tuscan fries. The giant fibreglass nose out front is as iconic as the food inside. The menu sticks to straightforward, flavour-driven dishes rooted in tradition. The restaurant’s strength is its consistency, a cozy spot where locals return for familiar, well-executed Italian fare. A definite top pick for anyone serious about Italian in the city’s east end.
Inmigrante
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Latin American cuisine meets Instagram-worthy decor in Toronto’s east end. The heated back patio is decorated with string lights and gorgeous rustic exposed brick and fencing. Added bonus? It’s dog-friendly. In terms of cuisine, the restaurant boasts that the secret ingredient in every dish is love. Look for bandeja paisa, lomo saltado, tres leches, partnered with cocktails and mocktails like the non-alcoholic Valentino and boozy options like the Carnival Caipirinha and a classic mojito and Inmigrante’s version of a sangria, called the tizana con piquete. The restaurant opened its doors in August 2022, and serves brunch on the weekends, bursting with colour, flavour and ingredients like avocado and corn that are just as prominent on the dinner menu.
