As if opening over 60 restaurants wasn’t enough, chef Hemant Bhagwani is adding another jewel to his crown. Opening May 27, Oro brings bold global flavours and luxe vibes to Trinity Bellwoods.
Opening at 501 College Street, where La Carnita quietly closed earlier this year, Oro marks chef Hemant Bhagwani’s latest move in a neighbourhood he calls “a hub for nice restaurants.” With decades of experience across Toronto, the seasoned restaurateur knows the city — and its cravings — well.
“College has become an incredible street for restaurants, and we’ll be in good company,” he says.
While the celebrity chef — known for Toronto’s Michelin-recommended Bar Goa, with restaurants also in New York and Ottawa — is best recognized for bold Indian flavours, Bhagwani is taking a broader approach at Oro, offering global cuisine still rooted in Indian style.
“I travel extensively and learn from chefs and restaurants around the world,” Bhagwani says. “When you visit places like London or New York and see something amazing, it inspires you to do it your own way. Indian food has gone global — it’s evolved beyond traditional fusion, and I wanted to play with that.”
Bhagwani plans to refresh Oro’s menu each season, treating them like Netflix episodes — kicking off with Season 1, Episode 1 this spring, and rolling out new “episodes” each quarter until Season 2 debuts next summer.
“I just wanted it to be more fun,” he says, noting that each episode will offer seasonal flavours and tastes based on ingredients from local farmers and butchers. “We can also keep track of the menu, and see how many seasons, and how many episodes we’ve done.”
With a focus on smaller share plates, menu highlights at Oro will include truffled burrata tartlet, zucchini flower tempura with eggplant chutney, wagyu scotch egg, yellowtail and black truffles, Burmese lamb leg, a signature smoked tartare (wagyu, tuna, avocado) and, of course, Bhagwani’s legendary lamb chops.
“I get excited about bringing something new to the Indian food scene in Toronto,” says Bhagwani. “We stay ahead, and we want to keep making changes, and keep improving what we’ve been doing for years.”
As for the the beverage menu, Bhagwani says the options for craft cocktails at Oro will “surpass expectations” with the help of mixologists hailing from New York and India to bring global expertise to Toronto.
With “Oro” meaning “gold” in Italian, expect the restaurant to shine with golden accents and luxurious details — though Bhagwani is keeping the rest under wraps until the grand reveal on May 27.