Since 1987, this East Toronto bar and restaurant, steps from Broadview station, has served up whiskey, beer, wine and food to both locals and those in the neighbourhood for a show at the adjacent Danforth Music Hall. The menu focuses on naturally-raised organic meats and Ontario produce, and is more ambitious than your regular pub

Auberge du Pommier has been at the top of the game in Toronto's French fine dining scene since it opened in 1987. The cuisine incorporates traditional French techniques with North American seasonal influences and ingredients. Not to be mistaken for modern cooking, this is a French fine dining restaurant all the way down to the immaculate white tablecloths and perfectly choreographed service.

Imagine if Canada got the same sun as the Mediterranean all year round. At least we’re privy to Mediterranean food all year round in Toronto. And Aviv Restaurant is a great place to help with that. Located along the St. Clair West strip of the Wychwood area, Aviv Restaurant pulls from Spanish, Italian, Israeli and

Save yourself the five-hour drive and stop in to one of Bagel House's various locations for an authentic, wood oven, Montreal-style bagel. As opposed to the large and fluffy bagels that dominate the Toronto scene, these bagels are somewhat smaller and denser and sweeter, care of the honey water they are initially boiled in.

Since 1979, Bagel Plus has been serving all Torontonians classic Jewish comfort food from its location at Bathurst and Sheppard. They will always have you covered for when that bagel and schmear craving hits, but the menu also includes options such as eggplant Parmesan and fish and chips, branching outside the shtetl world of blintzes, pickled herring and rugelach.

Bagel World has been baking bagels (obviously), pastries and breads for over 50 years in the heart of the Bathurst and Wilson and Thornhill areas. Expect New York‒style bagels, with their tender interiors covered by a nice skin as the go-to bagel here, but what they're really famous for are their flat bagels and giant twister bagels, which are twisted before the loop is closed.

Torontonians just can’t get enough Montreal-style bagels! With the amazing texture from the wood-fired brick oven and sweetness from the honey in the boiling water, it’s totally understandable. Right in the heart of the Beach, Bagels on Fire has staked its claim as the neighbourhood bagel shop that’s making fresh Montreal bagels starting early in

Grant van Gameren and Robin Goodfellow, of the superb Bar Isabel, opened Raval to mimic the tapas bars of Barcelona. Its look is pure Gaudi, mahogany carved into great swooping curves and cutouts, a triumph of gorgeous whimsy. It’s a bar. You stand. No cutlery save for a tiny fork, mostly finger food — pintxos

In an effort to enjoy the last few weeks of beautiful biking weather (when it’s just warm enough to ride, but not so cold that your hands need mittens), we made a brunch stop out on Queen East. Riding down the extravagant Sherbourne bike lanes (can we take a second to just say how sad it is that there are so few of these in the city?), our destination, like many brunching east-enders’, was Bonjour Brioche.

For over 30 years, Café Polonez has been a family-run restaurant in the heart of Toronto’s Polish community. The name comes from the French word “polonaise,” which is a ceremonial Polish dance similar to a waltz. Café Polonez is known for their homemade lightly-breaded schnitzel, alongside plenty of other authentic Polish cuisine such as herring

Opened on Ossington earlier this week is the long-awaited Côte de Boeuf, a project from Chasen Gillies and Teo Paul of the nearby Union restaurant. The store, previously a flower shop, bills itself simply: “select grocer, butcher, meals.”

The name says it all: Eggstatic is all about serving breakfast and brunch dishes to brighten your morning. Many of the dishes at this inviting Bayview restaurant have a Middle Eastern twist: Think savoury beef shakshuka waffles or scotch eggs filled with kafta beef. A wall decorated with frying pans and a sunny front window

Located at Yonge and Lawrence, Hazel’s Diner fills a major void in the area for a quality all-day breakfast. Apparently, 90 per cent of the menu is less than $10, which suits area families just fine. All-day breakfast is just $4.99 before 11 a.m., but diners can also choose from more exotic offerings such as

The revamped Holts Café sees Holt Renfrew’s flagship restaurant redone with a bold new look and a fresh, seasonally-driven menu in partnership with Chase Hospitality Group. The refreshed iteration of the restaurant occupies the same space as its predecessor: the mezzanine level of Holt Renfrew’s Bloor Street location, adjacent to the women’s footwear hall (which

A makeover has slightly updated this local haunt that dates back to 1948. The menu has been given a face lift, as well, and now includes delish buttermilk and cinnamon pancakes served with real maple syrup and fresh fruit. The homemade cinnamon batter is flavourful, and the three misshapen pancakes only add to the charm

Kristin and Dan Donovan’s Leslieville seafood shop, Hooked, has been keeping east-enders up to their ears in sustainable fish since March of last year. Tapping into Toronto’s desire for ethically-sourced products ensured the duo’s runaway success, and they’ve already embarked on the next step, opening up a “wee shop” in Kensington Market.

Chef Dan Donovan, formerly of Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar, opened Hooked, “the knowledgeable fish store,” around four weeks ago, and the hook is sustainability. The sign is merely a banner in the window; its website is a one-page, text-only intro with a link to its Facebook page. Donovan says Hooked has such a strong community

Now that summer’s halfway over (sigh), it’s time to take advantage of the outdoors more than ever. A quick ferry ride from the mainland, Ward’s Island is home to the Island Cafe, a charming family-run eatery that got its start years ago as a concession stand. Now a veritable resto, the joint is a hotbed of activity, with islanders and visitors alike chowing down in a pretty garden setting.

It’s a good thing to find one’s niche. Kristapsons surely has. Since 1953, this family-owned-and-operated joint has been providing Torontonians with some of their favourite smoked salmon — nothing more, nothing less, just smoked salmon. Kristapsons only smokes its salmon cold. This method allows for the super-tender fish to retain its omega-3 oils, which is

Those hoping to grab some pre-opera nosh at Little Anthony’s are in for a surprise. Gone is the 17-year old haunt; in its place sits LA’s Italian and Bar, a completely revamped version of the downtown eatery.