The Best Restaurants in TORONTO

Proud to have this restaurant in Canada. It's not a country necessarily known for fine dining, and upscale Canadian restaurants generally fly under the radar in a global context, but restaurants like Patrick Kriss', Alo, help put it on the map. They don't rest on laurels or get "too comfy" even sitting at #1 on many "Canada's Best Restaurants" lists. They're not coasting on name recognition or awards either, although it may have helped them open more casual concepts like Aloette (downstairs from Alo) and Alo Bar (in Yorkville). Alo's extended tasting menu at the counter gets better every time - seamless service and simple well-executed food. It's classic French in technique, Japanese in style, and ingredient-driven, which means internationally sourced here. Expect to find Japanese fish, Italian caviar, French butter, Spanish vinegar, local fruit and Canadian seafood. It's their definition of "Canadian cuisine" which is often global. Well done.

Family-owned since 2009, Fishman Lobster Clubhouse (“FLC”) in suburban Scarborough has been gaining popularity in the past decade due to enormous towers of garlicky crabs and lobsters. From giant Alaskan, Norwegian, and Russian red king crabs, and massive lobsters weighing up to 20 pounds to having Food Network host Andrew Zimmern claiming “FLC” as "the best Hong-Kong style seafood restaurant in North America.” It is no wonder reservations at the 210-seat restaurant are a must, even on a weeknight. Cooked family-style, the multi-course menus showcases Instagram-worthy fried king crab and lobster towers served with crunchy fried baby fish. And, depending on the size of said crustaceans, guests can enjoy several more courses, such as crab knuckles steamed in duck egg whites, lobster roe fried rice, crab fried rice, or fried crab claws with shallots and chilies.

What a gem. Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto is a 20+ year old family owned and operated restaurant serving only 3 tables, a total of 6 seats (private dining), for lunch and dinner a day. It's obscure yet very appropriate location, inside the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto, makes it a destination for even locals. Chef Masaki Hashimoto trained in kaiseki cuisine in Kyoto (the cuisine's birthplace) for 10 years before opening his own kaiseki restaurant in the city. He imports most of his ingredients from Japan to keep flavours authentic and prepares them using classic techniques. He's committed to preserving Japanese culture and showcasing the art of kaiseki. This is the best Kaiseki in Canada.

In 2012, husband and wife Michael Caballo and Tobey Nemeth opened Edulis. The name Edulis - which means edible and also porcini mushrooms in Latin ("boletus edulis") - pays tribute to Caballo's passion for wild foods, mushroom foraging, and influences from his Spanish heritage. Within a year's time, chef Caballo's French and Spanish-influenced cooking combined with the restaurant's vision and philosophy has won the hearts of many; Edulis was named the #1 Best New Restaurant in Canada for 2012 by EnRoute Magazine, as well as being listed as one of Canada's 50 Best Restaurants from Macleans Magazine. Edulis is number 4 on the prestigious list: "Canada's 100 Best".

Our team had a vigorous debate about the three great steakhouses of Toronto: Barbarians, Harbour 60 and Jacob's. Barberians has an impressive array of Canadian art and sculpture and the wine cellar is of the 3 best in the country. Harbour 60 has the best overall "steakhouse experience" with vest and tied waiters, white table clothes and all the appetizers and sides you would hope for. XF, however, has chosen to feature Jacob's despite the sleek, more corporate feel because Jacob's names each steak and its specific ranch offers multiple aging options and tags each steak with its particular characteristics. Jacobs is for steak nerds.

The 36-year old family-run, high-end seafood spot is not your typical fine dining restaurant. Do not expect fancy décor or white tablecloths here; Joso’s eclectic room may not be to everybody’s taste. Despite that, Joso’s serves some of the best seafood in Canada. Most of the fish at Josos are cooked with a minimum flavouring or frills with seasonings mostly limited to lemon juice, parsley, capers, salt, olive oil, and a bit of garlic. The result is fish that’s sweet and clean-tasting. This is essential seafood dining.

Balancing the epicurean traditions of China with the classical techniques of French cuisine, Chef Susur Lee has been hailed as one of the “Ten Chefs of the Millennium” by Food & Wine magazine. Diners crowd the hipster bar and chic dining room at his upscale restaurant on King Street West to dine on a delectable array of small-plate dishes. The signature dish at Lee Restaurant is the Singaporean-Style Slaw. This 19-ingredient salad is tossed tableside with rice vermicelli, exotic Asian herbs and vegetables, salted plum sauce and peanuts. Beautifully plated a mile high, a server explains each ingredient as they go along. Diners have the option, at an additional cost, to add sashimi of salmon, sashimi of charred tuna or Australian Wagyu beef to this already amazing dish.

An Appetizing shop is a Jewish purveyor of all the things to eat with bagels like the legendary Russ & Daughters (1914) from New York. At Anthony Rose’s shop, you can find smoked Acadian sturgeon, kippered salmon, and gravlax. There are pickles, chopped eggs, and, of course, tubs of cream cheese. You can sit down nearby at sister restaurant Fat Pasha for a more comprehensive menu but for a quick hit and run "the morning after", Schmaltz is hard to beat. Pro tip - Come for the fish… stay for the pastrami!

Sushi Masaki Saito was the first restaurant in Canada with two Michelin stars. Chef Masaki Saito, raised in Hokkaido and trained in Tokyo, focuses on the purity and source of his ingredients AND THE EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF HIS RICE. All of his seafood comes from Japan and his preparations show deep respect for Edomae tradition enhanced with his own personal flourishes. Shirako (cod fish sperm sac) skewered and grilled over binchotan is rarely seen outside of Asia but here it fits in nicely with an Old Edo-style neighbourhood in Tokyo including a 200-year-old Hinoki dining counter imported from Nara, Japan that is surrounded by traditional Japanese handcrafted décor. Unmissable.