34 Best Restaurants in Harbourfront, the Entertainment District, and The Financial District, Toronto

Huge dining-room windows frame breathtaking views of the Toronto Islands and the lake at this restaurant, on the 54th floor of the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower. Dishes like an appetizer of bison tartare with bannock bread and foie gras and entrées like crispy pork jowl roasted with chaga and an aged tournedos paired with truffled celeriac nod to both tradition and trend.

Book a table at the chef's rail for a close-range perspective on the kitchen's artistry.

European bistro meets local forager is the theme at Edulis, where the five- and seven-course tasting menus are devoted to classic rustic dishes. Rough-hewn wood walls and burlap breadbaskets evoke a farmhouse feel, and the soft lighting adds to the intimate atmosphere.

Named for a street in Bangkok bursting with nightlife and excellent street eats, Khao San Road lives up to its moniker. The squash fritters are a head-turning crispy delight that you'll want to order when you see them show up at another table. For heartier dishes, try for the khao soi, a dish of egg noodles in a rich coconut milk sauce, or try the warming massaman, a tamarind-infused curry with peanuts, potatoes, and deep-fried shallots.

It's hard not to feel a little giddy sitting in the opulent whiskey-barrel-inspired dining room on the 31st floor of the St. Regis. Upward gazes are met with a swirling painted ceiling with floral glass chandeliers to mimic melting ice cubes. The French-leaning menu features stunners like a fruit-speckled scallop ceviche served on ice in a half shell, rough-cut beef tartare accented by a fermented black garlic reduction to be devoured with taro chips, and a showstopping truffle butter, sous-vide whole organic chicken served both roasted and fried. Cocktails are dainty and balanced wizardry with elaborate details like dehydrated Aperol–salted rims and vegan egg white foam.

Duck out of a double-feature at the TIFF Bell Lightbox to grab a meal at Luma, a mini-oasis on the second floor of the bustling glass-paneled film venue. Even if you're not going to a film, it's a great restaurant, complete with a patio overlooking the lively Entertainment District and the CN Tower. Start with a whole charcoal-grilled branzino and finish things off with a gooey apple confit soaked in crème anglaise.

Making the most of its proximity to Sugar Beach, Against the Grain is a sunbathing destination minutes from downtown, with a stellar patio in full sunny view of the lake. Shareable apps like nachos and wings, plus a great craft beer selection, capitalize on the laid-back vibe. Sink your teeth into comfort food mains like the jerk chicken, house-made veggie burger, or the steak frites and Caesar.

A culinary tribute to beer, the creative menu here incorporates its star ingredient in every dish, but in subtle and clever ways without causing a malted-flavor overload. Start the hoppy journey with a taster flight of three draft beers, and follow that with a beer-bread pizza made with oatmeal stout or a bowl of mussels in a beer-based broth.

Top Chef Canada judge Mark McEwan has created a refined modern menu showcasing sophisticated seafood dishes, like whole roasted orata, and simply prepared meats, like the signature 6-ounce burger with molten Brie de Meaux, grilled porcini mushrooms, and shaved truffles.

The Toronto flagship of a Vancouver-based casual fine dining chain, this massive, modern Financial District spot is one of the district's trendiest dining destinations. Stellar dishes include butternut ravioli topped with sage, prawns, and truffle butter, and the "millionaire's cut"—a filet mignon with mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus.

Transport yourself to an Old World, intimate Spanish wine cave while dining on highly creative tapas dishes. While the menu is frequently changing—like any tapas bar worth its salt—one can expect the flair of French choux a la crème filled with a salmon-like uni mousse; a scallop ceviche layered with green honeydew, topped with a floral crown; and mainstays like acorn-fed Iberico ham imported from Spain.

By day, e11even presents steak-house fare for the downtown business crowd; by night, concertgoers and sports fans slide into wooden booths for a refined meal or nightcap. The menu of North American classics includes savory-sweet maple-glazed bacon, salads flanked with seared tuna, filet mignon, and casual fare like burgers and kosher beef dogs. The wine list is also impressive.

Don't let the opulent interior at this busy breakfast spot fool you: the meals here are affordable (and yummy). It's one of the closest brunch restaurants to the Rogers Centre, making it a good place to grab a cup of coffee and some pancakes before an afternoon Jays game.

This delicious restaurant has been a vegan mecca for over 20 years and will make even the most die-hard meat eaters happy. The menu has evolved far past their power shake and rice bowl origins, and while the Balance bowl still tops the charts with its jicama, tofu, and addictive peanut sauce, they now offer everything from pizzas to decadent breakfast items like a crispy, corn-flake-coated almond butter French toast.

Bucking the trend toward relaxed fine dining, Harbour Sixty goes for sheer opulence, the drama of which is apparent from the get-go as you walk up stone steps to the grand entrance of the restored Harbour Commission building. The kitchen rises to the occasion with starters like blinis with beluga caviar and mains like bone-in rib steak and a shareable seafood tower. The fluffy coconut cream pie is a must-eat dessert.

Lapinou (bunny) is a French term of endearment you might hear lovers whisper between bites at Toronto's neo-bistro with a frequently rotating menu and 1920s flair. Every dish is a work of modern art, fusing French traditions with creative twists like grilled asparagus slathered with a bechamel-like sauce, dotted with puffed buckwheat. Other dishes that graced the menu include a culture-clashing duck breast cooked in a delicate Chinese XO sauce, and fanciful desserts like strawberries in sabayon cream, and honeyed gouda layered over puff pastry crisps. 

Le Sélect occupies a special place in the heart of Toronto's Parisian cuisine aficionados. The sprawling plush booths, zinc bar, and mosaic flooring create the ideal ambience for buttery escargots with pillowy pain au lait (milk buns), hearty bowls of saffron-tinged bouillabaisse, and an oversized apple tarte tatin for two, drizzled tableside with rich caramel sauce.

You'd never know this St. Tropez--inspired seafood restaurant and raw bar with an indoor garden decor was once an infamous lady bar. Full-fledged beluga caviar and blini experiences, a 45-ounce tomahawk steak served on enormous sharing platters, and extravagant sushi rolls layered with luxuries such as torched Wagyu beef, foie gras, truffles, lobster tempura, and gold flakes make up part of the menu. Champagne girls can be seen parading the fantastical garden interior with sparklers in hand to announce milestones like college graduations and marriage proposals. 

The game will always be playing but this upscale, airy establishment is not your average sports bar. Show up post-game and you're likely to spot at least one of the Toronto Raptors or visiting team members dining on a platter of decadent appetizers like thick, creamy Dungeness crab cakes, or mounds of steak tartare decorated with a layer of silver-dollar-sized truffle shavings. The veal Parmesan steak is another creation in a class of its own, and gold-leaf-flecked cookies served with a butterscotch sauce make for a decadent way to finish things off. 

Ride the Queens Quay Terminal escalator to one of the city's hidden fine dim sum experiences. The view overlooking Lake Ontario is nearly as delicious as the restaurant's menu of traditional Cantonese classics like har gao shrimp dumplings, broad snow pea leaves decorated with chunks of king mushroom, and various fresh seafoods from the tank prepared with homemade sauces.

A pink sky at night makes for dining delights at this extravagant eatery with surrealist schooner elements and wall-sized wood carvings. The captain's bounty of a menu features a gooey eight-cheese lobster mac with oversized rigatoni, tuna tartare prepped tableside scooped into Bibb lettuce leaves, and succulent octopus that bursts in the mouth like pomegranate candy.

If you love Italian cuisine, this Toronto institution serves authentic sourdough Neapolitan pizzas and a selection of traditional antipasti to discerning locals. It caters to all dietary restrictions, including gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegetarian, and vegan. The King Street location is a great date spot, too.

Repurposed wine bottles and wine glasses assembled as giant chandeliers hover above the tables at Reds Wine Tavern, offering a nod to the lengthy list of international wine picks. The menu is global, skipping from seared tuna tostadas with guacamole and daily curries to comfort foods like lobster grilled cheese and a variety of steaks.

A den of oceanic delicacies, this playful basement raw bar is frequented by solo diners and showbiz types. Among the options are soft-shell steamer clams, a variety of smoked fish, East Coast lobster rolls, plus a rotating list of more than 20 varieties of oysters (including perfect Malpeques from owner Rodney Clark's own oyster beds on Prince Edward Island). A zap of Rodney's in-house line of condiments or a splash of vodka and freshly grated horseradish are eye-openers.

Ask about the daily "white-plate" specials.

"Shook" means market in Hebrew, and the quality and creativity of the chefs will get your taste buds dancing. Weekday brunch apps like the kibbeh (stuffed buckwheat dumplings) create a minimalist explosion for the senses, plated with truffle honey and sour labneh. Heavily-spiced veggie shawarmas, like the celeriac (that has a three-day prep process) come served on stand-up trays, and classic breakfast shakshouka arrives piping hot in a cast-iron pan with pita for you to scoop up the smoky, soupy mixture of eggs and a bushel of blistered sour cherry tomatoes.

Open shelving lined with Italian provisions decorates this cool pizza joint, but it's the thin-crust pies, bubbled and blistered to perfection, that keep diners coming back. The menu suits all pizza lovers—from the simple Margherita to extravagant options like the Bruma, a white pizza with pancetta, egg, and black truffles. Daily pasta specials can be hit or miss, but desserts—like a warm, oozing round of flourless chocolate cake—are universally delicious.

On the fifth floor of the historic Dineen Building, overlooking the Financial District, the Chase's marvelous lighting fixtures and floor-to-ceiling windows are a glamorous setting for the fish-and-oyster-focused menu. Dishes like whole fish or whole grilled octopus (also available as half) are meant for sharing, as are opulent seafood platters layered with shrimp, oysters, and king crab.

Toronto's oldest bar, established in 1849, has upscaled its traditional sports bar menu to gastronomic proportions. Grab a patio perch in warmer months to take the pulse of the bustling King and Bathurst, while dining on offerings like XL-sized marinara meatballs, thick and crispy battered fish-and-chips with requisite mushy peas, or a juicy prime-rib sando washed down with a local beer. The evening cocktail game mimics the revamped food options, with suggestions for both classics and playful modern twists. 

The swanky Ritz-Carlton dining experience comes to Toronto in the form of TOCA, where the menu of elevated Italian food takes advantage of local ingredients. To really up the ante you can reserve seats at the chef's table, at a private dining nook in the kitchen.

Splurge on the Sunday Market Brunch, which includes a cold seafood station of oysters, shrimp, and lobster, as well as made-to-order omelets and all-you-can-drink mimosas and bellinis.