Is it just me, or has Toronto gone full Britannia? First it was spots like General Public taking inspiration from London's high-end pubs, then the colonial-tinged collab of Punch opened inside the Le Germain Hotel on Mercer Street, followed by Corduroy Lounge in Leslieville — just one of the many new Toronto restaurants that opened earlier this year.
While Sunday roasts have always had a place in the city — The Queen & Beaver Public House and The Artful Dodger both turn out excellent pub lunches — I was curious to see how Animl would fare. The bona fide chophouse is known for its Flintstone-style hunks of meat and that glowing, pink-lit meat locker, where porterhouse, striploin and ribeye dry-age behind glass.
The space leans unapologetically steakhouse: moody lighting, plush textures and even a bejeweled cow hanging from the ceiling that feels like you're at an invite-only club.
Nicole and Bagol
It’s nothing like the Sunday roasts of my childhood, where protein options ranged from chicken to pork belly — and, at worst, a buffet sweating under heat lamps. Animl keeps things focused with prime rib, anchoring the offering with a tender, marbled 10-ounce Martin’s Family Farm dry-aged cut.
Nicole and Bagol
The prime rib is sliced tableside, a detail that plays into the old-school steakhouse energy Ink Entertainment’s Charles Khabouth and Danny Soberano have so carefully cultivated. The steak arrives blushing pink — which might startle diners who favour a more well-done finish — but trust the process. It’s buttery soft, deeply flavourful and expertly seasoned.
On the side: Yorkshire puddings, a non-negotiable for any roast worth its salt. Here they skew more scone-like than soufflé-style, but still deliver. Veal jus is rich and generous, poured over the plate, and we round things out with a few cheffy upgrades my grandmother might have raised an eyebrow at. In place of roast potatoes, we order a potato gratin dauphinoise, layered with creamy mornay and decadently rich with Quebec butter.
Animl’s Sunday roast doesn’t reach for nostalgia — it reframes it. It’s polished, meat-forward and a little bit theatrical, much like the room itself. In a city suddenly leaning into British traditions, this King West steakhouse is a Sunday service worth dressing up for again.
Animl's Sunday Roast, 5:30 p.m. to midnight on Sundays, $85; animlsteakhouse.com
