Having opened in a post-pandemic world that saw many of Toronto’s best vegan restaurants close (R.I.P. Planta, La Bartola, Rosalinda and more), Stefano’s Diner has long been a bit of an underdog. Without a major hospitality group backing, Stefano's has built its reputation brick by brick, through excellent comfort food served in a gorgeous Toronto diner.
And to this day, it’s been successful. About to celebrate its second anniversary in October, the petite sister restaurant to Michelin-recognized Gia is always packed when I dine in (I’m unashamed to admit I’m a regular at this point).
If you haven’t tried Stefano’s yet, this summer is the perfect time. The restaurant is offering some of their top plates as part of a $42 prix fixe, along with a few newcomers.
They’ve been on foodism’s list of best restaurants in Toronto every year since opening. Over the years, they’ve made small tweaks to enhance the space — wood panelling now elevates the white walls, and their merch decorates shelves behind the bar.
And with regular menu consultation from legendary plant-based chef Lauren Toyota, they continue to innovate their plates. It’s just as rewarding to visit Stefano’s for date night as it is to join their list of regulars like me, who eagerly watch their Instagram for the latest dish drop.
Stefano’s Diner: What’s on the prix fixe menu?
Editor’s note: Some details of Stefano’s prix fixe menu may have changed since our visit.
To start, I’m served a plate of thinly sliced, ultra-juicy heirloom tomatoes sprinkled with globs of vegan feta. The electric white balsamic vinaigrette zaps my taste buds. A few leaves of basil round it out into a dish that tastes like a Trinity Bellwoods picnic on an August afternoon.
The artichoke fritti is a satisfying antipasti that wallops you with a zesty splash of citrus in its accompanying aioli pool. It’s comfort food through-and-through, but the artichokes, only lightly fried, still feel like a tender vegetable.
Pickled mushrooms and pangritata are reliably tasty supporting members of the baby gem salad’s mouth-watering musical. It’s one of Stefano’s OG hits, and I’m never surprised when the almond vinaigrette sings its heart out along the curls and ridges of big slices of ultra-crunchy lettuce.
Chicken piccata is a bold dish to veganize, as the protein has little place to hide alongside a creamy potato mash and seasonal veggies (green beans, when I visit). Stefano’s bathes it in a lemon butter caper sauce, and then sprinkles a few of the briny green flower buds on top. It reminds me of my carnivore days of yore, when M&M chicken breasts was my average weeknight dinner.
Stefano’s initially launched as a sandwich shop out of Gia, and their proficiency in bready two-handers continues to this day. Plenty of praise has been sung for the smash burger, one of the best burgers in Toronto. It’s best enjoyed with added crispy yuba bacon.
I practically inhale the potato gnocchi thanks to its tasty rosé sauce. I need this sauce bottled and sold, stat. Stefano’s focaccia is the perfect pairing to clean the plate (you’re welcome, dishwasher).
There’s a choice of house chocolate gelato for dessert, but I’m picking the plump biscoff-cookie coffee-cream tiramisu every single time. It’s decadent, yet light enough you can’t stop eating ‘til your plate has been scraped clean.
A glass of prosecco or lambrusco is only an additional $10 to the prix fixe price, but I’d skip them in favour of Stefano’s cocktails.
The Cafetini’s delightfully thick foam will leave you with a white moustache after each sip; if you aren’t afraid of a little heat in your drink, the mezcal-forward Picante Panini might have you tugging at your collar.
It's more important than ever to support locally owned vegan businesses, and Stefano's summer prix fixe menu is one of the tastiest ways to do it. In a city that's lost so many beloved plant-based spots over the past few years, restaurants like Stefano's deserve a packed dining room. If you've been waiting for an excuse to book a table, this is it.
Dinner and drinks for two: about $105 before tax and tip.
