Temperatures are dropping, patios are emptying and our summer alter-egos are officially retreating inside. But our appetites? As hearty as ever. Which is good news, because Toronto’s new restaurant openings show no signs of slowing down.
With some of the city’s hottest chefs joining forces and household names opening up chophouses in the GTA, there's never been a better excuse for putting on real clothes and making a reservation at the best new restaurants in Toronto.
Of course, if you’re still working your way through your ever-growing list of Toronto’s best restaurants and bars, we completely understand. Consider these new Toronto restaurant openings an amuse-bouche, ready for whenever your busy fall calendar allows.
If you’re itching for a weekend getaway, we’ve also rounded up some incredible Ontario restaurants worth a detour — or an entire trip. Plus, the Michelin Guide crowned the crème de la crème of Toronto’s dining scene in September, giving us even more must-visits to add to our already lengthy list.
Here are the best new Toronto restaurants to add to your fall hit list.
21 new Toronto restaurants and bars
1. Casa Rubia
293 Palmerston Ave.
Daniel Neuhaus
Daniel Neuhaus
Daniel Neuhaus
Daniel Neuhaus
Daniel Neuhaus
Daniel Neuhaus
Daniel Neuhaus
Daniel Neuhaus
Legendary restaurateur Grant van Gameren and Hailey Burke, the team behind the iconic Bar Raval, have reunited with a familiar face: chef Zach Smith. Before opening his Michelin-recommended restaurants Fat Rabbit and Les Incompetants, Smith spent four years in the kitchen at Bar Raval. Now he returns as chef and co-owner of the standing-only tapas bar, and has joined the duo to transform the former Martine's Wine Bar into Casa Rubia.
The new spot dishes out the Spanish cooking the team is known for but with larger-format plates centred around Galicia and Spain’s Atlantic coast — and tables to actually settle in at. The star of the show is the eponymous Rubia Gallega beef cooked over a wood fire, whole roasted turbot, langoustine and smoked tuna carpaccio. There's even a whole leg of Ibérico ham that van Gameren slices himself.
Burke keeps the good times flowing with a cocktail program that leans into martinis, negronis and sidecars.
3 hospitality heavyweights join forces to bring Spanish flair to Little Italy
At Casa Rubia, Grant van Gameren, Hailey Burke and Zach Smith have come together to reimagine Martine's Wine Bar on Palmerston Avenue.
Read more2. Alley Pocha
690 Euclid Ave.
Koreatown has some great authentic eats, but Alley Pocha brings the late-night, street-food vibe of Seoul to Toronto. Hidden down an alleyway, the pint-sized place has received some rave reviews for its stellar service, cute atmosphere and dishes like yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), octopus sashimi salad and Korean fried chicken.
3. Boru
495 Adelaide St. W.
The new Boru at Adelaide and Portland is putting Japanese hamburger culture front and centre. Freshly ground Ontario beef hambagu is grilled over charcoal and served with rice and a silky onsen egg. Sides, like miso soup, sansho pepper cabbage and miso cucumber, along with matcha cocktails and Japanese whisky highballs, round things out.
4. Shay Ristorante
1055 Yonge St.
After nearly a decade at Buca, chef Justin Friedlich is striking out on his own with Shay Ristorante, named after his eldest daughter. Shay brings a little Italian warmth to the new Rosedale restaurant, with handmade pasta, seasonal ingredients, an Old-World wine list and a bottle of Sicilian olive oil on every table.
5. Bodega TinTin
1198 St. Clair Ave. W.
St. Clair West’s dining strip has welcomed a cozy new neighbourhood hangout courtesy of industry veteran Cristina Graham and chef Himanshoo Sule. Drawing on Graham’s heritage, the retro, ’70s-inspired Latin snack bar dishes out a mix of Venezuelan comfort foods and Iberian-inspired tapas. Think sweet corn cachapas topped with queso and honey, grilled wild Argentine prawns in a poblano beurre blanc, anchovies on sourdough, and classic Basque gildas.
Drink-wise, expect savoury, smoky cocktails like a tomatillo-infused green margarita or a vermouth-forward marianito, alongside a popular "tini hour" with discounted drinks and bites.
6. Agora Yorkville
105 Scollard St.
Mamakas expands its Grecian empire with the opening of Agora Yorkville. The new outpost of the grab-and-go market serves the brand’s signature dips and house-made pita, along with salads, skewers, wraps and desserts. Their new line of made-to-order canned beverages, including an iced frappe and a strawberry lemonade, are just as enticing. Agora Yorkville also boasts 40 seats for those who want a budget-friendly place to sit down for a meal.
7. Company Bagel
92 Ossington Ave.
A self-described bagel obsessive has turned his daily routine into a full-fledged passion project with the help of chef Eli Kerbel (Linny's, Bar Raval, Milou), who perfected the shop’s signature sourdough recipe: an airy, stretchy ring with a crisp, blistered crust.
The streamlined grab-and-go counter serves bulk bagels in classic varieties alongside open-faced sandwiches stacked with Canadian-sourced ingredients. Highlights include smoked whitefish or salmon on cream cheese, a deli-style pan con tomate and a sweet cardamom-cream-cheese bagel topped with fresh clementine segments.
8. Baba Cafe and Snackbar
3204 Yonge St.
Michael Gozum
Michael Gozum
Michael Gozum
Michael Gozum
Michael Gozum
Michael Gozum
Michael Gozum
Lawrence Park has a new day-to-night hangout courtesy of long-time friends Kevin Chen and former Lyla chef Mike Medeiros. By day, the menu is a laidback daytime brunch of breakfast classics and café service. At night it transforms into a high-energy snackbar serving skewers, salads, handhelds and larger plates like Mapo Bolognese, and slinging cocktails developed by Nick Hao (Uh Bar, Slice of Life).
9. Batch Boys by Le Gourmand
152 Spadina Ave.
The legendary, hyper-indulgent chocolate chip cookies from Downtown staple Le Gourmand are getting a bold new life. Led by the Nunes brothers, the family business is rebranding as Batch Boys by Le Gourmand as it expands beyond Spadina Avenue and prepares to hit supermarket shelves nationwide.
Alongside their iconic, ultra-chubby chocolate chip and chocolate chip walnut cookies, the lineup includes caramel, peanut butter, and white chocolate macadamia varieties — all featuring the crisp edges, gooey centres and premium ingredients that earned the original café its cult following.
10. Casa Donato
660 Spadina Ave.
A popular Montréal dining staple, Ristorante Donato is crossing provincial borders with its new Toronto outpost. Co-owner Donato Trafficante and chef-partner Takeshi Horinoue (Top Chef Canada) are bringing an all-day hybrid concept to the 150-seat space.
By day, a counter-service café slings Italian sandwiches, pastries, salads, house-made gelato and espresso. At night, the dining room turns into a full-service kitchen serving Neapolitan pizzas, handmade pastas, grilled meats and Montréal favourites.
11. Bushidō
1 Austin Terrace
Liberty Entertainment Group is bringing high-end Japanese dining into Toronto’s iconic castle. Spearheaded by executive chef Yi-Joo Na (Blue Bovine), the multi-course experience blends kaiseki and omakase traditions with an immersive twist. Diners move through a series of hidden, atmospheric spaces across the castle over the course of their meal, with no two visits designed to feel identical.
12. Don’t Tell
59 Ossington Ave.
The march of sultry new cocktail lounges serving snack plates with a side of live music continues along Ossington with the opening of Don’t Tell. Plush red velvet booths invite guests to sink into the speakeasy-esque space where illuminated archways draw the eye.
On certain nights, Don’t Tell gives secret society vibes, imploring guests to dress to impress and revealing a secret password to get in on Instagram stories.
The menu blends pan-Asian flavours with French techniques. Think sous vide beef short rib, caesar salad with grilled pork belly, duck tataki and crispy rice paper nori rolls stuffed with spicy tuna or spicy salmon. Their daily 5 to 7 p.m. “Secret Hour” is like a happy hour, but with different deals and specials all the time.
Ossington has a new secret spot for cocktails and Asian bites
Adding another speakeasy bar to the Ossington roster, Don't Tell serves solid cocktails and creative pan-Asian plates in a moody, red space with live music.
Read more13. Sonny Can't Dance
788 King St. W.
We haven’t had this much fun on King West since its table-service clubs grew up into proper supper spots. This flashy, modern steakhouse pairs Japanese A5 wagyu and Ontario prime cuts with playful cocktails, sushi, pizza, and unmissable beer-battered everything bagel onion rings.
14. Dolly’s Country Bar
58 The Esplanade
Giddy up. The Hnatiw family behind The Old Spaghetti Factory and Eloise and Bar Cart is capitalizing on country music’s mainstream moment. Dolly’s Country Bar brings line dancing, batched cocktails and pizza from an Italian baker to the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, serving a lively honky-tonk experience.
15. The Leo
162 Enterprise Blvd., Markham
Asian steakhouses are having a moment right now, and "demon chef" Alvin Leung is getting in on the action. The former MasterChef Canada judge opened his pan-Asian chophouse this fall, bringing some high-level surf and turf to Markham. Nova Scotian lobster meets bone-in Ibérico pork and Canadian Prime lamb, with chef Leung’s signature flavours in all the sides and sauces.
16. Banh Mi Nana
5425 Yonge St.
This grab-and-go spot near Yonge Street and Finch Avenue is a quick-service Vietnamese counter that keeps things straightforward, focusing on crisp baguettes loaded with fixings. The main draw is the Banh Mi Nana Special — a cold-cut staple packed with house-made pâté, savoury pork floss, rich butter, cucumbers, fresh cilantro and tangy pickled carrots and daikon. Pair your sandwich with a cold fruit drink or an iced drip coffee for a lunch on the fly.
17. Raani
360 Bay St.
The restaurateur behind Yorkville gem Adrak is set to launch a new Indian concept in Toronto’s Financial District. For her next act, Ambica Jain is drawing inspiration from the Raj-era clubs inside a converted bank on Bay Street. Expect multiple bars, a chef’s table and a restored vault that's integral to the glamorous, immersive dining journey.
18. Poke Burgers
We haven’t been this excited since the sushi burrito craze swept the city (RIP). But now, we’re getting a new “food you’ve never seen before that riffs off a dish you’ve seen plenty of on menus all over the city." Enter: the poke burger, a crispy, fried rice cake bun stuffed with marinated tuna or salmon, avocado and crab salad.
While the opening of the brick-and-mortar spot was postponed, we're keeping an eye on their socials for pop-ups where we can try the poke burgers while we wait.
19. Renso Pho-Potle
506 Queen St. W.
If you’ve ever had strong opinions about what goes into your pho, you’re in luck, because Renso Pho-Potle is bringing the build-your-own-bowl concept to Vietnamese pho. Choose dry or broth-based pho, picked your protein and add your herbs and toppings. It's open just in time for cozy season.
20. UP Events
22 Duncan St.
Award-winning chef Nuit Regular and her husband Jeff Regular (the team behind PAI and the By Chef Nuit family of restaurants), alongside Gusto 54’s Janet Zuccarini, have launched UP Events in the heart of the Entertainment District.
Perched right above PAI, the 200-capacity open-concept space designed by Studio Uva is tailored for everything from weddings and brand launches to private celebrations.
The main draw? Every custom event menu is personally curated by chef Nuit and executed by her culinary team, bringing the same beloved Northern Thai hospitality and bold flavours to private gatherings.
21. Bumpers
182 Dupont St.
Fans of retro arcade games have a new spot to level up their evenings. The team behind Tilt, the beloved retro arcade bar on Queen Street West, is opening Bumpers, a new 3,000-plus-square-foot space near the Annex. We're hoping for the same large collection of pinball and arcade machines, all set to unlimited play, and lots of beers on tap.
