Looking for the best new restaurants in Toronto this week? The city’s dining scene keeps growing, and this week there are eight new spots worth checking out. From a hidden Japanese noodle counter tucked inside a coffee shop on Dundas West to a theatrical dinner-and-show destination in Markham, the city is offering plenty of fresh excuses to eat your way across town. Here are the best new restaurants to check out in Toronto right now!
1. House of McGrath
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Yonge and Victoria just got a delicious new supper-club-style spot with the opening of House of McGrath. Head over, and enjoy comfort food steeped in East Coast and Irish influences, as well as a cocktail program and a huge in-house beer selection. Start with the oysters topped with peach habanero sauce and red wine-apple mignonette, or dive into the Nova Scotia bluefin tartare with smashed avocado and togarashi wonton crisps. If you’re still hungry, the mains are very filling: the slow-braised House Irish Stew arrives loaded with beef, root vegetables and whipped potatoes in stout gravy, while the herb-roasted duck confit comes paired with smashed fingerlings and goat cheese green beans. Don’t leave without sipping on the Smoke & Rye cocktail alongside the McGrath sausage board with pretzels and beer cheese fondue. 75 Victoria St.
2. Bar Etc.
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Leslieville’s newest cocktail bar comes from hospitality vet Lee Stein and mixologist Sasha Siegel, and it’s already quickly becoming one of the east end’s most popular late-night hangouts. Bar Etc. keeps things casual with no reservations, but the menu (especially the drinks) is playful and globally inspired. Sip on a savoury martini made with pickled papaya brine and basil oil or a funky Oaxaca Old Fashioned layered with soba liqueur and fermented watermelon. Food-wise, try something comfort-heavy, like the hamachi crudo with aguachile verde and green mango or the Oklahoma-style pineapple smash burger stacked with peameal bacon, pineapple coriander chutney and togarashi aioli. 1036 Gerrard St E.
3. Coffee by Joy
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Coffee by Joy is bringing softer, more European-style brunch energy to the Junction, with an airy café that serves drinks and brunch plates that are equal parts photogenic and craveable. The Joy’s Plate is the perfect starter if you want a little bit of everything: croissant, eggs, cheese, whipped butter, jam and seasonal fruit. The vegan strawberry pancakes are another standout, topped with strawberry coulis, vanilla cream and roasted walnuts, while the eggs Benedict arrives with mashed avocado, hollandaise and a crisp radish salad. Pair your dish with a hojicha latte or matcha latte (just make sure to take some Insta pics). 163 Sterling Rd.
4. Aljazeera Restaurant
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A longtime Mississauga fave for Iraqi and Middle Eastern barbecue has officially expanded into Vaughan. Aljazeera Restaurant’s new Weston Rd location opened earlier this spring, bringing shareable family dishes and shawarma plates to the north end of the GTA. Just show up hungry! The Aljazeera BBQ Special comes loaded with beef cubes, chicken tawook, kabab, pita, garlic sauce, hummus and pickles, while the larger family platter adds sujuk, liver, arayes and Iraqi-style kabab halabi into the mix. 7777 Weston Rd, Vaughan.
5. Hako Noodle Bar
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So, this has to be one of Toronto’s coolest low-key openings right now: Hako Noodle Bar is hidden inside Carbonic Coffee on Dundas West. The space specializes in abura soba (think brothless ramen tossed in intensely savoury sauce and oil), and it’s the kind of tiny operation that people will brag about discovering early (but you heard it here first). The classic abura soba comes topped with chashu pork, ajitama egg, bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms, while the deluxe version piles on chicken, tofu and extra toppings for maximum richness. The beef sukiyaki abura soba is another must-eat, as it balances sweet soy flavours with pickled ginger and sesame. Add an order of pork gyoza or beef skewers, and you’ve got the perfect dinner. 870 Dundas St W.
6. Number One
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The GTA’s newest nightlife spot is big on food and theatrical energy. Number One is an immersive dining-and-entertainment experience in Markham that’s taken over the former Hutaoli Music Restaurant & Bar space near Highway 7 East and Warden Ave, bringing together Chinese fusion plates, cocktails and live performances under one roof (so you won’t have to go to two separate places for a dinner and a show). The newly launched $18 lunch combo is already pulling influencers in thanks to its massive portions and comforting mains. Choices include twice-cooked pork, crispy fried pork, dry pot squid and diced beef with mashed potato, all served with rice and a drink. 3760 Hwy 7 Unit 1, Markham.
7. Slammie Sammies
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One of the east end’s most coveted sandwich pop-ups is now officially permanent! Slammie Sammies has reopened inside Radical Road Brewing on Queen East, bringing Big Hot Sandwiches (made to order) and crunchy Croûtes gourmet chips back to Leslieville. The Bifana is the standout order: marinated grilled pork piled onto a garlic-toasted bun with chilli mayo, buttery caramelized onions and pickle mix. The bacon chicken Caesar sandwich is also over-the-top delicious, with truffled Caesar sauce, bacon and hot sauce layered onto grilled chicken. Round things out with the crispy pulled chicken empanadas or the baked sausage roll bites dunked into house-made beer cheese sauce (just make sure to grab a pint from Radical Road Brewery). 1177 Queen Street E.
8. Loon Fong Chicken Pot
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Toronto’s hot pot scene continues to thrive, and Loon Fong Chicken Pot is the perfect addition, with Hong Kong-style soup pots and super comforting broths. The Scarborough restaurant offers everything from bubbling clay pots to premium seafood add-ons and late-night-style Cantonese comfort dishes. The signature seafood chicken broth with fish maw and wings is one of the menu’s most popular orders, while the aged Shaoxing wine drunken chicken hot pot delivers rich, aromatic flavours. There’s also a crispy chicken stew with “fruit grove” available in limited quantities daily, as well as the massive selection of hot pot add-ins, like handmade shrimp balls, Matsusaka beef, beef tongue, geoduck and oysters. 4188 Finch Ave E, Scarborough.
