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    La Vinia

    4.1 (88 reviews)

    La Vinia Photos

    LA VINIA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - La Vinia

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    Rebecca F.

    This was our second time eating here. Service was wonderful, food was great and we really enjoyed the food and the vibe

    Mandy Z.

    LaVinia is a little Spanish restaurant located at the west end of GTA. 4 stars overall rating does give me high hopes for this restaurant. The restaurant is very small, and a bit noisy environment. Remember to make reservations ahead of time for Saturday dinner. Walk in is not accepted because it is fully booked on Saturday way ahead of time. We sat down, and the waiter introduced us the special of the night. For appetizers, we had garlic and olive oil shrimps, and grill quail (special of the night). Both are delicious. The main, we had the seafood paella and shellfish stew. The seafood paella is good, but not wonderful. The shellfish stew is tomato soup, but the herb favor is a bit too much that I cannot really taste the tomato. It is not a bad dinner experience, but I personally enjoy Italian cuisine more. If any yelpers live at the west end, definitely would give a try.

    1/2 order crab croquettes
    Richard B.

    Was highly recommended. Crab croquettes....Roasted quail.... paella valenciana. Unassuming delicious restaurant!!! Impeccable service. Regardless of where you are in the city, this is a destination point

    Poached octopus
    Margarita R.

    To say that I am disappointed is an understatement. This is by far, the worst tapas restaurant I have been to. Given the fact that La Vinia is a pretty popular tapas spot on the West-end, neither the food or the service resemble what the restaurant is trying to be. We came here on a Friday evening to celebrate a birthday. From the moment you walk in, it becomes obvious that the restaurant is outdated and "tired". The furniture is dated, the walls are tiled and the paintings are quite frankly out-of-place. The restaurant is also fairly small and it's obvious that tables were added to accommodate larger groups. This afterthought, however, makes the restaurant feel crammed--there is not enough space for the waiters to get through. Let's talk about the food. We ordered several tapas-style dishes and paella. The gazpacho was very flat on flavour and was too acidic. The Pulpo (octopus) was very soft and perfectly poached (the only saving grace). The Paella Valenciana was a sad plate of rice in an over salted broth, not to mention that the seafood & chicken were over cooked. Now for the service. It is practically non-existent. I'm not sure whether the waiters were just having a bad day (possibly all at the same time) or bad service is their standard. Our request for sparkling water was completely ignored and the hot sauce took 30 minutes to arrive, even though we were seated right in front of the kitchen. To be quiet honest, this is one of the worst food experiences I have had in a long time. The food is not even mediocre--it's bad. The menu is RIDICULOUSLY over priced, especially the tapas dishes. I won't be returning.

    Menu
    Byris L.

    La Vinia is a little taste of Spain. A little far from downtown core, we decided to give this restaurant a try for its "authentic Spanish cuisine". For appetizers, we ordered the Boquerones en Vinagre (anchovies), the Croquetas de Cangrejo (crab croquettes) and the soup of the day. Anchovies have always been either a hit or miss for me. This was decent, but I would suggest pairing with the complimentary bread. The crab croquettes were interesting.. for a lack of a better word. A little on the "mushier" side, but was still very flavourful. Not what I expected or was used to. The soup of the day was very filling. Since we were sharing a soup between two people,the chef split our soup into two bowls. A sweet gesture that we greatly appreciated. By the end of our appetizers, we were starting to feel full. For the main, we shared the Paella Valenciana. This was probably my favorite dish of the night. Very flavourful, filling and fresh as well. Would recommend. We ended the day off sharing a mango cheesecake. We had wanted something light after a very flavourful and heavy dinner, but did not want to spend over $10 for sorbet. The mango cheesecake was ok. We didn't find it to be too special in anyway and could have probably done without. Overall, the dinner was an interesting experience and gave us a little taste of Spain. Throughout the night, the chef walked to our table to ask how we were/food was, which I enjoyed. Definitely commending La Vania for their service and special touches.

    Menus/wine list
    Stephanie S.

    A lovely, small Spanish restaurant in the Mimico / New Toronto area! I had it bookmarked for a while and decided to visit La Vinia for my bday dinner. Atmosphere Restaurant is small! There are only about a dozen or so tables, so reservations are highly recommended. Yes, even on a random weekday! I visited on a Thursday evening and it was a full house. Mid-way through the meal, the chef does come to each table to check in on you. He seemed very warm and like he really cared. Food We ordered a sangria (white, but it looked like pink grapefruit colour), 2 tapas (pulpo, chicken croquettes), an order of paella de mariscos (seafood), mango cheesecake, & coffee. This was good enough for 2 ppl, we were stuffed! Highlights from those dishes were the chicken croquettes (light, mousse-like filling) and the cheesecake. Paella was good too, especially the initial bites, but I wished there was more saffron flavour and less salt or even garlic. It did feel a bit heavier when comparing to paellas I've had in Barcelona. Seafood was cooked beautifully though, especially the monkfish! Pulpo was again, soo tender, but I didn't find the dish itself had that much flavour - neither the pieces of octopus nor the potatoes. Other than a hint of pimenton, it was on the bland side, even the potatoes. Skip: Sangria, especially "white" sangria and perhaps order the house wine instead. Apparently, the chef's name is on it and you can't get it elsewhere. They do also have a good wine list of stuff that didn't seem readily available at the LCBO, so take advantage of that! Also skip the coffee (a bit watery) and just go for an espresso. Service Excelente! Absolutely no complaints about the service. Every server seemed happy to be there to serve you. We had a tall, skinny guy, who was friendly and helpful especially with suggestions. I'd definitely be open to visiting again to try other items! It is on the pricier side, so keep that in mind. The entire menu is online, so it should come as no surprise. :)

    Robert H.

    After reading all the great reviews, we came to La Vinia hoping to get an authentic Spanish dining experience. We tried to make online reservations, but could only get 6 or 9 pm. We called and was told 8 pm was the earliest. However, when we arrived early around 7:30 pm, the restaurant was empty and got our table right away. So not sure why they refused to give us an earlier reservation. The chef came out to personally explain the daily specials and his recommendations. He was very friendly, and I can see that he really strives to ensure his customers are satisfied. For appetizers, we ordered: - Grilled Spanish Chorizo with Ratatouille ($14.75). The Chorizo was not spicy nor salty and went well with the Ratatouille. This dish was delicious. - Poached Octopus Marinated in Olive Oil and Pimenton ($14.75). Was soft and tasty, but personally I prefer the octopus from Ufficio and Joso. - Fine Iberico Spanish Ham ($23.75). Wasn't too salty and quite tasty, but didn't seem to have the rich flavor profile as the high-grade Iberico ham from Barcelona. - Fresh White Anchovies with Olive Oil and Vinegar ($14.75). These anchovies were really delicious and not salty at all. Highly recommended. For the main course, we ordered: - Paella de Marisco ($26.75). This dish was loaded with seafood and a great value for the price. I would prefer if it had a little less oil, but still quite delicious. - Lamb Shank (daily special). Very soft, tender, and tasty. Highly recommended. For the dessert, we ordered: - Fried Milk ($10). Although tasty, for two tiny pieces, this was totally not worth it. Would skip. Unfortunately, by the time we had finished our meal, we noticed a large number of ants crawling around on our table. There must have been 20-30 ants, so they have a serious pest control problem. When we mentioned to our server, she offered to replace the table cloth and said that they would investigate afterward. Frankly, I was expecting a more sincere apology, and they could have at least offered to remove that lackluster dessert off the bill... The service here is excellent, as the chef came out numerous times during the meal and after the meal to check on us. The servers came by frequently to refill our waters and exchange our plates and cutlery. The food here is quite good with some dishes being really great (anchovies, lamb shank, paella), others just average (octopus and ham), and the dessert bad. The atmosphere is nice, but by 9 pm, the place got busy and really loud, so it was hard to have a conversation without yelling. The ant problem is quite gross, but luckily we had finished our meal and were ready to leave, so wasn't a huge deal for us (hopefully they can address it before their next health inspection). Overall, a pretty good Spanish dining experience.

    Croquettes (wow!)
    Graham R.

    After living less than a few blocks away for a few years now the wife and I finally decided to give La Vinia a try. Boy were we glad we did! We started with the black prosciutto croquettes (unreal!), avocado salad (delicious!) and the squid. I would rank them in that order, the croquettes were so good but nothing was bad. We then had the Paella as a main shared between us which was very tasty. The service was fantastic all night long and with a bottle of wine dinner came to about $130ish which was more than fair. It is really nice to eat out the way things used to be where service exists and even the chef pops out to tables to say hello to the guests. We will definitely be returning to La Vinia and my wife already took her father back just a week later.

    Menu
    Karmen Y.

    Anyone craving Spanish tapas and paella should look no further. Save your money and make the trek here! Worth the splurge, and even then the pricing was very reasonable. Had the chance to try a variety of apps and mains, overall the quality was good on all dishes. Must try here = PAELLA! An awesome thing they offer at this restaurant is you can order your paella per person rather than needing a minimum number like other restaurants. One paella can easily feed 2-3 people. My recommendations are: Paella Valenciana ($24.75), which has the chorizo, chicken, and seafood - this is the paella to beat Arroz Negro ($24.75), which is the squid ink risotto - really flavorful and unique Poached Octopus ($13.75) - had this buttery texture that melted in your mouth Salmon croquette ($13.75) - nice texture that makes you crave for more Good but probably would not re-order: Paella de Marisco ($26.75), which had the shrimp, mussels, calamari, scallops, monkfish, and clam - tad too salty for more liking, but enjoyed by the seafood lovers in my group Sauteed shrimp with garlic and chili oil $14.75) - nothing to rave about Fried milk dessert ($10) - a bit generic and small (2 pieces) given the price Note is that there is only side parking on the street with a paid meter, so it's a bit limited on busier nights. That said, it is free on weekend evenings. We went for a birthday, and they kindly offered a very delectable slice of mango cheesecake! I also tried their fried milk ($10), which was good, but a bit un-memorable for the price.

    mango cheesecake and what I am calling the chocolate raspberry sorbet!

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    8 years ago

    Went to this cozy restaurant for my birthday. Paella was great! Will definitely go back.

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    10 years ago

    Just a heads up because this place is small, it's best to make a reservation or chance being turned away as I was...

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    9 years ago

    Food and service was impeccable. Hidden gem in our neighbourhood. We'll come back for sure.

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    13 years ago

    Exceptional food and wait staff. The chef even came out to our table to make sure everything was to our liking. I would highly recommend.

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    13 years ago

    A real joy to have this place in the neighborhood! My wife and I love traditional Spanish food and La Vinia will not disappoint.

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    11 years ago

    Hands down best Spanish restaurant in Toronto . Amazing service . Fantastic ham and wine . Definitely recommend it again and again !!

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    Mercado Negro

    Mercado Negro

    4.3
    (55 reviews)
    9.2 km

    Paella anyone? I bet you haven't heard that in a while. And…read morehonestly, who knew it was such a Portuguese thing too? We all know Spain made it famous, but Portugal? INSANE. Back to why I do this. I'm endlessly curious about food, people, and the magic that happens when great meals meet good music. Friendships just seem to evolve naturally around a table. And thank you, E, for another incredible photo -- your choices are always perfect. Mercado on St. Clair is a hidden gem. What was once beside my mom's flower shop downtown has now found a home in a slightly more industrial setting on Caledonia -- and somehow, it works perfectly. Cozy seating inside, a great covered patio outside, and that village-style European restaurant vibe you hope to stumble across. First off, the waiter was phenomenal. He walked us through the menu, explained everything perfectly, and genuinely elevated the whole experience. The menu is massive -- meat, seafood, everything you could want -- but we came for the paella. We were told it takes time because they make it the proper way. Not overly crispy, just authentic, rich, and layered with flavour. Worth every minute of the wait. To start, we had the gambas / shrimp in a rich red garlic and herb sauce plus extra toasted bread for dipping, per our waiter's recommendation. Absolute rockstar move. The other appetizer was a delicious beef stew served over crunchy rustic bread. Simple, hearty, and top notch. Now... drum roll please. This may have been the best paella I've ever had. Okay okay, maybe somewhere along the coast in Spain I've had one fresher... but this was absolutely off the charts. Zero fishy smell. Just beautiful saffron-infused rice with that perfect slight crisp, loaded with mussels, clams, octopus, calamari, shrimp, and more. Built for two people to share and completely unforgettable. A few glasses of house white later and bam - there was absolutely no chance I was going back to work. And dessert? I kept telling myself: "No dessert, Frank. No dessert." But there's a rule in life ; if you see crème brûlée on a menu, you order it. This wasn't exactly crème brûlée, but a cheesecake-inspired version of it. Two spoons, four bites, and thank you very much. Favourite meal of the year so far. Completely blown away by this place. Mercatto -- go now. Go fast.

    I was there for my birthday and this place didn't disappoint, even on a Monday…read more The atmosphere was calming and refreshing with an upbeat fun whimsical garden. Service was friendly and prompt. The food was delicious. We were a party of thee and ordered a plater that served us well. All ate from the Beira Mar platter and all meats and seafood were cooked well to order. Fantastic place for a night out or a get together with other friends family or special occasion.

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Mercado Negro
    Covered patio

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    Covered patio
    Beso by Patria

    Beso by Patria

    3.9
    (570 reviews)
    8.1 km
    $$$$

    I had such a great experience at Beso by Patria. The space has a really warm, slightly upscale vibe…read morewithout feeling too formal, which I loved right away. We ordered a mix of dishes to share, and everything came out beautifully presented. The flavors felt very balanced--nothing overly heavy, just really well thought out. The seafood was especially fresh, and the tapas-style plates made it fun to try a bit of everything. Service was attentive without being intrusive, and the pacing of the meal felt just right. It's the kind of place you can come for a relaxed evening but still feel like you're treating yourself a little. Definitely a spot I'd come back to, especially with friends so we can order more and share.

    We had high hopes for this spot, especially since the ambience was beautiful--perfect for a lovely…read moredate night. We ended up ordering quite a few items from the menu. Our favourites were the oxtail pintxo, bravas, wagyu, churros, and flan--each of these really stood out and delivered on flavour. That said, I was especially excited for the paella, and it unfortunately fell short. I've had better paella from a food truck, and for much cheaper. Between the chicken and striploin, we preferred the chicken as it had a more cohesive flavour. The striploin was cooked closer to rare when we asked for medium rare, making it tough to eat, and the rice itself was quite bland. On a positive note, the service was lovely--attentive, warm, and accommodating throughout the night. Our server checked in often without being intrusive and made the experience feel polished and welcoming. Overall, while the ambience and service made for a great evening, the food didn't quite justify the price for me. Not sure I'd return, but still a nice spot if you're looking for a good atmosphere.

    Photos
    Beso by Patria
    Wrapped Dates
    Wrapped Dates
    Interior design is very interesting

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    Interior design is very interesting
    Bar Isabel

    Bar Isabel

    4.2
    (521 reviews)
    6.9 km
    $$$

    The space is intimate and cozy, and perfect for lingering over shared plates and drinks. The staff…read moreare genuinely friendly and caring, and they're great at guiding you through the menu, especially when it comes to cocktail recommendations. The tapas are really good, though dishes did come out a bit on the slower side. But honestly, it fits the whole experience here: order a few cocktails, enjoy the atmosphere, and let the night unfold at its own pace (within the seating time limit of course). One of those spots that makes you want to order just one more plate. We got: * Half Octopus * Mussels Escabeche * Jamón Croqueta * Shishito Peppers * Sea Bream Ceviche & Chips * Grilled Beef Tongue & Mojo Rojo * Sobrasada & Foie Gras

    Came here for a date night and I really wanted to love Bar Isabel, but was a little disappointed…read more There was a lot of hype around the restaurant, but the food was just average. We ordered the Sea Bream Ceviche and chips, quarter Octopus and Patatas Bravas. The highlight was the ceviche. The octopus was unfortunately a little overdone, which made it tough. I would absolutely not order the patatas bravas again. The potatoes were very dry and tasted as if they had been sitting out for some time. We also sat at the bar and had a few ordered of cocktails with the food. Be aware that the bar itself slopes down towards you. With that being said, my partner put her drink down on the sloped part and it fell all over both of us, with the bartender seeing it all unfold. He was nice in providing some extra napkins to dry ourselves off, but all he had to offer was "Yup that happens a lot" as opposed to maybe offering to remake the drink which was now 2/3 empty as a result. Was a little disappointed at that service in particular, especially when you're paying upwards of $18 for a small cocktail. The atmosphere was good, however. IF I were to give it another try, I'd probably just opt for drinks and skip the food, which was a little pricier for what you're getting portion-wise and quality.

    Photos
    Bar Isabel
    Half Octopus
    Half Octopus
    Patatas Bravas

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    Patatas Bravas
    Byblos

    Byblos

    4.4
    (988 reviews)
    8.8 km
    $$$$

    Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5…read moreAmbiance: 4/5 Food: We had our office holiday dinner here and 15 people attended. We did a set menu which had 3 courses. The first course was Labneh with bread, hummus, & beef tartare. Second course was Lamb pide & pear salad. Third course was grilled branzino, middle eastern fried chicken, black truffle rice, and thrice cooked fries. Then there was dessert which was chocolate mousse cake & baklava. Because of my many food allergies the main server for our table was very attentive & specific in asking me what I wanted as modifications. For example I got a wagyu beef pide instead of the lamb. Every dish was really delicious, presented well & quite filling. I couldn't eat all of the food. Though I tried almost everything. Service: The pacing of the dishes was quite masterful. They really paid attention to when the food was going to come out. As I mentioned above the main server was very attentive to my food allergies. I really appreciated that as some restaurants aren't as attentive. The food was served family style so everyone could take what they wanted from the serving dishes. The dishes were served in little bowls along the tables with each bowl serving about 4 people. We had asked for one long table so it was a little snug. But we made it work. Ambiance: For dinner the lighting of the space is really dim. LOL. I would have appreciated just a little bit more light. The restaurant is in an old building so to use the washroom you had to go down two flights of stairs. The dining area is small also. But it's a pretty space. As mentioned above we asked for one long table to seat 15 people. I was expecting square tables but it was a bunch of small round tables pushed together. So the tables were really crowded with food from all the dishes. But the servers made sure to take empty serving dishes away as soon as possible. The music was a little loud for me so I had to yell to be heard. The place was packed though. Everyone at our table enjoyed the food, the service & atmosphere. The restaurant is close to Roy Thompson Hall & the other theatres nearby so it's a convenient location as well. It's too bad this place is only open for dinner. I would have loved to see how they would operate a lunch time service. In any case, Byblos was amazing. I would come back here again to try other dishes! Note: Some of my pics of the main dishes didn't turn out so it's mostly desserts that are pictures

    Really enjoyed my night at Byblos. The vibe is super chic but not too formal. I love that the menu…read moreis designed for sharing, so you get to try a little bit of everything. Everything we ordered was flavorful and well-balanced. Also loved the cocktails. Great spot if you're looking for something a bit different from the usual dinner places.

    Photos
    Upstairs level downtown location
    Upstairs level downtown location
    Lamb Ribs
    Lamb Ribs
    Turkish Manti Dumplings

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    Turkish Manti Dumplings

    La Vinia - spanish - Updated June 2026

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