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.

Wonderful food, service and ambiance. Cano is a popular spot on St.Clair Ave. W. and for good…read morereason. Our table enjoyed everything we ordered - salad Verdi, Ceasar salad, kale salad, chicken Parmesan, funghi pasta and grilled chicken. We were all too full to order dessert so we will have to return. Thank you for a special evening.

Oh my hidden gem right here!!! One of the top best Italian restaurants I've been to. The interior…read moreis small but beautiful and the staff are so friendly it's amazing. We ended up sitting at the bar as we made our resos a bit late. I highly recommend making a reservation considering how busy it was and how small the place is. Food: - fried calamari: 5/5 stars. I'm a sucker for a good calamari and this hit it on the dot. The sauce it came with was really good too! The food came very quick. - vodka pasta: 4.8/5 stars. This was absolutely delicious. I also love vodka pasta and this was made to absolute perfection. - truffle mushroom pasta: 5/5 stars. The pasta pieces were full of flavour and rich mushroom truffle taste. Delicious - Tiramisu dessert: 4/5 stars. It was yummy don't get me wrong but it was a bit expensive for the size of it. It had some Nutella hazelnut flavours too which was yum. Overall, highly recommend and I would 100% come back again!! The kind man at the bar also made my friend and I paper flowers that we got to take home. Great service.

Me and my wife randomly found this spanish style restaurant on Lakeshore for the Civic Day long…read moreweekend. No complaints about the foods, excellent. When the bill came along, we were a little suprised. It is not about our affordability or fairness of the foods, but the way the bill was presented to us. After we sat down going through the menu, the server came along and recommended a daily special "Appetizer of the day", we looked at the menu, all appetizers on the menu were around $14, we assumes the "special" won't be much different, and the server did not bother to tell us about the price. We were wrong, the special "Appetizer of the day" we had was priced $35 on the bill, about the same price of a main course. We would be much happier to pay if we had knew the actual price before we ordered.

Food was so good I forgot to take more photos!…read more We visited LaVinia last week for dinner. We ordered the grilled chorizo and ham croquettes tapas. The ham croquettes were delicious and paired with an amazing garlic aioli. The grilled chorizo was also great but the garlic aioli muted the chorizo taste unfortunately. We also had the arugula and pear salad which was topped with Stilton cheese. We really enjoyed it. For our main course, we ordered the seafood paella which was amazing and everything was cooked perfectly. We also enjoyed the mango cheesecake and lemon sorbet for dessert. The restaurant is tightly packed, intimate, and has a great atmosphere for a date night dinner or dinner with friends. The waiters were attentive and very helpful when ordered. The chef also came around near the end of our dinner to ask how our meal was.

My birthday dinner at Beso by Patria was nothing short of exceptional- it turned out to be the most…read morememorable dining experiences we've had in Toronto. Every dish was beautifully prepared: bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. What truly set Beso apart, however, was the hospitality. Despite the restaurant being incredibly busy, Bryan, our mixologist and bartender, and Krisztina, the general manager and sommelier, took the time to chat with us throughout the evening. They shared their knowledge of the menu and wines helping us with our choices. They both transformed a fantastic meal into a truly memorable experience. The evening ended with a personalized birthday dessert! It's rare to find a restaurant that combines outstanding food with such authentic, heartfelt hospitality. Even on a packed night, the team made us feel like we were their only guests. We can't wait to return!

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.

My youth son and I were in town and ordered takeout this evening. These folks (from the person who…read moretook my order over the phone to the person who handed us the food) were remarkably kind, professional, and welcoming when they did not need to go so "over the top." The food (chicken supreme) was perfectly cooked and (fettuccini Alfredo) which my 9 year old son said was "the most delicious food he has ever eaten." True story. Haha. Thank you.

The quality of the food was great…read more But it was like ordering from the kids menu but with adult prices Overall not the best value of money specially when my charcuterie board came with human hair on it and they had to be reminded about my drink order But yes... the food was delicious but after a starter and a main I could still eat a horse

I've lived in Toronto my entire life and didn't know this was here. I found it on a search and it…read morehad very good reviews (4.6/5). This is a hidden gem, and the five of us agree it deserves an even better score! The restaurant is very nicely laid out, quite formal, with a great atmosphere - each table set far enough away from the others that you feel you have your own place. In addition, the staff and service was top-notch - very attentive yet not invasive or overbearing. Very professional and courteous. And the food is exceptional! The five of us ordered the soup special and oysters special for appetizers, and then had Piri Piri Chicken, Grilled Squid, Brazed Beef Ravioli, Salmon, and Lobster Ravioli (special) for mains, with sorbets, Pastel de Nata, and Chocolate Mousse Cake for desserts. The food presentation was amazing, and we all commented on each item as it was brought out. But then the flavours, we didn't expect - SO GOOD! Every bite was amazing, with good-sized portions the were just right! We all left well-fed and very happy with everything. We will all be back to this spot. Often. With wine, we each spent just over $100 - and it was worth every bite! We left nothing on our plates! Go here. It's awesome!

My first time in a Portuguese Restaurant. Came here for Winterlicious. I ordered all seafood from…read moreappetizers (grilled sardines) and main (grilled squid). Taste good and it's filling. I feel full until the following day. Intimate place. Good for romantic dates. Staff very friendly. Will Love to come back.

Touro is a Brazilian Steakhouse where the waiters walk around with a selection of meats (and…read moresometimes shrimp) for you to select from. It's all you can eat. There are 2 locations north of Toronto, north essentially the same. It a large open space with tables far enough apart that you don't feel like you're sitting right next to strangers. There are a few appetizers like the cheese bread and some grilled vegetables. These are bland and have no real flavour. Their corn bread, however, is fantastic. The meat variety is good. Of course, they have picanha (a Brazilian cut of meat), Parmesan sirloin steak, sausage, chicken, grilled pineapple, shrimp, and others. They have beans and rice too. The staff walk around constantly and offer food. They're friendly and are happy to give you an extra piece of meat if that's the one you really like. These reason for 4 stars is that its nearly impossible to get meat that's prepared medium or well done. Not all my family likes rare/medium rare, and while it's possible to request well done, it takes 15-20 minutes to get 2 little pieces of meat by which time you're ready for more and have to wait another 15-20 minutes. This, while all the others are busily eating.

Finally checked out Touro and I have to say, compared to Copacabana, I still prefer Copa overall…read more Touro does have a nice atmosphere -- it feels a bit more suitable for special occasions like birthdays. The space is lively and the service is attentive, which makes the experience enjoyable. As for the food, the variety is decent, and the meats are generally well-seasoned and flavorful. I especially liked the grilled pineapple -- it was juicy and nicely caramelized. However, if you're not a fan of cinnamon, this might not be your favorite, as the flavor is quite noticeable. Overall, it's a good experience and worth trying at least once, but in terms of variety and overall balance, I personally still lean towards Copacabana.

Inspired flavors from South America, this is another home run by the Oliver and Bonaccini group. I…read morecame with a handful of girlfriends to celebrate Galentine's day and we were treated so well! From a super cute isolated area downstairs to a customized chef choice menu.... It was hard to decide which dish was our favourite. We started with a soup that surprised everyone! The sopa de montonga tripe and chickpea soup was flavorful, rich and delicious. We had to remind ourselves to pace ourselves because of the long menu ahead of us, LOL! I'll post a bunch of pictures that really don't do the dishes Justice because you can't taste them! I personally liked the appetizers the best because the eggplant and empanadas were out of this world. Thank you so much to Chef Doug for the super thoughtful menu and even for coming by to say hello a couple times! And also to the staff for being so attentive and friendly!

You want a place with stunning decor and intricate menu, this is your place to go! Lena is a…read morebeautiful Argentinian restaurant with some really stunning dishes. From the beautiful bar, to stellar ambiance it definitely gives lavish vibes. When it comes to the service, well thats a whole other thing. The food takes quite a long time to arrive, the pricing is quite high, and the servers are not the kindest. Food overall was okay, not something that would be worth my return back. It was a very busy night, so it could be just the service was very backed up. Just for the prices that were paid, you would expect better! Tried the Rib Eye chop which okay. Again not a bad place to go, just wish I had a better experience here as I was really excited to try it out! 5/10 Recommend!