Best of Toronto
The Best Kosher Restaurants in Toronto
The best kosher restaurants in Toronto are not as cookie-cutter as preconceived notions might have you believe. While kosher food might still have the reputation of being a little bland, there are restaurants in Toronto that break traditional molds. These are the spots that venture into kosher versions of pepperoni and salmon maki, as well as those that stick to classics, but just do them really, really well. Going out for kosher food, in other words, shouldn't be something to kvetch about.
Here are some of the best kosher restaurants in Toronto.
See also:
Where to buy kosher food in Toronto
Dr. Laffa
Churning out hot laffa from its custom tabun ovens, Dr. Laffa's falafels, shawarma, and kababs make a drive out to Steeles and Dufferin totally worth the trek. Kashruth Council approved, Dr. Laffa's chicken, lamb, and beef is all kosher certified, and offered alongside plenty of vegetarian options for those who don't eat meat. More »
Marron Bistro
Marron Bistro is perhaps the swankiest spot to eat kosher in Toronto. The French-inspired menu is constantly changing, offering plates such as duck prosciutto and marmalade, stuffed burger and slaw, and rib steak and caramelized onions. There's an extensive wine list to boot, and yes, it goes beyond Manischewitz. More »
Bistro Grande
Bistro Grande is an upscale take on dairy and pareve dining. No, there's no filet mignon, but the menu does offer elegance equivalency through its mushroom risotto, tagliatelle al salmone, and market-priced catch of the day. Bistro Grande is fully licensed and has a front patio open in the summertime. More »
Tov-Li
While many kosher places find their strengths in a few signature dishes, Tov-Li has the reputation of being pretty great across the board. Falafel leads the pack in terms of recommended plates here, but Tov-Li's fish platters, spelt dough pizzas, as well as its soups and salads are also pretty highly regarded. Plus (Israeli-style) all-day breakfast. More »
King David Pizza
Despite its name, King David Pizza is lauded for its fantastic falafel. The business has been in Toronto for more than 20 years, growing from one location to three, and curiously adding kosher sushi to its menu. Each location is totally nut-free, and all offer a few unique, meat-alternative pizza topping options including soy pepperoni. More »
Umami Sushi
Yes, this actually exists. Umami Sushi is not only kosher, but also dairy-and-nut-free. This North York restaurant makes all of the familiar Japanese rolls including spicy tuna maki, yellow tail sashimi, and Alaska handrolls, with the option of substituting white rice for brown. Noodles and combo platters are also available, as well as miso soup (in lieu of Bubbie's matzo ball chicken noodle). More »
Golden Chopsticks
Obvious mu shu pork has been omitted from its menu, but Golden Chopsticks does stick pretty close to what you'll find at many typical Chinese restaurants. Golden Chopsticks' kosher take on Chinese includes everything from General Tao chicken to beef lo mein and won ton soup, with everything on the menu certified Glatt Kosher. Cannot confirm if the fortune cookies, indeed, all contain the word "oy." More »
Discussion
27 Comments
Sort By Oldest First / Newest First
Subscribe
Anything south of Bloor? Beuller?
United Bakers is what you'd call "loosely" kosher. The restaurant serves no meat, only dairy and pareve (of which its delicious split pea soup is an integral component). An introvert's nightmare, United Bakers is a bustling meeting point for members of Toronto's Jewish community, making a run-in with a coworker or neglected relative an unfortunate inevitability for some. Ah well, at least there are twister bagels.
Dairy Treats on Bathurst south of Wilson easily beats out Bistro Grande.
I echo the calls of my fellow commentors who feel that Howie T's was overlooked. Ever since the fiery demise of Bais Burger, it is really the one place you can go for a good kosher burger, fast.
Chicken Nest is also worth mentioning; although the atmosphere isn't much I would recommend their chicken kebabs to anyone in a heartbeat.
Also surprised that Haymishe Bagel didn't make the list, although they don't have a toaster, their sandwiches are the bomb diggity.
@Jojo, I agree Markys is putrid but I don't share your sentiment on Miami Grill.
Also let us observe a moment of silence for Richmans. It was a bakery and not a restaurant but for goodness sakes, do I miss their cheese buns.
And why aren't there (hardly) any kosher places in T.O.????
In the real world, a huge chunk of Toronto's Jewish community lives north of Steeles. So you ended up with some holes in the wall and some not very good restaurants, and didn't end up even considering places like Ba-Li Laffa, Joe Boo's, or Ashkenazi Cowboy, which are both good and unique.
(If you were serious about the Steeles cut-off, by the way, you should really remove Golden Chopsticks as it, too, is on the Wrong Side of the Avenue. Also, United Dairy isn't "loosely" kosher; it simply isn't kosher. I guess you could say that it's kosher-style.
The place doesn't appear to be very clean either.
I won't be returning.