5 of the hottest new restaurants in Toronto right now

Luckily for Toronto, there's never a shortage of new restaurants to try. 

Only a month into fall, the restaurant industry is booming with new eats popping up everywhere, and I'm not mad about it. But it can be overwhelming. 

With a sea of mouth-watering options, how must one decide what fills their belly that evening, celebrates a special event, or what makes for the perfect date night? I've got you covered. 

From bagels smothered in cream cheese and smoked salmon to Jewish-Asian fusion that marries the two cultures' cuisines, in-house-made pasta and an immaculately curated wine list.

Here are the five hottest new restaurants in Toronto that will have you coming back for more. 

Casa Rubia

Cafe by day and wine bar by night (pending liquor licence), Calmo Cafe & Wine Bar has made waves in an already prominent good-eats area; they live up to the neighbourhood they've planted themselves in and to their name, Calmo, an Italian word that, you probably guessed, translates to 'calm'.

The interior is a reason to make the trip: large windows, ample seating, and beautifully curated decor; but their desserts, pastries, and made-to-order pies are another. With their pies looking like they were plucked straight from a Polly Pockets kitchen (and tasting as good as they look), I predict you'll be seeing a Calmo pie at every special occasion soon enough.

Calmo Cafe & Wine Bar

The team behind Bar Raval has blessed members of Little Italy and beyond with another gem. If you haven't been on food blogs, TikTok, anyone's list of favourite new places in the city, or caught a whiff of delicious food on the street, let me catch you up: Casa Rubia has become everyone's favourite.

Unlike its older sister, Bar Raval, Casa Rubia offers a sit-down, warm-belly, fork-and-knife dining experience. The menu features northern Spanish cuisine, including grilled scallops with bone marrow, smoked tuna carpaccio, and an array of cuts from Rubia Gallega beef. 

Perfect for a date night or a catch-up with friends, you'll find yourself ordering everything on the menu just to get a taste. 

 

 

Company Bagel

Woodlyns on Eglinton West blends Jewish and Asian cuisine in a way that makes you ask, "How is that even possible?" with every bite.

Its mission is simple: to gather, share, and come together around the table. They've taken that mission physically, through the harmony of two different cultures on one plate. A maztoh ball soup, shaken up with wontons, or a pastrami sandwich pairing the sweetness of milk bread with the savoury richness of sauerkraut will make your taste buds dance like never before. 

The interior replicates the area's dense woodlands, where Woodlyns (get it?) calls home. Inspired decor creates a moody yet romantic effect and adds another layer of flavour to the meal. 

Woodlyns

 Sometimes you just want something quick; munch on it while running late to work, or enjoy it after a successful night out —enter The Company Bagel. 

Bagels are made in-house, with options ranging from poppy and sesame to everything, all of which can be turned into their savoury sandwiches. 

Smoked salmon, smashed tomato, clementine, and smoked whitefish—pair it with coffee or fresh-squeezed juice, and you're good to go, even if you have to stand in a bit of a line. It's worth it. 

 

Shay Ristorante

Shay Ristorante took a year teasing Toronto about its opening as they continued to fine-tune. They had a lot to live up to, a reputation they built themselves through the extensive tidbits they dropped. I am happy to report they've exceeded expectations. 

Creative Director Rayana Dilawri and former Buca Yorkville Chef Justin Friedlich joined forces to bring Italy to Rosedale. 

Shay is a budding modern dining experience that's inspired by "Italian warmth and ritual," offering luxury dining that brings Italy to Toronto through a sense of family—Chef Friedlich hopes everyone who walks through the doors feels as though they are sitting at his family home dinner table.  

Made in-house daily, pasta sits at the center of the menu. An art form in itself, noodles are hand-shaped and based around seasonally sourced ingredients.
The menu features Italian chicken, beef, and fish dishes that don't stay confined to a single region, letting guests travel through different parts of Italy, supported by a curated wine menu from Adam Halpern of Halpern Wine Enterprises. 

Shay Ristorante is located at 1055 Yonge St