Seahorse is Toronto's newest destination for the seafood obsessed, with chilled shellfish, buttery tartares, and charcoal-grilled entrées anchoring a deliberately tight menu.

​Located in Summerhill, the restaurant is backed by a roster of heavy hitters, including two hospitality veterans, a chef with Michelin-starred experience, and an eleven-time oyster-shucking champion.

​Longtime restaurateur Simon Bower (Lucien, Mercer Street Grill, YYZ) met Richard Renaud (Piano Piano, Speducci Mercatto, Real Sports Bar and Grill) just over five years ago at a neighbourhood coffee shop. Equally passionate about taking care of others, the pair, now co-owners of Seahorse, quickly knew they wanted to start a project together.

"Richard and I, when we first met, we were going to do something like coffee by day and oysters by night," Bower tells blogTO. "As time passed, the vision became all about hospitality — great food, a great team, in the right neighbourhood."

​Set inside what was once a clothing shop, the duo transformed the space into Seahorse.

Seating 38, the intimate spot channels what Bower describes as a "modern French brasserie," with subtle nods to a world inspired by everything under the sea.

​From the 80-year-old refinished chairs to the glass chandeliers, every element was chosen intentionally, creating a warm, lived-in interior that feels anything but generic.

​Behind the bar, Renaud can often be found shaking and stirring drinks with freshly squeezed citrus, using a juicer he brought from home.
Take the Olive Oil Sour ($19), a light, fruity, and buttery cocktail that blends fresh lemon juice, Amaretto, Amaro, and olive oil, topped with a frothy egg white foam.

That said, his favourite creation is the Salted Peanut Espresso Martini ($21). Inspired by a trip to Nashville and the taste of peanut butter whiskey, the salty and nutty notes pair perfectly with the bitter espresso and coffee liqueur.

Managing the raw bar is the team's partner Eamon Clark, whose connections to the oyster community run deep (ever heard of Rodney's Oyster House?).

Highlighting Canadian shellfish from coast to coast, everything from the scallops to the prawns is sure to be fresh, with oysters often flown in and delivered the very same morning.

Ideal for sharing, the Small Ice Box ($48) brings together oysters, mussel escabeche, wild Argentinian shrimp, and crudo. Here, the crudo is a dry-aged kampachi, the skin gently seared over a charcoal grill. The box is served alongside a trio of sauces: shallot mignonette, a sweet house cocktail sauce, and a punchier hot sauce.

Beyond the raw bar, the menu stays grounded in prime seafood, accompanied by a selection of seasonal vegetables, in-house pasta, and incredible desserts.

Behind every dish is Executive Chef Federico Garcia, best known in the city for his time at George Restaurant and as sous chef at Quetzal.

"It's a really simple menu, and people love sharing. We use the best ingredients, and Freddie put his stamp on it," says Bower. 

The Tuna Tartare ($25) showcases Canadian bluefin tuna lightly seasoned with white soy and fermented plum vinegar. It's topped with crème fraîche mixed with chives and shallots, then finished with green onion curls and finger lime, which I like to think of as the caviar of citrus.

The Scallop Aguachile ($33) veers further away from Canada's coast, featuring Hokkaido scallops dressed with yuzu, Calabrian chili oil, and plenty of chopped chives.

For something green, the Seahorse Salad ($19) is anything but boring. Made with frilly lolla rossa lettuce, puffed grains, pickled chanterelles, and a creamy buttermilk dressing, it's become a surprise menu favourite.

"The Seahorse Salad is probably one of my favourite things on the menu," says Garcia. "It's really funky and weird, and has all these little pops of grains with the puffed wild rice and quinoa."

The Fish ($29) features smoky Atlantic mackerel and pays homage to Chef Garcia's time behind the open-fire grill at Quetzal. It's paired with bitter grilled kale, although the real hero here is the bright and tangy salsa verde.

Speaking of sauces, there's a signature seafood sauce that's well worth mentioning. Currently featured in the Octopus ($69), it has a silky-smooth consistency and tastes similar to a buttery lobster bisque. And while it's not available as a side order, I'm here to petition that it should be.

The East Coast Scallops ($31) also lean buttery and sweet. Pan-seared for a golden-brown crust Gordon Ramsay himself would approve of, they're served in a rich, luxurious béarnaise.

For dessert, this one takes the cake — literally. The Pear Cake ($16) is warm, comforting, and made for the winter season, thanks to its tender, cloud-like crumb, heavenly caramel sauce, and subtle notes of sweet pear.

"This is one of the desserts that kind of started my career," says Garcia. "When I first worked at George Restaurant, there was a very similar dessert on the menu when I was doing pastry, and it always carried a special place in my heart."

And nothing pairs better with a warm slice of cake than a cold scoop of soft-served Ice Cream ($10), finished with a drizzle of olive oil, Maldon salt, and pistachios.

Seahorse is located at 1226 Yonge Street.