5 restaurants in downtown Toronto you have to check out

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - 2020/08/01: Intercontinental Hotel surrounded by other buildings in the downtown district. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - 2020/08/01: Intercontinental Hotel surrounded by other buildings in the downtown district. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Toronto is a huge city with a lot to see and do, particularly in the downtown area. From the CN Tower to Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada and everything in between, there’s no shortage of experiences to have downtown.

While you’re there, you’ll have plenty of choices for dining, too. Downtown Toronto has virtually every type of restaurant you could possibly want as well as a few you probably didn’t think of. This is one of those times when you want to plan out where you’re going to eat well in advance.

Rodney’s Oyster House

Toronto
NEW ORLEANS – JUNE 09: Louisiana oysters from area 7 at the Bourbon House restaurant on June 9, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Restaurants like the Bourbon House in the heart of the French Quarter are still serving fresh oysters daily. Due to the ongoing oil spill, a third of the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-down by federal officials to fishing with over 100 miles of coastal oyster beds also closed. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Just in case you didn’t figure it out from the name, the game at Rodney’s Oyster House is oysters. That being said, it’s not the only seafood on the menu by far. And it’s reputedly one of the best options for seafood in all of Toronto, not just downtown.

In addition to oysters, Rodney’s is well known for serving up excellent King Crab, scallops, and lobster dishes. The fresh fish catches here are not to be missed, either. But if you can’t make it to Toronto, they also have a location in Calgary.

Canoe

Defining distinctive Canadian cuisine is a difficult challenge. This is a nation filled with immigrants from around the world, each one of them bringing their own unique flavors. On top of that, the varied Indigenous communities across the country have their own great tastes, as well.

Toronto
TORONTO, ON – JUNE 07: A person walks through empty downtown streets during lockdown on June 7, 2021 in Toronto, Canada. After entering lockdown in early April amid a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Ontario plans to start loosening COVID-19 restrictions and reopen its economy on June 11. (Photo by Ian Willms/Getty Images)

For more than 20 years, Canoe has tried to help define Canadian cuisine by bringing in all of those influences and inspirations to one place. This is a dining experience that anyone visiting Toronto needs to have. There’s a reason it’s often rated in the Top 10 restaurants across the country.

Miku Toronto

Residents of Canada’s west coast are more than a little familiar with the legacy of Aburi Restaurants. This organization operates some of the best restaurants in Vancouver. But they have extended that to the other side of the country with Miku Toronto.

Located at the Harbour Front, Miku has a raw bar, a sushi bar, and an absolutely incredible patio. The Japanese and European-inspired food takes being delectable to another level. If you want an excellent tour of what Miko has to offer, try Kaseki, the Aburi coursed menu.

Wilbur Mexicana

Toronto
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, UNITED STATES – 2021/05/27: Tacos were one of the menu items as Brood X Cicadas are served as food items during a pop up event organized by a group calling itself, All Creatures Yum.A few gathered during the event to try the Cicada dishes, which included Cicada on a Skewer and other menu items. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Right in the core of Toronto’s fashion district is Wilbur Mexicana, a haven of Mexican street food. You might be in the Great White North but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the flavors of the United States’ neighbor to the south.

Naturally, the star of the show is the incredible variety of tacos but they also have superb burritos, fajitas, and quesadillas. Just be prepared for their salsas. They have several to choose from, each one with a more devastating rating on the Scoville Scale.

KŌST

Some restaurants bring in guests with their food while others bring them in with the ambiance and their location. But restaurants like KŌST have everything in check. This is one of those dining experiences visitors to Toronto must have.

KŌST is located on the 44th floor of the Bisha Hotel, just blocks away from the waterfront. This offers incredible views of downtown Toronto while you enjoy their Baja Peninsula-inspired cuisine. This spot proves that where you eat can be as important as what you eat.