The Top 10 restaurants in Toronto to impress an out-of-towner

Taking out-of-towners to new Toronto restaurants will impress not only by showing off your local knowledge of what’s cutting edge, but also with great food that’s perfect for sharing. Wow parents, friends, long distance lovers and visiting business partners alike at these places.

Here are my picks for the top new restaurants in Toronto to impress an out-of-towner.

Byblos Uptown

Dreamy surroundings and heavenly Mediterranean food can be counted on from this new incarnation of the familiar Byblos concept in the Yonge and Eglinton area.

Casa La Palma

Make guests in the city feel cool by showing them a hidden counterpart of already-impressive La Palma on Dundas West, accessed by a secret staircase. Precious seafood and veggie sharing plates and cozy vibes abound with a fireplace and cushy seating.

Bar Buca Eglinton

Outposts of Bar Buca across town have long been go-to’s for out-of-towners, so take them somewhere familiar yet novel by heading to this most recently opened location near Yonge and Eglinton.

Donna’s

If your guests are around the west end, don’t trek downtown to Momofuku. Instead, opt for this unassuming restaurant at Lansdowne and Wallace where the kitchen is run by people who used to work there. Share a ham plate and some wine and catch up.

Mother Tongue

As the name suggests, there’s lots of fun stuff to do in the Entertainment District, so before or after the fun, show visitors you know where to go. You’ll look super cool guiding them under the Templar Hotel into this moody Filipino-influenced restaurant and cocktail bar.

Quetzal

Out-of-towners may have heard of Grant van Gameren and even visited Bar Raval or Bar Isabel before, so them to a concept of his they’ve likely never been to before, where they’ll also get the experience of traditionally made house tortillas and an open grill, right in Little Italy.

Seoul Shakers

Even Toronto natives might walk right by this Bloordale spot if they didn’t know what was inside. Beyond metal grates and graffiti there’s a snuggly neon-lit bar serving mind-blowing Korean snacks and teapots of makgeoli to share.

Viaggio

There are lots of Italian places to go in Toronto that aren’t Terroni when looking for somewhere new to take out-of-towners, but this Brockton Village spot is an easy choice with an elegant setting and sophisticated plates.

Mezu

Share a ssam lettuce wrap plate at this new corner spot that’s won over its Dundas West neighbourhood, and is sure to do the same with visitors.

Kojin

The noodle bar underneath this Entertainment District restaurant has been a must-visit for visitors to Toronto for years, so show them there’s more to Toronto’s part of the David Chang empire by heading upstairs to this newly opened Colombian-influenced restaurant.

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The Top 10 restaurants in Toronto to impress an out-of-towner

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