With the holidays right around the corner, most of us will soon have a few extra nights to spare and, being the foodies that we are, we can’t imagine a better way to spend them than out on the town with that one special person in our lives.
And, being the foodies that we are, we’re never short of ideas on date night when it comes to choosing between Toronto’s coziest bars and restaurants.
So, whether you’ve got a romantic interest in your life or just want some tips on which venues we’re excited about visiting this holiday season, here’s a list of our favourite Toronto spots for a cozy night out on the town for your reference.
Bar Isabel
Bar Isabel is one of the many glamorous and perennially in-demand restaurants owned by famed Toronto-based chef and restaurateur, Grant van Gameren, alongside other standout names like Bar Raval, Harry’s Charbroiled, and Bar Piquette, among many others.
While it feels like anything van Gameren’s restaurant parent company, Overbudget Inc., does is extremely exciting and tastefully on-trend, Bar Isabel holds a special place in our hearts — especially when it comes to date night locales.
Located in the heart of Little Italy at 797 College Street, Bar Isabel faces some stiff competition from one of the city’s most densely populated neighbourhoods in terms of lust-worthy restaurants, eateries, and food havens. With that in mind, Bar Isabel’s socially-driven concept and succulent, Spanish-influenced small plates have never struggled to draw in audiences and establish a unique influence on the neighbourhood.
If you’re looking for an intimate, low-light setting where you can either cozy up next to your partner (or close friend) in a booth or up close to the action on a bar stool while taking your taste buds on a tour around Spain and the Galicia Region, then this contemporary space is for you.
Looking for a few other ways to beat the winter blues? Here is just a taste of what Toronto has to offer:
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Midfield Wine Bar
Just like Bar Isabel, Midfield Wine Bar in Toronto’s west end specializes in serving up small yet mighty (and very shareable) plates in an intimate setting — perfect for a cozy winter evening. However, as you might’ve pertained from the name, Midfield’s best treats are found on their wine, not food, menu.
Whether you’re a certified snob when it comes to fine wines or you’re just looking for something new to test your palette with, Midfield’s stylish location in Little Portugal is the place to go.
We love Midfield because it doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t. This is a wine-first restaurant, with the food menu carefully curated to complement the extensive and inspired wine list, which is constantly rotating in order to only showcase the bottles that taste best the night you visit.
While you’ll have some fun choosing from their long list of traditional and organic and/or biodynamic wines, their concise and enticing food menu doesn’t require a long read at all — just the way we like it. And in fact, with dishes like Beef Flank Tartare, Torched Atlantic Mackerel, and Turnips with Pancetta and Fennel Pollen, you’ll probably end up just asking your waiter for one of everything.
Looking for more advice on where to find some of the city’s best restaurants? See which patios we can’t get enough of when it’s warmer out by reading Our Top 7 West End Toronto Patios post here.
Lucia
Head over to 1595 Dupont Street in the ever-popular Junction Triangle neighbourhood in Toronto’s trendy west end to pay a visit to Lucia, one of the best spots in the city for stunningly simple authentic Italian food.
For a self-proclaimed “casual and unpretentious” restaurant, Lucia never fails to provide elevated dining experiences that feel anything but mundane.
Don’t let their menu’s conservative use of dish descriptors fool you — even dishes simply named Dave’s Focaccia, Gnocchi, or Really, Really Good Mozzarella will have your eyes widening with excitement from the moment they hit the table. Take one look at Lucia’s Instagram account and you’ll see what we mean.
Whether you’re headed in for dinner, drinks, or the full Lucia experience, we can almost guarantee you’ll be back for more — and there’s a great chance we’ll already be there ourselves to ensure you do. Date night or not, Lucia should be up near the very top of your list of “Must-Go’s” this winter.
Has the look of these restaurants inspired you to spend more time in the west end? Here are some more ideas to get you started.
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Atai Bistro
Right around the corner from Lucia is another one of our favourite Toronto spots to stop by for a cozy night in, Atai Bistro, located at 3047 Dundas Street West in The Junction.
Although Atai’s French-Moroccan-inspired menu might feel foreign to those unfamiliar with the cuisine traditional of the North African region, take one look at the tantalizing plates flying out of the kitchen and you’ll soon realize there’s no translating required.
Predominantly using ingredients and flavours traditional of Moroccan cuisine, Atai assembles each dish with the elegance and ethereality you’d expect from a classic French bistro. No matter if you order a Crepe during weekend brunch or Coq Au Vin during date night, you really can’t go wrong stopping by Atai.
Plus, one of our favourite features of Atai’s menu is that it’s got a comprehensive collection of Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free options too, so no matter who you bring with you, you can be sure you’ll leave feeling fully satisfied.
Have you noticed that most of the spots on our list are situated in Toronto’s west end? That’s no coincidence — it’s one of the foodie capitals of the city. Find out more about what this part of town has to offer in my West Side Neighbourhood Guides here.
Giulietta
It’ll come as no surprise that Little Italy is home to the next entry on our list of favourite Toronto spots list, Giulietta, as it’s one of the city’s most highly regarded Italian restaurants.
Located at 972 College Street, this chic Italian venue’s street-facing facade mirror’s its menu in many ways — simple and unassuming, yet extraordinarily stylish and inspired.
Giulietta advertises itself as a humble ‘Trattoria’ (or Tavern, in English) serving up classic Italian dishes heavily seasoned with tradition and humility. However, they couldn’t be more wrong.
Giulietta’s sumptuous selection of antipasti (appetizers), pizza, pasta, and vegetables is undeniably spectacular, earning the restaurant critical and cult acclaim from every corner across the city. If you’ve ever wished you could taste dishes like Risotto, Grilled Octopus, or a Margherita Pizza for the first time again, this is about as close as you’ll come.
And what could be more fitting on date night than tucking into a plate of very well-deserved pasta with your partner by your side? If that sounds your style, book a booth at Giulietta now to ensure you’re signed up for the full experience.
Each one of these restaurants earns rave reviews from their loyal customers, but they’re not alone in receiving feedback from clientele. Read what some of our clients have said about working with us in the past on Our Client Experiences page here.
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