Ok, so typically we like our pizza extra cheesy, which is why we were pretty skeptical when introduced to Virtuous Pie’s concept: pizza and ice-cream made 100% from plants. This was before we tried their chorizo and artichoke pie made with cashew mozzarella and vegan hot honey. Or the gluten-free ice cream sandwich with bourbon vanilla plant-based ice cream scoops. Bottom line? We’ll be taking our plants in pints from now on.

We were introduced to Sud Forno through the wonderful Kevin Durkee from Toronto’s Culinary Adventure Co., Canada’s leading food tour operator. Let us set the scene. On the morning our group entered Sud Forno, it was a cold, rainy day in Toronto and walking into this Italian bakery which just happens to be housed in a gorgeous heritage building truly felt like being wrapped in a warm, soul-soothing hug from an Italian grandmother. From the smell of fresh bread wafting through the air to the sight of plump, fried round sweet buns filled with nutella and cream puffs being plucked from the oven the entire scene was, well, bellissima. Insider tip: be sure to check out Toronto’s Culinary Adventure Co.’s website to see their latest and greatest food tours around Toronto and beyond.

Playful is the name of the game at La Palma. The ambiance is wonderfully colorful (and absolutely gram-able) courtesy of Toronto-based artist Madison van Rijn who created painted murals that sweep across the restaurants walls. Meanwhile, the menu is just as lively with Mediterranean-inspired cuisine that includes starters such as crostinis with whipped ricotta dollops and sweet roasted pears, and mains like melt-in-your-mouth sweet potato agnolotti and Miami-style ribs smothered in an coffee rub that weeks later we’re still dreaming about. Read more about La Palma →

17 global cuisines tucked into one incredibly stylish food hall? Yes, please. From Mediterranean shareplates and mezze to authentic, hand-pressed tortillas with regionally-inspired fillings, there’s just so much to explore inside this 18,000 square foot culinary wonderland. Don’t know where to start? We suggest picking up Renya’s famous lamb baklava featuring Kataifi and lamb shank with saffron and burnt honey aioli if you’re in the mood for something unique. A matcha mushroom misto from Nutbar with medicinal mushrooms if you’re looking for a dash of health. Or a velvety bite of kurodai (sea bream) marinated in soy sauce from stand-up Omakase bar Tachi for a nibble on something equally sweet and refreshing.

Leave it to Toronto to be home to dishes like Rasta Pasta’s ‘Dreadlock Pasta’ featuring housemade pasta, spicy tomato sauce, and jerk chicken meatballs. Or ‘Reggae Lasagna’ with layers of ricotta, mozzarella, and steamed calaloo (a caribbean leafy vegetable) with spicy tomato sauce. Although this Kensington Market hot spot isn’t new, it’s a great example of the incredible marriage of flavors and cultures available within Canada’s largest city’s dining scene, so we can’t help but recommend heading here for a taste of fusion at its finest.

You heard it here first: This is the hottest new place in Toronto to go for a grand, Italian fine dining experience. We use the word experience here deliberately, as everything from the dining room - both in service and style - remains refined, while the ever-evolving menu contains some of the finest examples of gourmet Italian cooking (think dishes like slow-cooked egg yolk with burrata foam and baby french green beans with a black truffle caviar sauce) that money can buy. 

Located beneath Toronto’s Saks Fifth Avenue you’ll find a labyrinth of fine foods. We’re talking gleaming white aisles filled with dates imported from the Arabian peninsula, gigantic wheels of cheese from France, and even a veggie butcher. Yes, that’s a butcher dedicated solely to chopping up all of your veggies so all you have to do is throw them in the oven when you get home. Oh, and the vegan, soy-free, gluten-free and nut-free treats from Sorelle & Co. look like they came straight out off of the set of Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest hotel. They are *almost* too pretty to eat.