toronto restaurants 2017

The 10 most anticipated Toronto restaurant openings this year

A new year brings the exciting prospect of another 12 months of restaurant openings in Toronto. With everything from new French and Thai spots to Mediterranean and established-elsewhere Middle Eastern faves making their debuts, there's going to be something to satisfy every taste.

Here are my picks for the most anticipated restaurant openings in Toronto this year.

La Banane

Set to debut super soon is chef Brandon Olsen's French restaurant. Olsen has previously worked in the kitchens of The Black Hoof and Bar Isabel (not to mention Ad Hoc and The French Laundry in Napa, California), and if his chocolate shop is any indication, this place will be amazing.

Grey Gardens

Speaking of The Hoof, its owner, restaurateur Jen Agg, will be opening a new spot in Kensington Market with ex-Momofuku Shoto chef Mitchell Bates in the very near future. This should be interesting, as it's named after a famous doc about the eccentric relatives of Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

Kiin

Nuit and Jeff Regular, the power couple restaurateurs of Toronto's Thai food scene (think Sukhothai, Pai, Sabai Sabai), are adding a new resto to their collection in the former Khao San Road space (which also reopens soon). The Regulars plan to introduce the city to some new Thai flavours.

La Palma

Chef Craig Harding is launching a new, more casual sibling spot to his Campagnolo on Dundas West this year. Taking over the recently shuttered Caffe Brasiliano, La Palma will focus on daytime meals, offering lunch (and possibly even brunch).

The Halal Guys

This popular New York City food cart has turned into a franchise and gone global, with its first Toronto location due to open any day now at Yonge & Wellesley. Those who have tried the platters and sandwiches before are waiting in anticipation to see if they stack up here.

Double D's

Gerrard St. E. is a happening place these days, and a Chicago-style deep dish pizza joint should be a welcome addition. These pizzas actually do look like pies.

Eastbound Brewing Co.

Where there's good beer, there's also usually good food, and I'm willing to bet this upcoming Riverside brewpub from husband-wife/brewmaster-chef duo Dave and Tara Lee (Bar Hop Brewco) will have both in spades.

The Anne Boleyn

From the group behind Parts & Labour, this upscale British-style pub will open at the corner of Richmond & Peter in February 2017. Named after King Henry VIII's second wife, let's hope this place doesn't suffer a similar fate.

Charidise

Occupying what was once John's Italian Caffe on restaurant-laden Baldwin St., this Taiwanese cafe plans to offer "a modern lifestyle complex with gourmet eatery, pop culture dining experience, and a breathtaking city skyline view from the rooftop patio." Sounds good.

Agora

A fast-casual, grab-and-go concept from the team behind Mamakas, this new Greek eatery (not to be confused with the cafe of the same name in The Junction) will open soon across from Trinity Bellwoods Park on West Queen West.

Lead photo by

Halal Guys


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