Winterlicious 2025 is right around the corner, giving eager diners from across Toronto the chance to try new restaurants and old classics alike, as over 200 spots across the city offer specially curated prix fixe menus.

While the actual event doesn't kick off until Jan. 31, and runs through until Feb. 13, reservations officially open on Thursday, Jan. 16, and, with a number of participating restaurants already being some of the most sought-after seatings in the city, you'll want to act fast.

Each participating restaurant will offer three-course menus at one of six different price points; $20, $27, $34, $41, $48 or $55 for lunch and $25, $35, $45, $55, $65 or $75 for dinner. While a number of restaurants will offer both lunch and dinner, some opt for just one.

You can view a complete list of all participating restaurants on the City of Toronto's website, but here are some of our top picks for restaurants to dine at during Winterlicious 2025.

Top picks

 

DaiLo ($75)

An instant hit when it opened its doors over a decade ago, the hype surrounding this Little Italy Asian restaurant never seemed to die down, and there's good reason for that. This year, they're offering some of the iconic dishes like crispy octopus tacos, dumpling Pissaladière, Hainanese chicken, Singapore curry cauliflower and aloe sake sorbet that have made them one of the city's best-known restaurant.

PAI Uptown ($34/$45)

There's good reason why this restaurant specializing in Northern Thai cuisine is a magnet for celebrities in Toronto. While the original Entertainment District location isn't participating in Winterlicious this year, its Yonge and Eglinton sister is, with dishes like grabong, pad Thai, Khao Soi and pandan coconut cake.

Pai is a favourite in Toronto among celebrities, but you can dine there too during Winterlicious. Photo by Fareen Karim.

Le Select Bistro ($48/$65)

French cuisine is having a real moment in Toronto right now, but almost no one does it better than this King West stalwart. Make a reservation during Winterlicious, and you can sample Parisian delicacies like escargots, steak frites, fennel and garlic risotto, chocolate mousse and lemon tarts. La vie est belle, indeed!

Lapinou ($65)

Look no further than this Michelin-recommended King West French restaurant for a hearty, classic dinner done absolutely right. This year, their prix fixe menu includes options like parsnip soup and venison carpaccio, beef short rib bourguignon and a brown butter tart.

Gusto 501 ($34/$45)

Suffice it to say, la dolce vita is alive and well at this Corktown Italian restaurant, known for its unique dishes and showstopping woodfire pizza oven. This year, they're offering favourites like beef carpaccio, arancini, risotto and, of course, pizza, on their prix fixe menus.

New this year

 

Comma ($45)

This Queen West Korean fusion spot is from the team behind Myeongdong Gyoza Kalguksu, so you already know it's going to be good, and with a dinner prix fixe that includes unique options like a steamed pumpkin and blue cheese appetizer, braised short ribs, cod with kimbap and a Bungeo-ppang sundae.

Edna + Vita ($41/$55)

Toronto's finance bro community is getting an extra return on their investment at this Financial District Italian restaurant, which is offering enticing lunch and dinner deals including blood orange and fennel salad, mushroom lasagna, shrimp risotto, chocolate espresso ganache and pistachio tiramisu.

Kadak ($27/$35)

This Yonge and Eglinton spot offers inventive contemporary takes on Indian cuisine. This winter, you'll be able to sample signature dishes like Harissa chicken tikka, gobi mutter kofta, nilgiri macchi korma and rabdi jalebi.

Ultra Restaurant and Supper Club is among the first-timers for Winterlicious 2025. Photo by Fareen Karim.

Le Lert ($45)

From Patrick Sukasen, the local restaurateur behind Plearn Cafe, Koh Lipe and Savor, this Yonge and College Thai restaurant is serving up a dinner menu that includes options like pan-roasted shishito peppers, mushroom spring rolls, pad Ga Praow, pad Thai, coconut sorbet and Thai tea cake.

Ultra ($65)

This luxe Yonge and St. Clair supper club is perhaps one of the most lavish new restaurants to open in the city this year, and, in honour of Winterlicious, they're offering a selection of dinner dishes that includes Japanese coleslaw, shishito peppers, Teriyaki cornish hen, bibimbap and burnt basque cheesecake.

Splurges and old favourites

 

Black + Blue Steakhouse ($48/$65)

Swanky barely begins to describe this Financial District steakhouse that boasts soaring ceilings and opulent marble floors. This year, they'll be offering options like beef carpaccio and spicy bluefin tuna rolls to start, striploin, beef tenderloin and roasted chicken for a main and their signature Black + Blue buttercake to finish things off.

AP Restaurant ($75)

This upscale Sushi spot from celebrated Montreal chef Antonio Park is located on the 51st floor of the Manulife Centre, and they have an elevated menu to match. Their exclusive dinner menu includes beef tataki, shrimp maki, short ruib dumplings, truffle tteokbokki and ube swiss roll.

Biff's Bistro ($41/$55)

Nothing says "classic" quite like this recently-relocated French restaurant (now located in the Financial District) from Toronto hospitality supergroup, O&B. Stop by during the weeks of Winterlicious and you'll be able to choose from seafood bisque, chicken liver parfait, truffled chicken, Atlantic salmon, creme caramel and chocolate custard.

Chubby's Jamaican is a cult favourite in Toronto. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Chubby's Jamaican ($34/$45)

This King West Jamaican restaurant is the undisputed champ when it comes to upscale Caribbean cuisine in Toronto, and their menu offerings include crowd pleasers like ackee and saltfish bites, oxtail and red pea soup, jerk chicken, carrot cake and cornmeal pudding.

George ($75)

This Michelin-recommended Eclectic restaurant features dishes that take influence from Japanese, French and Eastern European cuisines (to name just a few), and that's abundantly represented in their Winterlicious offerings, which include duck breast, tuna tartare, cornish hen, beef tenderloin and a coconut and citrus pavlova.

Vegan-friendly

 

Amal ($48/$65)

Mediterranean cuisine is a no-fail when it comes to vegetarian and vegan-friendly dining, and this Yorkville Lebanese spot does it absolutely right. Among the vegan options for their Winterlicious menu, you'll find Fattoush salad, grape leaves stuffed with rice, falafel and sorbet.

Bellona ($27/$35)

This Baby Point Italian spot boasts a menu comprised entirely of vegetarian and vegan dishes, and this year, you'll be able to tuck into fried artichoke, eggplant sliders, lemon pesto rigatoni, calzone, tiramisu and apple fritters.

Yorkville's Amal boasts a selection of plant-based options on their prix fixe menu. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Bar Avelo ($35)

Located at Yonge and Wellesley, this plant-based cocktail bar located above Avelo is serving up a dinner prix fixe that includes options such as a jackfruit empanada, fried oyster mushrooms, king oyster skewer, shishito flatbread and chocolate mousse.

Hawker ($27/$35)

Though the prices at this Kensington Market restaurant may not hold a candle to those in the South Asian countries it takes inspiration from, you'll still find a great deal on your meal here, which includes a slew of vegan options like Lion's Mane wings, eggplant sandwiches, biriyani and flatbread.

MeNami ($27/$35)

While not a specifically plant-based restaurant, this celebrated North York Japanese restaurant has included vegan options like Asian pear salad, vegetable curry udon and mochi ice cream on their prix fixe this year.

Cheap and cheerful

 

Soula's Modern Greek Cuisine ($27/$35)

While a Greek restaurant on Danforth might not be the most groundbreaking concept, what is groundbreaking are their prices, with dishes like baked feta, gigantes, chicken souvlaki, vegetable moussaka, baklava and karidopita all available at wallet-happy prices.

Cafe ZUZU ($27/$35)

Head to Regent Park to dine at this coffee shop that doubles as a fresh and airy Italian restaurant later in the day. Offering both lunch and dinner menus during Winterlicious, you can choose from options like brussels caesar, little gem salad, rigatoni a la vodka, spaghetti and gelato.

Wang Lang ($27/$35)

This King West Thai restaurant takes authentic to new heights, with prix fixe menus that include signature dishes like heaping piles of steamed baby shrimp, Tom Bai Ma Kham, pad Pak Boong, grilled coconut rice cake and ube ice cream.

Wang Lang is offering a menu that'll please your wallet and taste buds alike. Photo by Fareen Karim.

Kothur Indian Cuisine ($20/$25)

One of the rare gems that occupies the lowest end of the price range at Winterlicious, this Etobicoke Indian eatery is offering bites like panneer tikka, goat kabab, lamb chops, chicken korma and a selection of sweet desserts to make your day without breaking the bank.

Tabule Bayview Village ($27/$35)

Lentil soup, hallum salad, flash-fried cauliflower, kefta, salmon kebab, rice pudding and baklava are just a handful of the options you'll be able to eat without breaking the bank at this North York Middle Eastern restaurant.