The 10 biggest Toronto restaurant trends of 2014

In 2014, it happened: after three out-of-control years, Toronto’s tacoverse started to contract. (In 2013, we profiled 10 new taquerias. This year, there were only four.) Then, just as the tequila hangover was beginning to subside, a new wave of food obsessions rushed in to fill the void. Menus exploded with za’atar-dusted hummus plates and gourmet falafel wraps; with gargantuan seafood sandwiches and artfully skewered Spanish hors d’oeuvres. Suddenly, “bar snacks” were the new code word for “dinner,” and not just in Parkdale—hangouts around the city were plying diners with smart riffs on the junky dishes that go best with booze. Next year will bring a new batch of food fixations. (“Souping,” apparently, is going to be huge.) In the meantime, here are the 10 restaurant trends that defined dining in Toronto in 2014.