Toronto Life critic Mark Pupo’s annual ranking of the city’s best new places to eat is out now. Here, Pupo picks the most memorable dish—from salads to sausages—he encountered at each of the restaurants in the top 20.
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 1 With persimmon rounds, charred escarole and shavings of Ontario ewe’s milk cheese. 1240 Bay St., 416-804-6066, brotherstoronto.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 2 A deft plating of duck two ways: slices of seared breast and confit-stuffed dumplings. 50C Clinton St., 416-551-1550, domatoronto.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 3 Perfectly blistered and topped with fior di latte, blackened kale and dandelion. 88 Harbord St., 416-929-7788, pianopianotherestaurant.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 4 A dessert of supremely sweet roasted baby pineapple and a whipped tofu pudding. 227 Ossington Ave., 416-551-6263, labanane.ca
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 5 A layered appetizer of cured trout, cucumber and radish. 746 Queen St. W., 416-203-3317, canisrestaurant.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 6 Pork ribs glazed with sambal cobek, a five-alarm chili sauce. 2110 Yonge St., 416-488-2110, noordento.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 7 Airy churros dipped in a tea cup of dark Mexican chocolate. 176 Yonge St., 416-507-3378, lenarestaurante.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 8 House-made pasta loaded with slow-cooked beef cheek and a heavy blanket of shaved parmesan. 184 Ossington Ave., 416-519-6996, superpoint.ca
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 9 The plump, garlicky links are only one of the barbecue joint’s house-ground sausage varities. 176 Wicksteed Ave., 647-559-2080, adamsonbarbecue.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 10 A funky vegetable paella with oyster mushrooms, black truffle and huitlacoche. 2277 Bloor St. W., 647-643-3132, @awairestaurant
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 11 Whole sea bream grilled over a wood fire, served with beurre blanc; order with a side of truffle-buttered hassleback potatoes. 955 Gerrard St. E., 416-465-0955, mapleleaftavern.ca
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 12 A salad of quick-pickled celery, salt-roasted celeriac, Italian parsley and sunflower aïoli. 996 Queen St. W., 647-748-4416, montgomerysrestaurant.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 13 A day-glo summer dessert of shaved ice, flan, coconut-flavoured jelly and a scoop of taro ice cream. 634 St. Clair Ave. W., 647-343-1110, lasabylamesa.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 14 A chorizo patty with tomatillo relish, spicy pickled onion and cheese on a Wonder Bread bun. 160 Springhurst Ave., 416-532-2908, @harryscharbroiled
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 15 Plump, white anchovies, roasted red pepper and a scattering of fennel fronds on crostini. 243 King St. E., 647-347-8930, ardorestaurant.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 16 A Korean-Peruvian mashup, served in a heated stone bibimbap bowl with duck confit, edamame, tobiko and chili peppers. 485 King St. W., 416-363-8388, barotoronto.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 17 A tostada of cuke, avocado and tiny, sweet Nordic shrimp marinated in a chili cocktail sauce. 2A Kensington Ave., no phone, elreybar.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 18 The deliciously greasy Hi-Rolla Ramen with chili, jumbo shrimp, Chinese sausage and soy-pickled egg. 318 Spadina Ave., 416-792-8628, jackpotchickenrice.com
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 19 Udon noodles in a cold kake broth of mirin, dashi and ginger. 5469 Yonge St., 416-229-6191, menami.ca
Toronto’s Best New Restaurants: No. 20 A deep bowl of white wine-steamed P.E.I. mussels. 252 Dupont St., 647-352-3337, barbegonia.com
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