The Dish Power Rankings: how the powerful stay powerful edition

The Dish Power Rankings: how the powerful stay powerful edition

The Dish Power Rankings

Toronto Life’s roundup of the restaurants with the biggest buzz, the longest lineups and the toughest tables to snag.

Edulis remains in the top spot and Playa Cabana Cantina’s reservation book continues to fill up (only faster). Meanwhile, Shōtō moves back into the top five and Porzia finally drops after a rapid four-week rise.

  1. Edulis (no change)
    Edulis has just one open table for two available during prime dining hours (7-9 pm) for the next three weeks: Sunday, March 10 at 8:30 pm. Pick up the phone. Now.
  2. Rose and Sons (↑1)
    Weekday breakfast and lunch wait times at Anthony Rose’s tiny diner average about 20 minutes (our take: “good chaotic fun;” Rose’s take: “it’s a fucking gong show.”).
  3. Playa Cabana Cantina (↑2)
    Now it’s even harder to get a table at Toronto’s best new taco bar: the weekend reservation book is filled more than a week in advance and the following Friday is already full, too. The buzz is spilling over to Playa Cabana in the Annex (see #10!).
  4. Shōtō (↑3)
    David Chang’s 22-seat tasting menu restaurant is booked through until Tuesday. Turns out, Torontonians are willing to drop $300 on dinner.
  5. Farmhouse Tavern (↑2)
    Brunch is so crammed the locavore locale is known to give out consolations muffins to frigid diners waiting outside.
  6. Porzia (↓4)
    After being stuffed with aspiring socialites late into the evening for four weekends running, the new Italian restaurant in Parkdale has plenty of tables available this Friday and Saturday.
  7. JaBistro (↓3)
    Downtown’s best sushi restaurant isn’t drawing the same crowds it did when it first opened. The upside: you can get a weekend table. Try the lobster sashimi.
  8. OddSeoul (↑1)
    The new Korean-American snack bar from the Han brothers is always crushed with the hungry and the hip. Even the stuffy Globe enjoyed the buzzing crowds. 
  9. Patria (back this week)
    Charles Khabouth’s buzziest restaurant is full of King West suits and society-types toasting over tapas. Toronto Raptor Amir Johnson likes to play cupid there too.
  10. Playa Cabana (no change)
    We miss Homeland so much we’re leaving Playa Cabana on the list—even though we spotted Claire Danes there last week. (It’s also really busy.)

Honourables mentions: Glas’s vegetarian tasting menu continues to woo Leslieville diners and Toronto institution Centro gets a nod for its last supper before it gets a makeover.

Dropped from the list: Momofuku Noodle Bar