We called the 10 most clicked Winterlicious restaurants to find out how the festival’s going (and how to get a table)
With the end of Winterlicious in sight, we got curious about how this year’s prix fixe madness was going. “Stronger than last year,” said Pangaea owner Peter Geary, who credits social networking with driving last-minute reservations throughout the festival. “Even last night, you could see people taking photographs of their meals and tweeting,” he told us (apparently phones at the dinner table are no longer a faux pas). The folks over at Canoe also noticed the impact of word of mouth, saying, “As soon as we change our voice message to say we have some availability, the phones go crazy.” While quick-fingered foodies have snapped up all of Canoe’s remaining tables, there’s still hope—the people at Scarpetta, Biff’s and Jump all advised diners to call last-minute, since no-shows are still very much a Winterlicious tradition. We also talked to the 10 restaurants whose menus got the most hits from our list of the 61 best bets to find out whether and when tables are still available.
1. Scarpetta
Read our review | See the menu
A few late-night tables can still be found (say, after 9 p.m.) tonight and Wednesday, but Thursday is fully booked.
2. Aria
Read our review | See the menu
Read our food editor’s recommendation »
You can generally get a table during most dining hours—plus, the lunch prix fixe is also being offered on Friday after the festival officially ends.
3. Jump
Read our review | See the menu
For all three days, lunch reservations are full until 2 p.m., and there’s limited availability for early or late dinners.
4. Canoe
Read our review | See the menu
Yeah right. As usual, Canoe is fully booked.
5. Biff’s
Read our review | See the menu
Room tonight and Wednesday for lunch and dinner, but Thursday is quite busy for both. You may be able to score a table if you’re willing to eat early or late.
6. Pangaea
Read our review | See the menu
Read our food editor’s recommendation »
For lunch, Thursday has the most available reservations. Limited space for dinner on all three nights.
7. Luma
Read our review | See the menu
Read our food editor’s recommendation »
If you’re willing to eat at 5 or 8:30 p.m., you may be able to land a table. Lunch is full from noon to 2 p.m.
8. Lucien
Read our review | See the menu
Read our food editor’s recommendation »
The 15-seat bar is open for reservations on all three nights. A few early and late tables are still available.
9. King Street Social
Read our review | See the menu
Availability for lunch and dinner on all three days.
10. Reds
Read our review | See the menu
Tonight and Wednesday are your best bets for dinner, while there are a few lunch reservations available after 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/canoe-panorama-624x191.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_116241" align="aligncenter" width="656" caption="Hoping to squeeze into Canoe this Winterlicious? You’re out of luck (Image: Jen Chan from the Torontolife.com Flickr pool)"][/caption]
With the end of Winterlicious in sight, we got curious about how this year’s prix fixe madness was going. “Stronger than last year,” said Pangaea owner Peter Geary, who credits social networking with driving last-minute reservations throughout the festival. “Even last night, you could see people taking photographs of their meals and tweeting,” he told us (apparently phones at the dinner table are no longer a faux pas). The folks over at Canoe also noticed the impact of word of mouth, saying, “As soon as we change our voice message to say we have some availability, the phones go crazy.” While quick-fingered foodies have snapped up all of Canoe’s remaining tables, there’s still hope—the people at Scarpetta, Biff’s and Jump all advised diners to call last-minute, since no-shows are still very much a Winterlicious tradition. We also talked to the 10 restaurants whose menus got the most hits from our list of the 61 best bets to find out whether and when tables are still available.
1. Scarpetta
Read our review | See the menu
A few late-night tables can still be found (say, after 9 p.m.) tonight and Wednesday, but Thursday is fully booked.
2. Aria
Read our review | See the menu
Read our food editor’s recommendation »
You can generally get a table during most dining hours—plus, the lunch prix fixe is also being offered on Friday after the festival officially ends.
3. Jump
Read our review | See the menu
For all three days, lunch reservations are full until 2 p.m., and there’s limited availability for early or late dinners.
4. Canoe
Read our review | See the menu
Yeah right. As usual, Canoe is fully booked.
5. Biff’s
Read our review | See the menu
Room tonight and Wednesday for lunch and dinner, but Thursday is quite busy for both. You may be able to score a table if you’re willing to eat early or late.
6. Pangaea
Read our review | See the menu
Read our food editor’s recommendation »
For lunch, Thursday has the most available reservations. Limited space for dinner on all three nights.
7. Luma
Read our review | See the menu
Read our food editor’s recommendation »
If you’re willing to eat at 5 or 8:30 p.m., you may be able to land a table. Lunch is full from noon to 2 p.m.
8. Lucien
Read our review | See the menu
Read our food editor’s recommendation »
The 15-seat bar is open for reservations on all three nights. A few early and late tables are still available.
9. King Street Social
Read our review | See the menu
Availability for lunch and dinner on all three days.
10. Reds
Read our review | See the menu
Tonight and Wednesday are your best bets for dinner, while there are a few lunch reservations available after 1 p.m. on Wednesday.){kind=link}