“I would absolutely hate to see it close”: Toronto chefs on their favourite (older) restaurants

Last month, Toronto restaurateur Jen Agg posted a heartstring-pulling Instagram callout to Torontonians to keep patronizing their favourite old haunts. “We understand that places have their moment in the sun,” wrote Agg. “But if we don’t support older restaurants that we think we love, they are going to disappear. I promise.” While speaking on behalf of all middle-aged kitchens, she was also advocating for herself, as rent increases and weekday services with fewer guests at Rhum Corner have put the charming Haitian oasis she owns with her husband, Roland Jean, on the chopping block.

We all know restaurants come and go, but some are just too critical to a city’s culinary topography to be lost to the next shiny new thing. In the hopes of highlighting a few of these not-to-be-forgotten gems, we asked a handful of chefs and restaurateurs for their favourites—and what they order at each.

Jen Agg

Owner of Cocktail Bar, Rhum Corner, Bar Vendetta, Grey Gardens and General Public

Where: Black Dice Café, est. 2009 Why: There’s such a vibe, and it’s so uniquely Toronto. I have played many a rousing game of pinball there, and the jukebox is so well stocked. It’s just very cool in every way, and that is thanks to Hideki Saito’s ’50s rockabilly (by way of David Lynch) obsessions. It’s the perfect spot to start or finish your night and the kind of bar that is worth going out of your way for. What: The sake—Hideki’s list is always impeccable.

Where: Foxley, est. 2007 Why: The food is great and consistent, and you can find chef Tom Thai in the kitchen most nights it’s open. I would absolutely hate to see it close. It was one of the first spots on the “new” Ossington, and sometimes it feels like the prices are frozen in time. Tom is truly a treasure of this town, and I have been following him around since Tempo on College Street. What: My (embarrassingly) regular order is Arctic char ceviche with a heap of julienned apple, ginger and a healthy dose of sriracha—it’s always the exact same. Also, short ribs (not side ribs, although they are also great) and a mountain of kale salad covered in pecorino and the most perfectly balanced lemon dressing. Sometimes I finish it all off with a couple pockets of lightly sweet inari for dessert.

Cory Vitiello

Director of concept and culinary development at LFG Growth Partners

Where: Barberian’s Steak House, est. 1959 Why: For me it’s really just about the feeling of being in a space that’s stuck in time in the best way possible. Arron Barberian—himself a throwback to the glory days of hospitality—is one of this city’s greatest restaurateurs. His knowledge of wine is impeccable, and being in the restaurant’s wine cellar, which is steeped in history and tradition, can only be described as magical. Arron has an intangible quality. When he touches your table, it’s as if he’s sprinkled fairy dust everywhere. What: I go with the grain here and opt for the familiar and nostalgic—prime rib with Yorkshire pudding and caesar salad, all the way.

David Schwartz

Chef and owner of Linny’s, Mimi Chinese and Sunnys Chinese

Where: Café Polonez, est. 1981 Why: The first restaurant I ever ate at in Toronto was Country Style, which closed in 2023. I was devastated by its closure. Café Polonez has a similar old-school family-run eastern European comfort food vibe. The prices are also trapped in time. What: It’s really hard for me to choose. They have an incredible salad combo of fresh beets, coleslaw, carrots and fried cabbage. Also, their pulpety—ground chicken meatballs in a creamy dill sauce—are crazy good. So are the pierogis.

Where: Swatow, est. 1980 Why: This Chinatown Cantonese spot is reliable, delicious and consistent. I’ve eaten there at least twice a week now for years. I used to go with my dad when I was a kid. I still go with him, but now I also go with my friends and my wife. The only thing that’s changed in decades are the business hours. If they ever decide to close, I’ll be out there picketing against whatever is forcing them to do so. What: Everyone knows you don’t get just one dish at a Cantonese restaurant. Ten out of 10 times, I get the shrimp with scrambled eggs on rice. And more often than not, I get the ho fun, stir-fried rice noodles with beef.

Where: Imanishi, est. 2016 Why: This Japanese gem is such an admired restaurant within the industry, and the scene would just collapse if it folded. Everything about it is so smart and well-executed and unpretentious. What: The corn kakiage—which is like a crispy corn funnel cake—is just so good. I could never go there and not order it. The chilled fried eggplant in dashi is also insane.

Conor Joerin

Chef and owner of Sugo and Bar Sugo

Where: Pho Cuu Long Mien Tay, est. 1994 Why: I love the food at this excellent Vietnamese restaurant, and I’ve been eating there since I was a kid—but I also love their adaptability. Thirty years ago, the restaurant was located on Ossington before anything else was. When Ossington started turning into King West, Pho Cuu was gentrified out and had to move near St. Clair West and Old Weston Road. About a decade or so later, they were gentrified out of that neighbourhood as well. They then moved to their current location at Jane and Sheppard. The same family has been running the business and cooking in the kitchen for decades. The business has adapted time and time again—but the food, the recipes and the pride the owners take in their restaurant has never changed. What: They do this super-popular coursed Vietnamese-style tasting menu called Beef Seven Ways. One of the dishes is called bo la lot, which is a very green and earthy dish of beef wrapped in betel leaf. They also make an expert-level canh chua, which is a sweet-and-sour soup.

Where: La Bella Managua, est. 2005 Why: This place, which serves up homestyle Nicaraguan plates, is also owner-operated, and the value of the plates is insane. They keep their prices down, they work their business and they care about their customers. What: I go there once a week and usually get the special, which is always the same—a combo plate of fried sea bream, avocado salad, fried cheese, tostones, fried plantains and a side of chimichurri. I’m a plantains guy, so I save those for last—they’re my dessert.

Eva Chin

Chef and owner of Yan Dining Room

Where: Bowl Kee, est. circa 1990 Why: I was born and raised in Hawaii. When I was eight years old, in 1997, my dad took me to Toronto on one of his business trips. That’s when I ate at Bowl Kee for the first time. I’ll never forget that feeling of biting into the crisp rice from the clay pot. It’s always been an inspiration. When I moved to Toronto in 2020, I was thrilled that Bowl Kee was still open and that the food tasted exactly how I remembered it. That consistency is not a fluke. The way they use the wok is correct and beautiful, and it’s the same every time, without flaw. What: I always get the clay pot rice with eel. The eel is chopped and cooked with the rice in the clay pot. The dish is fresh and aromatic. There’s a ton of fresh herbs—cilantro, green onion—plus a bit of fermented black bean and a touch of dried tangerine peel.

Afrim Pristine

Co-owner and maître fromager of Cheese Boutique

Where: Tutti Matti, est. 2002 Why: Alida Solomon, the chef-owner of Tutti Matti, is one of the hardest-working people I know in the industry. She’s been cooking in the kitchen of her restaurant for 22 years straight, and I can taste the love in every plate of food. It’s rustic homestyle Tuscan cooking at its finest. What: The wild boar ragu pici is made with a Tuscan-style pasta, the long noodles of which are enveloped in a wild boar ragu that Alida braises for some ridiculous amount of time, like 48 hours. It’s by far one of the best pasta dishes in the city.

Where: Bar Vendetta, est. 2020 Why: It’s just a really solid pasta joint. Because of my mom’s background, I grew up eating traditional southern Italian cooking. I like that there’s nothing really traditional about Bar Vendetta—and that’s okay. It’s super creative and innovative but not pretentious in any way. I’m at that point in my life where I’m over tasting menus. I’m into casual experiences where I can show up at a spot and sit at the bar and order an excellent meal and just have a good time. Bar Vendetta is all of that, plus excellent value. What: I get the house-made rosemary focaccia every single time and use it as a vessel for the heirloom butter beans. And my pasta of choice is the cacio e pepe.

Alida Solomon

Chef and owner of Tutti Matti

Where: Rodney’s Oyster House, est. 1987 Why: I come from a small school of chefs who didn’t open a restaurant to be a restaurant owner—I opened to cook and to provide customers with real hospitality. To get off the ground, we used pocket money, not bank money, and mortgaged our houses to make the industry better. Rodney’s, which is now run by my dear friend Bronwen Clark, Rodney’s daughter, is another such place. It’s the kind of spot you could show up to twice, and on your second visit, they already know your drink order. The restaurant is steeped in history. They care about their clientele, and the kitchen slings out a fish stew that is to die for. What: Aside from a good quality oyster, the smoked fish platter is my life.