What’s on the menu at Lyla, a sleek new Mediterranean restaurant on Queen West

Including black truffle tortellini and a fresh fish counter

By Jessica Huras| Photography by Jelena Subotic

| August 26, 2024

What’s on the menu at Lyla, a sleek new Mediterranean restaurant on Queen West

Name: Lyla Contact: 60 Sudbury St., lylatoronto.com, @lylatoronto
Neighbourhood: Queen West
Owners: Daniel van Welie (Cano) and Amen Habtemariam Chef: Michael Medeiros Accessibility: Fully accessible

Mediterranean cuisine is at the core of the bond between Lyla co-owners and friends Daniel van Welie and Amen Habtemariam, who first met when they were 18 years old while working at Italian restaurant chain, Terroni. Van Welie went on to open an Italian restaurant, Cano, in 2017, and he brought Habtemariam on board soon afterward. Almost seven years later, the pair felt the time was right for a new project.

“We built an incredible clientele base in a great space with Cano,” says Van Welie. “But eventually we felt like we could do more and we were ready to try something new.”

While Cano showcases Italian cuisine in all its glory, Lyla widens the culinary scope to embrace the entire Mediterranean region, with executive chef Michael Medeiros eager to experiment with French and Greek flavours. Van Welie attributes Cano’s ongoing success to its strong focus on service and hopes to bring the same personal touch to Lyla. “When I go out for dinner, I want to feel like I’m special,” he says. “Whether you spend $50 or $500, it doesn’t matter to us—we want you to feel important and to enjoy being part of what Lyla is starting to become.”

The Food

Lyla’s menu is built around Mediterranean-inspired sharing plates. “The menu is based on things that we enjoy eating ourselves as well as things we think diners will appreciate,” says Van Welie. Medeiros leverages homegrown ingredients as much as possible and weaves in Asian-influenced twists along with nods to his own Portuguese heritage. “We want everybody who comes here to feel like there’s something for them to eat, drink and enjoy,” says Van Welie.

This King salmon crudo is kombu-cured using sheets of kelp to intensify its flavour and give the fish a firmer texture. It’s mixed with carra carra orange segments and pickled pepperoncino, then dressed in a gochujang-based chili citrus sauce. $27 — This king salmon crudo is kombu-cured using sheets of kelp to intensify its flavour and give it a firmer texture. It’s then mixed with cara cara orange segments and pickled pepperoncini and dressed in a gochujang-based chili citrus sauce. $27

Medeiros amps up this classic hummus with fried chickpeas for crunch, plus za'atar, fresh parsley and olive oil. It comes with grilled, housemade pita. $11 — Medeiros amps up this classic hummus with fried chickpeas for crunch, plus za’atar, fresh parsley and olive oil. It comes with grilled house-made pita. $11

For this dish, octopus gets the sous-vide treatment for 12 hours, then it’s char-grilled and finished with ‘nduja crumbs. It’s plated on a bed of romesco sauce with double-fried potatoes and dollops of olive tapenade and salsa verde. $57 — For this dish, octopus gets the sous-vide treatment for 12 hours, then it’s char-grilled and finished with ’nduja crumbs. It’s plated on a bed of romesco sauce with double-fried potatoes and dollops of olive tapenade and salsa verde. $57

This crispy cauliflower sits on swirls of housemade hummus and confit garlic sauce. A drizzle of honey and sprinkling of pomegranate seeds and fresh mint complete the dish. $23 — This crispy cauliflower sits on swirls of house-made hummus and confit garlic sauce. A drizzle of honey and sprinkling of pomegranate seeds and fresh mint complete the dish. $23

This heirloom carrot dish starts with a base of Moroccan-spiced yogurt, which is layered with honey-roasted carrots, pine nuts and salsa verde. $15

Roasted garlic crowns this 12 oz Ontario grass-fed striploin, which is served with a side of bone marrow. Aged port jus is poured over everything tableside. $59 — Roasted garlic crowns this 12-ounce grass-fed Ontario strip loin, which is served with a side of bone marrow. Aged port jus is poured over everything tableside. $59

A rotating display of fresh fish is a focal point of the restaurant, providing the foundation for daily specials. — A rotating display of fresh fish is a focal point of the restaurant, providing the foundation for daily specials

The Drinks

The cocktail menu features timeless classics as well as Lyla’s signature mixes. Popular cocktails, including margaritas and espresso martinis, can also be ordered as magnum shakers that serve eight people.

The current cocktail lineup presents summery takes on familiar favourites, often incorporating ingredients that are also used in the food menu. Lyla also has a solid wine list that mirrors the food menu’s influences, anchored by Italian, Portuguese and French bottles along with a few California staples.