Toronto has always been a city that proudly displays its international influences. With about half of its residents born outside Canada, it boasts one of the most diverse and exceptional food scenes in the world. A short subway ride can take you from Argentine asados and Ghanaian jollof rice to Moroccan tagine and Korean kimchi jjigae.
This summer, as Toronto co-hosts the FIFA World Cup and welcomes thousands of football fans for six games, the city's outstanding dining options are more valuable than ever. The cuisines from nearly all of the 48 participating countries are easy to find here. On June 12, the first Toronto game features Canada versus Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Whether you are cheering for Canada or a team from afar, knowing where to enjoy a great meal is essential. The restaurants listed below are excellent choices before or after a match, especially since most accept walk-ins for spontaneous celebrations or distractions.
Another appealing aspect of dining in Toronto is its neighborly atmosphere, where striking up a conversation with the next table is easy. Whether at a luxurious expense-account establishment or a humble order-at-the-counter spot, patrons are welcome to discuss controversial referee calls, and locals might even join in.
We have selected venues that capture the city's energy, from a grand dining room serving prime rib carved tableside to a Chinatown storefront with exceptional soup dumplings. Also featured is a time-traveling French dining room popular on Bloomberg's DINE Index, where the food community rates their favorite places.
Bar Allegro, Little Italy
There is a particular Mediterranean holiday culinary ritual: wandering hours before dinner, a lively aperitivo bar catches your eye. You stop for a spritz, order a few snacks, and never make it to dinner. Bar Allegro, the newest venture from Jonathan Bauer-Monneret, Martine Bauer, and Maxime Hoerth — the team behind Toronto's beloved Bar Pompette — recreates that vibe.
In the former Vinoteca Pompette space on College Street, Allegro channels the easy glamour of a European watering hole with warm wood interiors and a newly launched patio that will screen World Cup games. "People today are looking for experiences that transport them somewhere," says Bauer-Monneret, who was awarded the title Best Sommelier in France in 2014. Start with a precisely made cocktail, like the Allegro spritz ($15), brightened with passion fruit and pepperoncini. The martini selection ranges from the vodka-based blue cheese martini ($20) made with gorgonzola to a classic crisp Gibson ($19), built on gin and garnished with pearl onion.
In the kitchen, chef Bauer specializes in upgraded bar snacks and plates. Marinated artichokes with black truffle and ponzu ($14.50) deliver a powerful umami hit, while mussels with nduja ($18) offer a spicy kick. Bone marrow ($38) is presented atop a glossy bronzed potato bun with a generous scoop of slow-roasted marrow. "When we changed the concept, we did not want to stop working with the same suppliers and farmers. So we found a way to make it work," says chef Bauer about her high-quality ingredients. Her current favorite is the $14 deviled eggs with crispy chili oil and ginger mayonnaise.
