Restaurants GuideHotel

Studio Café star½ star good
star star very good
star star star excellent
star star star star extraordinary
star star star star star perfect

Read a full explanation of our system

Reviewed by Toronto Life
  • 21 Avenue Rd. (at Yorkville Ave.) View on map »
  • 416-928-7330
Editorial Review

The room may look a bit passé, with dull white walls and gaudy pansy-printed tablecloths, but the food stays up to date with a short à la carte selection, a seasonal tasting menu, and a “wellness menu” that includes healthy, organic ingredients. Catering to the desires of hotel guests means the café excels at such stalwarts as French onion soup, its broth rich and flavourful under a decadent gruyère croûte. Following suit, an Angus burger comes perfectly cooked; laden with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and lots of Canadian old cheddar, it’s a sure contender for the city’s best burger. Pan-seared black cod, perfectly cooked, shows the kitchen’s strength with fish. Next to these, a dry, flavourless quail–and–foie gras terrine seems out of place. Family-style desserts are a specialty, but skip the apple pie and opt for the New York–style cheesecake—dense, cheesy and not too sweet. Mains $21–$43.

Related Restaurant Reviews

An A-lister and her entourage may be only a few ...

Quiet changes to the modern, earth-tone decor (dark hardwood instead ...

The ornate room is starting to feel a touch too ...

Everything befitting an elegant hotel restaurant is here: grand decor ...

Blue punches brighten up this small rooftop patio atop the ...

Related Features

Danny Grossman Danny Grossman

How the modern dance guru, whose company performs at Harbourfront this month, would spend a single perfect day. Toronto on ... By Amy Verner

Hog Wild Hog Wild

Sweet, rich and gloriously sinful, Lai Wah Heen’s Wuxi spareribs make a perfect mid-winter meal. So we got chef Ken ...

Under the Influence Under the Influence

Through his short, bright career, Scot Woods has been obsessed with bringing the world’s cuisines to his cooking. Other chefs ... By James Chatto