One thousand three hundred and eight. That’s how many restaurants opened in 2012—more than triple the year before, and the year before that. Toronto is in the middle of a restaurant boom that’s changing the way we eat, drink, date, schmooze, celebrate and generally revel in the city. The shimmering Momofuku triplex has dignified business execs devouring pork ssäm with their hands, and couples happily—gratefully—shelling out $400 for 10-course tasting menus. Downtowners are piling into rowdy izakayas for after-work sake and Sapporo, while Brit pubs are, to the amazement of every Firkin-going anglophile, becoming destinations for refined dining. Canadiana is no longer just a term for moose-print sweaters and maple leaf mittens, but a bona fide big-city cuisine borne of chefs obsessed with heritage meat and wild plants, preferably foraged in the Don Valley. Yes, Toronto is so flush with new places to eat that keeping up with them has become a full-time job. This year, Toronto Life’s critics were busier than ever, stuffing our faces, snapping photos on the sly and analyzing every last aspect of the dining experience. After much debate, we winnowed down 1,308 establishments to the top 10. Here, our annual ranking of the most innovative, interesting and delicious new Toronto restaurants.
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Chef Ben Heaton worked in some of Toronto’s best kitchens—One, Colborne Lane and Globe Bistro—before opening this new Dundas West spot with former One colleague Richard Reyes. Judging by the confidence and creativity on display in his British cuisine, Heaton has never been more at home. The long, dimly lit room has the vibe of a top-notch local, with cask-conditioned beers on tap, Britpop on the speakers and a Wimbledon-worthy Pimm’s cup executed to sour, cucumbery perfection. Minimalist menu descriptions make every dish a surprise. A stunning appetizer brings a trio of chubby scallops seared flawlessly (i.e., hardly at all), complemented by granny smith matchsticks, sautéed leeks, celery leaves, pickled walnut and stinging nettles that bring out the depth of the seafood flavour. Mains are prettily plated. The beef two ways—braised short rib and seared, roasted hangar steak—is wondrously tender, sided by two deep-fried oysters and a bath of briny oyster emulsion. The tart lemon curd with elderberries and clotted cream scores higher points than the heavy ginger cake with custard and marmalade. French and New World wines by the bottle come dearly, so it’s best to buy by the glass. Closed Mondays. Mains $16–$20. 
