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Where to Eat and Drink in Toronto During TIFF

The culinary scene in The 6ix has never been better, especially around the downtown core, where most of the film festival’s screenings take place.

The Toronto International Film Festival, better known as TIFF, marks the shift into the fall season. Both the largest public film festival in the world and one of the most prestigious, the event draws an annual influx of visitors who build on an existing scene of cinephiles and TIFF members who attend year-round screenings at the Lightbox and beyond. 

Every September, as many as 400,000 attendees descend on the city for a week and a half of all things cinema, but the number of locals who can access tickets and attend feature films, shorts and documentaries is what makes it such a beloved event. 

Aside from the films, one of the other major perks of visiting Toronto—and of spending time in the downtown core, specifically—is the chance to indulge in the city’s excellent restaurant scene. From the sky-high tasting menu at Canoe to the Italian-leaning steakhouse offerings at Sammarco, there’s no shortage of places to dine like studio royalty in between a packed screening schedule. 

Venture slightly further afield for cozy French bistros like Milou and newcomer Brasserie Côte, where wine pairings are just as essential as the plat du jour, or stick close to the theater district to enjoy contemporary French cuisine with global influences at the newly renovated Alo.

Here are our picks for some of the best places to get drinks, dinner or a long, leisurely lunch during the madness that is TIFF, so you can indulge in the best of what Toronto has to offer that’s still just a quick trip away from the next buzzy screening.

Where to Eat and Drink in Toronto During TIFF

Ristorante Sotto Sotto

Ristorante Sotto Sotto

120 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 2H4

This charming Italian spot is one of Drake’s favorite restaurants in Toronto, and for good reason. An upscale Yorkville landmark with a strict dress code, it’s the perfect place to get decked out and potentially spot some celebrities, especially during TIFF. Owner Marisa Rocca opened the restaurant in the early ‘90s after moving to Toronto from Rome, and it’s been a local go-to ever since. Maintaining a packed dining room for over three decades isn’t easy, but Rocca makes it seem effortless. The expansive menu is replete with Roman classics like amatriciana and carbonara, plus all manner of Italian comfort food staples, from beef carpaccio to veal scaloppini. The wine list is just as compelling as the food selection, and it needs to be since the restaurant doesn’t allow corkage. Come on a night when you’re ready to sip some serious Italian reds and pair them with several courses of pastas, seafood and grilled meats, all served in a candlelit setting.

1 Richmond Street West, Suite 120, Toronto, ON M5H 3W4

Some chefs hem and haw about the fraught state of the restaurant industry, while others, like Carl Heinrich, take action to change it. Heinrich opened Richmond Station shortly after he won Top Chef Canada in 2012, with the aim of creating a restaurant that offered a better experience for staff and guests. Richmond Station is a no-tipping establishment, so the cost of paying all their staff is baked into the menu prices. Every member of the kitchen and front-of-house team earns a living wage and has health insurance. That quality of life and peace of mind comes through in the experience, as the food and service are utterly fantastic. For a quick bite, don’t miss the polenta fries, and pair them with one of the best burgers in the city. However, the six-course chef’s tasting menu, at $115 per person, is the best way to get the full scope, and it’s also available as a vegetarian option. The dishes rely heavily on locally sourced ingredients from nearby farms and producers, so offerings change rapidly: expect rotating pastas, layered salads anchored by local lettuces and regional proteins like New Brunswick salmon and duck from Ontario’s Tanjo Farms. Lunch runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with its own $49 two-course prix fixe for a quick but hearty midday meal. Dinner service begins at 4:30 p.m. sharp, leaving plenty of time to sneak in an evening meal before a show.

18 Duncan Street, Toronto, ON M5H 3G8

After initially collaborating on the Curry Shack in Thailand, chef Nuit Regular and her husband, Jeff Regular, now operate several restaurants in the greater Toronto area, including the original downtown location of Pai. Close........

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