Here are 5 of Toronto’s hottest restaurants right now

With all its openings and closures, Toronto’s dynamic restaurant scene is constantly evolving. This could be due to a number of factors, such as real estate and rental updates, evolving tastes and trends, or simply creative minds looking for a new space to showcase their talents.

While the food scene may feel too robust to fully understand, one thing is certain: Toronto always has a new (or new-to-you) restaurant to explore.

Here are five new (and emerging) restaurants and bars in Toronto that, in my opinion, are worth visiting this spring.

Electric bill

Electric Bill is a cocktail and snack bar from the people behind Civil Liberties, with the aim of paying tribute to Australian culture. The space exudes a relaxed and playful atmosphere, reminiscent of the unpretentious bar concepts you find in Sydney and Melbourne.

One of the place’s most charming design details are the Oxford dictionaries that serve as seasonal cocktail lists (look for the tabbed pages highlighting Aussie slang words and phrases).

For example, Bin Chicken is a cocktail named after the Australian white ibis bird. They are coarse scavengers, similar to a Toronto or New York rat. At Eclectic Bill is the name of an earthy, sour and sweet cocktail made with beet-flavored gin, Cocchi Americano, pineapple peel oil and lemon. Other fun drink names include: Budgie Smuggler (slang for speedos), Durry Muncher, Grass Cutter, Whiskey Apple.

When it comes to the food, they offer the quintessential Aussie meat pie, a must-have. Their version of the iconic dish consists of a tasty puff pastry with a well-seasoned beef filling, and they also have a vegetarian seasonal version. The grilled Chinese cabbage is already a fan favourite, made with a Marmite and black tahini glaze. If you’ve ever had Marmite, you’ll be relieved to know that the cabbage isn’t as absurdly salty as the polarizing seasoning.

One of Australia’s most famous baked goods is without a doubt the Lamington. Electric Bill makes their version by making a (intentionally dry) vegan sponge cake, raspberry filling, covered in a chocolate shell and a coconut anglaise. It’s quite a far cry from a traditional Lamington, so think of the exalted Jos Louis instead!

Azura

This beautiful new restaurant stands out for its multi-course tasting that celebrates the spectrum of colors and flavors of Mediterranean cuisine.

The chef’s choice starts with a selection of canapés, such as cube-shaped chickpea fritters topped with caviar, or labneh and Greek bottarga. During the fourth course, the cutlery is handed out, which is necessary for the delicious pan-seared Ibérico secreto layered with a thick grapefruit demi-glace, followed by the shawarma-seasoned halibut and the remaining courses.

Two desserts are served to end the meal. First a chic interpretation of fig newton made with an olive cake, chevre and bergamot and then a delicious variation on pan perdue topped with (an unexpected piece of) mortadella and chocolate. An unorthodox savory dessert with the perfect touch of sweetness.

Azura’s wine program also takes you excellently to the sun-drenched vineyards and salty sea breeze of the Mediterranean.

As you leave the restaurant, an employee will take a Polaroid of you and your dinner guest(s) to commemorate the experience. How’s that for a cute finishing touch?

Lisbon Hotel

We love a concept that makes the most of a 24-hour clock, and the Lisbon Hotel is a café by day and cocktail bar by night. Don’t be fooled by the name, it’s not a hotel nor has any connection to Lisbon, it’s just an understated retreat reminiscent of a stylish hotel lobby bar.

Portuguese assumptions be damned, the cocktails at the Lisbon Hotel here are undeniably well constructed. For whiskey lovers, Boy with the Apple has a nice sweetness from the white port, apple notes thanks to some craft cider and cognac and ends with a light peat and smokiness a la Ballantine. For something light and airy, the Little Wing Highball is made with fino sherry, sake and cucumber.

The snacks here include garlicky lupini beans and roasted marcona almonds, which are very hard not to overeat when placed in front of you. The ricotta and port-poached pear dish, topped with crispy prosciutto and tarragon and served on toasted sourdough, is a standout on the Lisbon Bar menu.

Sky

Aera takes its gastronomic experience to new heights…literally. One of Oliver & Bonacini’s newest restaurants is located on the 38th floor of The Well.

The views! They give a guest the feeling that he is eating among the clouds.

While you can experience the steak and sushi-focused Aera for lunch and dinner, the brunch menu has proven to be a strong draw lately thanks to its array of elevated classic AM dishes. The presentation, creativity and flavors on the brunch menu are exciting.

The warm, grilled cornbread, served with maple syrup and small corn chips, is a fantastic start to a meal here. Avocado toast is always present on menus these days, but Aera makes sense by adding a layer of whipped cream to the whole wheat toast.

If you’re a martini lover, their take on a classic Belvedere is a must. What makes this one memorable is a single malt wash instead of vermouth and topped with a blue cheese stuffed olive.

You may have just found your new favorite martini in Toronto.

Lulu Bar

Bar Lulu has long been a popular destination on Calgary’s bustling 17th Avenue, but its new location outside the city limits features a vibrant two-storey restaurant with a tropical color palette, happily tucked away in The Well. Lulu’s food and beverage offerings are as tropical and ocean-inspired as the interior design, with influences from Asia, Hawaii, California and the Pacific Northwest.

The menu is extensive, offering everything from snacks and small plates to meat and vegetable skewers, dumplings, fried chicken and much more. Not to be missed are the succulent steamed tapioca dumplings with lobster, an ode to a style of traditional Vietnamese dumplings. The mochiko fried chicken is reminiscent of a balanced Manchurian chicken dish, glazed with a spicy, sweet-spicy sauce.

Coconut lovers should order the coconut tres leches cake for dessert. What’s not to love about caramelized coconut, whipped cream and a little lime?

One of the best parts of dining at Lulu Bar is sipping a cocktail (or two). Their take on the classic Mai Tai, the crumbleable Coconut Cooler, the full-bodied Pineapple Negroni…the drinks are colorful, fun and make you long for summer.