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Toronto
Best Of · Toronto, ON

Toronto's Best: Adventurous Eaters

For restaurants that reward curiosity through unusual dishes, regional specialties, bold flavours, creative combinations, or ingredients diners may not see everywhere.

Toronto

Toronto's Best: Adventurous Eaters

Best Of · Toronto, ON
Adventurous Eaters icon

Adventurous Eaters

16 spots make the list in Toronto · ranked by Restaurantica's adventurous eaters scoring evaluation

7.7
Average Score
9.0
Top Score
16/102
Restaurants That Qualify
Leading the list:Lee· 9.0

Excellent

Score 8.0-8.9 • 7 restaurants
2

DaiLo

9.1
Chinese · Little Italy (College Street) · $$$

The menu rewards diners who like familiar ideas bent into new shapes, from octopus tacos and pomelo betel leaf to phaux carpaccio, sunchoke dumplings, and playful bar snacks.

3

ODDSEOUL

8.5
Korean · Ossington Strip · $$

This is the right restaurant for diners who like familiar formats bent into stranger shapes. A Korean Big Mac on Texas toast, tempura-squash poutine with roasted kimchi, and sweet-spicy wings are accessible, but they are not routine bar food. The menu rewards a group that orders widely.

4

Descendant Detroit Style Pizza

9.2
Pizza · Leslieville · $$

The best orders here are the ones that lean into the strange combinations: Jaffna, Electric Avenue, Daddy's Favourite and The No Name all reward diners who want more than a safe pepperoni night.

5

Death In Venice Gelato

8.4
Gelato · Little Portugal (Dundas Street West) · $$

This is a strong stop for diners who want frozen dessert with odd turns: cheeseboard, rosemary lemon, pandan, spiced chocolate, and rotating experiments.

6

WVRST

9.1
Craft Beer Bar · King West · $$

Curious diners get more than a basic sausage list here: bison with blueberry and maple, wild boar with mushroom and tea, elk with cumin and porcini, and duck with maple and foie gras all widen the order.

7

Molkagtez Mexican Cuisine

9.7
Mexican · Parkdale · $$

Curious diners get more than safe staples, with aguachile, ceviche, birria ramen, and an Aztec platter with insects beside familiar tacos.

8

Azhar Kitchen & Bar

8.3
Middle Eastern · Ossington Strip

Azhar is strongest for tables that want bolder Eastern Mediterranean flavours: chermoula sea bream, Iskender kebap, roasted lamb belly, wild scallops, halloumi with fermented honey, and a deep dip lineup give diners plenty to explore.

Good Options

Score 6.0-7.9 • 8 restaurants
9

Neon Tiger

8.3
Indian · Ossington Strip · $$

The menu rewards diners who want a few unexpected combinations. Corn Cheese-O-Yaki, T.F.C., Midnight Charcoal Chicken, and Lobster Curry Over Coconut Rice all move beyond the safest version of an Indian night-out menu.

10

Sunnys Chinese

8.8
Chinese · Kensington Market · $$

The order can move from beef tripe, tendon, and shank to mapo tofu, Typhoon Shelter squid, black cod, charcoal chicken, silver needle noodles, and bing fen.

11

Madrina Bar y Tapas

8.2
Spanish · Distillery District · $$

Curious diners have several ways into the menu, from Tuna Tartare Cones and Patatas Bravas Like a Millefeuille to Pulpo con Papas Aliñás, Shrimp Croquetas, and the tasting-menu format. The menu rewards a group that wants more than familiar small plates.

12

Mozy's

9.2
Middle Eastern · West Queen West

The menu crosses charcoal chicken with labneh, aji-verde brightness, charred chile depth, chicken-salt fries, and a tahini-miso cookie, so curious diners get novelty without losing a clear main order.

13

Bar Shozan

8.8
Japanese · Ossington Strip

This is a good room for diners who want specificity: mackerel in sesame sauce, sake-steamed oysters, shishamo tempura, pork belly yakiton, and regional lunch sets give the menu more discovery than a standard small-plates board.

14

Thai Barn Na

8.7
Thai · Bloor West Village · $$

The menu rewards diners who move past the safest noodle order. Khao Soi, Pad Kra Prao, Som Tum Todd, Jungle Curry, and spice-level choices give curious tables several ways into bolder Thai flavours.

15

El Catrin Destileria

8.7
Mexican · Distillery District · $$$

El Catrin's menu features bold flavors and unique presentations, appealing to those seeking an adventurous dining experience. The fusion of traditional and contemporary Mexican dishes offers a culinary journey for curious palates.

16

Foxley

9.2
Pan-Asian · Ossington Strip · $$

Foxley rewards diners who want sharper combinations than a safe bistro order, from yuzu ceviche and truffle-sauced whitefish to red curry beef cheek and coconut black rice pudding.