Global flavours, local warmth—Toronto’s comfort food scene redefines cozy with creativity and heart.
Bold curries, indulgent carbs, creamy sauces, hearty soups, umami-packed broths, gooey melty cheese—these are a few things I crave when the temperature drops in the city. Luckily, Toronto restaurants have comfort food down to a science, serving up the classics, cultural mashups, and innovative dishes you can look forward to all winter long.
From steamy pho to rich curries, chefs across the city show us that the best comfort food lies outside our comfort zone. Ready to virtually escape through your palate this cozy season? Read on.
Soups & Stews: Hearty comfort food in Toronto
When Toronto’s temperatures drop, nothing satisfies quite like a warm bowl of soup or stew. From aromatic Persian fesenjoon to Palestinian lentil soup and classic Vietnamese pho, these dishes offer global comfort with local soul.
Flavourful Fesenjoon
Queen of Persia (St. Clair West)
Essentially a walnut, chicken, and pomegranate stew, this hearty Persian dish is one I grew up on. It’s rich, textured, and packed with flavour. Trust me, if you’re feeling chilly, fesenjoon will have you melting into your chair in no time.
While many Iranian restaurants in Toronto have this classic dish on their menus (especially in Richmond Hill and North York where there are thriving Iranian communities, including the newly designated Little Iran), I often find myself craving a bowl from this downtown restaurant.
Step inside this St. Clair West gem and you’ll be greeted with warm hospitality and aromas that will instantly transport you to Iran.
Inspired by the memories made in their grandmother’s kitchen, the family behind Queen of Persia is passionate about bringing authentic Persian cuisine to Toronto. Think: slow-simmered stews, tender kebabs, and a menu lined with nourishing dishes. The food here is fragrant, flavourful, and shareable—making it the perfect spot to gather with friends or family during cozy season.
What to Order: The mouthwatering fesenjoon is a must, but for a full winter feast, I also recommend ordering the Ghormeh Sabzi (herb and beef stew), Soop-e Jo (creamy barley soup with chicken), Kashk o Bademjan (smoked BBQ eggplant walnut dip), and the Tehran Platter (featuring five glorious skewers of kebab).
Soul-Warming Lentil Soup
Louf (Davenport Road)
Made using only a few key ingredients, Shorabet Addass (red lentil soup) is a popular Palestinian dish—the kind you’ll want two servings of on cold winter nights. It’s creamy, filling, and soul-warming.
Head to Louf on Davenport Road for nourishing comfort food. This cozy spot looks and feels like a home—fittingly, because you’ll be welcomed like you’re family here. While you can’t go wrong with any of chef Fadi Kattan’s Palestinian menu, the adaptation of his mother’s Shorabet Addass (red lentil soup, Swiss chard, lemon) is certainly a standout.
What to Order: Beyond the Shorabet Addass, I recommend ordering the Maftoul Gare’ w Hummus. Perfect for when it gets cooler in Toronto, this hearty dish is made with hand-rolled wheat balls from Palestine, roasted local squash, onions, chickpeas, and classic Palestinian spices.
Warm Bowl of Pho
Pho Tien Thanh (Ossington Avenue)
There’s nothing quite like a bowl of piping hot pho when the temperatures drop. The Vietnamese soup is usually made with clear beef or chicken broth, slippery rice noodles, and thinly sliced beef—meant to be slurped while hot.
Head to the Ossington strip and try pho from two longtime rivals (Golden Turtle and Pho Tien Thanh) to determine who does it best. In my opinion, it’s the latter.
“I Love Pho Forever” is proudly painted above a very pink dining room at this family-owned restaurant on Ossington. Serving authentic Vietnamese cuisine since 1995, they have the best pho broth I’ve tasted in the city.
What to Order: All the pho on their menu is delicious, but phở đặc biệt (pho with braised brisket) is my personal fave.
Curries & Rice: Spice-driven comforts across Toronto
You could spend the entire winter navigating the curry scene here in Toronto. Indian, Japanese, Malaysian, Thai, Sri Lankan, Jamaican—the list goes on and on.
One thing they all have in common? These deeply layered dishes will tantalize your taste buds and thaw you in no time.
Rich Curry
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen (Downtown Toronto & Uptown)
Authentic flavours and friendly staff keep me going back to this MICHELIN-recommended spot time and time again. Here you can expect fresh ingredients, curry pastes made from scratch, and expertly balanced dishes. Paired with their vibrant ambiance, Pai Northern Thai Kitchen is a welcome reprieve on frigid winter nights.
All of Chef Nuit’s dishes are outstanding, but it’s the vibrant Panang Curry that instantly transports me to Thailand. Order it at your preferred spice level—from Mai Phet (no spice) to Phet Mak Mak (Thai spicy)—if you dare.
What to Order: Any of the four heavenly curries on the menu will hit the spot: Gaeng Kiaw Wan (green curry), Gaeng Massaman with braised beef (tamarind curry), Gaeng Panang (red curry), and Gaeng Hunglay (sweet and sour garlic-ginger curry with braised oxtail).
Mouthwatering Jerk Chicken
Simone’s Caribbean Restaurant (The Danforth)
Slow-cooked chicken smothered in a delicious jerk paste (hello, scotch bonnet) served with rice and peas, johnny cakes, and fried sweet plantains. Drooling yet?
Home to a vibrant Jamaican community, Toronto is dotted with restaurants serving up authentic jerk that’s worth lining up for. These spots don’t mess around and are held to high standards by the Jamaican diaspora, so your stomach is in good hands.
Everyone has their favourite Little Jamaica spots, but the restaurant I visit most frequently has been a staple in my neighbourhood (The Danforth) for over a decade.
Unapologetically flavourful, the jerk at Simone’s Caribbean Restaurant has just the right amount of kick for my taste buds. The chicken is always juicy, and the portions are generous.
What to Order: Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas. Other standouts include the Braised Oxtail, Goat Roti, and Ackee and Saltfish.
BBQ & Smoky Eats: Where Toronto fires up flavour
Toronto had a bit of a barbecue boom a few years ago, resulting in dozens of drool-worthy BBQ joints. So, whether you’re into the saucy or rubbed, there’s a spot for you.
Smokey BBQ
Beach Hill Smokehouse (East Danforth)
These guys are passionate about Central Texas BBQ, so don’t expect to see any sticky sauces here. Instead, they rub spices on high-quality cuts and use indirect heat from pecan or oak wood to smoke their meats.
With a pitmaster from Dallas, you’re getting the real deal at Beach Hill Smokehouse. They’re known for their pork ribs and 12-hour-smoked brisket, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
What to Order: The Austin Sandwich (tender brisket drizzled with signature Texas BBQ sauce and topped with a pork rib) or The Jurassic Pitmasters (beef brisket, pork ribs, sausage, smoked chicken, etc.) for those winter feasts with family or friends.
Cheesy & Carb-Loaded Comforts: Toronto’s indulgent classics
If your idea of comfort starts with gooey cheese or buttery carbs, these Toronto favourites deliver full-on indulgence.
Towering Lasagna
Porzia’s (Parkdale)
Many pasta dishes can easily fall under the comfort food category, but lasagna reigns supreme. It’s meaty, carby, cheesy—basically everything you’d want on the coldest of days.
We do this Italian comfort food really well in Toronto, so you’d be hard-pressed to find locals who agree on the best. From the makers of fresh pasta at Famiglia Baldassarre to neighbourhood favourites like Sugo and La Palma, there’s a slice (or even a whole tray) in the city that will have your taste buds doing a happy dance.
Coming in just under a pound, chef Basilio Pesce’s 14–16 layer lasagna at Porzia’s is a must-try. Made with an all-beef Bolognese that’s slow-cooked with San Marzano tomatoes, this 4-inch wonder is topped with a pile of freshly grated cheese (a mix of Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano Reggiano, and mozzarella).
What to Order: Both the Lasagne Bolognese and Lasagne Classico (made with a meatless pomodoro sauce) are heavenly. Pesce’s Taleggio Ravioli and Rigatoni with Duck Ragu will also satisfy any comfort food cravings.
Ooey Gooey Mac & Cheese
Bobbie Sue’s Mac + Cheese (Ossington)
Is it just me, or is mac & cheese the ultimate comfort food? Warm, creamy, cheesy goodness that really hits the spot on blistering cold nights. You can go the traditional route and opt for the classic variety, but we’re all about innovative cultural mashups in Toronto—so be adventurous and surprise your palate.
Whether you top your mac & cheese with saucy pulled pork, pancetta, chunks of lobster, or curry, there’s a delish and comforting mac & cheese that awaits your fork. A dash of nostalgia with a dash of reinvention.
Tucked away in a shack (literally) off the trendy Ossington strip, Bobbie Sue’s Mac + Cheese is mac & cheese royalty in my books. The noodles are cooked perfectly, the sauce is velvety, and their toppings are next-level.
What to Order: Everything. Try it all. The Carbonara (topped with pancetta, Grana Padano, and egg yolk) and the Pulled Pork (topped with house-smoked pulled pork and BBQ sauce) are two of my faves. They even have a Vegan Mac that’s creamy with a hint of smoke!
Cheesy Poutine with a Twist
Tropical Joe’s (Leslieville)
Most would agree that it doesn’t get any more Canadian than poutine. The gravy-drenched mound of piping-hot goodness really hits the spot on a cold winter day.
Craving a classic poutine? Head to Nom Nom Nom Poutine and order the traditional. But why not sink your teeth into a creative cultural mashup? You’re in Toronto, after all…
Enter Leslieville’s Gerrard Square and follow your nose to the food court for Caribbean eats with a Canadian twist. Tropical Joe’s is a bit of a hidden gem in the city, but they have a loyal following—so expect lineups when you arrive.
What to Order: They’re known for their fiery Jerk Chicken Poutine, so that’s a must! You’ll also find Curry Chicken, Jerk Pork, and Oxtail Stew Poutine on the menu—regardless of which one you choose, your taste buds are in for a treat.
Noodles & Broths: Toronto’s warmest winter bowls
Chilly temps have your teeth chattering? Dive into a warm bowl of noodles and broth and commence your thaw. From ramen to pho, Toronto’s noodle scene delivers pure comfort in every slurp.
Hearty Ramen
Konjiki Ramen (North York & Downtown)
A combination of broth, noodles, and toppings—from fatty slices of pork to seaweed—ramen is comfort food that soothes the soul. Popular spots include Sansotei Ramen, Sansotei Isshin, Ryus Noodle Bar, and Ramen Isshin, but it’s the ramen at Konjiki that has me going back for more.
With locations in North York and downtown, Konjiki Ramen has quite a loyal following across the Greater Toronto Area—and for good reason.
They’re serious about ramen and meticulous about every element—from the flour used in their noodles to the complex layers that make up their soup and broth. Authentic flavours await!
What to Order: Spicy Red Tonkotsu Ramen—a pork bone soup base with chashu, red chili oil, marinated ground pork, beans, beef, braised bamboo shoot, spring onion, and leek.
Ready to take your comfort food journey to the next level? Explore beyond your comfort zone, lean into Toronto’s multicultural food scene, and try dishes that reflect the diversity of our people. You won’t be disappointed.
Bold, blended, and rooted—Toronto’s comfort food scene redefines coziness through creativity and global flavour.
For more on homegrown ingredients and traditional Canadian dishes, read: Where to Find Iconic Canadian Foods in Toronto.
—This story has been updated with new details since it was first published in March 2021.
