When winter settles in, Torontonians gather at the table.
Winterlicious, one of the city’s most anticipated foodie events of the year, is back.
From January 30 to February 12, the dining rooms of some of Toronto’s finest restaurants will be abuzz with patrons, proving once again that this city doesn’t slow down just because the temperature drops.
Whether it’s finally checking off that restaurant that’s been on your list for years, or leaning into one of the most local rituals there is—braving the cold to eat extremely well—Winterlicious is one of the best excuses to dine out all year. For visitors, it’s one of the easiest ways to experience Toronto in winter—when the city’s social scene feels most intimate.
These standout Winterlicious 2026 spots include places where the city feels on, neighbourhoods you’ll want to linger in after dinner, and crowd-pleasing new additions to the lineup.
Where the city feels on
Aera
High above the city on the 38th floor of The Well, Aera offers some of the best rooftop views in Toronto.
Part-steakhouse, part-sushi restaurant, it comes alive at night when the lights of the Toronto skyline and snow-capped rooftops glisten. This is sky-high dining at its best—with a striking feature bar, sushi counter seating, and immersive 4-person Chef’s Table. Book east-side first or second row seating with direct views of the CN Tower.
The $75 prix fixe dinner will warm you up, with selections like a cream of mushroom soup with truffled crème fraiche, and duck confit tagliatelle with winter sugo. For a true representation of Aera, don’t skip the sushi salmon roll with samurai sauce, tempura crunch, and tobiko, or the 8oz Canadian strip loin steak with whipped potatoes.
Casa Madera
Casa Madera provides a winter escape to the Riviera Maya, without ever leaving the city.
Set against a Tulum-inspired backdrop, its lively atmosphere, complete with bongo drummers and enchanting live performers, makes it an ideal choice for a group gathering or an elevated date night. Inside the eco-forward 1 Hotel, it’s an oasis in the city, fusing coastal-Mexican and Mediterranean flavours.
On the 3-course dinner menu for $75, I recommend the octopus croquetas with potato, beef bacon, and morita chili aioli; and since braised meats are quintessential winter warmers, try the Res Pibil with cochinita style beef chuck, black bean purée, habanero, and salsa roja.
Mother Tongue
This speakeasy-style restaurant and bar is a hidden gem inside The Slate (formerly The Templar Hotel).
Mother Tongue’s dimly-lit dining room and cozy bar seating make it an ideal choice for a date night or intimate evening out. Expect Filipino & Pan-Asian influences meant to pay homage to Toronto’s cultural diversity.
The $55 Winterlicious dinner menu features Fiery Filipino-style slaw with ruby mango, green papaya, and calamansi; Taiwanese chilli scallion noodles; Tocino-grilled chicken fried rice; and Korean beef short rib. For dessert, the Ube champorado (chocolate rice porridge) is worth saving room for.
LOUIX LOUIS
LOUIX LOUIS is one of the city’s most swanky and impressive hotel rooftop resto-bars, perched on the 31st floor of the St. Regis Toronto.
Here, a dramatic 2-storey, 30-foot-long Grand Bar housing over 500 dark spirits, and a 60-foot ceiling mural were designed to mimic the inside of a whisky glass. The restaurant is also home to the legendary King’s Cake: a decadent, 13-layer chocolate, buttercream, and ganache cake adorned with gold-leaf (a Petite version of which you can enjoy for Winterlicious).
Winterlicious menus are offered at $55 for lunch and $75 for dinner. The main dishes are especially hearty and warming: a smashed Wagyu cheeseburger, black truffle & stracciatella ravioli, confit of duck, and braised short rib.
Winterlicious is as much about where you eat as what comes after—drawing people into neighbourhoods that reward lingering, even in the cold.
Neighbourhoods to linger in after dinner
Fallen Feather
The Ossington strip remains one of Toronto’s most enduring hot spots.
Thankfully, this restaurant and bar-lined stretch offers plenty of refuge from the cold, like at Fallen Feather. This French-Asian fusion restaurant opened its doors in late 2024 and is making its Winterlicious debut in 2026. Marked by brightly-coloured plumes, hanging birdcages and lanterns, antique mirrors, and plush banquette seating, the space strikes a balance between eclectic and elegance.
Dive right into the $27 lunch or $35 dinner menu with offerings like Shrimp Jang (Korean soy-marinated shrimp and soba noodle), Kalbi with barley risotto, and creamy Gochujang pasta.
Bar Avelo
In a neighbourhood synonymous with luxury, a $35 three-course meal is a rare find.
Located at 51 St. Nicholas, Bar Avelo delivers just that in Toronto’s Yorkville district. The area’s mix of designer flagships, upscale boutiques, gourmet grocers, and lively bars is easily explored on foot.
From the team behind the former Osteria Du, Bar Avelo carries forward a plant-based philosophy with a dedicated vegan cocktail and tapas menu, including a sunchoke and pear soup, Maitake mushroom steak grilled in a panca adobo, and a pulled oyster mushroom and smoked cremini flatbread.
La Plume
There’s no shortage of cozy dining and shopping options at The Well, making it one of Toronto’s must-visit attractions. Its open-air design doesn’t deter in colder months, as there are plenty of inviting places to duck into.
Among them is La Plume, a standout option. A southern-French-inspired brasserie from the Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality Team, it’s spread across two beautifully appointed floors and hides a discreet speakeasy behind one of its bathroom doors.
Visit for a $41 lunch or $55 dinner during Winterlicious, featuring rôtisserie heirloom squash salad, Beef Bourguignon with buckwheat polenta, and Provençal salmon & shrimp with braised fennel.
New additions to the Winterlicious lineup
Each year, new participants signal where Toronto’s dining scene is heading—and in 2026, that momentum feels especially strong.
Alder
This MICHELIN-recognized restaurant is located on the lower level of Ace Hotel Toronto, with a food program led by Patrick Kriss of the Alo Food Group. Alder’s menu draws inspiration from the Mediterranean, including Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Morocco.
The $75 Winterlicious dinner menu features scallop crudo with blood orange, grilled avocado and jalapeno; foie gras parfait served with grilled sourdough; lemon ricotta mezzelune with winter truffle and brown butter; and grilled short rib with king oyster mushroom and broccolini.
AYLA
If winter calls for huddling close, AYLA understood the assignment.
Its moody, intimate dining room, accented by Chinese décor and snug bar seating, creates an atmosphere where brushing elbows with your neighbour feels like a part of the charm. Dubbed a “Love Letter to Hong Kong”, co-executive chefs Danvee Kwok and Kevin Shawcross deliver a menu that is unmistakably Asian, with unexpected Caribbean influences.
My personal faves on the $65 dinner menu: the prawn toast okonomiyaki, chrysanthemum Caesar salad, Iberico pork char siu with Caribbean green seasoning, and drunken wild sablefish.
Deauville Club
Though tucked away inside the Revery Hotel, Deauville Club draws local diners, city visitors, and hotel guests alike.
Its elevated dining room, with plush, dusty rose accents, exudes romance. The menu leans Mediterranean, grounded in French cooking techniques, resulting in hearty, satisfying dishes.
On the $48 lunch menu and $65 dinner menu, expect offerings like: wild mushroom & truffle arancini; Pernod-flambéed salmon with farro risotto and Parmesan-crusted Brussels sprouts; harissa-spiced winter squash curry; and ricotta & spinach bauletti.
Vinny Restaurant & Vinyl Bar
Vinny Restaurant & Vinyl Bar is one of the newest additions to the King West Entertainment District.
Located at 480 King St. W, the restaurant delivers on its name, pairing food and cocktails with a soundtrack of smooth grooves on vinyl in a laidback atmosphere.
On the $55 Winterlicious dinner menu, there’s baked French onion soup, steak frites, and rigatoni in a rosé sauce with Parmesan and pangrattato.
This story has been updated with new details since it was first published in March 2021.
