Your Ultimate Guide to Toronto’s Food & Drink Scene

🍽️ Featured Challenge Location:
St. Lawrence Market
→ The teams must select ingredients for the other teams to incorporate from Toronto’s iconic St. Lawrence Market. Get inspired by checking out the must-eats of the St. Lawrence Market.

👨‍🍳 Featured Chef:
Daniel Boulud: Chef/Owner, Cafe Boulud
→ World-renowned Chef Daniel Boulud judges this week’s elimination challenge, where contestants must create a seven-course brunch menu that pays homage to Canada’s maple syrup sugar shacks.

Find sweet sugar shack experiences near Toronto, best experienced from March to April.

🍸 Must-Eats from this Episode:
Poutine
→ This week’s quickfire competition challenged contestants to serve up their versions of Canada’s quintessential dish: poutine (made from a delicious combination of French fries and cheese curds topped with gravy).

Here’s where you can find some of the best poutine in Toronto. 

👨‍🍳 Featured Chef:
Dwight Smith: Culinary Innovator
→ Toronto-based Chef Dwight Smith is a renowned recipe creator and culinary influencer with over a million followers on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Explore more of Toronto’s top chefs and culinary innovators.

🍸 Must-Eats from the Episode:
Jamaican Patties
→ For this week’s quickfire challenge, the chefs attempt to create Jamaican patties, a favourite Toronto snack that became popular after Caribbean migrants introduced it to the city in the 1960s and 1970s.

Locally loved, here’s where to try Jamaican patties in Toronto (including ones featured in the episode and one of Chef Dwight's picks). 

🍽️ Featured Challenge Location:
Casa Loma
→ The backdrop for this week's elimination challenge is North America's only castle: the enchanting Casa Loma. Learn more about Toronto's iconic landmark. 
 

🍸 Must-Eats from the Episode:
Canadian Desserts
→  For the elimination challenge, chefs were tasked with creating savory dishes inspired by classic Canadian desserts, such as butter tarts and figgy duff.

While there are plenty of spots to try these classic dishes, Toronto’s international dessert scene is where it really shines. 

🍽️ Featured Challenge Locations:

→ Miss Likklemore’s
Miss Likklemore’s is a Caribbean-inspired restaurant owned and operated by Lonie Murdock. Known for its vibrant atmosphere, the dishes blend traditional island flavors with contemporary culinary techniques.

→ BB’s
BB’s is a Filipino restaurant known for its Filipino-influenced brunch and kamayan-style dinners. Chef Justin Bella serves dishes like adobo fried chicken and calamansi pie, earning a Bib Gourmand recognition from the MICHELIN Guide. ​

→ Kiin
Kiin is an elegant Thai restaurant offering Royal Thai dining experience. Led by Chef Nuit Regular, the restaurant presents beautifully crafted dishes that blend traditional Thai flavors with contemporary presentation. ​

→ Dil Se
Dil Se is a North Indian restaurant serving up authentic Punjabi Dhaba-style cuisine. Chef Mani Panwar brings a heartfelt approach to traditional dishes, serving flavorful curries, biryanis and tandoori specialties in a warmly decorated setting. ​

→ Mercado
Mercado is a family-run Portuguese restaurant by Willie Oliveira, offering a cozy atmosphere with a menu of tapas, grilled meats and seafood. Chef Jose Miguel alves Marques specializes in bringing a taste of home to the local Little Portugal community. ​

→ Soulas Greek Restaurant
Soulas Greek Restaurant, established in 1978, is a family-owned establishment in Toronto's Greektown. Led by Christos Christodoulou and Chef Nestoras Nikas, the restaurant emphasizes fresh ingredients and traditional recipes and provides a warm and inviting dining experience. ​