Summerlicious made another triumphant return to Toronto and this is your last weekend to eat your heart out. This year, over 200 restaurants—from the far-flung recesses of Parkdale, to the sandy shores of the Upper Beaches—are churning out delicious prix-fixe menus to satisfy every single craving. Seafood, Italian, pork jowls, and everything in between: here are some of your best bets for a budget-friendly night of fine dining.
Parts & Labour | 1566 Queen Street West
$35 – dinner
With a typically varied selection of unique creations, from tartare to Cornish hen, P+L also offers up a slew of customized cocktails and desserts. No doubt your best bet for west-end eats this season.
The Saint Tavern | 227 Ossington Avenue
$25 – dinner
This Ossington hang is another great option for those in search of life-changing variety. Simple dishes with added flair is what’s on the menu, like a traditional wedge salad with bacon praline, or the Saint cheeseburger with bone marrow aioli.
Bent | 777 Dundas Street West
$45 – dinner
Superstar chef Susur Lee has another new boutique restaurant. This one, managed by his sons, offers a Summerlicious selection that is just as predictably delicious, with plates like spicy tuna and watermelon ceviche, or fried jerk chicken with green chili.
Joy Bistro | 884 Queen Street East
$18 – lunch / $25 – dinner
This iconic, east-end bistro keeps things classy, doling out a smattering of fancy feasts like sweet potato and cucumber vichyssoise and tempura-fried perch, while also offering a fusion of familiar eats like their butter chicken burger and green Thai curry mussels.
John & Sons Oyster House | 1 Balmoral Avenue (only)
$23 – lunch / $35 – dinner
Your best chance to experience top-notch oysters without breaking the bank, John & Sons is serving up an impressive cache of seafood at their uptown location (sorry Temperance Street residents). Chicken and sirloin dishes, not to mention a few summer soups and salads are also available for the less daring.
Momofuku Daishō | 190 University Avenue
$28 – lunch / $45 – dinner
One of the gems of the esteemed Momofuku dining dynasty, Daishō, the super cool glass cube overlooking University Avenue, has an equally cool menu of vegetarian (buckwheat noodle and chanterelle), seafood (grilled trout) and everything else (roasted rice cakes to short ribs).
Archeo | 31 Trinity Street
$18 – lunch / $25 – dinner
This Distillery district addition, housed in a rustic, post and beam loft space, serves up some serious Italian fare, for afternoon or evening-sized appetites. Start with an arctic char salad or cucumber and watermelon soup, and finish off with a classic margherita or funghi personal pizza.
Pukka | 778 St. Clair West
$25 – dinner
Those on the hunt for spice need look no further. Pukka’s generous selection of Indian dishes is a perfect alternative to the abundant Western fare. Vegetable pakoras and eggplant tartare are perfect starters; butter chicken and beef madras round out the evening, with enough room left over for dessert.
(Main photo: Bent)