Where and what to eat in Toronto this winter. —Truc Nguyen
alder. You’ll find one of the city’s newest culinary hotspots on the lower level of the Ace Hotel. Alder offers a Mediterranean-inspired wood-fired menu and curated drink selection. Start with one of the bold cocktails, and then transition to a local beer or wine—there are selections from Pearl Morissette, Hidden Bench, Eastbound Brewing and more—while you enjoy flavour-packed dishes like the sea bream crudo, suckling pig with watercress and charred mustard greens, and citrus and burrata salad. Be sure to order a few shared sides for the table; the baked clams and tempura shishito peppers are not to be missed. 51 Camden St., 416-637-3737. Aldertoronto.com
sunny’s chinese. The award-winning pandemic pop-up, from the team behind Mimi Chinese in midtown, recently opened a permanent home in Kensington Market. Offering regional Chinese food in an elegant space with cosy banquettes and an open kitchen, Sunny’s menu features dishes in four categories: cold, hot, charcoal and “not too sweet.” Everything is meant to be eaten family-style, and you’ll want to come with a few friends to try a little bit of everything. Depending on if your party can handle the heat, must-haves include the husband + wife beef, steamed sea bass and silver needle noodle—the flavour and texture combinations are lively and memorable. There are also swish takes on iconic dishes like beef and broccoli and orange chicken, and you’ll want to leave room for Sunny’s version of Hong Kong-style French toast, made with Blackbird Baking Company bread and a black sesame jam. 60 Kensington Ave., 437-833-5798. Sunnyschinese.com
senator restaurant & bar. Following a hiatus of almost two-and-a-half years, one of Toronto’s oldest restaurants finally reopened this fall with a talented new chef at the helm, and thoughtfully revamped brunch and dinner menus. Chef Eoin Ramsbottom, formerly of Sud Forno and Farmhouse Tavern, is focused on offering simple, but decidedly elevated takes on classic dishes like chicken pot pie, asparagus with gribiche, and grilled branzino. According to owner Bobby Sniderman, who can often be found personally greeting guests at the door, everything is made in-house from scratch at the Senator, including the cured salmon and the daily dessert specials—even the royal honey in the Busy Bee cocktail comes from the restaurant’s farm. 249 Victoria St., 416-364-7517. Thesenator.com
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