8 of Toronto’s best female-led restaurants

Nestled on the second floor, above Patois, is sister restaurant Ayla, led by co-owner and Executive Chef Danvee Kwok. Having spent her childhood in Hong Kong and her formative years in Canada, Kwok, along with partner Kevin Shawcross, has created a menu that celebrates traditional Hong Kong favourites with influences from Canada, the Caribbean and more. The chrysanthemum Caesar salad is a masterclass in umami-maxxing, with chrysanthemum greens tossed in a dressing made with fermented tofu, toasted sesame, miso and fish sauce, topped with red watercress, pecorino and toasted buckwheat. This creative blend of ingredients is enjoyed in an intimate room that nods to Hong Kong cinema's golden age.

Bar Eugenie is one of those beloved restaurants that diners and chefs rave about. Chef and co-owner Rebekah Bruce honed her skills in some of Toronto and London’s top kitchens before opening Bar Eugenie in 2024 with fellow hospitality professionals Ronnie Fishman and Lee Bonds. There, she draws on her culinary pedigree, her lola’s Filipino dishes and her grandmother’s use of Canadian ingredients. A perfect example of Bruce’s creativity is her Ontario corn and zucchini flower okoy; a Canadian twist on the traditional Filipino deep-fried fritter. The okoy was her mom’s favourite treat growing up, and zucchini flowers are her lola’s favourite vegetable, making this a dish a double tribute to the women who influenced her.

Before Kiin landed in the Entertainment District, Royal Thai cuisine was not part of Toronto’s popular restaurant culture. Bringing Northern Thai cooking and flavours to Toronto, chef and co-owner Nuit Regular has the prestigious distinction of being recognized by the Thai government for the authenticity of her cooking with the Thai SELECT Signature designation. The Royal Thai-inspired menu includes the staple chor muang (Thai jasmine flower dumpling), hand-pinched with a special pinching tool, with a roasted peanut, pickled radish, toasted coconut, Thai garlic, white peppercorn and cilantro filling, topped with fried garlic and red chilli. It’s a tiny dumpling that packs an explosive amount of flavour. 

Maven has quickly won over local diners with its contemporary Jewish and Eastern European-inspired menu. With plenty of fine-dining chops from time spent at the likes of Momofuku, chef-owner Shauna Godfrey didn’t set out to serve dishes inspired by her mother and grandmother, but a pandemic pivot that had her preparing weekly heat-and-serve dinners made her realize the comfort food she grew up with was also comforting the community around her. Her bubby Rose’s challah buns are featured on Maven’s menu, and Rose’s cheesecake is the most popular dessert. Sure, you can pop by for a homey meal of chicken schnitzel or pastrami-crusted short ribs, but Godfrey’s food isn’t only for a night out; the newly opened Rose’s Pantry behind Maven offers fresh-baked challah, smoked fish sandwiches and many of Maven’s greatest hits.

Having officially opened its doors in August 2026, Mizunara hopes to lure curious diners with Executive Chef Alyssa Figueira’s mix of cooking, artistry and storytelling. Located in the Entertainment District, Mizunara bills itself as a “contemporary cocktail restaurant”. Figueira combines the chapters of her international cooking experience (six countries in all) into a seasonal tasting menu with a cocktail omakase, and an à la carte menu that promises to play with variations of time by incorporating ingredients that are aged, fermented or that bring a sense of nostalgia. Dishes like agedashi tofu with braised leeks and yuzu kosho, and tuna tartare with apple dashi and crispy shiso are designed to complement skillfully composed cocktails and the impressive selection of Japanese whisky.

A Toronto staple for 24 years, Tutti Matti is famed for authentic Tuscan food and a stellar wine list. Chef-owner Alida Solomon’s global resume includes six years cooking in Montalcino, Tuscany, where she fell in love with the ingredients and Tuscan way of eating. Back in Toronto, Solomon keeps certain staples on the menu: gnudi, pinci, pappardelle and tagliatelle are always made in-house and other dishes rotate with the seasons, like stuffed zucchini flowers in the summer and hearty soups in winter. Changing antipasto platters and Solomon’s commitment to Tuscan hospitality keep long-time customers returning. 

Since opening in 2024 and gaining local and national attention, chef Eva Chin’s neo-Chinese restaurant Yan Dining Room has popped up on many ‘Best of’ restaurant lists. Tucked in the back private dining room of longtime Chinatown favourite, Hong Shing, you have to know about Yan Dining Room to eat there. Chin has built her home with a seasonal tasting menu that changes monthly, drawing on her Chinese, Singaporean, Samoan and Hawaiian heritage. A recent ‘lion’s head’ dish is made with fish and pork fat and served with local sweet peas and cucumber; a fresh take on the traditional Chinese meatball.