Where to fill up on heart-warming comfort food in Toronto

Sometimes healthy intentions are no match for comfort food cravings. Cozy up to these Toronto restaurants serving hearty home-style recipes that taste just like Mom’s. Don't worry, you can always start back on your juice cleanse tomorrow.

Where to fill up on heart-warming comfort food in Toronto
Jessica Emma Napier By

Rose And Sons

1
176 Dupont St, Toronto, ON M5R 2E6

Chef Anthony Rose serves up homey food and drink with a side of love at his Dupont Street diner. The mouthwatering menu features zucchini Parmesan, BBQ shrimp ’n’ grits and buttermilk fried chicken. Add a little extra comfort with a hearty side of bacon mac and cheese, griddled cornbread or schmaltz hash.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

OkayOkay Diner

2
1128 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1K8

Leslieville locals head to this casual daytime hangout for the lip-smacking selection of classic comfort food options. Enjoy the relaxed vibe and line your stomach with buttermilk pancakes, rib sticking oatmeal or a triple-decker grilled cheese sandwich.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

The Lakeview

3
1132 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1X2

Get your comfort food fix at all hours of the day and night at this 24-hour retro restaurant on Dundas West. The menu is filled with typical diner fare including fish and chips, mac and cheese, shepherd’s pie, burgers and nine different varieties of poutine. Ramp up the nostalgia factor and finish your meal with a classic vanilla milkshake or a slice of apple pie.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Chadwick's

4
268 Howland Ave, Toronto, ON M5R 3B6

Genuine hospitality is always on the menu at this homey neighbourhood bistro. The open kitchen turns out an appetizing menu of seasonally inspired comfort foods made from scratch. The smoked beef brisket hash served with two farm fresh eggs is a hearty favourite among the lunchtime regulars.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

The Rosedale Diner

5
1164 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W 2L9

Skip the haughty dining options in this uptown neighbourhood and satisfy your appetite at this throwback diner instead. The Yonge Street stalwart has been serving classic Canadian recipes since 1978. Nosh on chicken dijonaise, duck poutine or a classic club sandwich served on fresh baked challah.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

The White Brick Kitchen

6
641 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6G 1L1

This local joint at Bloor and Euclid is the place to be if you’re looking for classic American comfort food in the heart of Koreatown. Brothers Stephen and Matthew Howell prepare a humble menu of tasty comfort foods including beef shank shepherd’s pie, sloppy Joe fries, four-cheese mac ’n’ cheese, and buttermilk fried chicken and homemade tater tots.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

The Ace

7
231A Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON M6R 2L6

Retro meets boho at this narrow diner on the trendy Roncesvalles dining strip where classic comfort foods are prepared with sophistication. At dinner, try the country-fried chicken with collard greens, cornbread and ham gravy or stop by on the weekend for a heart-warming bowl of steel-cut oatmeal served with raw sugar, fresh berries and cream. The exceedingly decadent grilled Nutella sandwich is a childhood dream realized.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:
More from Jessica Emma Napier Jessica Emma Napier
Jessica is a writer, editor and self-professed foodie. She loves exploring the city on two wheels, spends almost all of her disposable income at restaurants and never apologizes for Instagramming her food. After living in Toronto for almost a decade, she traded YYZ for YVR and is now the Vancouver City Editor for YP.
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