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Hi Fellow Hounds! I need help with Toronto dining

Hi friends! I will be traveling to Toronto on business in August. I will be with a coworker, although we might go our separate ways at some point so I might be a lone female for some dinners. We will be attending a conference at the Sheraton Centre Toronto, 123 Queen Street West, Toronto.

As this is the way my brain works I am already thinking about my dining options for the trip. These boards are a great source of information and I've started putting together a list of possibilities. I would, however love your thoughts on possible dining options for dinners. We can't go crazy with the spending since we are on the company dime. Per diem rates are about $103 per day for food. I usually do 2 meals a day -- with one being cheap so I can save my money for dinner.

I like all sorts of food. I'm from NJ and I'm looking forward to spending some time in Toronto. Thanks for your help!

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  1. You'll be able to eat very well on $103/day here, especially since the exchange rate boosts that to about $115/day CAD. Can you give us a little guidance as to the type of food and/or experience you're looking for? And how far are you willing to travel from your hotel via cab or transit?

    3 Replies
    1. re: TorontoJo

      ah! but don't forget our higher taxation, it'll take a bit out of that exchange rate boost.

      1. re: pinstripeprincess

        True enough. So it will be essentially par. She can still eat well for that amount, though!

      2. re: TorontoJo

        Also, how many days will you be here--so, how many meals are you looking at?

      3. DF, if you don't want to travel far there is a nice Italian restaurant just opposite the hotel called "Little Anthony's". Other good options nearby would be Milagro (higher end Mexican) or Reds (North American I wuld best describe it as). Also nearby is Osgoode Hall http://www.lsuc.on.ca/about/a/osgoode... if you have free time for lunch.

        I'm sure other posters will have better suggestions, these are the ones that came to my mind.

        Have a great trip!

        1. Hi! Greetings from TO,
          Based on my previous visits to NJ, I cannot recall any place that offers great Cantonese and Portuguese cuisine. As such, I'll definitely allocate some of your time for a meal at Lai Wah Heen and/or Chiado. I don't believe NJ or even NYC offers this calibre of fine Cantonese and Portuguese cuisine. The highly touted Canoe, which offers a menu that focuses on Canadian ingredients is also a great choice.
          With your per diem budget, to fully enjoy the above captioned three relatively expensive restaurants, I guess you really need to sacrifice a bit on your lunch. A bowl of noodles with won-ton or Chinese bbq meat from China town at around $5 would be a good, cheap and delicious choice!

            1. Here are some ideas, prices are per person. Unless it says prix fixe, I'm including some wine.
              -Black Hoof $50-60 dinner
              -Cava $70-90 dinner
              -Le Select $35 prix fixe dinner
              -Il Mulino $39 prix fixe dinner (not on Saturday)
              -Tutti Matti $15 prix fixe lunch
              -Grace $80-100 dinner
              -Nota Bene $80-100 dinner
              -Caplansky's $15-22 lunch or dinner
              -The Coffee Mill $20-25 lunch or dinner
              -Terroni $30 lunch or dinner
              -Canoe for drinks only, the view is great
              -Soma chocolate, world class chocolates in a nice setting
              -Asian Legend $20-25 lunch or dinner, best to go with someone to share plates.
              -Simple Bistro $80-100 dinner
              -The Queen Mother $25 lunch
              -Chinese Bun place on Baldwin (don't know exact name, it's around Baldwin and McCaul) $5 lunch
              -Konichiwa $15 lunch
              -Tabule $25 dinner
              -George $ 100-140 dinner
              I hope this gives you some ideas

              1 Reply
              1. re: dubchild

                There are some good suggestions in here; as Charles_Yu stated above, you should be able to enjoy most restaurants in the city, especially if you're conscious about how much you drink.

                Also, in your area, the best bets for Japanese food will be Ematei for cooked food (forget the sushi; also a really good spot for a cheap and delicious lunch specials), and Take Sushi for sushi.