5 Yorkville Restaurants to Visit During Winterlicious
Toronto’s favourite culinary event of the season is back this month as Winterlicious takes over the city for the 18th consecutive year. There are 206 restaurants participating in the 2020 edition of the annual prix-fixe dining festival, including plenty of must-try eateries near 11 Yorkville where you can tuck into mouth-watering dishes from renowned chefs at a great value.
Pull up a seat at these five Yorkville hotspots from January 31 to February 13 to sample multi-course Winterlicious lunch and dinner menus ranging from $23 to $53.
Café Boulud
Photo courtesy of Café Boulud
When it comes to timeless French fare prepared with an international twist, it doesn’t get much better than Chef Daniel Boulud’s namesake brasserie located inside Yorkville’s swanky Four Seasons Hotel. During the Winterlicious festival, Café Boulud will be hosting three-course lunch ($33) and dinner ($53) services that will give diners a chance to sample Boulud’s award-winning cuisine at an accessible price point. This year’s menu highlights include poached pear and duck confit or mushroom velouté to start, entrees such as potato gnocchi with wild mushrooms and parsnip or classic beef bourguignon, and a delectable dulcey crémeux verrine served with maple whiskey ice cream for dessert.
Kasa Moto
Photo courtesy of Kasa Moto
Elegant Asian cuisine, world-class cocktails and sophisticated service come together at Kasa Moto, a critically acclaimed two-storey restaurant in the heart of Yorkville. The contemporary Japanese dining room will be serving a limited-edition Winterlicious dinner menu ($53) featuring an assortment of small plates, sushi, noodles, meaty mains and decadent sweets. From wagyu gyoza to misoyaki Udon to skirt steak with truffle potatoes, Kasa Moto’s izakaya-inspired offerings are a stand-out option among the menus on offer at this year’s Winterlicious festival.
Planta Yorkville
Photo courtesy of Planta Yorkville
Known for its innovative plant-based cuisine and Instagram-worthy interior, Planta Yorkville is one of Toronto’s go-to dining destinations for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. In honour of the 2020 edition of Winterlicious, Chef David Lee has designed two creative veggie-forward menus featuring fresh, healthful ingredients. On the lunch menu ($23), guests can tuck into artichoke and zucchini fritti, spaghettoni with kale pesto, or funghi pizza. After dark, the dinner menu ($33) includes options like warm rapini salad, gnocchi with cauliflower cream, or Planta’s signature plant-based burger with vegan queso and truffle mushroom sauce.
Sassafraz
Photo courtesy of Sassafraz
Housed in a former Victorian row house on Cumberland Street, Sassafraz is arguably one of the city’s most legendary dining rooms. Open for more than 20 years, the landmark restaurant has become a true Toronto icon renowned worldwide for its sophisticated Canadian cuisine, refined hospitality and romantic atmosphere. This special-occasion spot is sure to be in demand during the Winterlicious festival as the restaurant will be offering exclusive prix-fixe menus for both lunch ($28) and dinner ($43). Notable choices include braised lamb ragu, stuffed acorn squash, and Harrison Co-op roast chicken – all of which are available on both the daytime and evening menus. For dessert, guests can opt for sweet or savoury with a choice of lemon crème caramel, flourless chocolate bar or a selection of Canadian cheeses.
Gatsby by Windsor Arms
Photo courtesy of Gatsby
Nestled inside the historic Windsor Arms hotel, Gatsby is the type of restaurant that transports diners to another place and time. As the name suggests, the plush 1920’s-inspired dining room evokes a Fitzgerald-era aesthetic with plenty of gold accents and Art Deco design details throughout the space. In contrast to the luxe interior, the kitchen here specializes in elevated comfort foods. During this year’s Winterlicious festival, the set lunch ($33) and dinner ($53) menus will feature rustic seasonal dishes like classic French onion soup with gruyere cheese, a hearty roasted chicken with cherry-pecan stuffing, acorn squash with sautéed kale and wild rice, and smooth white chocolate mousse with red velvet sponge.
From refined French cuisine to contemporary Japanese izakaya-style offerings, Winterlicious is the perfect time to enjoy fine dining at the chic restaurants of Yorkville. Reservations open on January 16 so be sure to mark your calendar and save the date for the city’s most anticipated dining event.
