Romantic Restaurants in Yorkville for Date-Night Dining
With narrow winding streets, charming Victorian architecture and a plethora of elegant fine-dining destinations and fashionable eateries, Yorkville is the ideal place to enjoy a night out with your special someone. Whether you’re spoiling your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day, commemorating a milestone anniversary or simply enjoying a ‘just because’ meal together, these five romantic restaurants near 11YV provide the ideal backdrop for a memorable evening in one of Toronto’s most luxurious neighbourhoods.
Chabrol
Photo courtesy of Chabrol
With sparkling chandeliers, tables lit by candlelight, the mood is set for romance at this glittering Yorkville boîte. Located down a hidden alleyway off Yorkville Avenue, Chabrol attracts a well-heeled crowd enamoured by the restaurant’s enchanting ambiance and chef Doug Penfold’s ambitious French bistro fare. While the menu changes frequently, the restaurant’s signature ttoro has been on offer since day one and is a must-try. Originating from the Basque region of France, this humble fisherman’s stew receives an elevated treatment from the talented culinary team in the petite-but-mighty kitchen. The bouillabaisse-style stew wows with layered, complex flavours and spices that demand to be enjoyed with a crisp glass of white wine and your favourite person.
Sotto Sotto
Photo courtesy of BlogTO
Open since 1993, Ristorante Sotto Sotto is a Toronto institution that has attracted celebrity clientele and a who’s-who of the city for decades (416 golden boy Drake even name-drops the restaurant in multiple songs). A true special-occasion spot, the walls of the storied trattoria are adorned with painterly Italian frescos and colourful snapshots of the many Hollywood stars who have dined at the restaurant over the years.
Rather than reinventing the classics, the kitchen pays homage to traditional Southern Italian cuisine with a menu of fresh salads and antipasti, handmade pastas (available in small or large portions) and entrées such as steak, veal and fresh seafood. Date-night diners can ramp up the romance with risotto for two – a true taste of the Amalfi coast made with an amorous melange of carnaroli rice, succulent seafood, white wine and rich tomato sauce.
Brothers
Photo courtesy of Brothers Food & Wine
A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it doorway just steps away from the entrance to Bay Station reveals the long narrow interior of Toronto’s critically acclaimed Brothers Food & Wine. The restaurant’s deceptively non-descript exterior belies the exceptional culinary experience within. An intimate smattering of communal tables and bar seating gives Brothers a relaxed, convivial energy that can make you feel as though the city around you has disappeared, save for the soft rumblings of the Bloor subway line below.
The food menu changes daily – skewing toward beautifully simple Mediterranean dishes that emphasize seasonality and local suppliers. Plates of marinated olives, crusty sourdough, slow-roasted lamb shank and pillowy gnocchi are thoughtfully prepared and intended to be paired with a glass of vino and good conversation. The impressive-yet-accessible wine list features varietals from Italian producers with special attention paid to biodynamic and natural wines.
Alobar
Photo courtesy of Alobar
Sister restaurant to the much-lauded Alo, Yorkville’s swish and sophisticated Alobar may appear to be a cocktail bar at first glance, but the ambitious menu reveals much more than simple bar snacks. Start your gastronomic date-night adventure with selections from the raw bar: oysters (classic East Coast served with red wine mignonette or Grilled Kusshi with poblano peppers), scallop ceviche and Hamachi tartare are just a few of the notable fresh seafood small plates.
For mains, choose from the best of land and sea with standouts like roasted sea scallops, veal chop and a 32 oz. T-bone steak that should be tackled as a twosome. Polished and professional service ensures an exceptional dining experience while the restaurant’s moody interior – designed by renowned Toronto design firm Commute home – delivers a fashionable mid-century modern sensibility accented with gold light fixtures and plush banquette seating.
Bar Reyna
Photo courtesy of Bar Reyna
Impress your favourite foodie with vibrant dishes, inventive libations and hip lounge vibes at Bar Reyna, one of Yorkville’s favourite snack bars. Housed in a two-storey Victorian home on Cumberland Street, the 80-seat jewel-toned room is both sophisticated and laid-back, offering a wow-worthy interior decked in Moroccan-style lighting and a year-round patio that makes for a romantic hideaway during the warmer months.
Cozy up with your date, order a round of cocktails to start and swoon together over the enticing menu as you decide where the night will take you. Perfect for sharing, the eclectic selection of meze and tapas plates includes Mediterranean dishes like tender lamb shank baklava, halloumi souvlaki with tzatziki, and crispy calamari dusted with chickpea and za’atar spices, all inspired by the unique regional flavours of Greece, Turkey and Spain.
Whether you’re looking for white tablecloths and traditional cuisine or a hip haunt for cool cocktails, Toronto’s chic Yorkville neighbourhood offers an impressive variety of romantic dining options where you can spoil your special someone.
Would you like to live just steps to these Yorkville restos? Call our Presentation Centre to book your private appointment at 416.639.6807 to experience 11YV for yourself.
