late night restaurants in toronto

[alltummy]

My husband and I just moved back from NYC, and one thing we miss is the late night dining- we are having trouble finding restaurants that still serve dinner late (10:30pm, 11:00pm).
I know that Wish on Charles never blinks if you order a full meal at 11pm- but was wondering if we are missing other late night places of the same sort?
any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Googs]

If you want good food late at night avoid Sassafraz. It's a pretty useless poseur place.

[FlavoursGal]

Thought so! If you go to http://www.torontolife.com/restaurants/ there is a search category called "Kitchen open past midnight on weekends." They show 53 results.

[alltummy]

thanks all for your suggestions. I forgot to mention my extreme bias towards downtown (basically south of bloor...LOL)
Anyway, I really appreciate the Kiwe, Le Select (didn't know they stayed open that late!) and Sassafraz suggestions. I guess i am looking less for somewhere that serves good food late, and more for somewhere that you would go for a nice dinner, it's just that the nice dinner happens to take place after 11.... i do appreciate the other suggestions as well, for somewhere that you can get tasty late night food, and i will certainly remember those suggestions as well, but i am most interested in restaurants that you could, for example, go on a date to after 11, if that distinction makes sense....

thanks for all your suggestions!

[FlavoursGal]

The Toronto Life Dining Guide used to have an "Open Late" section. No longer?

[ER2]

On Saturday, Le Select Bistro on Wellington was happy to take a reservation for 11pm and weren't exactly pushing us out of the door at 1.00. My friends and I are trying to create a list of bistro type restaurants that will take dinner reservations for 11.00 as we like to dine after the opera and often we can't get to a restaurant before then. Somebody said Sassafras, in Yorkville, stays open til 2.00 but I try to avoid Sassafras if I can. I thought I might contact Jamie Chatto of Toronto Life to see what suggetions he has but I'm not sure how to get hold of him. Any ideas? Certainly, if between us, we can generate a list, it would be a great help.

[newcaveman]

East: On my way to my gf's place, I usually pass
Midland & Finch, there's a resto (behind the medical building)
called Full House opens until 5 a.m.

[jennjen18]

In that same area, I would recommend Fantasy Eatery, just north of the place you talk about, in the same plaza as the ScotiaBank. Their food is EXCELLENT. Went there with a friend last night to have noodles and chicken wings.......... mmmm... their chilli oil is fantastic!

[chalenegirl]

VERY VERY GOOD FOOD!!!!!

a must! always packed - opens for dinner and closes at 5am i think. fantastic chinese rest. also so cheap!

[Chef_Fu]

Just to add to the list.

Hemingway's(Cumberland)kitchen is open late even on big holidays like Christmas.

Sneaky Dee's(Bathurst & College) kitchen is open 'til 4am (I think)

Both are just places to eat late. The food is rather mediocre at best.

[phoenikia]

My regulars:
Danforth: Zorba's for avgolemono, Messini for gyros.

Little Italy- Gatto Nero still serves food around 11/12.I like their antipasti platter, fried calamari & veal sandwiches.

Queen West- Shanghai Cowgirl my fave for grilled havarti with avocado and jalapeno, or grilled cheddar with garlic butter & tomato

Yonge & Eg- Mars Diner for grilled cheese

And Owl of Minerva is 24 h- but I haven't had a good opportunity to try it out;)

[callitasicit]

I love Shanghai Cowgirl's grilled havarti, avocado and jalapeno sandwich!!

[cwong5]

I know exactly what you mean by Toronto closes generally early. (From being born in Hong Kong, I can relate to NYC's non-stop city.) Alas, there are a few good places for chow at wee hour of the morning.

Downtown:
Windsor Arms.(Bloor & Avenue Rd) It's a late night spot that serve food. Music till 3ish. Closed at 4 on weekends. Food is alright. More a hangout. Generally overpriced.
Fran's Restaurant (2 locations - College & Youge, Pantages Hotel) A Toronto institution. I like their milkshake. Don’t ask me why. Alright food. Try their all day breakfast! 24 hour joint.
Big Slice (Yonge & Gerrard) A pizza joint. Usually I am not a big fan of over greasy food, but I think there is something about late night that grease works! So BIg Slice is a great late night choice. Get whatever just came out of the often. And I add a extra mushroom as a treat! Greatness from the hunger after clubbing! 24 Hour joint

Midtown:
Congee Star (On Don Mills Road, one block north of Eglinton Road). I believe this place close at 1am. It’s really good authentic Hong Kong style food. If you are into Congee, they are really really nice. But try them all, I love their chef’s food. Reasonably priced too!

Richmond Hill:
Richmond Court at Time Square Markham (Lesile & Hwy 7) Another great hong kong style Chinese food place. 24 Hours. You can order almost anything there. From sushi to BBQ duck. Try their Hong Kong Style Milk Tea. (Caffeine warning).
You actually can check out Ambassador Restaurant and the plaza across the street from it. The Stripe of Hwy 7 and Lesile/West Beaver Creek/Commerce Gates are hopping.

[tuqueboy]

one other place not mentioned no far is mel's deli (bloor and brunswick). 24 hrs. and some pretty fine smoked meat (hand cut)

[xtal]

I'm pretty sure Hair of the Dog (Church & Carlton) keeps their kitchen open until at least midnight, maybe even until 1am or 2am. Great option for a late dinner, if you ask me.

[midtowngirl]

I read on Martiniboys that the newly opened KiWe Kitchen is open til 4am on weekends.

[tasoid]

Last Friday at KiWe they stopped serving food by midnight, not sure why..They may have just misjudged how busy they would be..

[Suresh]

7 west (same owners as Wish ) on charles street is open 24/7. It's 3 floors in a converted victorian row house.
The menu is not that exciting but the cake and pie selection is good. Going there after a party or for a late night sandwich is a bit of a tradition really..
good for late night chatter, staff is friendly.

There are a few places on the Danforth in greektown that are open late night, and you also have your typical Chinese restaurants on Spadina. Wah too is good for some deepfried lobster, but lately the cleanliness, service and food has gone downhill, even on a drunk palate.

Shanghai cowgirl on queen is open till 2am the last time i checked (weekends)

And then the 'not so date worthy' places...for the insatiable appetite;

New Gen sushi on bloor is open until 2am no?

Korean Grill house on queen is open until 4am on the weekends

King palace at Richmond and Sherbourne

Hal burger is open until 3am?

Sorry just thinking out loud.

[deelicious]

New Generation Sushi and Shanghai Cowgirl!!! YUMMM

Avoid Hal!

Swatow and Gold Stone are great Chinatown options open late. One North and one South of Dundas on Spadina - respectively.

[ah123]

Kings Palace has the best Punjabi/Indian food downtown. The variety is amazing, prices reasonable, scrumptious food, and it is open from 10am - 5am (for cabbies). Try the luscious mango curry chicken, lamb shank, stewed okra, eggplant, and fresh naan!

[lissar]

Many restaurants in Greektown are open late (until 1 or 2). C'Est What has an open kitchen until 2. Me's Delicatessan is open 24 hours.

I agree- there aren't enough late-night restaurants here.

[FlavoursGal]

As a former Montrealer (here 10 years now), it's still shocking to me that restaurants here close so early. We once drove around on a Saturday night at about 11:30, looking for something decent still open. We ended up in Chinatown; restaurants there are generally open until 4 or 5 in the morning.

I've always been tempted to try Vesta Lunch (corner of Bathurst and Dupont), a little lunch counter that's open 24 hours a day.

[Ubervache]

Vesta is a fantastic place to eat! Classic diner food at it's best.

[KevinB]

As I posted a few days ago, try the Hollywood sandwich at the Vesta if you stop in. It's a club sandwich with chicken salad instead of turkey. Also, their fries are nothing special, so ask for extra of their vinegary coleslaw instead.