Decent Toronto restaurant for post-graduation?
Our daughter will be graduating in June from the U of T (St. George campus). Any ideas for good nearby restaurants for a festive family meal?
By madewh
on May 7, 2010 05:33 AM
Ontario (including Toronto)
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By madewh
on May 7, 2010 05:33 AM
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For high end: Splendido, less expensive: Tati Bistro or Harbord Room.
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Splendido
88 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON M5S 1G5, CA
Harbord Room
89 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S1G4, CA
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How many, how spend-y, any particular likes or dislikes in the group, any thoughts on atmosphere?
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7 or 8 people (including one five-year-old). Spendiness? Maybe middle-fancy; certainly not the most expensive but not dirt cheap. One grandfather is particular about white tablecloths and excellent wine, a fact that is a comment on both likes and atmosphere. Quiet would be great, since a couple of people have a hard time hearing in noisy surroundings. Thanks for your thoughts!
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Gallery Grill is right on campus,
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Gallery Grill
7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S, CA
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Gallery Grill is great, but they close for the summer and only do lunch until 2 PM.
If you want Mediterranean/Italian, you could give Malena or L'Unita a try. They are a short drive (5 minutes north) of Convocation Hall. Malena is higher end, while L'Unita is a little more on the lively, festive side.
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Gallery Grill
7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S, CA
L'Unita
134 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5R2H6, CA
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Just to point this out to any others searching for a post-graduation venue - since approximately half of the U of T graduation ceremonies take place in the morning, Gallery Grill is actually a really nice suggestion for a post-ceremony meal.
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Gallery Grill
7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S, CA
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Fieramosca on Prince Arthur (Italian)
Spuntini on Avenue Rd
High End...Opus on Prince Arthur or One on Yorkville
The Host on Prince Arthur if you like Indian Food
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Fieramosca
36A Prince Arthur Ave, Toronto, ON M5R1A9, CA
Spuntini
116 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5R2H4, CA
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ksapd, have you been to Fieramosca lately? I took it off the girlie rotation about a year ago and remain unconvinced it should get another chance.
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Fieramosca
36A Prince Arthur Ave, Toronto, ON M5R1A9, CA
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Hey Googs, I was there last night for the first time - so I can't say if it was better before, but I had a great time. Good food and good service and the ambiance seemed good. What happened to it that made it fall off the list?
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Both food and service had dropped off in quality. It can't be that losing one employee, Edvin, could have caused both to happen. We gave it repeated chances to redeem itself and on all 3 occasions it seemed a waste of money. I may give it a fourth and final chance if someone could tell me why I should.
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Holt's Cafe - upstairs in Holt Renfrew store
Studio Cafe in Four Seasons
NOTE: Neither are really Cafes in the usually acepted sense - just 'upscale casual'.
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Actually we did Spuntini on Avenue Road when ours graduated a couple of years ago and plan on doing it again this June for our youngest.
Great food, great wine and fun atmosphere, but definitely not quiet and I dont remember whether there are white tablecloths.
Mistura has some quiet spots in the restaurant where you may have more privacy.
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Mistura
265 Davenport Rd, Toronto, ON M5R1J9, CA
Spuntini
116 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5R2H4, CA
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Messis is a nice spot on Harbord that doesn't get enough play around here. I think it would fit your stipulations, except insofar as I'm not sure about their wine list. They have a nice patio too, if the weather co-operates. www.messis.ca
Maybe Mercatto on College? Italian is usually a crowd-pleasure (www.mercatto.ca).
Splendido and Mistura are both great, but pricey. C5 would be another possibility for splashing out. Harbord and Tati are also good, but risk being loud and/or slightly squishy. I might worry about that with L'Unita too (although I do like the place... we're heading there for dinner tonight).
Please do let us know where you end up and how it goes!
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Mistura
265 Davenport Rd, Toronto, ON M5R1J9, CA
Messis
97 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S1G4, CA
Splendido
88 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON M5S 1G5, CA
L'Unita
134 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5R2H6, CA
Mercatto
15 Toronto Street, Toronto, ON M5C 2E3, CA
Harbord
147 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S1H1, CA
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Thanks for the suggestions. We wound up going to Messis, and it was exactly the right choice. It was quite comfortable and quiet enough for conversation. The goat-cheese-in- phyllo appetizer balanced flavors and textures perfectly, and the scallops were a hit. There was a six-year-old who adored the pizza. My halibut was terrific, and the graduate's strip steak really wowed her. Others had the lamb shank and the duck. Yum.
While in Toronto, we also had excellent felafel in the Annex neighborhood, coffee at Future (across Bloor St. from the felafel place), very good Korean barbecue on Yonge St., and delicious pho - followed by a fresh mango, cut up for us by the chef - at a Vietnamese place on Church St. near Wellesley.
What a great city for eating!
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Messis
97 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S1G4, CA
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