The Chew Review

The Chew Review �I live to eat, and I love sharing my thoughts about it! All types of food from all over the place

I just got back from North America’s 50 Best Restaurants in New Orleans and how amazing it was to be in a room full of t...
06/02/2026

I just got back from North America’s 50 Best Restaurants in New Orleans and how amazing it was to be in a room full of top tier culinary talent and so many familiar Toronto faces. And now reflecting on who was and was not present, I find myself going down a bit of a rabbit hole.

The more I compared Michelin, 50 Best and OAD, the more I realized they’re not actually trying to answer the same question.

A restaurant can be highly ranked by one, celebrated by another, and completely absent from a third.

Take Alo.

⭐ Michelin Star
🏅 24 on OAD North America
❌ Not on North America’s 50 Best

Or Mon Lapin, which ranks number 5 in North America according to 50 Best without a Michelin star.

The average diner looking for a special meal probably just consults the Michelin Guide. But which ranking should diners trust? Maybe all of them. Or maybe “best” depends on what you’re looking for.

Which one influences your reservations the most?

⭐ Michelin
🏆 50 Best
🍽️ OAD

I had alligator tacos this week, you??New Orleans for the announcement of North America's with ✨🥪 the first (and best)...
06/02/2026

I had alligator tacos this week, you??

New Orleans for the announcement of North America's with ✨

🥪 the first (and best) of three muffuletta
🦪 chargrilled oysters and on everything (obviously)
🍩 finally tried the OG and they did not disappoint. Don't miss the frozen cafe au lait.
🏆 ceremony was electric ... featuring , 🐊 tacos and more.
🥃 visited the iconic Sazerac Bar in where you can get a table Sazerac but don't miss the Gin Fizz
🎠 The Carousel Bar was a highlight of the trip
🍯 loved the "local buzz"
🧈 excellent flaky biscuit and butter where I hope to come back for a full brunch next time
🌀 didn't get the hurricane but they do have the loveliest courtyard for a warm day
🔥 from always with a fun twist on Mediterranean cuisine
🍸 unique twists on classics by the # 1 best bar popping up
💎 the stunning chandelier bar
🌶️ Spanish with a hint of Cajun .nola
🌮 excellent tacos - don't miss the pastor + steak quesadilla
🥪 the OG muffuletta which is absolutely enormous and is not shy about using olives

*the third muffuletta was from Verti Marte - not my favourite

05/28/2026

A small tin caviar sized bump, thank you very much.

Whether I agree with the full list or the exact order of Toronto Life’s Best New Restaurants is another story… but the f...
05/27/2026

Whether I agree with the full list or the exact order of Toronto Life’s Best New Restaurants is another story… but the fact is this was one of my favourite meals I’ve had all year.

From the second you walk in, everything just works. The room has that perfect energy, the staff know exactly what they’re doing without making it feel forced, and the bar program, while small and focused, is one of the best in the city right now. Cocktails I’d come back for alone - if it was easier to get a seat!

And then there’s the food. Smart without trying too hard, beautifully executed, and the kind of menu where every plate felt intentional.

Best new restaurant in Toronto? Debatable. Top 5? Absolutely.

📍

Crossing off some new spots on my forever growing list this week 🍽️🍌 okay not new but a constant revisit for epic desse...
05/25/2026

Crossing off some new spots on my forever growing list this week 🍽️

🍌 okay not new but a constant revisit for epic desserts
🍣 premium lunch omakase .ca is money well spent
🍝 highlights from the prix fixe menu .to where the espresso martini was perfection and the infused pastas were incredibly unique
🥪 amazing salami truffle schiacciata .baraperitivo
🍸 the pornstar martini never left here but it's back in general bc passionfruit is the flavour of the year
🦑 not your average pub food in any way shape or form .fox
🥗 my favourite non traditional chicken Caesar
🍹 spicy passionfruit margs bc yep - passionfruit
🍕 finally visited for a huge plate of spicy vodka rigatoni and wood-fired pizza
🥯 stuffed to the brim with egg salad bagel block party
🐟 made some branzino 👩‍🍳
🍳 pea soup and for breakfast to celebrate the launch of new cookbook

05/24/2026

The sticky toffee pudding I needed in my life. Genuinely better than most restaurant puddings - stuffed inside perfectly laminated pastry, topped with brown butter crumble, mascarpone cream and rum sauce. It's a solid 10/10 but they only serve 75/day on weekends so get there early.

📍

2016 was a serious year for Toronto restaurants.A lot has changed in 10 years. Some spots expanded across the city or to...
05/21/2026

2016 was a serious year for Toronto restaurants.

A lot has changed in 10 years. Some spots expanded across the city or to other cities, some refined their menus, some barely changed at all. But these restaurants are still part of Toronto’s dining culture a decade later.

It is honestly harder than you'd think to find a substantial list of restaurants still standing after 10 years - a true testament to those on this list. Technically, and opened very early in 2017 - but they're coming up on 10 and are deserving of inclusion in the story and era.

Also yes… some of these photos are VERY 2016 🙃
They’re all original photos from over the years and a few of these spots I haven’t been back to recently, so this ended up becoming a bit of a Toronto food throwback archive too.

Which are your favourites or which ones are you adding back to your list??

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