Hello, happy May to all who observe. Q1 is done and dusted, farmers’ markets have returned and we are so back, baby! It’s basically summer and I for one am reaaaaddyyyy to partyyyyyy (sit on a patio, maybe shave my legs).

I don’t know about you, but old man winter did me dirty this year. Mentally, it was a grind and I’m honestly a little concerned how much my wellbeing is tied to the outside air.

But enough about that. It’s the month of radishes and rhubarb and leaving your house again. And I’ve got just the spots to try.

I hope you’re hungry,

xo Mere

Title photo is from @tessmadalyn’s Instagram. She’s impossibly cool and you should follow her on IG and TikTok (where she does most of her baking).

Also, why are radishes dipped in herb butter so fricken cute?! Fun recipe here.

Toronto restaurants: Where I ate

Takja BBQ House *hosted

Got invited to Takja’s first birthday party, and we celebrated accordingly with wagyu and caviar (an unfortunately delicious combo). I’d been dying to check out this luxe Korean barbecue restaurant since it opened in Little Italy last year, and I’m already plotting my return.

This isn’t your typical Korean barbecue spot. For starters, you don’t do any grilling yourself because, respectfully, you don’t want to fuck up premium, farm-raised meat like A5 Wagyu or Iberico pork—all aged in house. Instead, very capable chefs man the gas grills built into each table, so you can just sit back and eat your banchan.

We got to sample a bunch of dishes on their menu and there wasn’t one miss, even the lettuce wraps were good—like really good. There were fresh oysters with chojang (if cocktail sauce and gochujang had a love child); seafood pancakes topped with rich, buttery uni; and enough funky makgeolli (rice wine) to sink a small boat. What a night.

Jamil's Chaat House

Dine out enough in Toronto, and you’ll start seeing the same dishes over and over again (Burrata? Ground breaking). Jamil’s feels like a breath of fresh air the city desperately needed.

Walk through its bright yellow door, and you’re not in Queen West anymore, Toto. You’re someplace between Lahore and Toronto, where the plates may be small, but damn do they have personality.

The dahi puri was probably my favourite bite of 2025 so far. The crispy South Asian snack of deep-fried semolina (Google it) looks like a tiny bird’s nest, only loaded with two kinds of chutney: tangy cilantro yogurt on one side, slightly sweet tamarind on the other. Whatever happened when the two chutneys collided caused my brain to short circuit.

The samosa chaat was another highlight: flaky outside, perfectly spiced inside, and a pool of punchy chana masala for dipping. The karahi chicken bun was sloppy, spicy serotonin (we love an alliteration) and the sourdough naan, made fresh every day, has ruined all other types of naan for me.

Holi Taco

IMO, tacos need to have three things: balanced flavour, texture, and integrity (they gotta keep it together, man). The tacos at this tiny takeout taqueria on Queen East have all three*. Great spot to hit up before a show at History.

*The only miss was the beef brisket, which I found way too greasy

Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen

Highly recommend running from misery and straight to Chubby’s Island Time Happy Hour (M-F 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) for slow-baked jerk wings, $12 cocktails, and an escape.

Side salad, I’m going to consolidate a bunch of Toronto restaurant happy hours and deals into one (continually updated) post, so stay tuned for that.

Toronto restaurants: What’s new

Linny's Luncheonette

Whatever David Schwartz is selling, I’m buying. His latest food baby is his simplest, which doesn’t just show the power of restraint, it shows range. Not a lot of people can pull off both white tablecloth fine dining and a grab-and-go sandwich shop.

There are only three sammies (the house-smoked pastrami, the vegetarian potato latke with pickles, and the smoked fish) on their menu, but what more could you need, really? Other than one of each side, please.

Susie's Rise & Dine

I’ll say it again: I am not a brunch person. However, I dig an old-school, greasy diner and while Susie’s (grandma vibes meet Asian snack bar) is neither of those things, people are going feral for it and their pancakes.

Tutto Panino

I love Charlotte Day Wilson’s music, and I love that she’s opening a sandwich shop with her friends even more. After slinging Italian sandwiches and cannoli that would make Nonna clutch her rosary (Concord grape and peanut butter?!) at pop-ups across the city, Tutto is touching down at a TBA permanent location soon!

Bar Mini

RIP to Greta Solomon’s and hello, Bar Mini. It felt like this Leslieville snack bar opened overnight. Do we really need more sea bream crudo or burrata? No, but I’m here for the dill pickle dip, a stiff cocktail, and the playful vibes.

Danny’s Next Door

Do you like fun? Do you like pizza? Do you like Danny's Pizza Tavern? Cause I do, and now we have a reason to keep the pizza party going right next door at their new sister spot that’s sort of the same, but different. There’s a hot dog in a pizza dough bun that I’m very excited about.

Bisteccheria Sammarco

…is finally open! Dry-aged Cumbrae’s steaks; tuna crudo over a blanket of foie gras; an elite fettuccine made from 100 eggs, parm and St Brigid’s butter. Excessive, indulgent, unapologetic, it’s like the Godfather of Toronto steakhouses.

Leftovers - what else

Korean fusion is trending big time with several new kids on the block: Gochu Libre Kantina, Korean-Mexican; Bonito’s, Korean-Ecuadorian; Gateau Ghost, Korean-Parisian + café by day, restaurant by night. Gateau Ghost’s remixed madeleines are scary good (and super cute), also heard the rhubarb pie at Bonito’s right now is divine.

Matcha mania

I can’t tell if I like matcha. Sometimes it hits, other times it’s as if I’m drinking from an aquarium. But the city is going mad for it. There’s a viral banana bread iced matcha at Forget Me Not that I’m both curious and cautious about. Matcha is even coming for your cocktails like the Cope & Drag at Civil Works (a very good bar) and the mezcal-based Tokyo Smoke at the recently opened Ayla.

Okay, that’s all from me, see you next month with more Toronto restaurant recs.

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