Where can I take my family for dinner on Thanksgiving in Toronto?
October 4, 2021 11:50 AM   Subscribe

I live in Toronto. My parents are visiting me from the US next weekend, and I’d like to take them out for dinner on Thanksgiving (Oct 11 in Canada this year). Where’s a good place that can meet some snowflakey requirements?

I moved here shortly before the pandemic, and haven’t been dining out a ton, so I’m not yet super familiar with the restaurant scene. My current favorite is Richmond Station, but that’s slightly out of the ideal budget*, and it’s closed on the holiday anyway.

We’ll be a party of five. I would be happy to cook or just get takeout for everyone, but my apartment is too small to host five for dinner (and so are hotel rooms), so we need to dine in somewhere. Details:
  • Should be open on Thanksgiving (obviously), with available reservations or a good chance of getting a table for five without a long wait
  • We’re all fully vaccinated, but my parents will have been in the country for less than two weeks, if that matters at all
  • Willing to eat inside, or on a patio if there is rain protection, and maybe heating?
  • Would like something downtown or reasonably close to it, unless there is something really worth a longer trip
  • Cuisine and diets are pretty flexible. A proper Thanksgiving meal would be cute, but is not at all a primary goal
  • Keeping costs down is a concern*, so e.g., $80 prix fixe menus are out
  • It doesn’t need to be a super fancy/impressive spot, but the food should be great
My current backup plan is to just take them to The Keg’s “mansion” location, but (1) I really would rather not take them to a chain, (2) it’s just as expensive as many more interesting restaurants, and (3) ideally we’d eat somewhere a little more affordable.

* The money is a whole complicated separate ~thing~, but it boils down to: let’s try to keep it on the cheaper side.
posted by Ryon to Food & Drink (11 answers total)
 
Ong time ago I went to a Greek place upban outside stairs, it was family style buffet, you pick, they serve. I never forgot it. There is bound to be something similar. It was cheap, and Basque people also do great family style dining.
Danforth Street for Greek, Mezes maybe.
posted by Oyéah at 12:40 PM on October 4, 2021


Best answer: I think the nicer variety of pub might be able to get you close to Thanksgiving-ish without breaking the bank - something like the Victory Cafe, The Irv, Free Times Cafe, Sin and Redemption, House on Parliament, or Hair of the Dog? Otherwise, Sabai Sabai does Thai food in mostly small plates in a way that feels fancy, or yes, lots of options along the Danforth for Greek (would also recommend Mezes, but none of them are bad and some are a little cheaper than Mezes). Or something like the Midi Bistro, on McCaul, or Insomnia on Bloor, or Smith on Church, or Figo on Adelaide? I don't know if any of these places are open/taking reservations for Monday but they would likely be worth a call if their menus look good to you.
posted by phlox at 12:54 PM on October 4, 2021 [1 favorite]


I want to go for dinner with phlox. Those are all excellent choices. I was going to suggest Sin and Redemption. :)

Any of the restaurants on Baldwin St should fit your price point and there's a variety of cuisines.

Maybe La Palette on Queen? It's open on Mondays.

C'est What might work, too.
posted by TORunner at 1:00 PM on October 4, 2021


Seconding one of the mid-range Greek places on the Danforth. The old-school place just north of Danforth on Pape is no longer run by the same folks, so I don't think it provides the same cozy experience.

If your parents were vaccinated abroad, do they have certificate proof of that? Vaccines beyond A-Z and Pfizer aren't common in Ontario, and may cause delays
posted by scruss at 1:45 PM on October 4, 2021


The Victory Cafe changed ownership a few years ago and is not what it once was. I don't particularly recommend it.

I think the suggestion of nicer pub-type places is a good one. The Caledonian on College, the Oxley in Yorkville, or The Queen and Beaver near Queen and Bay are worth checking out. I think the Museum Tavern (Avenue/Bloor) is closed, but if not is in a similar vein. If you like cider, take a look at Her Father's Daughter on Harbord. They have an outdoor patio with umbrellas and (I believe) heaters. You might also like Chadwick's on Dupont near Bathurst - it's nice, not overly expensive, and cozy.
posted by persimmons at 2:40 PM on October 4, 2021 [2 favorites]


I have no restaurant suggestions, but I would recommend calling wherever you plan to go to confirm whether your parents will pass the covid screening. Most places I've been to ask if you've been outside the country within the last 14 days, and it's not entirely clear what happens if you say yes.
posted by Kris10_b at 3:03 PM on October 4, 2021


We’re all fully vaccinated, but my parents will have been in the country for less than two weeks, if that matters at all

My inlaws were just in town here in Toronto after arriving from a trip to the U.S. They had been fully vaxxed in Canada prior to travel, travelled to the U.S., and had proof of their valid negative COVID PCR test from less than 72 hours earlier (they got the results just before departure from the U.S.).

The restaurant we were at was fine with them saying "yes" to having been outside the country in the last 14 days because they mentioned their negative test results, could prove they were exempt from quarantine requirements, and that they were fully vaccinated.

That said, as Kris10_b mentions, maybe call ahead to be sure -- the place we were at was asking for proof of vaccination on their patio, even though they weren't required to (and which we were extra-fine with, because why not?).
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:04 PM on October 4, 2021


Would second the Danforth recommendations above. We've had success with Christina's in the past for family affairs.

Very downtown, it looks like Biff's Bistro is doing a $52 Thanksgiving prix fixe if that isn't too off the map price-wise (and their regular prix fixe is the same price).
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:30 PM on October 4, 2021


Response by poster: Thanks all, some really lovely-looking recommendations so far, but so many of them are closed on the 11th! 😭 Seems like pubs being closed on Monday is a thing. I’m gonna have to draw up a spreadsheet and start the process of elimination.

Also, good point that I should call ahead to check about whether out-of-towners will be allowed in. They will have CDC certificates showing Pfizer/Moderna shots, and negative PCR tests to get across the border, though those will be out of date by Monday.
posted by Ryon at 5:43 PM on October 4, 2021


I looooove the food and the patios at Terroni. The Tonarelli alla Norcina (pasta with homemade sausage, pecorino, and shaved black truffles) is outraaaageously good, as is the Budino (caramel pudding, sounds blah but is just scrumptious). Service is always great, atmosphere is comfortable, and the prices are on par with The Keg. And the Queen West and Yonge / Summerhill locations have beautiful patios.

House on Parliament is also fantastic.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 7:59 PM on October 4, 2021 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: (Update: we went with House of Parliament, which was open, and had an optional turkey dinner special. What a great spot! I’ll probably be back there at some point. Thanks again)
posted by Ryon at 1:51 PM on October 15, 2021


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