1. LEE LOUNGE
601 King West, at Portland, 416-504-7867, susur.com
His critics claim that Susur Lee’s latest resto-lounge is a dumbing-down of the family brand.
Those who’d rather not blow the rent money on dinner for two think it’s Toronto’s top chef at his most accessible ever.
To find out just how much so, grab a table on the Lounge’s 36-seat newly minted patio and dig into Susur’s Favourites Pedestal, a tiered $29 sampling for two of the ponytailed culinary genius’s greatest hits.
It begins with edamame doused with mustard salt on lotus leaves, before moving on to jaw-droppingly good chickpea hummus, salmon ceviche, spicy boneless Hunan-style chicken wings and his legendary cheeseburger spring rolls.
Wrap it all up with reconstructed Peking Duck and foie gras and a Moonstone plum sake margarita or a mango Prosecco mojito (both $13.50). What next, Mr. Lee – brunch?
2. LE ROSSIGNOL
686 Queen East, at Broadview, 416-461-9663, lerossignolbistro.com
This tiny French bistro has been slammed every night since receiving its first review in these very pages. Your chances of scoring a walk-in without a reservation are next to zero, but yhe launch of its quiet 22-seat backyard deck – the reason owner Richard Henry bought the Riverside resto in the first place – makes getting one twice as easy.
3. LIBERTY BELLE
133 Jefferson, at King West, 647-352-3553, libertybellebistro.com
Not to be confused with the nearby Liberty Bistro, ex-Le Sélect chef Aidan Pascoe’s very French café is currently the hottest ticket in the warehouse district. While the sidewalk patio’s not much to look at, the fare served there – textbook steak frites, insanely luxe crepes at lunch and brunch – more than makes up for the visuals.
4. TERRONI BAR CENTRALE
1095 Yonge, at Birch, 416-966-1372, terronicentrale.com
Though not as grand as the prolific pizza parlour’s patios on Queen West and Adelaide East, this recently launched uptown outpost is already a hit with the Rosedale set. Where else can they nibble on grilled horse sammies while singing along to the Shirelles on the jukebox? Due to licensing delays and a lost shipment of weather-proof furniture, the upfront terrace’s opening has been pushed back to June 1.
5. CAFÉ CINQUECENTO
109 Atlantic, at Hanna, 416-539-9390, cafecinquecento.com
Named for the iconic Fiat 500, this sister of the similarly dubbed King West trat serves a familiar triple-P lineup – pasta, pizza and panini – on a sunny 60-seat rooftop in Liberty Village. Outdoor oven and CN Tower views, too.
