1. Le Papillon on the Park
1001 Eastern, at Woodfield, 416-649-1001, lepapillonpark.com. From the street, it looks like any other old house on the east side, with a body shop next door. But round back, this repostioned French bistro explodes onto a deeply romantic 90-seat rooftop deck. Veiled by trees, the lake a haze off in the distance, Beach types nosh on old-school classics – onion soup, steak frites, crème brûlée – a carte as familiar as a pair of old (but expensive) slippers.
2. Red Tea Box
696 Queen W, at Euclid, 416-203-8882. Tucked away behind one of the best bake shops in town, this intimate tree-shaded terrace and coach house feels more like the south of France than west of Bathurst. Spectacular pan-Asian bento boxes and fizzy lemongrass lemonade only prove the point. Warning: no reservations. Unlicensed.
3. The Rectory Café
102 Lakeshore, Ward’s Island, 416-203-2152, rectorycafe.com. Never knew there was a decent year-round restaurant on the island? Then follow the south shore boardwalk east from Centre Island till you find this alarmingly peaceful café nestled in a glade of whispering pines. We’d order the lamb burger.
4. Bairrada
1000 College, at Havelock, 416-539-8239, bairrada.ca. A noisy Portuguese churrasqueira gives way to a humongous backyard garden lined with rows of family-style picnic tables. A fountain grotto, too! There, regulars demolish suckling pig every Wednesday and grilled chicken with all the fixin’s every night.
5. Vicky’s Fish & Chips/Sue’s Thai Food
414 Roncesvalles, at Howard Park, 416-531-8822. Not only does this offbeat beanery have two different names and two disparate menus, but its front of house and rear patios are completely unalike as well, the first a fading 40s diner, the second a veritable tropical paradise. As for the grub, ditch Vicky and stick with Sue. Unlicensed.
