Just don’t say Chinese cuisine is having a moment in Toronto. “Chinese cuisine has always been exciting to me and will forever be. It’s not a ‘now moment’ for me,” according to chef Eva Chin. “I simply see people now finally pushing through barriers to learn and understand what Chinese cuisine is about. Space and platforms are being shared finally with Chinese chefs and restaurants. The diversity of Canada’s food scene is exactly why folks are now realizing how Chinese food has been a part of our everyday lives since we were young.”
Chin herself presides over a unique space, Yan Dining Room, a micro-restaurant operating on weekends inside Chinatown legend Hong Shing that serves up neo-Chinese cuisine and offers Chin a place to expand the boundaries of Chinese food. “Every service revolves not just around the food but also how it’s delivered,” says the former Momofuku chef. Throughout the dinner, Chin introduces and shares stories and notes on how each course is prepared and why, and her hopes and dreams for Chinese cuisine. “That’s why Yan Dining Room was started in the first place,” she says. “It is a love letter to our cuisine, community and our culture.”
So what other spots does Chin love in Toronto? Check out her recos for where to eat well all across town.
Best date-night spot
The Wood Owl, 1380 Danforth Ave.
“This is such a cosy nook with fantastic farm-to-table cuisine. The menu rotates quite seasonally and there have been many memorable bites. I always go for the steak tartare, but I also dream about these French onion braised beef potato croquettes that were on the menu once, and I continue to wait for Chef Tabitha Cranney to put it back onto the menu every day.”
Best bakery
Barbershop Patisserie, 859 College St.
“Their chausson aux pommes is the best in the city, in my opinion, but I go for the lemon hand pie as well. I just love walking in and smelling all the smells and loading up on pastries through the glass counter. They do fun collaborations with different chefs and we try to grab these limited items and support any new products the moment we find out.
Hidden gem
Yummy Yummy Dumplings, 79 Huron St.
“This is a spot I go to once or twice a week. Always on my day off, I go alone, whether it’s rain or shine or snow in the winter … they are that good! Owned by a Chinese family from Shandong, a region prized for their dough and carb-heavy cuisine. The first time I tried them, I knew I was going to return again and again. The service is incredibly warm, and everything is made with love. Whether it’s their own home-ground soy milk — it is so creamy and nutty! — to my favourite dumplings in this city, featuring chicken and pepper, chive and egg, cabbage, pork and shrimp, and lamb with loads of dill.”
The last best thing you ate
Good Behaviour, various locations
“Their Drunk in Love ice cream originally was a limited-time flavour that came out for Valentine’s 2025. I was gifted a pint by the owners to try, and as they handed it to me they casually mentioned it was the last pint. I was deeply upset once I got to try it because it shook me. The most perfect balance between red wine and strawberries and rippled with chocolate?! It was insane. It took me by surprise and I had to reach out to Good Behaviour to let them know my strong feelings for it. Apparently so did a lot of other customers. I can safely say now that Drunk in Love stands tall in the retail freezer of Good Behaviour shops. Thank god.”
Current obsession
Dong Kee, 3838 Midland Ave.
“Get the eel claypot rice. That claypot feeds eight to 10 people, and you have to preorder it during weekends and busy days, or wait 30 mins on slower days if you decide to order it last-minute or on site. It comes in two parts: all the eel bones served in a broth with tofu, and then the claypot rice that is loaded with eel, fresh herbs, onions and a hint of aged tangerine peel. The restaurant takes me straight back to wet markets in Hong Kong that had a small canteen on the ground floor. The canteen would cook seafood straight from the live tanks or seafood shops right above them. There is nothing fresher than that experience.”
Comfort food
White Lily Diner, 678 Queen St. E.
“Every time I go I order their western sandwich and not one, but two roestis. I love White Lily so much I have a small portrait of the front of the diner on my Yan kitchen bookshelf. They have their own farm that supplies them stunning produce that is always translated on the menus. It’s a place just filled with honest good food, with bread that’s made in-house, salads grown by themselves and not to mention that killer doughnut program they have.”
Best dessert
Roselle Desserts, 362 King St. E.
“Hands down the best sweets that I crave in Toronto. Whether it’s their holiday snack boxes or Mont Blanc pavlova, pandan chiffon cake or that seasonal strawberry fraisier cake, I love them all. I will happily line up for them any day, anytime.”
Lunch spot
Wok Theory, 530 Dundas St. W.
“Lunch time to me is always dim sum. Wok Theory is close to me and they have such a diverse menu. The owner is super nice and his wife runs the dim sum baking program. My favourite dishes are the egg tofu rice rolls and the baked char siu buns.”
Best late-night craving spot
Kish’s Roti and Doubles, various locations
“When it’s super-late and I have the munchies, I crave the goat doubles from Kish’s. I always get it from Uber.”
Favourite weekend brunch place
Old Mill Toronto, 21 Old Mill Rd.
“Their brunch buffet, every time. It was introduced to me last year and it has been my favourite brunch option ever since. It is such an old-school style buffet with a decadent spread. I was blown away on my first visit: there was prime rib and ham! A chocolate fountain that’s even taller than me. I can spend hours there, to be honest. They have these old menus from 50 years ago on display, and the restaurant itself is like a time capsule.”
Place I’m dying to try
No. 8 Restaurant, 446 Pearl St.
“I’m dying to try this beautiful restaurant out in Burlington. Chefs Stephen Baidacoff and Nick Lin are cooking very exciting food made with love and top-notch ingredients, so I am looking forward to going there very soon.”
