WHERE CHEFS EAT
Where Chefs Eat is a weekly series that asks Toronto chefs and restaurant owners to name their favourite places to dine in the city: where they go for everything from weekend brunch to late-night cravings, fancy dinners to dessert.
This week: Jeba Sritharan, chef de cuisine at Wynona
Known for: A seasonal, seafood-forward menu and thoughtful dishes that cater to a range of diets.
Wynona is all about feeding as many folks as possible. The Italian joint scored a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2023 — a distinction recognizing restaurants that serve great food at a good value. Chef de cuisine Jeba Sritharan prides himself not only on offering a regularly changing menu, but on the wide variety of options for every palate. “Whether you are vegan, on a halal diet, or allergic to alliums, we will always be able to feed you,” he says. “In my opinion, having an allergy or restriction shouldn’t exempt you from a wonderful dining experience.” They also offer a vegetarian version of their shared five-course “trust us” menu, as well as non-alcoholic pairing options.
Now, you can explore Sritharan’s own favourite wonderful dining experiences, from romantic bistros to tremendous Thai.
Best date-night spot
Giulietta, 972 College St.
date
“An ideal date night for me would probably have more than one stop. So I would start off at Dotty’s. My partner and I always start with the cheese and crackers and ham. They always have a seasonal dish on the menu highlighting local produce — whether it’s an apple salad, green beans, or arugula and lentils on black garlic — and to finish off, we each have a burger, which is arguably one of the best in the city.
Before heading home, we pop into the bar at Giulietta, where we love being served by TJ (but all their bartenders are great). Great place to try various amaro, and finish off the night with a tiramisu and another one of their rotating desserts. And this may sound a bit ridiculous, but if it’s not too late in the evening, we’ll order one of their pizzas to go.”
Best bakery or baked good
Alice Marie Bakery & Coffee, 807 Gerrard St. E.
alice marie
“Only a year old, so maybe still flying under the radar, but the baked goods are unreal. Super-talented and friendly small team. My current favourite bite there is the goat milk and raspberry cream puff. But you can’t go wrong with the scones, the cold brew, or the rotating sandwiches.”
Hidden gem
Bar Mini, 1118 Queen St. E.
bar mini
“New cute little spot in the east end. Great bar snacks, and I love the halloumi and the mortadella sandwich. Solid cocktails, great atmosphere.”
Repeat reservation
Bar Vendetta, 928 Dundas St. W.
bar vendetta
“The first dinner we had in Toronto, and the most re-visited. Solid pasta bar that rotates its menu quite often. Very approachable price point. The cheesy garlic pull-apart bread is a must every time.”
The last best thing you ate
bar ape
“There’s a reason for the line down the street. The twist with espresso and mascarpone is exactly what I want when I’m craving something sweet. As much as it is nice that they change their offerings regularly, I’m going to try to have this one as much as I can before it’s gone.”
Current obsession
Casa Paco, 50c Clinton St.
Comfort food
Som Tum Jinda, 76 Gerrard St. E.
som tum
“They have a great offering for affordable quality Thai food in the east end, highlighting Northern Thai cuisine. The papaya salad is a classic I would re-order every time.”
Best dessert
Sakai Bar, 1576 Dundas St. W.
sakai
“The brown butter buckwheat cake with the warm koji sauce is absolutely my favourite dessert in the city, and I could have it every day.”
Lunch spot
Imanishi Sando Bar, 179 Brock Ave.
imanishi
“Not quite a restaurant, but it’s located in McCormick Park, which honestly is a great setting for an outdoor lunch (and if the weather doesn’t permit, their food travels very well if you wanna just take it home). My order is the spicy chicken sando with the addition of cheese, and an ebi sando.”
Best late-night craving spot
Bar Pompette, 607 College St.
bar pompette
“I don’t go out to bars often, but I get most excited about going to bars that have great bar snacks. The hands-down best bar food menu item I have had is the croque monsieur at Bar Pompette. I know it’s a simple ham and cheese sandwich, but it’s done so well for a bar snack and exactly what I want. The cocktails there are unreal, but I honestly would go just for the croque monsieur.”
Best takeout
Oroshi Fish Co., 962 College St.
oroshi
“Easy choice — the quality of seafood you get for the price point is fantastic, and the amount of options you have between a quick snack (a few tasty hand rolls) or a full omakase dinner really caters to whatever appetite you may have.”
Favourite weekend breakfast place
Primrose Bagels, 317A Oakwood Ave.
primrose
“Honestly, I would probably answer a lot of these questions with Primrose Bagels. The Bodega (add bacon!) has probably been my most-consumed food item since I moved to Toronto. We religiously have Primrose Bagels every Sunday and I have never been let down; the consistency is always there at such a reasonable price point. And if you wanna share a second bagel, they have an option to order the tuna melt as an open-faced sandwich, which is a no-brainer.”
Best cocktail bar
Cocktail Bar, 923 Dundas St. W.
cocktail bar
“It’s my favourite cocktail bar in the city. They always have a great rotation of drinks and all their staples are fantastic, so you really can’t go wrong. The Shiso 75 is always what I start with — it really hits the spot to start off the night.”
