It was freezing rain outside when Andrew Golden explained why he opened a barbecue restaurant in Toronto.

He had fallen in love with barbecue, but couldn’t find the kind of wood-fired, Texas-style cooking he wanted to do anywhere in the city.

“I couldn’t find a job cooking barbecue the way I wanted to cook it in the city,” he says.

So he built one himself.

How Andrew Golden Found BBQ

Golden didn’t come to barbecue through the traditional restaurant path. His first real entry point was a small pellet grill in his Mom’s backyard, the thing that introduced him to what proper barbecue could be.

It did not begin perfectly. One of his first attempts involved a gas barbecue, a smoke tube, and a brisket flat. “I absolutely butchered it,” he says, laughingly.

From there came pork shoulder, more cooks, more mistakes, and eventually Texas, where Golden worked under pitmaster Nolan Veltcher at B4 Barbecue in Mabank.

Golden had already built a foundation by then, but Veltcher changed the way he understood the work. “I had never worked with somebody who was so meticulous about every detail,” Golden says. Even the smallest variables, from how the briskets were placed to how the fire was burning, were treated as part of the final product.

Doing Barbecue the Right Way

The barbecue at Golden Horseshoe is done on wood-fired offset smokers, with the same process repeated day after day so the team can understand what is working, what is changing, and what needs to be adjusted.

As Golden sees it, barbecue has too many variables to treat casually. The bark on a brisket can dry out. Wood can burn differently from one day to the next. A fire can run too dirty or too clean. Without consistency, it becomes almost impossible to know what actually made the food better or worse.

That is what separates Golden Horseshoe from a restaurant that simply serves barbecue-inspired food. The cooking is rooted in Texas-style technique, but the restaurant itself is very much a Toronto project.

Golden understands that barbecue does not land here the same way it does in Texas. In Toronto, many people are still learning what proper barbecue means. Some customers expect dinner service. Some do not understand why more brisket cannot simply be cooked once the restaurant sells out. Others bring a different idea of what ribs should be.

In Texas, Golden says, a rib has more chew. In Toronto, people tend to expect something sweeter, saucier, and closer to falling off the bone. “The more north you go from Texas, the sweeter things get,” Golden says.

The goal is not to copy Texas so rigidly that Toronto customers feel shut out. The goal is to make barbecue that respects the technique while still making sense here. Golden describes it as “a Toronto barbecue spot, with a little bit of Texan flavour,” but the standard is still clear, “If a Texan came up here, they’d give us the stamp of approval.”

Start With the Trinity

For a first visit to Golden Horseshoe, Golden keeps the order simple: brisket, ribs, sausage.

In Texas barbecue, that trio is known as the Trinity. At Golden Horseshoe, it is also the clearest way to understand what the restaurant is trying to do.

The brisket is the obvious main draw. The ribs show the balance Golden is trying to strike between Texas technique and Toronto expectations. However, the sausage may be the sleeper order, made in-house using brisket and rib trim. “Sausage takes up probably 40% of my day every day,” Golden says. “And it’s a $7 product.”

The gumbo makes sense on a cold day, made with smoked chicken and andouille sausage. The cornbread leans sweet, finished with a honey cinnamon butter. The cold sides, like beet salad and white bean salad, help cut through the richness. Every platter comes with pickles, pickled onions, and house-made bread.

Golden Horseshoe is still young, and Toronto is still developing its own relationship with barbecue. But that is what makes the restaurant interesting. It is not just importing a style. It is building one here, with the patience, discipline, and attention to detail proper barbecue demands.

Puerto Bravo

Address: 1425 Gerrard St. E.
Price: $$
Order: scallop crudo, seafood birria, whole fish with tortillas

For us, Puerto Bravo is the top of the mountain for Toronto tacos and one of the best eating experiences on the east end. The Michelin Guide seems to agree, as Puerto Bravo has earned a Bib Gourmand designation four years in a row.

The depth of flavour here, from the salsas to the proteins, is unmatched. The scallop crudo with leche de tigre and salsa macha is divine, while the seafood birria brings a level of creativity and depth that makes it one of the city’s most memorable tacos.

Then there is the whole fish, served with tortillas and a sauce that rivals the complexity of a sauce you would find in a fine dining restaurant. Cooked-down shrimp, fish bones, chilies — we are guessing, because the owner will not reveal the generations-old recipe. Fair enough.

Itacate

Address: 998 St. Clair Ave. W.
Price: $–$$
Order: volcán, lengua, camarones

An absolute classic. Itacate gets busy, especially in the summer, and it is already on almost everyone’s list, so there is not much left to reveal. It deserves the hype.

The meats are excellent. The tortillas are perfect. The most popular taco is the volcán, with steak, cheese, and caramelized onion, but we lean toward the thick-cut lengua and the camarones, made with shrimp and tomatoes. It is one of the best shrimp tacos in the city.

The homemade drinks, especially cucumber and lime in the summer, hit exactly how they should once the salsas start kicking in. And those salsas do kick in.

Casa Sonora

Address: 1688 Dufferin St.
Price: $
Order: fish taco, asada

A lot of people call their favourite places to eat “holes in the wall” because we guess that’s a cool thing to say. Casa Sonora does not care about being cool. No social media presence. No attention-seeking. No performance. Just good food.

The fish taco is fantastic, and so is the asada. Squeeze into this six-person standing-room space and enjoy what tacos are actually about: no spicy margaritas, no influencer lighting, no forced vibe. Just old-school fare.

Balam

Address: 584 Lansdowne Ave.
Price: $
Order: birria, barbacoa, cochinita pibil, tamarind drink

Balam is a deeply underappreciated gem. Name another spot in 2026 where you can get a real $5 taco.

The flavours are big, the portions are generous, and the tortillas lean greasy and crispy rather than clean and soft. The owner takes a lot of pride in the birria, and for good reason, but our hearts are with the barbacoa and cochinita pibil. Many of them, please.

Also, do not sleep on the tamarind drink. It’s absolutely delicious.

Holi Taco

Address: 1636 Queen St. E.
Price: $–$$
Order: pastor, suadero, salsa marita

Holi Taco is true taqueria through and through.

The shop is built around speed and efficiency. No servers. The owner and his right-hand man chop up delicious bites and hand them over before you dress them yourself at the salsa bar.

Owner, Luis Valenzuela, will walk you through the salsas, including his point of pride: salsa morita, which he describes as an unblended mole. It is sweet, smoky, and deep.

The meats simmer together in a master pot before being chopped and thrown on the plancha. The broth gets poured over the pastor trompo, which is then cut thick to emphasize all that porky goodness.

Taqueria El Pastorcito

Locations: Multiple locations, including Bloor, Yonge, Danforth, St. Clair, and Kensington
Price: $–$$
Order: lengua, tripa, charred jalapeño

Pastorcito has become one of Toronto’s best taco chains, although “chain” feels like the wrong word for a place that has none of the dead-eyed energy of one. No fuss, all vibes. Service is fast, friendly, and consistent.

The standouts here are the lengua and tripa: greasy, indulgent, delicious bites that ask very little of you other than to stop pretending you came here for something light. Do not skip the charred jalapeño on the side.

This is where we want to be after a night out, curing whatever has gone wrong physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Los Compas

Address: 140 Spadina Ave.
Price: $–$$
Order: pastor, nopales, fresh-pressed tortillas

Los Compas is doing great things. Fresh, modern kitchen. Youthful staff. Fun, spacious dining room. It is well-branded without losing the deliciousness you usually associate with grungier spots.

The tortillas are freshly pressed, and the salsas are light, bright, and zesty. We love the texture and freshness of the nopales, and the meats are solid across the board, with pastor as the standout.

This place has a very bright future.

Birria Catrina

Locations: Multiple locations, including Roncesvalles, Kensington, Augusta, and Yonge
Price: $–$$
Order: birria tacos with consommé

When a spot only does one taco, you know they are not messing around. Birria Catrina started as a taco cart at Yonge and Dundas and has quickly become one of Toronto’s favourite taquerias.

The consommé is punchy and flavourful, but surprisingly balanced and not too heavy. It is delicious on its own, but once you submerge the tortilla, let it soak, and add a heaping pile of slow-braised beef, now you have one of the best bites in the city.

Comal y Canela

Address: 1692B Jane St.
Price: $$
Order: birria, consommé, shrimp tacos

Comal y Canela is old-school and fully lives up to the hype. It has received a lot of attention, and it deserves it.

The room is full of all walks of life, and everyone seems happy to be there. The staff and owners are warm, hospitable, and clearly proud of what they do. We salute them.

The go-to is the birria, which has built a strong reputation for good reason. The consommé was the richest of the bunch, which is exactly what we wanted. Give us all the fat and flavour, please.

The Cheat Sheet
Chez Wa
928 College St., Little Italy
Chinese-inspired wine bar
Price: $$
Best for: sake, low-intervention bottles, and small plates

“We want to showcase that Chinese flavours can be paired harmoniously with wine and sake,” Kevin Guo says.

Chez Wa is the permanent expression of that idea: a brand-new 25-seat Chinese-inspired wine bar in Little Italy, opened by Guo and Tia Zhang, with a tight menu, fun bottles, and a playful approach to what a wine bar can be.

“We’re creating a new take on Chinese food,” Guo says. “We [aim to] make it more delicate with small plates people can drink with.”

Guo sees Chez Wa as a shift away from the larger-format style of many traditional Chinese restaurants. “When you go to a dim sum restaurant or a traditional Chinese restaurant, it’s usually big plates, big portions,” he says. “People share three or four plates, and that’s it. They’re full.”

At Chez Wa, the idea is smaller and more drink-led. “We [aim to] make it more delicate with small plates people can drink with,” Guo says.

Perhaps the most visually striking dish is the Hongsuantang mackerel that’s served with a fermented tomato and chili sauce, a sharp pairing that cuts through the richness of the fish. Next is a black tiger shrimp dish that’s a play on drunken shrimp, lightly cooked and marinated with Shaoxing wine and sherry, then served with pickled cherry tomatoes.

The beef tartare is the closest thing to a classic wine-bar dish, but Chez Wa pulls it in a different direction. Porcini mushrooms add depth and umami, burnt green chili brings smoke and heat, and egg yolk gel adds richness. It is served with baguette from Bakery Pompette down the street.

Campanelle might be the clearest expression of the restaurant’s point of view. Guo says they originally tested the dish with udon and Chinese noodles before landing on campanelle, whose shape reminded them of a regional Chinese noodle sometimes called “cat’s ears.” Inspired by mapo tofu, the dish uses silken tofu for creaminess, then tops it with stir-fried ground beef, Sichuan pepper, and green onions.

During the day, Chez Wa also functions as a bottle shop, with a list that leans toward smaller producers, low-intervention wines, and sake. During the soft opening, Guo says the restaurant quickly moved from friends-and-family nights to a proper waitlist, with wait times exceeding one hour.

For Zhang, the goal is simple. Chez Wa is “a place where you can chill, and enjoy food and wine.”

Gabriel’s Gate

145 Allen St, Buffalo, NY, 14201

His first answer was Gabriel’s Gate.

“It’s kind of my favourite for the most classic kind of plain wing,” Meredith says. “No additions, just Frank’s [hot sauce] and butter basically. It’s super simple and they’re amazing.”

For Meredith, Gabriel’s Gate is the reference point. Not trying to reinvent the format. Just a classic Buffalo wing done properly.

Bar-Bill

185 Main Street, East Aurora, NY 14052.

The second spot on Meredith’s list is Bar-Bill, located about 20 minutes south of the city.

Compared to Gabriel’s Gate, Meredith describes Bar-Bill’s wings as a slightly more amped-up version of the classic Buffalo wing.

“They’re a little bit sweeter, a little extra spices in there, but they’re still really, really good,” he says.

Nine-Eleven Tavern

9-11 Bloomfield Ave Buffalo, NY 14220.

His third pick was Nine-Eleven Tavern.

The name sounds like a bit, but Meredith explains that the tavern was established in 1981 and happens to sit at 9–11 Bloomfield Avenue.

For him, those wings represent a dirtier, heavier style, the kind that helped inspire the South Buffalo wings served at The Elmwood.

“Those are big, dirty wings,” Meredith says. “They’re a little fattier tasting and just a little funkier, a little more umami.”

The List

According to someone who has spent ten years studying Buffalo wings, the list is as follows.

Gabriel’s Gate
Bar-Bill
Nine Eleven Tavern

What he once envisioned no longer felt quite right—he found himself drawn instead to creating something more personal, something he could truly call his own.

What followed was a complete pivot: letting go of the path he thought he wanted in order to pursue something entirely different.

Mozy’s is a fast-casual charcoal chicken spot in Liberty Village, and a sharp departure from the world Soudi came from. But for him, it’s also been the most rewarding. Where fine dining feeds through experience and precision, Mozy’s operates on something more routine and personal—people dropping in multiple times a week.

“We are becoming a part of their table at home, and that’s what drives us.”

The space reflects that same intention. It’s casual and built for takeout, but there’s a quiet accuracy behind everything—an energy that feels closer to a fine dining kitchen than a neighbourhood chicken shop. You catch the smell of charcoal right away, and there’s a steady rhythm of newfound regulars moving through, picking up food that feels both simple and carefully considered.

The menu is deliberately small, with every item designed to be accessible and shareable. Nearly everything touches the charcoal grill at least once, creating a consistent through-line of smoke and depth.

Even the salad avoids shortcuts. “There’s no romaine, there’s no iceberg, there’s no filler,” Soudi says. Instead, it’s built with bitter greens, herbs, and feta—treated with the same level of care as any composed dish.

For two people, the move is the full chicken meal—a format that captures the restaurant in one order. It comes with a whole charcoal chicken, two sides, a dip, two sauces, bread, and tahini miso cookies to finish. The structure is simple, but it’s designed for mixing and matching: tearing into the chicken, dragging it through the sauces, and building bites with whatever combination lands best.

At the centre of it all is the chicken. It’s brined and dried with no spices or marinades, a decision that leans fully into the flavour of the grill. “We’re purists about the chicken,” he explains.

The restraint there makes room for the sides to carry more expressive flavours—rice, chicken salt fries, or the herb-heavy salad—along with dips like smoked labneh and eggplant that echo familiar forms like tzatziki or babaganoush. “Everything is playful,” he adds, “and nothing is meant to be taken too seriously.”

Mozy’s is also part of a growing pocket in Liberty Village. Shaped as much by community as it is by food, Soudi credits his neighbour, Burger Drops owner Gregory Bourolias, with helping him secure the space.

It was an early show of support that turned into a shared vision for the street. Together, they’re part of an intentional push to build Atlantic Avenue into a destination, the kind of area people seek out the way they do on Ossington.

Barbode Soudi brings the same intensity he’s carried through every kitchen he’s worked in, but here it’s pointed somewhere different. This time, it’s personal. “Mozy’s is a fast-casual restaurant operating with the mindset of three Michelin stars,” he says.