It’s another banner year for Rob Gentile and his King Street Food Company. Three of their restaurants — Buca, Buca Yorkville and Bar Buca — continue the dominance of the top 10 they established with our 2014 mid-year update to the Kates 100.
This is the sixth year that Joanne Kates, Canada’s best known and most prolific restaurant reviewer, has compiled her list of the top 100 Toronto restaurants for us.
Regular, annual events like producing a comprehensive ranking of restaurants make it easy to spot arcs and notice trends. In 2015, Kates again paid particular attention to the continuing and steady progression away from formal, elaborate operations toward gutsy, casual affairs that run on a shoestring budget.
“What began with a few chefs on Ossington and Dundas,” Kates writes, “has exploded into a movement: Dozens of resto/bars opened in the last year. Artistic control is the one god this cowboy serves. He doesn’t take reservations, he may not have a phone, the place is a hole and he’s open late. A sign outside would be uncool; and since he’s doing this without investors to account to, he can do whatever he wants. We flock! Which makes us uptown girls into food tourists. We live north of Bloor but we graze in downtown’s Wild West.”
Despite the ongoing dynasty for the three Bucas, 2015 brings plenty of change to the list as a whole. All three of Yours Truly, Ursa, and The Grove closed in the last year even though they held spots on the 2014 list. New faces this time out include Kwan, Hanmoto, Boralia and Dandylion, among others.
What is on the horizon for the next year in top-flight Toronto dining? At least part of the answer to that question depends on what happens with Rob Gentile’s next venture with Jamie Oliver.
Beyond that, we’re likely to see the progression toward casual continue. Seeing how far it will go and which cuisines flourish will be part of the fun of eating in Toronto this year.
The top 10 spots on the Kates Top 100 Toronto Restaurants 2015 go to:
1. Buca
2. Scaramouche
3. Buca Osteria & Bar
4. Edulis
5. Bar Isabel
6. Boralia
7. Byblos
8. Splendido
9. Cava
10. Bar Buca
Check out the entire Kates Top 100 list here. In addition, the list will be published in all seven of Post City’s print editions, as well as the free companion iPhone app.
