Bartenders chat H2O chemistry as easily as amaros, yet the vibe stays welcoming, with guests drifting up from the food hall for tacos and a seat at the brass rail. Rooted in authenticity and simplicity, our traditional dishes are meant to be shared and enjoyed with loved ones. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply indulging in a night out on the town, El Catrin Destileria promises an unforgettable dining experience that’s as bold and vibrant as the flavours of Mexico itself.
Many of my creations have focused on the balance between traditional Mexican dishes and Japanese Haute cuisine techniques,” said Tirtirau. Chula Taberna Mexican has two patios, one on the main level with a custom-built tiki bar and a rooftop patio with a firepit and a tiki bar as well. Celebrated cocktail creator Owen Walker manages the El Rey bar program. This popular Mexican bar in Kensington Market offers the largest Mezcal collection in the city. So save yourself the flight to Mexico and eat your way through Toronto’s authentic eateries.
MEXITACO Cantina
If you’re looking to get a taste of a authentic Mexican street-style taqueria head to Tacos 101 in Kensington Market. It’s the perfect perch to sip margaritas while noshing on finger-licking-good tacos. Skip inside La Chingada and you’ll find a cozy dining room featuring exposed brick walls and colourful mural by artist Adrián Dotes. La Chingada is a casual Mexican restaurant on Dundas Street West located a short walk from Trinity Bellwoods Park. Skipped over to El Charro to enjoy a thirst quenching massive margarita and plate of tacos and it certainly hits the spot! Enjoy quick counter service to pick up tasty tacos, enchiladas and chilaquiles to eat at home.
The 11 Best Cocktail Bars in Toronto
Reposado is more of a bar than a Mexican restaurant, but if you’re feeling peckish while slurping margaritas there are plenty of snacks including empanadas and spicy crab cakes. They moved their restaurant business to Toronto to share their love for street-style Mexican dishes in Canada. The restaurants talented bartender works in a wee nook inside the kitchen.
Milagra Cantina
The old nickname “Toronto the Good,” once shorthand for a polite, predictable city, no longer fits a place growing faster than any other metropolitan area in North America. Toronto has been rewriting its own narrative for years, but 2025 has felt like the moment the shift becomes unmistakable. Canada’s fastest-growing metropolis has traded its buttoned-up reputation for a surge of new energy that show where the city is headed next. Visit Milagro Restaurant and experience the true taste of Mexico! And let’s not forget about the drinks – El Catrin Destileria boasts an impressive selection of tequila and mezcal cocktails, expertly crafted by skilled mixologists who know a thing or two about shaking up a good time. From trendy taquerias to upscale eateries, Toronto boasts a plethora of Mexican dining options that cater to every palate and preference.
It’s here you can enjoy the authentic flavours of Jalisco’s Birria (beef stew stuffed tacos) dunked in a rich and flavourful consome. Daniel Roe and Raena Fisher oversee the day to day operations while the restaurants third owner, Javier Flores, operates a number of taco shops in Mexico City. The rowdy and rambunctious taco concept has expanded to include five concepts in the GTA as well as restaurants in Winnipeg and Baltimore. Hungry foodies nosh on tacos on the left and right while hunched over stainless steel counters. Walker adds, “A traditional comal is used to cook fresh tortillas and toast chilies and seeds, while the ceviche bar offers an array of raw dishes inspired by the flavours of Mexico.” We’ve traveled to Mexico extensively and eaten at taco loving restaurants from Los Angeles to Miami.
Once you’ve ordered your seafood-stuffed taco, add a little heat by spooning through a trilogy of Seven Lives signature spicy salsas. Seven Lives is famous for its Baja-style tacos with its signature dish, the Gobernador a must-try for first time visitors featuring house-smoked tuna, grilled shrimp and cheese. The casual Mexican restaurant features yellow painted walls, dangling lamps, picnic table and bench seating and TV screens that play popular Latin American soap operas and sports. Xola was opened in 2013 by Mali Fernandez, the former chef and co-owner of Danforth tapas bar Embrujo Flamenco. Wag your finger through the kitchens favourite dishes and you’ll find all culinary regions of Mexico are featured here. The casual Mexican restaurant concept features cactus cantina decor and a bible-sized menu.
Since 2019, it’s been a magnet for bartenders and cocktail obsessives thanks to housemade kombuchas, wild ferments and drinks that border on alchemy. Civil Works hides above the Waterworks food hall in a restored 1930s building, marked only by a neon “CW” on the mezzanine. Latke-style potato pancakes replace bagels under Ora King lox, and chopped-liver pâté arrives piped with cured yolk and fried onions. Linny’s channels the old-school Jewish delis and steakhouses of yesteryear, then dresses them up for Ossington’s modern crowd with supper-club nostalgia and mid-century cool. Jen Agg’s two-level gastro-pub jump-started Geary mexican restaurants toronto Avenue’s rise from industrial afterthought to Toronto’s buzziest new strip.
Owen Walker explains, “A lot of inspiration for the development of Quetzal came from countless trips to Oaxaca and a few other regions of Mexico. Ranked as the best Mexican restaurant in Toronto, Quetzal is brought to you by co-owners Owen Walker and Grant van Gameren (also behind El Rey and Rosalinda in this list). You’ll be day dreaming about marvellous meals in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, Los Cabos, Merida and Playa del Carmen.
- Skip inside XOLA on Queen Street East and you’ll find a bright interior featuring dangling lightbulbs and colourful graffiti by Mexican mural artist, Andre Castro.
- If you’re a newbie to the art of eating Birria we suggest ordering the classic beef stew taco dipped in consome.
- Move past the CN Tower-and-Niagara Falls circuit, and the real Toronto reveals itself in its neighborhoods.
- Rooms are among the city’s largest, framed by floor-to-ceiling windows and anchored by spa-like granite bathrooms with rain showers and deep soaking tubs.
- The best cocktail bars is where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and relax…
- In a restored Edwardian house below Casa Loma, chef Fadi Kattan brings Palestinian cooking into intimate, contemporary focus.
Located at the corner of Bloor and Dufferin, Tierra Azteca is a no frills Mexican cantina in Toronto’s west end. The seating is squished, confined to a few barstools, outdoor tables and petite nook by the window. Owner Sean Riehl began Seven Lives much like La Carnita, as a pop-up concept that eventually expanded into a bricks and mortar restaurant. The family-owned restaurant is run by the Gonzalez family from El Salvador. After spending over two decades at Bloor and Clinton, it made a move to a bigger space farther west.
The brand had gained a cult following with pop-up appearances, including the world’s largest tequila tasting, which had them serving over 1400 tacos in one night! Owner and Chef Daniel Roe has found success by keeping the Campechano menu simple. Expect to enjoy an authentic Mexican meal in a casual atmosphere where taco’s are the star of the show. Hop up at the massive margarita bar and swivel around the space and you’l find a choir of glowing Day of the Dead skulls. Jay MacRaild, Brand Manager for Anejo Restaurant explained the Mexican restaurants interior design concept, “Our design was a collaboration with Calgary based Jamie Owen design.
