On Drake’s 2017 album, More Life, he rapped, in one of many shout-outs to his hometown, “I switch flow like I switch time zone / Can’t get Nobu but you can get Milestone.” Why anyone with taste buds would pick Milestones as the reference point for Toronto’s internationally lauded culinary scene is beyond me, but it seems the song served as a kind of incantation. The same year the track came out, chef Nobu Matsuhisa announced his plans to bring his luxury Japanese-Peruvian chain to Toronto.
Now, after a seven-year wait, Nobu has finally arrived. The palatial restaurant (and soon-to-be hotel) in the Entertainment District has already hosted a stream of celebrities, including Drizzy (obviously) and Kyle Lowry. If you’re lucky enough to score a table—they’re booked solid for the next month—you’re sure to dine among the stars. And if you’re stuck without one, fear not—the closest Milestones is just a streetcar away.
Also in today’s newsletter: a new cabaret on Queen West with retro vibes and neon cocktails. Plus, a peek inside a piano bar and bistro from the team behind Amano Trattoria. For more of our food and drink coverage, visit torontolife.com or subscribe to our print edition.
—Madi Haslam, digital editor
Our top stories
BIG FISH
Since the original Tribeca location opened in 1994, Robert De Niro’s star power (he’s a co-founder) and chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s elegant plates have made Nobu the ultimate celebrity magnet.At its first Canadian location, the restaurant’s classic menu is complemented by a number of Toronto-exclusive dishes and drinks—including a particularly booze-forward cocktail called Midnight in the 6ix.
LIFE IS A CABARET
Baby’s Cabaret isn’t your typical watering hole. Inside the tight, swanky space, dancers perform old-school burlesque and high rollers order bottle service in velvet booths. Meanwhile, bartenders sling retro drinks that harken back to the ’90s—a time when Queen Street nightlife was in its prime and King West was still a ghost town.
WHAT’S ON THE MENU
The Berczy Tavern is a loosely American bistro with dishes that pay homage to the people and places that have shaped chef and co-owner Michael Angeloni’s culinary career. “The food is south of France and north of Italy with a touch of Spain and a kick of Scarborough,” he says. Stick around the bar side when you’re done dining: there’s live piano music every night.
