Dreyfus
French restaurant · University ·
Homey French meals & natural wines in a stylish brick row house
Homey French meals & natural wines in a stylish brick row house
"Toronto's foodies clamber over each other for a reservation at Dreyfus, which is nestled into a Victorian townhouse on Harbord Street. The 30-seat restaurant provides a transportive experience that feels part French bistro and part Montreal house party. As soon as you take your seat, order a few of the small plates to share as you contemplate your mains. The croque cubano, which mixes rye, béchamel, and a generous sliced pickle with confit pork shoulder, is a sassy update to the classic French croque monsieur. Crispy, deep-fried dauphine potatoes come filled with a crème fraîche mixed with trout roe. For mains, people rave about the buttery tagliatelle served with British Columbia mushrooms and shavings of mimolette, a traditional French hard cheese. The vibe is right, the crowd is cool, the food is French without the fuss, and it's hard to think of a better date night spot in Toronto right now." - Todd Plummer
"Ido and I love going on date nights here. It is so intimate and the food is always fantastic." - Edward Barsamian
"No obvious signage, curtains drawn and the front door frosted top to bottom. What could this cozy French bistro be hiding? The answer is indulgence. Situated on the first floor of a narrow townhouse, Dreyfus is the kind of dinner you have before hibernation and after an annual physical. Rare (and sadly empty) trophy wines line the room’s perimeter, while servers explain that the fries are for the pâté and that the doughnuts are for the smoked trout dip garnished with roe. That Zach Kolomeir cooks with maximum impact shouldn’t be a shock given his tenure at Montreal’s famed Joe Beef. Sitting elbow to elbow, oenophiles looking for primo vino will have to ask for off-menu bottles, some of which sit in plain sight above the bar." - Michelin Inspector
Rank: #15 "Barely a year old, this charming 30-seater in a converted townhouse on Harbord Street has established itself as one of the city’s most coveted reservations. Zach Kolomeir’s reputation preceded him—he was formerly chef de cuisine at Montreal’s hallowed Joe Beef—and the city’s been quick to embrace his exuberant, careful, but relaxed style of modern French cooking."
"A charming, diminutive French-ish bistro tucked inside a brick row house and helmed by Zach Kolomeir, the former chef de cuisine at Montreal’s Joe Beef. The cozy, Québécois-tinged space—complete with a handwritten French menu decoded by amiable waiters and a moodily lit bar—leans heavily on butter-forward cooking and an all-natural wine lineup, with staff who casually open Champagne and scribble restaurant recommendations for guests. Seasonal plates are meant to be shared: highlights include heirloom tomatoes on aioli-smeared challah toast, fried anchovies with shishito peppers, and impossibly crisp pommes dauphine (a fried mash-and-choux pastry treat served with sour cream and trout roe); lobster salad is another stand-out that lends itself to the romantic, get-snowed-in fantasy. The overall vibe feels intimate and effortlessly chic—perfect for dates without the clichés—and the meal left a lasting, nostalgic impression." - ByAliza Abarbanel