Dreyfus
French restaurant · University
96 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S 1G6, Canada
Highlights
French eatery with homey meals & natural wines in brick row house
French eatery with homey meals & natural wines in brick row house
"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
"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. 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
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
"A newly opened French-leaning bistro from a former Joe Beef chef that quickly charmed the city with chic Québécois service, a strong natural-wine list and handwritten menus celebrating peak produce executed with classic French techniques (butter, cream and the like); highlights include bar seating and indulgent plates such as pommes dauphine stuffed with trout roe." - ByAliza Abarbanel
