Vela Toronto

Came here for the first time as it was recommended by a friend but also because of the positive reviews (and subsequent owner responses). I will say it was initially hard to find the restaurant as the entrance isn’t super obvious, but at the same time I kind of liked that it was a bit discreet, so when you walk in, it created a bit of a mysterious illusion to it. I appreciated that there is complimentary coat check included, especially during the wintertime. Our server was great. She was super friendly and helpful when we had asked about some of the desserts and she had presented some options as my partner is alcohol-free. The food was also very delicious and I loved the varying textures and flavours throughout the appetizers. Some may find this an oddity at a nicer restaurant, but we really liked the live musician who was playing and singing whilst we enjoyed our food. He was great. Would definitely come again!

I went to Vela for brunch on Dec 1st 2024, and had one of the best brunches of my life! My party showed up 15 minutes early for our reservation (our fault and we made it at the last minute the morning of) and waited around 30 minutes for a booth table we really wanted, but didn't request in advance. Since we showed up early it should really only count as 15 minutes of extra waiting for something we weren't even promised or guaranteed. To apologize for our self-created "trouble" Vela staff gave us coffee, two glasses of champagne, a bread basket and a banana pudding! I was fully expecting to pay for everything except the champagne, but was surprised when the bill came. In fact, we only ordered 4 items for brunch and ended up being comped nearly the same value as our bill. It was insane. I've never experienced that kind of service before in North America. Will definitely revisit again for dinner once they reopen. Big shout out to Rachel who was our server that day.

I recently had the absolute pleasure of dining at Vela, and it’s no surprise that this gem is a Michelin-recommended restaurant. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere was effortlessly welcoming—perfect for a special evening. Every dish was a testament to culinary artistry. The flavors were balanced, the presentations were stunning, and the quality of the ingredients shown through in every bite. The drinks were equally impressive, made with the same attention to detail and creativity. The staff were warm, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable. Vela is the kind of place that leaves a lasting impression. If your looking for a perfect night out, this restaurant delivers on all fronts. I can’t wait to return and explore more of their incredible menu. 10/10—highly recommend!

The location is truly beautiful and spacious. On the night we visited, the restaurant was fully booked, but we never felt cramped at any point. The servers were knowledgeable about the dishes they were serving and were also friendly and courteous. The food was spectacular, meeting all expectations of a Michelin-starred restaurant. Additionally, there was live music, which my partner and I both love. We had a wonderful time and will definitely return to celebrate another special occasion.

Hands down, the best restaurant I have ever been to. So to start, the restaurant itself was stunning, ambiance was amazing and the music was perfect. Our server greeted us and was absolutely so pleasant and funny. The dinner we ordered was excellent, the pasta was amazing and my partners steak was perfect. We really enjoyed the food a lot and the non alcoholic drinks we ordered. We were celebrating myself and my partners birthday and the restaurant took extra care to make us feel important. Our server brought us both out the most gorgeous dessert ever, on the house. Even another server had came over to wish us a happy birthday. Overall, stunning restaurant, great food and excellent servers. The food was also halal!

Had a lovely evening at VELA. The staff make you feel taken care of and the venue is stunning. We sat on the patio today overlooking Portland. The food was cooked to perfection and my personal fave was the chicken schnitzel that had the most amazing crispy batter, topped with fresh cucumbers and radish. I look forward to returning and trying the other dishes! Also ordered and enjoyed: octopus, burger+fries.

Yoooooooooo! The chef does not miss!!!! Tried the chef's 7 course tasting menu and every 1 of them was 🔥! Octopus, steak, pasta and Apple tart with popcorn ice cream were my favorites. Also, the staff was very courteous and friendly. By the end I wasn't even thinking about the price as it was so much value for money. All food is halal too. Will recommend to others and come back here again soon.

I’ve been to Vela on three separate occasions and have also organized private dining here. It’s probably one of the best restaurants in King West as their quality of food and presentation is always consistent. Rarely a miss. My favourite dish of the night was the burrata. The figs and pistachios crumbs were a nice touch and the mix of sweet and savory complements well with the salt and fat of the cheese! The sea bream was also very delicious but was slightly disappointed that I was not able to eat the skin of the fish because it was rock hard and difficult to chew through. The cocktails were amazing and my favourite one of the night was Mexico City. Love my Don Julio. Only constructive feedback was the service on a Tuesday night was way TOO slow. We were a group of 12 people and that night, several other smaller groups were also there for a holiday dinner and the place felt understaffed. Between every course, it took the kitchen 45 minutes to serve us. Within each of those time gaps, our server kept asking if we wanted more drinks and it annoyed us quite a bit - we were all starving at one point. We were seated at 6pm and left at 9pm and ended up asking for our desserts to go. For a set menu, the kitchen crew should have been better prepared and staffed more people to serve us. During rush hour, they only had 4 people in the kitchen and it wasn’t until 8:30pm they were staffed with twice the number. Overall a great dining experience but serving time needs to be improved.